I had a tour come to an abrupt end yesterday. After hearing President Trump’s announcement, my group were awake, scared, and ready to leave at […]
How to Celebrate the Start of Lent in Austria
Today, 25 February, is the day before the season of Lent starts in the Christian calendar. Lent is the 40 day period of fasting that […]
Christmas Markets in Austria- Part III
Part III: The Off-The-Beaten-Track Ones OBERNDORF Where? In Stille-Nacht-Platz What? About 20 stalls in small clusters around the square Glühwein? Very good; the cup is […]
Christmas Markets in Austria- Part II
Part II: The Big Ones MUNICH CENTRAL Where? Around Marienplatz in the centre of the city. There is another in the English Gardens that I […]
Christmas Markets in Austria- Part I
I saw the sad sight of a recycling van full of Christmas trees on my run this morning. It’s still crisp and blue with winter […]
Supermarkets in Austria
In the UK, there is a strict social categorisation of supermarkets. In Austria, I have not found the same social segregation but maybe that’s because I […]
Beyond the Sound of Music
When you have had your fill of singing and dancing, chocolate and marzipan, apples pastries and dumplings, it might be of interest to see and […]
How to Swim in Austria
The swimming pool is a blue world of calmness, a place where order should reign and sleek bodies should pass effortlessly through the waters. My […]
How to Play Sport in Austria
I didn’t know that it was an odd thing to play sports but now it is seeping into me that it may be a little […]
The Krampus Roar
From around 5 December every year, people in Austria dress up in animal skins and wooden masks with massive horns, parade down the streets, and […]