Birthday dinner at Stift Heiligenkreuz

Past Saturday (and with a little delay) I celebrated my birthday with the family. This time we went to Stift Heiligenkreuz, a well-know tourist sight and also a good place to eat not far from us. Here you see the inner yard of the Abbey.

It is peacefully situated in the middle of the Vienna woods, and advertisment has it, that it is one of the most beautiful medieval monasteries in the world. It was founded in 1133 and currently has 77 members, 18 affiliated parishes and a Pontifical Theological Academy that was founded in 1802.

Do you know the famous "Singing monks"? They come from the Abbey of Heiligenkreuz, and this is where they practise everyday. Their CDs can be bought in the little store adjacent to the church or even can be bought online! Gee, and people say the Catholic Church does not go modern nowadays! http://shop.stift-heiligenkreuz.org/catalog/index.php?cPath=2&sort=2a&language=en

But let us forget about praying and being holy and all this for the moment. This is the reason why we actually came here: The restaurant of the Abbey! And believe me: The monks definately know how to cook!!

The Abbey in fact is a huge real estate, they breed and grow almost everything themselves and are also processing it for their restaurant. I hear they are doing extremely well, even today when Catholizism is not so popular.

Frightening, don´t you think?? This is three people definately wanting FOOD!!!!

The Restaurant has a huge menue, but now it is hunting season, and I definately love game that has been living happily in the Vienna woods and now that their life has ended is extremely appreciated. This is house-made game pastry - and it is wonderful! (They only serve it until November 1st, so be quick!)

And for the main course I recommend Ragout of Game. The Semmelknödeln are wonderful too! My mom could not make them any better!

And for the ones who refuse game: This is almost Tafelspitz. Even I would eat it, the meat is so soft, and I really do not care for Tafelspitz at all.

It was a great afternoon out - and the best thing is: I can go there again any other time!

I leave you now with a picture of the lovely flowers that my Hasi gave me......

Der Wiener Prater

Before it is getting pathetic I will entertain you with another blog about the part of our Summer holidays that we spent in Vienna.

We had not been to the Wiener Prater for a very long time, and actually we do not care about all the horrible rides there, when they shoot you up into the sky, everything is so fast, so high and stomach-turning - but we sure like to watch others being rocketed into the sky or turned into dozens of somersaults! And we sure like the atmosphere there, having some good time in a very traditional Viennese area that introduced a new style recently but still cannot hide its nostalgia.



Here you see the Giant Ferris Wheel, that has been a symbol of the Vienna Prater since 1897 when it was erected for the World Fair. I agree it is not one of them "cool rides", but it offers a lovely view, it is something even people who are afraid of all the other rides can get on, and to Viennese people it simply was there forever and is expected to remain there forever.

For clarification: The "Prater" actually is the green lung of the city, it is huge and a long time ago it was the Imperial hunting ground and only accessable for Aristocracy. Joseph II. gave it to the public in 1766 as a leisure centre. And the part we have been to this time, the "Wurschtlprater", is the Fair of this huge area that was built up much later. (For those of you who are interested in linguistics/history: In German "the Hanswurst" or in elder Austrian German "the Wurschtl" is a very historical figure, he is the guy that always gets up after he has been knocked down, the lucky one, if you want. Today he is called "the Kaschperl" and more a funny puppet for kids who still watch the Kaschperltheater on TV or in the puppet theatre, but actually there is a lot of tradition behind the "Wurschtl". And this is where the name "Wurschtlprater" comes from. History lecture out, thanks for putting up with me!)

They have been tinkering with the "new face" of the Prater for quite a few years, this is how the entrance area looks now. It is called "der Calafatiplatz" - "Calafati" in fact having been some real person, even though in context with the Prater "the Calafati" is more used as another symbol of the place.

This is one of the traditional merry-go-rounds near the entrance. I think I might - just might! - be able to go on that one.

Almost first thing we took a ride on the Lilliputbahn! It is a little train that runs alongside the Wurschtlprater and takes you into the green heart of the Prater. For a while you go parallel to the Main Alley where you can watch joggers, walkers, bikers and other people enjoying their favorite in-city recreation area. I LOVE the Liliputbahn! As a kid my parents used to take me there, and on a hot, sunny day in the cool shades of the huge chestnut trees there is nothing better to do!!

They built other ferris wheels meanwhile, less comfy, less slow. Not a cat´s chance in hell I would get on that one!

 

Or on that one....

Fly, Austrian flag! Fly, crazy life-sick daredevils, definately not moi....

For a little refreshment break (or a large one) I recommend the "Walfisch". I know, I know, everybody storms into the "Schweizerhaus" so that one might get the impression they give away food and beverages for free (which is au contraire!). And nothing can be said against the Schweizerhaus, except that it is extremely packed usually, and that I don´t like their speciality, Stelze (which in fact might not bother you very much). But my parents started going to the Walfisch many years ago, it is much less crowded, the food is just as good as in the other place, and well, I just feel sorry for that little a bit run-down place. I hope they survive....

I think I will never find out what is in here. It has been there for a couple of years, so I guess it must be more than just cheap puppets that would bore the heck out of people, but what can be inside? The Real Jurassic Park??

The Prater simply has something for everyone. It can be very nostalgic....

or wild (another one of those rides I would never - well, you know)...

And sometimes it is simply pretty with playful little details.

We had a good day there, and we give a big Thumbs up! A very big one, to match the big guy we found here.

And when we come again I might even go on one of the rides.....

                                                                                            ...................or maybe not.

My Special-T

You know that I do not like coffee but love (love, love, love) tea! So when I saw Nestle´s special-t machine this Summer with relatives in Switzerland I immediately wanted to get it too. It was "disappointment extreme" when I found out that it was only available in Switzerland (which was not the problem) but with hillariously high Swiss prices, and some trouble to deliver the tea capsules on a regular basis to my home in Austria or wait half a year until we would get back to Spiez again.

So joy when I recently found out that for a couple of weeks Special-T has been available in Austria too (and will be within the year in Germany, Belgium and Luxemburg, countries worldwide following suite). It is the answer to Nespresso and definately a must-have for all tea-addicts out there.

I have heard people saying, that brewing their own tea is much better than "the one coming from a machine". Well, I still will be brewing my own pots. But sometimes you desperately want a cuppa quick and it is too early, too late, you are too tired.... and this is when Special-T comes in. The capsules cost around the same as Nespresso capsules do, and for me it is an opportunity to also drink green and white tea, which is too complicated for me usually to produce myself. All the other teas that are available are great too, and you do not bother with brewing time, just press a button and there you are. And, before you ask: Yes, there is even the opportunity to programme your own brewing time, but I never bothered so far, it just was not necessary.

You can only order it online via https://at.special-t.com/DE/Pages/Homepage.aspx#/nav/home, and at the moment they have a special introduction offer for € 99,-. It comes in a huge package...

... and you get the machine and two cups....

... and an assortment of various tea capsules to try.

Oh, ahm, yes, and mine came with some other tea capsules too, because I already knew which teas I wanted to consume in larger quantities.

They promise 72hrs-delivery. Yeah, right, if you fit into the schedule of the delivery service. They come twice, at the same time, early afternoon when nobody is home, and that was it then. And no!!! they will never ever use Austrian mail to deliver. Some call at the help desk cleared that problem as well, but to be honest: It took me two weeks to get the machine. But well, it is there now, so all is well that ends well.

As you can see: Even Dessa likes here evening cuppa. But I agree, she probably would like here "evening pot roast" or her "evening Schnitzel" even more....

Indigo´s 4th birthday!

Dear Indy,

You have turned 4 past Sunday, and with a little bit delay your mom, dad and sis wish you a very, very, very Happy birthday! Incredible how time is flying, it seems as if it was only yesterday that we took the tiny, brave, cute pup into our home and into our hearts... ("Wehrhaft" it said in your papers, oh my, and frankly it gave me the creeps at the beginning. It took me quite a while to discover what a gentle, loving soul you truly are as for a long time I waited for your "Wehrhaftigkeit" to come out.)

Another year has raced by, and what a great year it was for you and your family! With your very special and very canine-like way to have fun in every weather and almost every situation you enjoyed the cold season with great snow to cool down in...

... but you also liked the hot season where you spent a lot of time in Styria and explored nature there.

And you never forgot to keep a close eye on your family, in case help was needed.

Being an experienced traveller you also did not mind to go 11 hrs to Switzerland by car - okay, maybe you do mind, but asking you if you preferred to stay home with Grandma you would definately say, "Are you kidding??" And besides: You always have a darn fine time in Spiez!

The Gurten is a great place to have fun too! This photo does not need any more interpretation, me thinks.

So your 4th Summer went by in a flash, and in a row of action-packed, fun-filled, gloriously sunny days. (Okay, stuff the sun, you prefer coolness much more, but alas, if you cannot dash about in the snow, so heat it is. Never mind, just let it rock!)

And there always were woods and water to chill afterwards.

Now Fall is here, earth has made another full circle around the sun, and you have really grown-up. But you are still my baby, cuddling with me, sleeping next to my bed, taking care of us. You are my friend and guardian, my conscience and my shadow - and I thank you for all of this. Our lives would never be complete without you...

 Have the bestest birthday ever and another great year with us!

Love and XXXXX,
Mom