You're never fully dressed without a ...................

Scarf!!

What's In:

Scarfs (you would be hard pressed to find a woman in Vienna who doesn't have one wrapped around her neck. Truly), leg warmers (can you believe these are coming back!), skirts (all kinds and styles, although A-line miniskirts are the norm; women usually don't wear pants since they generally dress up when they go out), furs (well, it does get cold here), heels (they walk so much, I'm not sure how they do it), smart phones (like in the States, everyone is always on one), leggings or tights (with the skirts or alone - sometimes not a great look), boots (again, these are everywhere), and...

...guys dressed like those above.  They are everywhere in their trademark clothing.  Luckily for you, these uniforms come in many colors including red, blue, gray, white, neon yellow, neon orange, and many more! I'm sure I can get a discount if enough of you place an order.  Be sure to note color and size.

What's not In:

Anything that's in my closet.  Stilettos seem to have disappeared in favor of the full heel.  Not that I have any of those anyway.   How about this?

Definitely not fashionable without being in a Biergarten so I'll have to correct that.  I'm growing my hair out so I can do the braids, too.  :)  Actually, I get no strange looks when I've worn it.  Traditional clothing is fairly commonly seen.  This is technically not a "dirndl", with a blouse and skirt and apron, so I may keep looking for one of those.  But with my coloring and name, I easily pass for Austrian.

We've been our usual busy selves.  Highlights include:

1.  A guided tour of the Schonbrun Zoo, the oldest zoo in Europe.  We were lucky enough to see a baby elephant (about a month old), baby giraffe, prowling leopards, and giant tortoises, among others.

2. Riding a cable car up the Rax Mountain, about an hour south of Vienna.  We went with a French family that I met in my women's group.  It was a gorgeous, sunny day in Vienna and we had beautiful views of the autumn colors when we reached the top.  Then we walked into the clouds that live at the top of mountains and had a windy, chilly hike.  Enjoyed the lovely Heurige (local tavern) at the top of the mountain, which helped prepare us for the return hike, since it had also started to rain by then.  Despite the absence of what would have been fabulous views if the weather was clear, we all had a good time!

3. Going to "A Long Night at the Museum", where about 150 museums can be visited in one evening for one ticket.  The kids and I did this alone since Craig was at a conference in the Czech Republic.  Carissa got to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic at the Musik Haus, and we got to see the Imperial Jewels and watch gold and silversmiths at work.

4. We also went hiking through the vineyards on the one weekend of the year when the entire Vienna Wine Trail is open (much of the trail goes through private vineyards).  It was a bit chilly but a lovely time hiking, stopping at small huts to sample the new wines (called Sturm - it's so new it's still fermenting as you drink it.  It tastes like fizzy grape juice) and have snacks.  

Maria and Angela

The brave adventurers (Matthew opted out)

Just can't imagine finding one of these in the states. But Carissa loved it.

This was the main winery on the trail, where you could buy wine, of course, and also
cheeses and breads and all kinds of other treats.  They had music and a few games for kids.

The highlight for Carissa was playing a game where you throw a rain-boot from progressively farther away while trying to make it land in the wheelbarrow.  Yup, you read that right.  Unfortunately, she was also stung twice on the neck by the only bee in the entire valley.

5. I was also lucky enough to go on a guided tour of the works of Otto Wagner, a famous architect from Vienna.  The guide was enthusiastic and passionate and had written a book about Wagner and was a delight to listen to.  Wagner was the architect of the wonderful mass transit system of Vienna in addition to various buildings, pavilions and train stations.

So now you are up to date.  The kids are doing fine in school, have made friends, and do not have much that is taxing them academically.  Being in a bi-lingual program is slowing their acquisition of German, but it is coming along.  Craig has been to a couple of conferences and has been enjoying his time with his colleagues here.  Currently, his focus is on the grant proposal which is due in a few weeks that will determine future funding.  I continue to work on my German, go to social activities, explore the area, and spend many hours on keeping the house going.  I did find a good vegetable/fruit market that's not too far away, and a butcher there from Serbia that enjoys talking to me about what he sells.   I've cut back on most of the gluten I was eating, which means I'm feeling better, although I do still cheat at times.  We were all approved to participate in the Austrian health care system, so I need to make an appointment with a doctor for some lab work (just to keep track of my thyroid).  It also means we may be eligible for the "family money" that they pay families here according to how many children they have!  We've decided to just skip the rest of Matthew's allergy shot program as it would just be too much time and trouble.  He seems to be doing well in any case.

Next weekend we will rent a car and go to see our friends in Salzburg.  I am really looking forward to that!  
November will bring the beginning of the Christmas markets, a trip to the western part of Austria, including Innsbruck and Dornbirn (which is the city my ancestors come from) and Zurich.  We are transporting a car for a friend and will take the train back.

So, I'm putting my life out there - tell us about yours!
Enjoy the lovely autumn weather and colors!

Prost,
Maria von Zirbel

If I Had Ever Been Here Before I Would Probably Know Just What To Do....(1)

Pictures are worth a thousand words.  But in case that wasn't enough, they are accompanied by some random questions for you. No chapter today.  These occurred to me as I wandered Vienna and I wanted to share with my dear readers. (The answers are at the end.)

Would you want to hold a walking stick with a skull  or sharp animal ears at the end?

Can you guess what the game is?

Could you walk by without going inside?

Can you see yourself covered in Swarovski?

What is the connection between Austria and Australia re: the kangaroo?

Would you be caught alive in this?

Can you guess the store that WON'T allow dogs?

(1) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

(2) Yes you would!  No Pain, No Gain!

(3) Take Turns Hitting Your Nail with a Pointed Hammer and see who can bury their nail first.
(4) Can you walk by without salivating?  (Ding, Ding)
(5) "She" was swinging under hot lights.  Not for me. Plus, I would shine too brightly.
(6) They love to have souvenirs that say "There are no kangaroos in Austria".  Apparently, people confuse the two countries. (We've also had Vienna-Venice confused:  "Are you going to the city with the little boats?")
(7) You would if you were at Wiener Wiesn - Vienna's 3 week version of Oktober Fest.
(8) Actually a sign forbidding dogs in a grocery store.  Have seen very few signs forbidding dogs anywhere. And I have seen dogs in grocery stores.

No pictures for random thoughts below, so I guess it'll have to be less than 1,000 words.
Did you know that :

     ...if you plug in night lights brought from the USA without a transformer, they will start getting black spots before they start smoking?
     ...American halogen lamps don't work here?
     ...it sounds so much better to say "I've only gained 3 kilos" than "I've gained almost 7 pounds"?
     ...it sounds so much better to say "I'm a size 8" than "I'm a size 38"?
     ...US formulations of over-the-counter drugs tend to be stronger?
     ...you should not expect Austrians to stand in a straight line, one behind the other, at any counter/place?
     ...commas and periods are reversed when used in numbers?
     ...Austria is still a cash country? There are no such things are checks, and it's still rare for any store to take a credit card.  You can use a 100 euro bill almost anywhere.  Usually 200 and 500 as well.
     ...everyone must pay a monthly fee to subsidize radio and TV stations?
     ...if you put your religion on your registration form, the government assesses a church tax?
     ...your dog, cat or ferret would need a passport if moving to Austria?
     ...112 is Europe's emergency telephone number?
     ...if you don't want junk mail, you can put a sticker on your mailbox saying such?
     ...standard shopping hours are regulated by Austrian law?
     ...new mothers get 16 weeks of paid maternity break:  8 weeks before and 8 weeks after the birth? After that, there is also a monthly payment per child, in addition to a tax credit for every child you have, until at least age 18.  This can be hundreds of euros per month.
     ...kids must be in car seats until they are 12?
     ...if you get caught on public transportation without a valid ticket, you pay at least a 100 euro fine - on the spot?  If you cannot, you go to the police station to register.  If you don't pay within 3 days, the fine doubles.
     ...it's common here to say:  There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing?  Good attitude.

Best wishes for appropriate clothing in any kind of weather.
Cheers!
Maria