Schloss Fuschl

Last week while enjoying a short break from the hustle and bustle of real life we visited the beautiful area of the Fuschlsee.

We had not actually arranged for it but somehow the road took us up to Schloss Fuschl, a former hunting lodge in the 15th century, now a 5* resort and one of the places of pilgrimage for fans of the Austrian Past.

If you park your car outside the entrance and approach the small castle on foot this is the first impression you get coming out of the small wood on top of the hill. The whole area is very quiet, you just hear the singing of the birds, and it instantly makes you want to stay.  Which is what we did!

We had had a late and ample breakfast so we were not actually hungry, but since we liked the area so much we decided to stay for a while and go for a drink.

In Schloss Fuschl what you get is what you see! Remember it is a 5* place, so don´t come here thinking that anything will be coming cheap. But the service is excellent, the place is gorgeous and the food is absolutely delicious. So if you want to pamper yourself for a while or have something special to celebrate - this is the place.

Okay, so much for "going for a drink". We could not resist and went for a little snack. Stefan had the Wiener Schnitzel and I settled for the Roastbeef Sandwich. Yum, yum....

This is the view that we got from the terrace while snacking. Life is hard, but somebody´s gotta do it....

Aafter some feast this is where you can settle down, enjoy the lake and the marvellous view and dream about the old times when all this belonged to just one family. I wonder how it must have been like.

Outside in the park you find quiet galleries and little shops where you can satisfy all your souvenir needs. And for all you "Sisi"-addicts out there, in exactly this small building there even is a "Sisi"-museum inside (which is probably stormed by Japanese fans regularly), where they play the films with Romy Schneider 24 hrs a day. I did not walk in, but they even seem to have some "Sisi"-relics on display in case you are interested. I was not - so bear with me please.

We really had the perfect visit here and I am sure that we will find an excuse to return and let the staff spoil us big time! What a wonderful place to be!

Longfield Gospel Singers at the Schottenstift

In beautiful downtown Vienna lies the Schottenstift, where the Longfield Gospel Singers (LGS) performed their famous "Unplugged"-concert yesterday. It was the first time I could join them in a public performance, and I was really, really looking forward to it!

I had joined the LGS in February this year, and of course the first concert is a very exciting moment especially for the newbies. We had started rehearsing for "Unplugged" at the beginning of the semester, and since then old and new members have mingled, new friends have been made, and we did a lot of fun-filled rehearsing!

Our director and conductor at work. Longfield is his Baby, and he is putting a lot of blood and sweat and work into the project, but deep down I know that he has fun too!

Even though it was very warm - Spring has settled in outside, and the honorable old rooms of the Schottenstift do not have air condition (which is no good for singers anyway) - the mood was perfect, and we were happy to start the show.

The audience was absolutely marvellous and made it easy for us to get into the mood.

Our two leadsingers did their best to entertain the audience - just like all of us Singers did!

The point of the "Unplugged"-concerts is, that the audience has the opportunity to get really close to the choir. No microphones, no light-show - all focuses on hearing and the pure "life" experience.

This is why you get us not only on stage but also in different formations and different places, even right within the audience.

I sung and attended lots of concerts before, but this version of "Unplugged" was completely new to me. But believe me: It was absolutely brilliant, I have never done and seen anything better in a concert! The mood and energy were phantastic, and we definately rocked the place, together with the wonderful audience!

Another formation you could find us in last night. One of our last songs was the well known "Oh happy day" - and a happy day it was!

And afterwards some well needed rest in the quiet Spring night of the Schottenstift.

My first concert with the Longfield Gospel Singers - and I cannot wait for the next time. I guess I am hooked!