Some more "Vienna at Night" shots

Just off the Kaerntnerstrasse runs a street called "Der Graben" 

(The ditch )

believe me, this "ain't no ditch". 

It is, rather, along with the Kaerntnerstrasse the most expensive shopping street in Vienna, in Austria and likely one of the most exclusive and expensive streets in Europe.

This is Christmas decoration spelled with a Capital C.

This is the famous "Pestseule" ( column of the  Black Plague )

the historical information and the philosophical implications of this monument could fill a book.

A store specializing in the sale of watches .

The cheapest such time piece I could find

would set you back about Can $10,000.00

from there the prices go up and up.

Culture vs Culture

In my last entry I promised ( threatened ? ) to write something about the inroads being made by the English language into the German cultural fields. I have not yet worked on the compendium of words and phrases which come directly from the English and threaten the German communication, since this threat/enrichment does not only come from the spoken word, but from daily custom and a variety of cultural fields:

Think about Music, for instance: Besides the Classical composers, not much has happened in Austria, which did not come directly from, or was not strongly influenced by America. The only energetic, vibrant new direction in this field, Jazz, came directly from there. I will not enter upon a dissertation about Jazz, where its roots lay, or where its constituents parts originated. Suffice to say that it came in its final form from the land across the sea. All popular music produced here finds its origin there.

Think about film. Although there surely were a number of very good movies produced in Germany/Austria
(Even some Oscar winners )
the bulk of this remarkable art form has come from Hollywood and its derivative production centers.
Again with some notable exceptions it was the English language areas which created the best actors, male and female.

Think about Advertising: An advertising flyer, which I picked up today, inserted in the daily "Currier", a news paper which is bought by and delivered to almost exclusively German speaking readers, offers this on its front page:

                                   Cool Winter Sale
                          Shopping City Sued / Eingang 3 und 8
                                     Appealing Quality

In this 10 word headline, fully 6 are English, one, Winter, is bi-lingual and only 3 are purely German.
( One could of course say that 4 words are German )

I have already, earlier on mentioned the disappearance of the Austrian "Christkindl" and the appearance of "Santa Claus", as well as the souvenier-selling "Dom Shop".

This, or similar uses of the English Language can be found in every daily paper .

If I were an Austrian Citizen, I would really get worried by the obvious recognition that a strong culture seems to be assimilating a weaker one.

Well, tonight I will visit the "Kursalon" and listen to a Concert of two indisputable and outstanding Austrian composers, both of an era gone by :
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  and Johann Strauss Jr..
Two composers who need not fear being anglicized. 

Bertstravel
looks forward to this concert

The Parliament of Austria

I know, I know...  I've posted pictures of Austria's Parliament buildings before.

It's difficult not to photograph them when you stand in front.

They are, so I read, in dire need of substantial repairs.

The "Pallas - Athene - Fountain" (covered for the winter period)

Was it not "al dente"?

Tooth implant and an Italian Restaurant all together ?

The Pasta must be as hard as a rock!

Serious Inroads into Austrian Culture

I am slowly getting used to the Anglicisms which creep into the German language on every level.
Someday I will make a compendium of  all the English, or English derived words used in the daily news paper.
I am actually not "getting used to it" but I am getting less amused.
Now an Anglicism has moved not into the language, but into one of the most fervently held customs:
In Austria, on Christmas Eve comes the "Christkindl", (the Christchild) and brings the presents and in many homes it also brings the Christmas tree.
On the 6th day of December St. Nikolaus visits homes and brings some small presents, like a bag of nuts, some Ginger bread etc.
At no time does Santa Claus, coming on a sled, pulled by some reindeer, sliding down a chimney, get even an honourable mention.
Just look at this, however !  

Please remember : We are in Vienna, the Capital of German speaking Austria. And yet : What do I see ?

In large red letters : Merry Christmas !

Then in smaller dark letters the German equivalent: 

Froehliche Weihnachten.

Why is there a chimney ? The Christkindl has never been known as arriving through a chimney. And then on the chimney, 

in blue Neon: HO HO HOO.

I have never heard of the Christkindl calling out HoHoHoo.

Only Santa Claus calls out HOHOHO.

Now, please move with me into the interior of St.Stephens Cathedral.

There is a little store which sells souvenirs 

of a religious nature to visitors.

The German word for Cathedral is "Dom".

St.Stephen's Cathedral in German is called the Stephans Dom.

Now we could call this little store just "Souvenirs".

But what do we call it ? "Dom - Shop".

Nowhere in any German dictionary will you find the word "Shop"

I wonder and think about it. The thought of the stronger culture overwhelming the weaker one comes to mind.

I may write about this later.

Bertstravels

VIENNA AT NIGHT

It was a cold and windy evening. But Vienna at night, in particular the Kaerntner Strasse, the Graben und all the streets in this nucleus of the First District are too beautiful not to visit, just because it's a little chilly.
So, here are some more pictures of "Vienna by night"!

Some side streets, running off the Graben, 

featuring their own Christmas Decoration.

Night and Day

When I first saw the Haas  building I thought that it was simply terrible and did not fit into the surroundings, the St. Stephens Cathedral Square. When I saw it the third and fourth time, I got used to it and now it looks quite Okay to me.

The "Haas Building" by day. ( at 11.32 AM )

The "Haas Building by night  ( actually at 4.50 PM )

St. Stephens Cathedral during daylight hours

and during the dark.