We moved into a little town called Langenzersdorf, just outside of the Vienna city limits.  Even though it is a closer commute than we had from the E Mt, people here consider it the country.  Two of our three sets of closest neighbors are only here in the summer, it is too far for them in the winter.  I thought I’d show a few pictures of our little town, one of the next blogs is going to be on the fantastic old houses on our street (just waiting for the sun to shine, so I can get some photos).

And we thought Albuquerque was old!

 

They had a 900 year birthday celebration for the town last fall.  They blocked off Main Street, otherwise known as Wienerstrasse, and had all sorts of booths for food, hot mulled wine, mead, and lots of folks in their medieval dress. 

Wagon load of skins

Wagon load of beer

We are just now heading into spring, after a long, dark, cold winter.  We had a lot of precipitation, but only a couple really deep snowfalls.  The law says you have to keep your sidewalk shoveled, so after my years of practise in Cedar Crest, I was able to do ours plus the very old lady’s next door.  People here are not very outgoing, as a rule, but shoveling someone else’s snow sure can endear you to the neighbors.  Russel got in one good snowman, too.

the Snowman

Backyard in winter

Summer here was really fantastic, hot, daylight until late at night (like 10:00!), we had a lot of dinners on the porch.  Our porch is above the garage, so we have a bird’s eye view of all the traffic on the street.  This street is called Kellergasse, which means Cellar Street, as in wine cellars.  We live up next to a hill called the Bisamberg, and all of these houses have huge wine cellars built in under the house and the into the hill.  We are in the heart of the Viennese wine district and surrounded by vineyards.  Lots of people walk, run, and bike ride, no matter what the weather.  We have joked about the Hummer baby carriages, with babies out in all weather, but we think their parents are just acclimating them sooner rather than later.  Austrians like to be outside; they even have a word, wandertag, that means take a day to go wandering around in the woods.  It is great to have the Bisamberg so close, it’s similar to having the Sandias in the backyard as far as being able to just go on a hike.

A view from the top of the Bisamberg

Russel and Jesse heading back home

The crocus have just started blooming, the tulips are about 6 inches high, and we are ready for it to look like this again.  Astro enjoys his yard, and we all enjoy watching the town go by from the porch.  This house is just across the street, empty.  It looks haunted but we haven’t seen any ghosts yet.  I can picture storks nesting on those chimneys too.  It was a nice sunset that evening.

sunset from the porch

Astro in the yard - summer version

The IAEA held it’s 52nd annual Ball, in the Hofburg Palace in downtown Vienna.  We met the Kinkers (New Mexicans) and the Hannans (Brits) at the Hannans’ flat in the 3rd district.  We ate, completed a cartoon knowledge quiz, took a few photos, then set out for the Ball.

Isabel, Jesse and Beatta

 

Isabel is an 8th grader from Cuba, and Beatta is in 10th grade.  This was the first Ball for all three.  They all look beautiful, and I really like Jesse’s glamorous movie star outfit.

The Rat Pack

These suave guys in tuxes are Mark Hannan, Russel, and John Kinker.

Monika, Karen and Rebecca

And all together now.

We set out in our ball gowns, tuxes, high heels and furs to the bus stop, then walked several blocks through downtown, the tourists all enjoyed the spectacle I think.   The Palace was beautiful at night, and the inside was gorgeous. 

The main Ballroom had traditional Viennese waltzing, but there were bands in other rooms too – our table was in the Rock and Roll room (packed!), there was a Reggae room, a Salsa room, a Swing room, and a Disco room, among others.  (Jesse was very relieved that  I wasn’t able to find the disco room.)  The reggae band was great, although the couple in dirndl and lederhosen dancing to reggae created a little cognitive dissonance for us.  People were wearing tuxes, ball gowns, national dress – it was great fun just watching all the outfits go by.  We saw Mr. El Baradei arrive, escorted by cameras, he’s the Director-General of the IAEA, often in the news.  The festivities didn’t get under way until 10:00 pm.  The opening act was a pair of Incan dancers, who were followed by a mariachi band called Mariachi Without Borders.  Really.  They sang La Bamba and a song about Speedy Gonzales,  honestly the band at Garduno’s plays better songs.  We had our lighters out for Guadalajara, but no dice.  Afterwards, the debutantes were introduced and all danced a traditional waltz.  They all wore white gowns, it was really lovely.  We danced, we visited, we watched the scenery, and had a great time.   

the Hofburg Palace

the Main Ballroom

 

Well it’s snowing again…winter in Austria can be mildly depressing . Its typically gray, wet and dark. So to keep my spirits up I thought I would reflect on last summer and the beautiful Danube River Valley and in particular the section of the river northwest of Vienna called the Wachau. The 24 mile stretch of the river between the villages of Krems and Melk is as beautiful as it gets.

Durnstein Wine Country

Durnstein

One of my favorite  places is the village of Durnstein. The name  Durnstein  originates from the rocky area “Durren Stein”, where the settlement was founded. Durnstein has kept its historic character and is regarded as one of the most romantic places in the Wachau.
During the Middle Ages Durnstein was an ideal location. The steep rock riverbanks gave protection against floods and left enough space for settlement and fortification. In this narrow part of the valley, road and river can be closed off easily. This was of great importance of the local ruler.

The ruins of a castle fortress, 159 meters above the town, are  linked to the Crusades. Here Leopold V, the Babenberg duke ruling the country at that time, held Richard the Lion-Hearted of England prisoner in 1193. It seems that Richard had insulted the powerful Austrian duke in Palestine during the Crusades to capture the Holy Land. The story is that when Richard was attempting to get back home, his boat crashed on the rocks of the Adriatic and he tried to sneak through Austria disguised as a peasant. The English monarch was discovered, arrested and imprisoned by Leopold.

Castle Ruins of Durnstein

For quite some time, nobody knew exactly where in Austria Richard was incarcerated, but his loyal minstrel , Blondel, had a clever idea. He went from castle to castle, playing his lute and singing Richard’s favorite songs. The tactic paid off, the legend says, for at Durnstein Richard heard Blondel’s singing and sang the lyrics in reply. The discovery forced Leopold to transfer Richard to a castle in the Rhineland, but by then everybody knew where he was. So Leopold set a high ransom on the king’s head, which was eventually met, and Richard was set free. The ransom was used to expand the city of Vienna.
The castle was virtually demolished by the Swedes in 1645, but  the ruins are still fun to visit if you don’t mind the  climb. It had Mike Fawcett and I huffing and puffing! The castle isn’t much, but the view of village ,Durnstein and the Wachauis more than worth the effort.

Ah Durnstein!

A lovely little spot overlooking the Danube. Here we pause for a tasteymeal,  Peter Waggitt, Mike and Chris Fawcett, all from Australia, and Karen enjoy the fruits of the harvest!  The village is quite charming. There are several places like this to sit back , relax and enjoy life with good friends. This will be on the tour for those of you who come over for a visit in the spring or summer. The place is also famous for its marillion (apricot) schnaps . In the spring the valley is spectacular especially during the bloom of the apricot orchards.

  

On to Melk

The village of Melk lies at the western end of the Wachau valley just upriver from Durnstein. Its most famous feature is a huge abbey,the Melk Abbey, of course. It is said to be one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in the world. Melk is a working Abbey. It was presented to the Benedictine monks by the Babenberg ruler Leopold II in the 11th century. Its reputation as a center of learning spread throughout Europe. The library contains over 100,000 volumes and 2,000 manuscripts.The Turkish invasion in 1683 and the Reformation took its toll on the building. In 1702 it was rebuilt and given the baroque design still seen today.

The Abbey at Melk

 The Abbey sits on a bluff overlooking the Danube River. Melk was the location of the seat of the Babenberg dynasty which ruled Austria from 976 until the Hapsburgs took over in 1278. It was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1297.

The present design is that of the famous architect Jakob Prandtauer. Napoleon used the terrace you see here (underneath the archway) as a look out point when he made Melk his headquarters during the campaign against Austria in the early 1800’s. Umberto Eco’s novel “The Name of the Rose” was a murder mystery set in Melk.

 

Aggstein

Further up the Danube one can visit Aggstein Castle.  Aggstein is thought to have been built originally in the early 12thCentury. The main part of the castle was subject to siege over the centuries, and has been restored and various parts rebuilt, although much of the courtyard and other structures date from the time of the original construction. Part of the castle was restored in a Renaissance style  in the year 1606. However, it too fell into disrepair. The final round of restorations to the main castle were completed by 1930.

Aggstein

 Now the castle can be visited by nearly anyone. We decided to make the trip and it was well worth it. The drive up to the castle from the floor of the Danube valley through the dense woods to the rocky bluffs is steep and beautiful. Many people hike and bicycle this route as well. We were’nt quite that ambitious.  The views are gorgeous of the Danube valley and the Wachau.

According to history the castle was given to a man named Scheck vom Wald in the 1430’s. (I think this is who they named Shrek after). It was in ruins  and in order to finance the reconstruction, he was given permission to extract a toll from vessels  travelling up and down the Danube.  

Scheck was forcibly relieved of his goods, titles and the castle in 1463, as he apparently misused his rights and privileges he had been granted. Soon, frightful stories emerged regarding his rough and vicious character, stories such as the legend of his “garden of the roses”.  Apparently Scheck kept his prisoners in a room on a high rocky precipice and they were given the option of starving to death,  or leaping from an open portal to their deaths on the rocks below.  He described the area where the bodies decomposed as his ” garden of the roses”.

In 1529 the castle experienced its second forceful destruction when it was looted and ravaged by marauding Turkish troops. Two years later,  King Ferdinand of Austria  restored the castle and also  reinforced its fortification, at the remarkable cost of 4000 Gulden (appr. 220.000 euros).  

In 1606 Kaiser Rudolph II sold the castle, including lordship and toll privilege to the widow Freewomen Anna von Polheim. After the Thirty Years’ War , Aggstein castle was guarded by an imperial troop, there was a rapid succession of owners. and the castle deteriotated.

Early in the 19th century some restoration work was done. From 1922-1930, the castle was restored to nearly its present condition and has become a popular tourist spot. it is a delight to wonder around in. You can easily imagine the scene in medieval times as you walk from room to room and in the courtyard.

 

Aggstein Overlooking the Danube

 

Inside Aggstein

Another Christmas come and gone. It hardly seems possible we have been here six months already. Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes and inquiries. We miss you all and hope this site will inspire a visit!

Karen, Jesse & Astro!

We would like to start by describing our recent activities and then perhaps digress a bit  to catch you all up on the past six months, after which we will try to get back to some semblance of chronological order! We apologize in advance for those of you whom may have read or heard some of this already via e-mail or telephone.

Settlements along the Danube near what is now the City of Vienna can be traced back to the 5th century B.C. These were of Celtic origin – as is the name Wien, derived from the Celtic “Vedunia” meaning “river in the woods”. The Romans established the garrison camp Vindobona in the 1st century AD. Remainders of the Roman camp can be seen at Hoher Markt and at the underground station Stephansplatz. Vienna began its rise in importance in the Middle Ages when it was made the residence of the Babenbergs and the city walls were raised in 1200. Vienna would become the capital of the Habsburg Empire and remain so for almost seven centuries. Today its imperial past is still visible in monumental structures such as the Imperial Palace (Hofburg), the Schönbrunn Palace, the buildings along Ringstraße, and many other sites throughout the city.

The fall of the monarchy proved a turning point in Vienna’s history. In 1922, the city was made a province in its own right. The Social Democrats then in power pursued comprehensive social policies. By 1933 more than 60,000 new and affordable apartments had been built. The achievements of the “rotes Wien” (Red Vienna) in the social field found international recognition.

In 1938 Austria was “annexed” to Hitler Germany and ceased to exist as a state. Most of Vienna’s Jewish population was driven away or exterminated. After the end of the Second World War and many years of Allied occupation, Austria regained its independence with the state treaty signed in 1955. Unperturbed by the nearby existing Iron Curtain, Vienna continued to build on its international role during the Cold War years. It became a UN seat

However, we don’t exactly live in Vienna (Wien), we actually live in Langenzersdorf  a 900 year old village about 8km north of Vienna along the banks of the Danube (Donau) River and next to a hilly area called the Bisamberg. It is a wonderful little place in the heart of wine country ( Yeah!) with many little heurigens (wine taverns)  in and on the surrounding  hillsides (see photo).  Nationalities around the table are US, N.Korea, German (one of Finnish extract), S. African and British.  So cool.

Langer Huerigen atop the Bisamberg

We rented our home from a lovely little Austrian couple, the Kleinraths, whose graciousness we shall never forget. The home has a beautiful garden (yard to most of you) and a Wein keller (wine cellar..actually two !)  It is approximately 100 years old with flower boxes, fruit and nut trees and a beautiful patio.(More on this later)…on with the story.

December has been a busy month for us. Vienna is beautiful especially at Christmas. The city is decorated handsomely and there are small Christmas markets scattered throughout. They sell handmade ornaments and gluwein (a spicy warm wine drink to ward off the cold). People bundle up and go out in the evenings to these brightly lit  markets, which consist of many small booths of vendors. The decorations are gorgeous, ranging from handblown glass  figurines to straw snow flakes and everything in between. Its a very festive environment with the aroma of roasting chestnuts, colored lights and the gleeful sounds of the children in anticipation of Christmas. We did our share for the local ecomomy as we left our decorations in storage in Albuquerque! We actually placed candles on our tree this year in addition to the usual electric lights..it was beautiful and gives new meaning to “lighting the tree”.

O Tannenbaum!

After having lived decades in the drought stricken dry southwestern forests of the US, it went against every grain in Russel’s body to deliberately set fire to his Christmas tree inside the house (more on the house later too). However all went well, the tree  and the house are still intact.

The week before Christmas we went skiing  with our friends, the Kinker’s (more about them later), Katarina and Megala( a german teacher at Jesse’s school and her daughter) in the Austrian Alps at a place called Obertauren. 

Obertauren

Its south of Salzburg near a village called Radstadt (about 3.5 hour drive from Vienna). The place is huge, 26 lifts and over 100 kilometers of trails! They advertize a conveying capacity of over 47,000 people per hour. However we never stood in line more than 1-2 minutes the entire 4 days. It includes seven peaks, the highest, Gurpitsch Eck , is at 2526m elevation. There are cross country ski areas, lighted areas for night skiing, toboggan runs, timed runs and a fun park loaded with jumps and half-pipes etc. The snow was plentiful,wet and heavy.

Jesse,Beatta,Megela

The ski area was a series of gigantic basins (surrounded by the seven peaks). The weather ranged from partly cloudy to heavy snow and fog. Russel, Karen, John and Monika (the Kinkers) skied. While Jesse, Beatta*, Erik* (* kinker children) and Megala snow boarded..skiing is for old folks you know!  The photo  of Obertauren shown above is at the top of the Grunwaldkopfbahn lift (easy for you to say!) featuring the Hochalm resturant and Seekarspitz Peak (2350m) in the distance.

 

 Paraguay

Changing hemispheres now, Russel travelled to South America earlier in the month to Montevideo, Uruguay and to Asuncion, Paraguay for work. The mission was to discuss the status of the uranium resource development in each country. It was summer and the people were  wonderful. Both places are large cattle producers and some aspects reminded Russel of his Oklahoma roots!

A Rancher in Paraguay

For all you bovine enthusiasts, the cattle you see here are a cross between Brahma and Nelore. Nelore are a type of Zebu cattle that are very popular in South America.   Brazil is the largest breeder of Nelore.  They are hardy cattle well suited for tropical or sub-tropical areas.  Their loose black skin is covered by a white or light gray coat which filters and reflects harmful sun rays.  Nelores possess natural resistance to various insects, as their skin is thick and dense, making it difficult for blood sucking insects to penetrate. Nelores also have a well developed subcutaneous muscle layer which enables them to remove insects simply by shaking their coat.   They are fertile, easy calving cattle with a highly developed maternal instinct .  They thrive in areas where other breeds barely survive

Paraguayan Factoids:

Paraguay is about the size of the U.S. state of California. The highest point in the Republic of Paraguay is Cerro Pero (842 m). The Pantanal, the world’s largest freshwater wetland, extends through Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil. The River Paraguay divides the country into two regions: the west, also known as the Chaco, and the east. Most of the people live in the east of Paraguay – only two to three percent of the population lives in the Chaco.The Chaco consists mainly of plains and forests. It is the location of a number of Paraguay’s National Parks.

The Guarani are one of the indigenous groups which inhabited Paraguay before the arrival of Europeans.The majority of Paraguayans speak Guarani as well as Spanish. Guarani and Spanish are both official languages.

Asuncion (Nuestra Senora de Santa Maria de Asuncion) was founded by Spaniards, led by Juan de Salazar y Espinoza in 1537.

The White House in Asuncion

The Jesuit Missions of La Santisima Trinidad de Parana and the Jesus de Tavarangue Mission are on the World Heritage List.

Paraguay gained independence in 1811.

The War of the Triple Alliance between Paraguay and [the alliance of] Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil (1865-1870) resulted in the loss of large areas of land as well as the lives of a very high percentage of Paraguay’s soliders.

The Chaco War (1932-1935) between Paraguay and Bolivia was an attempt by landlocked Bolivia to gain access to the Atlantic coast through the Rio de la Plata river system.

The first railway line in Paraguay, constructed between 1858 and 1861, was built by British engineers. Remnants are still visible today.

The Itaipu hydroelectric power plant, a joint project between Paraguay and Brazil (1975-1991), supplies substantial amounts of energy to both countries. Russel was told that 25% of the electricity produced at Itaipu powers nearly the entire country of Paraguay, and the remaining 75% provides Brazil with approximately one fifth of its electrical power.

Uruguay

All of South America, and this land called Uruguay, was occupied by large groups of indigenous Indian peoples long before the Europeans arrived.

When the Spanish Explorer, Juan Diaz de Solis, came ashore in the area in 1516, his welcoming was rather unfriendly, as Solis, and most of his landing party were promptly killed by Indians.

In 1680, the Portuguese founded Colonia on the edge of the River Plate, directly across from the Spanish controlled city of Buenos Aires.

In response, the Spanish established Montevideo as a military stronghold, and with its natural harbor, this upstart settlement soon became an important regional center of commerce.

Montevideo Today

At the beginning of the 19th century, after many decades of forced Spanish control, Jose Gervasio Artigas, an exiled military officer, led the long struggle for political freedom, and that independence came to fruition in 1825; and then, in 1828, the State of Uruguay was officially created.

Uruguay’s independence was immediately threatened, as both Argentina and Brazil desired this land. Subsequently, it wasn’t long before Montevideo was overrun, and warring factions immersed this new country into civil war and political dictatorships.

A somewhat short-lived productive era began in the early 20th century, as governmental reforms included a long list of social services, including free health care and education, pensions for workers, and a real concentrated effort to improve the economy.

In short-order this proved problematic, as Uruguay, with few natural resources, soon experienced financial pressures on its new welfare state that grew to unmanageable levels; this brought political unrest, another dictatorship, and then, a disastrous guerrilla movement, one that took Uruguay’s military many years to finally control. Civilian rule was finally restored in 1985, and in 2004, a new and progressive coalition won national elections, which in essence ended 175 years of political instability in the country.