BiRtHdAy PaRtY WITH THE PACKERS!

The Packers and me

I still have a few more entries to make about our time here in Vienna, but decided to jump ahead and do this one while it is happening.

OK, it's not quite the party I had envisioned for my 60th, but hey, makes for a good blog.  It's 3 days until we fly from Vienna to Texas.  The weather is dark, gloomy, and very cold.  I think if it were nice and sunny then it would be more difficult to leave, so maybe God put the gloom in the air just to help me out a little. 


The movers are closing in on me.  I have had my little spot in the extra bedroom with a chair and card table, but not for long.  Alex from Austria, Richie from America, and Serdar from Turkey are all working together to pack up our things.  They are amazingly efficient and have yet to take a lunch break (it's 2:00.)   Incredibly, they all speak English and actually understand everything I say.  Not so with the packers of our air shipment.  At one point one of the air shipper guys said to me in frustration, "Sprechen Sie Deutsch, bitte (Please speak German!)
Here's what moving looks like:

We have several piles of items to take to friends.  We are also leaving for Bill (the guy from NM who will be taking Greg's place at the IAEA) my shopping cart full of European electronics plus my wonderful vacuum cleaner (named Euclid by its previous American owners.)  It will be bitter/sweet goodbyes to both Euclid and the shopping cart.  If only they could figure out how to make vacuum cleaners in the US that work like the ones here--they really suck!  As far as my shopping cart, the shocker is that it still has its wheels.  It has gotten me back and forth from stores and the Vienna International Center commissary so many times (holding many pounds (uh, I mean kilograms!)


There are so many things about this apartment and its surroundings that I have loved. It has been "home" for these 2 1/2 years.  We have had many people visit here.  The record was nearly 50 for Thanksgiving.  I have been able to host the international cooking group here twice and we have had a NM tamale making party once.  We have hosted our church numerous times, along with potlucks.  We have had all our "surrogate grandchildren" (Nathan, Maya, Carli, Caleb, Cotter, Carson, Izabela, Krystian, Victoria, Abby, Katy, Lisa, Lena, Rafael, Chiara) over to play.  We have a play room at the front of the apartment complete with legos, books, and K'nex.  We have loved housing friends and family from abroad.  I will always cherish my guest book where everyone signed and wrote little notes.  

I look out my window now and see Winter (dreary.)  Each season has shown off its own unique personality.

There were times I sat in the warmth of this window and soaked up the sun.  Other times I just people watch (elderly people, young people, children, babies in strollers, dogs on leashes.)  The people here are so interesting.  On the surface they aren't very friendly, but once you get to know them they are warm and delightful (like my Austrian friend, Edda!)


This isn't really goodbye since I'm sure we will be back.  I am convinced that the weariness of  moving and all it entails keeps us from feeling so much sadness.  We will dearly miss our friends here, but onward now to another chapter in our lives.

We have been richly blessed by our time here and for now I will say auf Wedersehen, Wien.

It has been Happy Living in Vienna!

                   

GIRL'S SEWING DAY AND OFF TO POLAND

The weekend began with seven young girls coming to our apartment for a girl's party day, complete with making skirts for each of them.  I had the help of several Moms for this project.  There's no way I could have done this by myself.  The skirts were re-purposed from old t-shirts.  They also drew designs on t-shirts which were traced over by a bleach pen.

The girls showing off their new skirts.

The girls made Christmas cards, necklaces,  played games, and ate pizza.  Here they are toasting to a fun afternoon.

 Two friends from Croatia (Sandra and Bonnie) arrived while the girls were still here.  They had volunteered to drive us to Boleslawiec, Poland to shop for Polish pottery.  After the girls left, we met Bruce, Barbara, Jim, and Jenny at Socrates, our neighborhood Greek restaurant for dinner.  After dinner we hopped on the Strassenbahn and rode to the Rathaus for the opening of the first Christmas Market of the season.

The seven of us at Socrates.  Greg is in Korea for two weeks so missed out on all the fun.

Sandra, Bonnie, and me

The Rathaus decorated for the Christmas season

  After about 30 minutes of fighting the crowds, we decided to walk to Stephanplatz area and find a cafe for dessert and coffee.  It was a very chilly night and we were glad to be back in our warm apartment.  It was a late night and then up early to head to church at the Hensal's house before departing for Poland at noon.  The drive was longer than we anticipated and a little scary when we were driving in the dark (with no street lights) through Czech Republic and into Poland.  At one point Susie (the GPS) had a bit of a nervous breakdown.  We began driving through one round-about after another and before long we were officially lost.  We stopped at a gas station and just kept praying for one person who spoke English.  Finally one man was able to give us directions to our destination, but it turned out that it was the long way with some not so great roads.  Susie finally recovered enough to guide us to our hotel (the Blue Beetroot.) We were extremely happy and thankful to be there! 

The Legend of the Blue Beetroot

In Poland around 1791 the fields of Lower Silesia were all planted with beetroots.  One of the most popular uses for the beetroot was moonshine!  The strong alcohol was secretly brewed in the cellars of the barn.  

Only a few locals knew that the cart of beetroots coming from the barn hid a secret stash of moonshine below.  The story goes that one winter as the farmer left the yard the horse bolted and slipped badly on the icy road.  The whole lot, farmer, cart, horses, moonshine and the beetroots fell into the pond.  Despite dredging, everything mysteriously disappeared without a trace....

The story passed down by locals for generations says even now a single blue beetroot will occasionally float to the surface of the pond.  It is a strange blue color and of course it is completely impregnated with alcohol!!

The rooms were great-so warm and homey!

 The British owners traveled all over (Africa, Spain, Portugal) before settling on this old run-down house and barn in Boleslawiec.  It took them 2 1/2 years to restore it and open the hotel and restaurant.

The 18th century barn has been restored to its former glory with its chunky wood beams, vaulted ceilings, and hand made furniture.  The old stable has been transformed into the restaurant and bar.  The four of us sat by the fire of the wood stove, ate dessert, and sipped our tea (and, oh yes, Barbara beat us at a dice game of Farkle.)  It was one of the most delightful places we've stayed and I regret that I found it at the end of our European adventure.

We had one day to shop for our pottery and this town is literally filled with shops.  Each shop has its own unique pottery and it's all beautiful.  The pottery is made, painted, and sold there.  It's also shipped all over the world.  The prices are about 1/4 of what you would expect to pay in other parts of the world.  There are many who are full-time artists and here is what one of them has to say:  "My first patterns were often random combinations of geometric and floral motives.  In time, however, and as I became more experienced, they have become elaborately stylized.  The chief and recurring motive in my works is a floral border.  Colors are prompted by my imagination, and the rest is inspired by the beauty of nature."

It's amazing that each piece is hand painted.   Each shop has it's own stamp on the bottom of each piece with the words "Made in Poland."   It's also very sturdy and can go in the microwave, dishwasher, and oven.

I decided to just mix it up and get different patterns.  What fun we had!  I also was able to get lots of gifts.

Sandra, Barbara, and me in front of one of the shops.

 

A great little cafe where we had a lunch of polish goulash and pancake.

Barbara and I had attempted to do this trip several times and for one reason or another it kept getting canceled.  I can't believe we finally did it!  We crammed a lot into a few days, but it was well worth it and we are thankful for Sandra and Bonnie and their willingness to drive us so we could load up the car with all of our wonderful finds.

THE FIREMEN COME

The ever growing water stain

  It's a good thing it was such a nice afternoon because the rest of the day was a little stressful.  I woke up to a huge water stain on the ceiling in our kitchen.  No answer at the housemaster's apartment, so I emailed our landlord who lives out of the city.  After a few hours he called to say that the housemaster was on Holiday and his son (who was standing in for him) couldn't be here until 6:00 PM.  The water appeared to be coming from the upstairs apartment, but there was no answer at the door of our 90+ year old neighbor.  The decision was made to call the Fire Dept.  Soon the Firemen arrived (all 6 of them.)  What a sight!

What a nice bunch of guys!   I wished I had baked some chocolate cookies for them!

 They all clopped through the apt. to the kitchen and began scrutinizing the water stained ceiling.  They determined that they would probably have to break down the door of my upstairs neighbor.  Before getting physical they checked several nearby apartments to see if anyone had keys to this apartment  Bingo!  Someone did.  We were all bracing ourselves thinking we might find this elderly woman in a bad state, but she was there and just not hearing the banging on the door.  The problem was not emanating from her apartment, though.  So, another call to the Landlord to figure out what to do now.  Much of the communication was a little hampered by my lack of German, but somehow we managed.  Tomorrow a repairman will come to begin tearing out wall to find the leak.  It could have just waited a few more months and we'd be gone!  

Greg was in the hospital today and got to miss all of the excitement, but he was having his own fun.

Wien Privatklinik (a thirty minute bus ride from our apartment.)

 He had surgery on his knee to remove floating cartilage pieces that have been causing much pain when walking.  In the States it would be out-patient, but in Austria you spend the night and aren't allowed to go home until a visit from a therapist occurs.  Due to the water leak and my persistent cough (leftover from some respiratory crud) I was unable to be with him during surgery.  I arrived at the hospital for a short visit as he was having lunch, which was catered by the Imperial Hotel.  Quite the food!  Definitely unlike any other hospital food I've had the privilege of tasting.  The surgery was at 7:00 AM and they weren't allowing him to stand up until 6:00 PM, at which time the therapist would help him figure out his crutches.  Now, to figure out how to get him home in the midst of repairman and leaks.  I guess he'll just have to call a taxi.  :-) 

ST. STEPHEN'S CATHEDRAL FROM UP HIGH

This afternoon was the grandaddy of all field trips!  Our tour guide was the head architect of Stephansdom.  He was definitely excited to be able to tell us all about the history of Vienna's most famous cathedral.  It was fascinating!  The cathedral first began being constructed in the 1100's.  There is a combination of Gothic and Romanesque architecture.  The people of Vienna grew weary of the drabness of the Gothic style and wanted to change it, but were overruled to just add other architecture for a mix.  It is interesting to look at the ceiling and see the two different styles.  Parts of the cathedral were damaged during the war, not by bombs, but by fires from neighboring stores and buildings.  There was no water to put the fires out and even if there had been water only women and children remained in the city as the men had gone to fight in the war. 

Our tour guide explaining the small replica of Stephansdom that was built several years ago.  The blind are able to feel it and picture in their mind what Stephansdom looks like.

On the outside walls are monuments like this one that has scary faces.  They felt they were keeping the bad spirits away and wanted the inside to be a place of peace and tranquility.

These numbers on the outside of the building during the Nazi time stood for Osterreich (Austria.)  The O for the beginning letter and the 5 stood for the fifth letter of the alphabet.  Symbols were kind of a code for the people to be able to hold things that were dear to Christians in time of persecution and war.

We were led through a dark, dank narrow passage to climb  winding stairs that went up to a level that used to be a roof.

This was the elevator we rode to go a little higher.  It was a circular, very small elevator and we were crammed in like sardines.  I've overcome much of my "elevator trepidation" living here.  Still we were only 1/6th the height of the highest point of the dome.

This was what we saw when exiting the elevator.  It is a hole with a sliding door that opens to reveal the floor level.

Looking through the hole.  As you can judge by the two people, it is a long way down.

Walking the catwalk way up. 

I love this look of pure joy on Jenny's face as she snaps pictures.

See the larger window through the buildings?  This is my friend, Mary's apartment window, viewed from Stephansdom up high 

 

Down below.

The roof tiles that were added in more recent years.

Getting up close and personal with the organ.  I've only seen these giant pipes from great distances.

 

Love these spiral staircases inside.

The front of the cathedral is now scaffolding-free.  Our guide said that if there comes a day when there is no scaffolding on Stephansdom then it will be bad times.  Scaffolding present means that there is money available for renovation.

We felt so blessed to be able to take advantage of this tour as it is very rare to go into the places we were privileged to see.  Afterwards we walked in the cold to one of those classic Vienna coffee shops.  It was nice to end a perfect afternoon with the cozy experience of a cup of Viennese coffee and a yummy apfel strudel. 

WE DID IT!

The Petrina, our boat.  The boat ( primarily from oak wood) was built on the island of Hvar in 1887.  The owners are from Vienna and were on the boat for part of the trip.  They seemed to enjoy  getting to know all of us. 

 What a great week!  It was probably one of the most challenging weeks of my life.  I never imagined that at age 60 (well, almost!) I would be doing bike rides like this, especially in such a beautiful country.  There are so many highlights of this trip that it is difficult to cover them all.  We loved getting to know all of the great people on board.  There were those in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and even 70s and all levels of biking.  Some had no trouble getting up those hills, but were very cautious on the downhills and others whizzed down the hills, but not so quick getting up them.  I know one thing for sure: I was much stronger and more confident by the end of the week. All in all it was a great week with a great crew, good food, and a fabulous bunch of people from some very interesting places.   This trip will not be soon forgotten!

PICTURES THAT NEED NO WORDS