The Lindwurm and the Dragon Killer of Klagenfurt.

I can no longer count the number of times I strolled around on the "Neuer Platz" in Klagenfurt, the Capital City of the lovely Province of Kaernten (Carinthia). I always knew that there was the monument to the brave Carinthian in the middle of the square. Some people insist that the hero is "Hercules" defending a virgin from the virgin-eating dragon. I rather doubt that you could identify this man as Hercules. Herk, to the best of my knowledge, did not have a mustache.
The other day, about two weeks ago, I again found myself on the "Neuer Platz", with my camera at the ready. So for the first time I really looked at this monument to the brave defender (Hercules or a Carinthian farmer) of virginity.
The first thing I noticed was that Herk just sort of stood there. There is no tension in his stance. His body reveals none of the aggressive nature one would expect when a man confronts a fire breathing dragon. No crouch in his knees, no anxiety in his face. No, he just stands there with his nail studded club raised above his head.... But wait... does he intend to strike the Lindwurm?
Clearly not. Our Hero just scratches his head, contemplating his next move. Should he whack this thing over the head or just go home and tell his wife: "You won't believe what I saw today".
And then it occurs to me on still closer examination: The man is scratching his back with the club. He's got an itch at the place...you know it well.... this hard to reach place, just below and in between your shoulder blades. Yes that's what he is doing. He's scratching his back.He means the worm no harm. In fact, the two know each other well. They are almost friends. Look at the way the worm-dragon curls his tail. That's the same gesture as when a dog wiggles his. And in any event. The fire has long ago left the worm's belly and he just spits a little lukewarm water. A little like a friendly dog who, after having chased the stick thrown by his master, sweats from his tongue.

I stand there, looking through my camera, viewing this scene. Any moment now I expect the man to throw his nail-studded club, the Lindwurm turning around, fetching it and bringing it back to the man, panting heavily and dripping saliva from his tongue.

That's what it is: Not Hercules battling the virgin-devouring dragon, but a Carinthian mustachioed farmer playing with his saliva spitting, tail wagging, dragon-wurm.

The "Lindwurm and the Dragon Killer"

Here they stand !
Each threatening the other with dire consequences.

The "Dragon" is called "Lindwurm"
and on closer examination it truly looks
more like a worm than a dragon.
It has lost the fire in its belly and can only
spit a weak spray of lukewarm water at our hero.

...and what a hero he is:
He is either scratching his head thinking:
"Should I whack him over his stupid head???"
...or he is having this unreachable itch
just below his shoulder blades
and his nail studded club comes in handy
to scratch his back.

On the shores of Lake Neusiedl

Lake Neusiedl is located in the Austrian Province of "Burgenland" and forms part of the border between Austria and Hungary.
It is a bout 36 km long and 12 km wide.
Why is there no "deep sea diving" ?
because the lake has an average depth of 1 meter, up to a maximum of 1.8 meters.
It is a so-called "Steppe Lake" which in the past has partially dried up. In the distant past it has dried up completely on several occasions.
There are excellent wind conditions for sailing and wind surfing. Lovely little towns nestle at its shores and "wine boutiques" on almost every corner. Quite excellent red and white wines are grown in the surrounding country side, on the flanks of rolling hills.
If you don't need high scraggy mountains and can be happy in a country with flat expanses and rolling hills, friendly people, good accommodation and very good food and wines, musical performances (Operettas on a wonderful stage in the lake at the town of Moerbisch, Operas in an ancient roman rock quarry in St. Margareten and many other smaller performances in a variety of places), then the Austrian Province of Burgenland is for you. (don't bother with your SCUBA gear.)
So, get up and go there...you'll have a great time, as did we these past two days.
Bert

Lake Neusiedl - Neusiedlersee

Favourite Pasttime: Parachute Surfing.
With a strong wind blowing,
considerable speeds may be reached.

In the Province of Burgenland
much excellent wine is grown.
Vinyards...as far as the eye can see.

Poppies grow in wild perfusion.

The VIEW

You are probably getting tired of
seeing this view from our balcony.
I don't !
This Friday we are going to Vienna
and then to the Burgenland, Lake Neusiedl.
I'll probably come home with some new views
and you won't have to look at what I see for breakfast
every day.

Roses and bushes in bloom
in our garden.

...see ya later.

My Birthday Party

24 people were invited: 24 people showed up.
This marvellous location: The Panorama Restaurant,
offering a view to the Hoch Obir.

The glass wall slides back and you sit on a balcony
under the open skies.
We had great food and the best of wines.
It was a party to remember.

Part of the panoramic view.

... a good time was had by all...

What's the point -3- ....Music at the shore....

Well, let me tell you what the point is: One simply wonderful evening on the shores of the Klopeinersee (Lake Klopeiner). A lovely lake in Lower Carinthia, about 20 minutes by car from our house in Bleiburg. The Rotary Club of this region issued invitations to this "concert by the lake". The evening started with some champagne and much seeing and being seen.
Then, at 8pm, everybody took their seat on benches placed on the shore (see pictures below)
and Ingolf Wunder made a dramatic entry by boat from the opposite shore.
The Grand Piano had been placed on a runway jutting into the lake.
Expecting the worst, I feared that everything would suffer from terrible accoustics....
Two medium sized speakers were placed on either side of the Piano and.... it worked beautifully.
The accoustics were excellent throughout the tonal range of pianissimo to fortissimo.
And Wunder played just as his name suggests. Simply "Wunderfully"...
Ingolf was borne on the 8th day of September 1985 and via a little detour of playing the violin it was discovered that he was a superior talent on the piano.
He gave his first public concert at the age of 14 in the Schubertsaal of the renowned Vienna Konzerthaus. He subsequently won a number of competitions in Italy, Germany, France, Hungary and, of course, in Austria. Concert dates brought him to many countries all over the world, including the U.S.A.
I am not an "art critic" but, as the old saying goes: "I know what I like"
And I certainly liked the piano playing of Ingolf Wunder...
...and that's the point...
Bert

KLOPEINERSEE KLASSIK

This is "Ingolf Wunder", a classical pianist
whose name means "wonder" or "miracle"
Let me tell you, the way this man played
the works composed by Fryderyk Chopin,
was indeed a "Wonder" if not a "Miracle"

The Grand Piano was placed on a stage off shore,
the audience sat on benches on the shore.

...and Ingolf Wunder played the Piano with a mastery
that has to be heard to be understood.

Wunder playing Chopin with breathtaking mastery.

What's the point -2- ???

What's the point discussing with an average Austrian the situation of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip ? It came as quite a surprise to me to originally have discovered some time ago and now to have confirmed that many Austrians are dyed in the wool Anti-Semites.
The issue of the Gaza strip, to many Austrians is a very simple one:
The "Jews" are to blame for everything. (Most of the people here do not quite know the difference between "a Jew" and "an Israeli").
The story goes somewhat like this: The Jews took the country from the Palestinians, expelled all the native inhabitants and generally behave in an aggressive, suppressive way. The remaining Palestinians were forced into the "Gaza strip" where, through a blockade the attempt is made to starve them into submission. The "freedom flottilla" of 6 ships tried to bring food and medical aid to Gaza. The "Jews" boarded the ship, killed 9 "peace activists" and captured the food and medical items on board. Full stop...end of story...
Video recordings, made by the Israeli, tell quite another tale.

You will meet, from some quarters, with astonishment, when you tell them that the United Nations in 1947 granted the founding of "Israel", by partinioning the area settled by Palestinians into two areas. The day after Israel declared its independence on the 14th May 1948, Five of their Arab neighbours invaded the newly found state.
I could go on and on talking about the several armed conflicts between Israel and its neighbours,
including the 6 day war, the Yom Kippur war, all of them initiated by countries other than Israel.

Let me instead talk about the current issue:
Particularly after Hamas came to power in the Gaza strip, rocket attacks on Israel increased in number and accuracy, until Israel had no choice but to take out these rocket launching sites by invading the Gaza with her own military.
Rockets and other armaments were brought into Gaza through tunnels from Egypt and in even greater numbers via ships into Gaza harbours. Israel declared a blockade of the ocean side of the Gaza to prevent the importation of armaments.
At all times, Israel declared its willingness to transport any humanitarian aid from its own harbour by truck convoys into the Gaza. All such efforts, including the transport of the latest shipments, were refused by Hamas.
It is interesting to note here that Hamas was declared a "terrorist organisation" by the United Nations, the European Union, The United States and several other countries.
Yes, I could go on and on...but what's the point?

What's the point ?

What's the point of complaining about the weather? During the last several weeks we've had two (count them: 2) days of sun shine and no rain. But since one can do nothing about this situation it is best not to make a big deal of it. So, on rainy days, like today, one stays in the house, plays around with the computer, reads a book, or watches a movie on TV.
Yesterday was one of the rare sunny days. At least for part of the day. Christin and I drove to Klagenfurt to do a little shopping and then we continued on to Lake Faaker. Beautifully located in front of the Mittagskogel, one of the peaks of the Karawanken mountains. The sun shone and the drive through the Rosental ( Valley of the roses) was simply beautiful. The name is actually interesting: There are no roses other than a few in peoples gardens. So why is it called the Valley of the Roses? Maybe somebody knows and will tell me.

The political and economic situation in Europe is far from what the name of the "European Union" might suggest. The only unification, at least from the limited point of view of one living in Austria, is that everybody complains about the "European Union".
Much reason for those complaints of course was the financial rescue effort which had to be undertaken by Europe, to pull Greece out of the self caused economic disaster.
I can understand their dismay: The larger problem appears to be that several other countries seem to be approaching this same financial abyss; the so-called PIIG countries, consising of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, and Greece. Well, one of them has already gone down the drain. How many others will follow? It can only be hoped that they will recognize "Greece" as a warning signal and institute measures of their own before it is too late.
Why it takes the financial collapse of a country for it to recognize that no-one can spend money for ever like a drunken sailor ( and that is what the Greeks did and what many other European countries do), far in excess of its revenues, is totally beyond my comprehension.
Well, don't worry, much here in Europe is totally beyond my comprehension. Maybe, you may say, my comprehension is not accute enough. Never mind....I'll talk to you later.

On the shores of LAKE FAAKER

Yes, I am sorry, but that is its name:
"Faaker See" or, in English, "Lake Faaker"
It is a lovely lake, bordered by mountains and
great for swimming and sailing.

We stopped at the hotel "Karner Hof"
for an excellent lunch, and sat on the verandah
in the rare sun.

This peak is the "Mittagskogel"
forming part of the mountain chain
called the "Karawanken"
What a lovely afternoon excursion we had.