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Monday, October 8, 2012

Braunau am Inn


Upper Main Square with "Fischbrunnen" (fish fountain)
in the foreground and Old City Tower in back ground.

City Hall
 

Lower Main Square
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2 comments:

Lianne said...

WOW - I would say you took those pictures 30 years ago but the cars are from this decade so I guess not. I live in this city that is always changing and morphing into I don't know what so it is strange to see a place that has not changed one iota. I wonder if the people have changed. Do they think the same? Are they more liberal? more conservative? do they have the same life style? I would be very interested to know.

Bert said...

Yes, you're quite right: This town, along with many others like it, change very little. Part of the reason, of course, is the fact that town fathers have decided to prohibit fundamental changes to the facades of houses on the "Stadtplatz" (Main Square) or any of the Old Town side streets. Inside you can do pretty much as you please. Also store fronts have of course been modernized... but by and large, Braunau looks very similar to the town it was many many years ago. Except for one aspect: Traffic... when I was a kid there, some 70 years ago, there were three cars parked on the Main Square. Now you can't find a parking spot for love or money.
The people ? Some, I am sure, have become more "liberal", others more "conservative" and others still just worry about their daily life and care little about 'left' or 'right' politics.
I still know some people, who are about my age, some of whom I have attended Public School with... They lived in "This House" where they were borne and grew up and live there still. They would not leave if you paid them. I'd call that "Conservative" with a Capital C.
Life Style ?
On the "Stadtplatz" there are at least 7 or 8 Restaurants, Cafe houses, etc... Each one has tables and chairs outside and they were all very very well visited.It was a wonderful Saturday with the sun just beaming down and large umbrellas giving shade... At around 1PM I had a hard time finding a place to sit and enjoy some ice cream.
To sum it up: I think the life style of the average citizen auf Braunau is one of enjoyment. They work hard during the week, but have one hell of a good time during the week end.
Isn't this very similar to Toronto?