The Danube Island in Vienna

Fotos by Margit Anna Binder

The Danube Island is an artificial island, built to prevent the city from flooding. It is 20 km long and is continually being developed as a playground for the citizens. Some of the activities enjoyed there are swimming in the Danube river, bicycling, rollerblading and it is also possible to hire boats. There is an area on the island which is jokingly called “Coppa Kagrana” by the locals as this is an area which belongs to the district Kagran in Vienna. You can enjoy a nice meal in one of the various restaurants on the Coppa Kagrana while taking in the panoramic views of the Viennese Skyline, including the “Danube Tower” and the “Vienna International City”.
Every year in May or June an open air music festival takes place over 3 days, which is attended by approximately 3 Million people during that time.

Die Donauinsel in Wien

Fotos by Margit Anna Binder

Die Donauinsel in Wien ist eine 20km lange, künstlich angelegte Insel, um die Stadt vor Überflutungen zu schützen. Mit den Jahren hat sich die Insel zu einem Freizeitparadies für die Einwohner entwickelt. Man kann dort Boote mieten, in der Donau schwimmen, Radfahren oder auf Rollerskates durch das Gelände sausen. Ein Teil der Insel wird liebevoll "Coppa Kagrana"genannt, weil dieses Gebiet zum Wiener Gemeindebezirk Kagran gehört. Dort kann man ein gemütliches Mahl einnehmen und gleichzeitig das Panorama der Wiener Skyline mit dem Donauturm und der Vienna International City geniessen.
Jedes Jahr im Mai oder Juni wird ein dreitägiges Musikfestival auf der Insel veranstaltet, welches in diesem Zeitraum durchschnittlich 3 Millionen Besucher anzieht.

The Mahon Falls

Fotos by Margit Anna Binder

We ignored the prediction of the weather man yesterday and went up the Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford , to visit the Mahon Falls . Locally, it is pronounced” Maan Falls” and when my partner Denis told me about them, I pictured a falling man, but it is nothing to do with someone falling. I don’t really know where the name “Mahon Falls” comes from, it is possibly called after a person called Mahon. However, it is a nice fall, running down into a beautiful valley.

I was surprised to see sheep high up the mountains and I wondered “how did they get there?” They must be very good climbers, because I would not be able to get up there! Denis said that they fly in daily by helicopter but I feel that is one of his Irish jokes. He also asked if I saw the leprechauns who rode the sheep around the mountains in races. Sometimes I think Denis is a leprechaun in disguise, at least he acts like one from time to time.

I was so glad that we made the visit, it was really worth it, and the weather was not too bad also. But as soon as we left that area, we saw thick dark clouds heading towards our direction. We did not care too much about that at that stage as we were comfortably seated and safe in our car. After that first visit at the Mahon Falls I know that it will be difficult to resist a return visit in summer.

Die Mahon Fälle

Fotos by Margit Anna Binder

Wir haben gestern die Vorhersagen des Wettermannes ignoriert und sind die Comeragh Berge im Bezirk Waterford hinaufgefahren, um die „Mahon Falls“ zu besuchen. Ausgesprochen werden sie als die „Maan Falls“ und als mein Partner Denis mir davon erzählte, sah ich in meinem Geiste einen fallenden Mann, aber der Name hat nichts mit jemandem zu tun, der hinfällt. Ich weiss nicht wirklich, wo der Name „Mahon Falls“ herkommt, vermutlich wurde der Wasserfall nach einer Person namens Mahon benannt. Wie auch immer, es ist ein netter Wasserfall, der in ein schönes Tal hinunter läuft.

Ich war überrascht Schafe hoch oben in den Bergen zu sehen und wunderte mich „Wie sind die dort hingekommen? Sie müssen gute Kletterer sein, ich wäre nicht imstande dort rauf zu klettern!“ Denis sagte, dass sie täglich per Helikopter dorthin geflogen werden, aber das ist wahrscheinlich wieder einer seiner irischen Scherze. Er fragte mich auch, ob ich die Leprechauns gesehen habe, welche auf Schafen um den Berg reiten und Wettrennen veranstalten. Manchmal denke ich, dass Denis selbst ein verkleideter Leprechaun ist, zumindest agiert er zuweilen wie einer.

Ich war sehr froh, dass wir diesen Ausflug gemacht haben, es war das wirklich wert und das Wetter war auch nicht so schlecht. Als wir jedoch das Tal verliessen, sahen wir dicke, dunkle Wolken in unsere Richtung wandern, was uns zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht allzu sehr störte, da wir bereits gemütlich und geschützt in unserem Auto sassen. Nach diesem Besuch bei den Mahon Falls weiss ich, dass es schwierig sein wird, einem nochmaligen Besuch im Sommer zu widerstehen.

St. Patrick's Day 2010

Today March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day and all Irish people both in Ireland and abroad celebrate this very special day of the year. You can watch and partake in colourful parades through the cities, towns and villages. You might get a bunch of shamrock from someone and green coloured Guinness in pubs and bars.Shamrock grows in the fields and it is reported that shamrock is only found in Ireland. Originally the colour associated with St. Patrick was actually blue, but for whatever reasons it changed over the years to green. On this day of merriment,people are dancing and singing, and generally having fun and of course - some of the more brave ones getting drunk.

When I first came to Ireland to visit my Irish partner , he said to me: “There are no dangerous animals in Ireland. No bears, no snakes or wolves – St. Patrick banned them from our land.” And it is true, there are no dangerous animals here, except some dangerous drivers, who degenerate to wild freaking monkeys, when sitting behind a stiring wheel. But I suppose this strange species appears everywhere around the globe.

The history of St. Patrick goes back to the 5th century. Patrick’s father came from a wealthy family in France and was a deacon in the Church. When Patrick was 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland as a slave where he tended to sheep as a shepard. The story says that he was told by God to escape from captivity and flee to the coast where he would be able to return to his homeland. Back at home he studied to become a priest and in later years he returned to Ireland as a bishop. Patrick said he was called back to Ireland to save the Irish. He brought Christianity to Ireland and is held in esteem in the all Irish Churches, both Catholic and Protestant.

Winter in Ireland

Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder

It was very cold today, about minus 1! That is really cold for Ireland, in Austria we are more used to lower temperatures and so we are prepared for lots of snow, but when it snows a few flakes in Ireland, people take it as a sign from God that they are excused work and school that day. I found it strange in the beginning, but now I know, why people are afraid of snow, as winter tyres are not mandatory in Ireland and so nobody changes the wheels on their cars and they continue to drive with summer tyres, which is very dangerous on snowy ground. Snow is very rare in Ireland, because it is usually too warm for it. The warm Gulf Stream passes the Irish Coast and thus maintains the temperature on the island at a higher level.

Winter in Irland

Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder

Heute war es sehr kalt, ungefähr Minus 1! Das ist wirklich kalt für Irland, in Österreich sind wir an niedrigere Temperaturen gewöhnt und somit sind wir für viel Schnee gut ausgerüstet. Jedoch wenn es in Irland ein paar Flocken schneit, sehen die Leute das als Zeichen von Gott, dass sie von Arbeit und Schule entschuldigt sind. Anfangs fand ich das eigenartig, aber jetzt weiss ich, warum die Leute hier den Schnee so fürchten. Winterreifen sind in Irland nicht Pflicht, daher werden die Reifen nicht gewechselt und man fährt weiterhin mit Sommerreifen, was auf schneeigem Untergrund sehr gefährlich sein kann. Schnee ist sehr selten in Irland, weil es normalerweise zu warm dafür ist, bedingt durch den warmen Golfstrom, der die irische Küste passiert und die Temperatur auf der Insel für gewöhnlich auf einem höheren Level hält.

A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! MY BEST WISHES AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Christmas Post

Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder

This year I got some Season wishes by eMail. I don’t know why, maybe people in time of recession can’t afford to write cards anymore? I usually put the Christmas cards on my chimney, but what shall I do with my eMails? I can’t put them up on my chimney! Well, I suppose I could print them out, but why should I use my paper and my ink, when I wasn’t worth a piece of paper to the person who sent me the wishes in first place? And to put up print-outs on my chimney would not look very decorative anyway.

Did you also get some of your Christmas post by bulk mail? Well I did, I got two. I understand when companies write one eMail and CC it to all customers, but I find it sad, when the closest family, people you love and you don’t get a chance to see very often, are not able to send personal Christmas greetings anymore. Only a few words at least once a year, do I really expect too much? I wish they would take me off their lists as these kind of wishes honestly mean “as much” to me as they meant to the senders, furthermore these dear people could save 1 or 2 more seconds of their precious time, if they took me off from their mailing lists.

Maybe I should be more tolerant and accept that some people have better things to do than to go to a shop to buy a card, to write a few lines by hand and then to go to the post office to send it.

Christmas in Vienna

Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder

Time passed by so fast and Christmas once again comes nearer in gigantic steps.
It is tradition in Austria that on the first Sunday in Advent, the first candle on the Advent Wreath is lit and on every Sunday afterwards another candle follows, until all 4 candles on the wreath are lighting, that is usually a few days before Christmas Eve.
The Christkindl markets in Austrian cities are beautifully decorated, the stalls offer toys, warm winter clothes, shiny Christmas decoration, sweet Christmas cookies, candles and much more. With people getting hungry and thirsty, walking around on cold winter days, the stalls also offer hot potatoes, fried chestnuts, roasted potatoes, Langos , sausages and hot drinks like Jagatee, Glühwein and Punsch.

I remember when I was a child and lived in my parents’ house, on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, we sat in the kitchen and made knots in the strings of the chocolate decoration, which “were hung on the tree by the angels later on”. At least we thought that angels did that and that the Christ child would bring the presents afterwards. That is the story we were told, when we were young.
My dad was in the living room and helped the angels with the decoration of the Christmas tree.
While my mum prepared the dinner, at Christmas, we traditionally ate fish, rice and potato salad, she told us stories and we listened excitedly. On one occasion she suddenly looked at the window and said: “I just saw a little angel flying by the window.” My siblings and I, quickly looked out of the window to see the angel, but it had gone. I really believed that I had seen a little piece of the long angel’s dress.
We waited impatiently for the traditional ringing of a small bell that permitted us to walk into the living room, as happened every Christmas in our house. We were not allowed to walk in earlier, because the angels and the Christ Child would disappear immediately, if seen, and they would take our presents away.
The candles on the Christmas tree shone brightly and underneath lots of presents were placed for each of us, but first we had to say our little poems and to sing Christmas carols, which was actually very nice and I enjoyed that. Then we looked at the gifts that the Christkindl (Christ Child) had brought for us. Afterwards the whole family sat for the Christmas dinner and everyone enjoyed that feast, well I know I certainly did. That was also the only one evening in the year that we were allowed to stay up late which in reality was past 11 pm.
I like to look back to those times and every year around Christmas time I get a warm nice feeling in my tummy, the same as I had when I was a child. It is a wonderful feeling and it reminds me of my parents and their ability to make Christmas happy for us children.

Having said that, I would like to wish a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR to all you nice people who visit my blog! Stay healthy, enjoy yourself and come back to read more on my site in 2010!