After 60 hours door to door, we finally arrived with Erwin and Doris. What wonderful people, they have opend up their home to us... our home now as we probably spend more time here than they do.
Our flight with Lufthansa was excellent. A new aircraft and of course, pure German efficiency. The best thing fo C & J was of course the fact that the hostess handed them a gaming remote and they could play games on the tv. Frankfurt was bitterly cold and luckily we had packed all our warm stuff in overnight bags so could change immediately.
From Frankfurt we could the train to Munich and it was our lucky day for the DB (German trains) to have a strike. Even their strike is so organised and Germanic and really made us giggle. In fact we giggled so much at them we could not even be upset. The stike gets announced that it will be until 11.30 and strickly at 11.30 everything starts moving again (and dont be late 'cause they are leaving). Everyone apologises and the DB even offered free drinks for inconveniencing the passengers. Wow, I wish the stikes in Africa could be this organised.
In Munich Erwin collected us for a 5 hour drive to Vienna. En-route, C just wanted to touch snow.
Saturday 05th
Let me tell you that dressing here is an Art form, we still have not figured it out. Inside the houses are heated to about 22 degrees so we walk around in our thermal underwear as it is to hot. The reason we have our thermal underwear on is because outside is so cold and we have so many layers on we can hardly move, thus, when you come inside - you need to stip everything off - quickly. Of course you cannot do this in a restaurant so we are still trying to find the balance. I guess once we have it figured it will be summer !
Finally were were dressed and headed in for Central Vienna. I have included pictures of us ice-skating in the outdoor rink. This area is very famous and the surrounding architecture was the perfect backdrop. Imagine this, skating at the Rathaus, intervals of drinking piping hot gluwein with this beautiful backdrop.
Sunday 06th
A nice late morning before departure to Central Vienna via the U-bahn. Spent the morning walking around the 'Ringstrasse' with all the Viennesse dressed in furs and looking really smart. We took Cameron and Jodi into St Stephens Catherdral where a mass was being held. Even if you are not a religous person, it still does something to you. It is not possible to describe, being surrounded by centuries of religion, viewed by some as the oppressor of the people and as others, their life-line.
we met up with Katta...it was really nice and the kids bonded with her as if she was never gone.
(Now me talking F..)Also met with Peter Drechsler and Herta...in a real Wiener Gasthaus.
The driving on the wrong/right side is eventually getting better, one just has to to be aware of soooo fffff....very many different potential obstacles...ie trams, trains, busses, cyclists all have right of way, while I am automatically looking in the wrong direction for a Wambo taxi...I miss them...'cos I knew that would stop, swerve and all that BUT not the Wieners, they are so bloody law abiding and I am the one acting like a real African!
Anyway, went shopping at a massive shoppping centre, The Donau Zentrum, which had changed drastically since I was here last(10 years ago). It is a bit of a shock seeing the prices of everything. Contrary to what we expected, the prices are very much on a par with Namibia. Food stuff in supermarkets are very similar, except meat. Meat(beef) is about 3x more expensive here.
Good quality clothing ie Jack Wolfskin(similar to Cape Union Mart's K-Way) is actually slightly cheaper here. Electronics are cheaper too.
It is shocking to see that the average person can actually survive in Europe. The average salary is 1200 - 1800 Euro's/month/family. It now makes sense that our travellers to Namibia are spending less and complaining about the prices...they REALLY cannot afford it.
Enough kak and economics...we're getting ready for our ski trip on the weekend. hoping to have some great pics afterwards.
we have such a full program wanting to see and do everything, that we're constantly running...but it's lekker and way better than being at work...sorry folks :-)!!!
na ja..gotta go...and do something fun...Servus und Gruesse aus Wien
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