The weather was cooler today and my Aunt was ill, so my Uncle and I did a tour of the wine country right around where they live, which incidentally, is the view we have from their place... and the view I enjoy as we walk the dog at night! It's so cool that we are surrounded by vineyards and that 'regular' people can grow grapes, too. I'm so used to Canada where the whole wine making process is so far removed from me that the closest I get to a vineyard is a trip to the LC. My Aunt's friend has a house in Hungary that has several acres of grapes, but they're too busy to tend the grapes... I told her I'd love to learn how to do that and then make wine! Can you imagine????? Me???? How perfect is that!!!
The towns and cities here seem to blend into one another and the streets are narrow and literally weave themselves like snakes through the landscapes. This is so different from home that I'm still confused about how to get from here to my Oma's house... and it's only 5 minutes away! I'd love to be driving, but you all know what a chicken I am when it comes to getting lost and I can guarantee that I would be hopelessly so by the time I got to the end of the block!
Due to the sheer volume of traffic, the roads are incredibly well designed with the sole purpose being to keep everything flowing! There are rarely any four way stops or stop signs and the reason is that it would be utter stupidity to make people stop like that!!! Drivers would kill each other in no time! What they have, instead, are 'roundabouts'.... when you come to an intersection, you merge (and YES, they know how to do that properly here) to the right and then merge (right again) onto your needed exit. It's amazing how easy this is and how effective it is. I wonder why we can't do that? Oh yeah... we might need to teach people how to merge, first!!! lol
Our walk through Baden was very nice. It was more of a casual stroll and I even tried on some clothes! We stopped at my Uncles favourite ice cream shop and I actually had a pistachio ice cream cone... will wonders never cease? It was delicious! Wiener Neustadt is the city that we stayed in when Raine and I were here 20 years ago... and boy has it changed! Aside from the historical landmarks, I barely recognized a thing! It seems like it's doubled in size and it's matured... it used to be a little rushed and dirty and now it feels calmer... and it' definitely cleaner. We stopped at my old stomping grounds (the places I stayed, not the bars!) and saw Oma's old apartment. We even went out to where Frankie has his place... last time I was there, his was a brand new building with nothing around it. Now it's a whole development! Crazy! It was pretty neat to get a look at the view I used to enjoy of Schneeberg Mountain (the highest mountain in lower Austria). Ahhh.... memories! :-)
Now here I sit... contemplating a nap.... I think that sounds pretty good! Talk to you all later! Hugs!!!! More thumbnails ...
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