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Recent Posts
- Film Review: “Nomadland”
- One Hundred Years Ago, Belgium became the most Complicated Country in Europe – July 1921: Language Border between Wallonia and Flanders
- Austrian Border Control
- Vogelsang, the Nazi Castle in the Eifel
- House Sitting ain’t always a Holiday
- One Hundred Years Ago, Alcohol secured World Peace – June 1921: Åland
- One Hundred Years Ago, Whites couldn’t bear Blacks being Successful – May 1921: Black Wall Street
- Hitchhiking, an Odyssey with 50 Hail Marys (part 3 of 3)
- Hitchhiking, an Odyssey with 50 Hail Marys (part 2 of 3)
- Hitchhiking, an Odyssey with 50 Hail Marys (part 1 of 3)
Category Archives: Austria
Austrian Border Control
When you’re smuggling Italian cigars while hitchhiking across the Alps, the imposing Austrian customs checkpoint near Nauders will give you a brief scare. But it was Sunday morning and the soldiers were apparently attending church. Or they didn’t want to … Continue reading
Mauthausen
Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Berichts. My hosts in Linz are exceptionally gracious hosts. On the morning of the farewell, they cook, bake, puree, flambé and prepare food as if I weren’t a humble little fellow, but a horde of a … Continue reading
Posted in Austria, History, Holocaust, Photography, Spain, World War II
Tagged Linz, Mauthausen
8 Comments
Hitchhiking against the Skeptics
“Nobody will give you a ride during a pandemic”, people said. Well, I had to find out for myself. Continue reading
Posted in Austria, Germany, Travel
Tagged Amberg, Ammerthal, hitchhiking, Linz, Mauthausen, Passau, Vienna
15 Comments
A Chinese in Vienna
During some meeting of some committee of some sub-organization at the United Nations in Vienna, I got to know a young lady from China. Qian was doing an internship as a simultaneous interpreter for Mandarin and English. Simultaneous interpreters are … Continue reading
Strangers in the Park
Hier geht es zur deutschen Fassung dieser Geschichte. I had two days left in Boston before returning to Germany, and I didn’t know anybody in the city. The year was 2009 and, as far as I knew, the internet hadn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Austria, Bolivia, Life, Love, Photography, Romania, Serbia, Travel, USA
Tagged Belgrade, Boston, Cochabamba, racism, Targu Mures, Vienna
23 Comments
How to cope with the Heatwave (3 steps)
This is Sisi, my friends’ cat that I am currently watching in Vienna. She is clearly suffering from the heatwave, too. Her advice in this kind of weather: “Don’t move. Sleep as much as possible. And don’t go to work.” … Continue reading
A Walk along the Semmering Railway
At first glance, the landscape in the Vienna Alps looks idyllic. But the expert’s eye realizes immediately that something is missing here: a railroad! Because how are the people supposed to enjoy the picturesque landscape if they can’t get there … Continue reading
Posted in Austria, History, Photography, Technology, Travel, Video Blog
Tagged hiking, mountains, railroad, train
4 Comments
Birthday Walk from Vienna to Bratislava
Zur Originalfassung auf Deutsch. It had been storming and thunderstorming the whole night. That was good, because the air was clear and it was ten degrees cooler than the oppressive July average. Perfect for hiking. On the other hand, there … Continue reading
Posted in Austria, Photography, Travel
Tagged adventure, birthday, Bratislava, Carnuntum, Danube, Devin, hiking, nature, Slovakia, Vienna
15 Comments
“The Dark Valley”, a Western from Austria
Yes, Austria. Not Australia. That cute country with castles and Kaiserschmarrn, waltz and Waltz, Mozart and marzipan? But Austria has winters, too. Tough winters, like in Wyoming. And mountains like in Montana. Valleys like in Yosemite. And reclusive communities deep … Continue reading
