Fashion Show in St. Kanzian

Im ersten Teil dieser Fashion Show
zeigten die Kinder den "Letzten Schrei" der Mode.

In the first part of this Fashion Show,
the children showed what is "in" in today's Fashion.

Ein "Fruehanfaenger"

He's getting an early start.

Das Finale der Kinder Modenschau.

The great "Finale" of this show.

JAZZ in the GENIESSEREI

Just accross the street from our house, there is a small wine-bar, called the "Geniesserei"
loosely translated: "The Enjoyery"
In their court yard they now feature Sunday Brunch with Jazz.
From 10AM until 1PM you may partake of a wonderful Buffet Lunch with all the imaginable goodies,
great wines and really good coffee.
All the while you listen to the greatest Jazz, this side of musical heaven.

This is Stefan Thaler.
A Bass player of the finest quality. He plays riffs and runs
which I would have thought impossible on this instrument.

May I introduce: Tonc Feinig.
An absolutely spellbinding keyboard player
with unlimited improvisational imagination
and the greates technical skills.

Ladies and Gentlmen:
Meet the "Thaler - Feinig" Duo...
playing Jazz the way "she ought to be played".

Ein Stein am Wegerand

Auf dem Weg auf den Hoch Obir hinauf
gibt's interessante Sachen zu sehen.
"Das Profil im Felsen."

On the way up the Hoch Obir one can see most interesting things.
"The rock-face."

"What a day "....Na, das war ein Tag....

This was indeed an eventful day. By glorious sunshine (just an average day in Paradise) we drove to the 1555 meter level of a mountain called the "Hoch Obir"....from there we hiked not quite to the very top at 2142 meters. I estimate that we made it to the 1900 meter mark. Soon I will do this trip again, this time to the very top. Below here you may view the Steiner Alps, visible from the Hoch Obir as well as some flowers which I photographed on the way up.
returned to the "Eisenkappler Huette" and after a "zaftig" ham sandwhich and a glass of Bier,
we drove home, getting there at about 6pm. A quick shower, a change of clothes and a drive to Klagenfurt, where the Berliner Symphoniker gave a wonderful concert. (Brahms Piano Concerto
# 1 and then Tschaikowsky's Symphony #5.)
What a glorious evening, what a wonderful day.
You can believe me, when I tell you that we fell into bed at midnight, exhausted from all the excitement of the day....

Gestern war in der Tat ein erreignisvoller Tag. Von Mittag bis 5 Uhr abends stiegen wir bedachtsam auf den Hoch Obir. Man faehrt zu aller erst per Auto bis zu 1555 meter Hoehe, wo man das Auto bei der "Eisenkapplerhuette" stehen laesst und dann kannst Du, wenn Du Lust und Liebe dazu hast, bis 2142 meter zu Fuss weiter gehen. Weiter unten kannst du die Berge und die Alpenblumen sehen, die ich an diesem Tag photographierte.
Um 6 Uhr kamen wir zu Hause an. Schnell eine Dusche und in frisches Gewand und dann per Auto nach Klagenfurt, wo um 7.30 PM ein Konzert von den Berliner Symphoniker gegeben wurde.
Da gab es zuerst das Klavierkonzert No 1, von Johannes Brahms mit Serge Babayan am Klavier, und dann Tschaikowsky's Symphony # 5.
Einen schoeneren Tag wie am Hoch Obir und einen Abend mit den Berliner Symphonikern unter der Leitung von Alexei Kornienko gibt es gar nicht. Koennts Euch vorstellen, dass wir um Mitternacht ziemlich muede ins Bett gefallen sind.

An afternoon on the Hoch Obir

Welcome to the HOCHOBIR

The "Eisenkappel House"

Self Service at 1535 meters.

...a young hiker.

From the Hoch Obir - The Steiner Alpen

Die Steiner Alpen

Kaerntner Storschitz

Ebriach with Kaertner storschitz

Some flowers of the Hoch Obir

The blue Enzian

Butterflies on pink moss (Fasen Leimkraut)

...a bumble bee visits a "Trollblume"

A Mountain is a Mountain is a Mountain

I know that some of you may say: "
Oh no, not another bleedin' mountain"...

...and some other gentler soul will say:
Once you've seen one, you've seen them all....

I, however, humbly beg to differ.
Each mountain, even if unclimbed,
is a new adventure of visual joy.

...the three ducks agree with me....

ConcelJazzCollective - Jazz Ensemble

Rob Bargard (Piano) Agostino Di Giorgio (guitar) Uli Langthaler (bass)
Lee Harper (trumpet, Fl. Hrn) Erich Bachtraegl (drums) Max Grosch (violin)

Lee Harper on the fluegelhorn,
runs one melodeous improvisation after the other.

Erich Bachtraegl relentlessly drives the band
with precise and imaginative stickwork and
a pair of ever so gentle brushes.

Agostino Di Giorgio gets riffs out of his guitar
which leave the listener speachless.

Uli Langthaler on bass, brings new dimensions to this instrument
and Max Grosch on the Violin whips up solo work that you have to hear to believe.

What a beautiful adventure in music in the town of Ossiach on the Lake by the same name.

Frohnleichnams Umzug

This very "catholic" country of Austria
has many religious processions.

Angels get tired too...
Is she offering him smelling salts to keep him awake?

Frohnleichnams Procession

You simply cannot have a "Prozession" without a Marching Band.

Many local ladies take part in the original costum of the region.

The men too dress in the regional costume,
featuring most interesting walking sticks.

Frohnleichnams Prozession in Bleiburg

Each building features a young birch(?) tree as decoration.
The green building at the far left is where Christin and I live.
You are also looking at my car.

The Procession winds its way along the road

and onto the main square. Four altars were erected
along the route, where short services were held.

Many participants dress in the local costum ( Tracht)