http://op-expat.com/2007/12/a-california-girls-first-real-christmas/

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The first year it rained like hell. I was so caught off guard that I actually went out and bought a pair of rubber boots. Needless to say, I no longer own those boots.

The second year was a really long summer that extended into October. Then it went from 22C down to 0C in three days.

But this year things seem to be going exactly like how I’ve seen in the movies. The days are sunny. The air is cool and crisp. The leaves are changing a gorgeous red, yellow and orange.

Oh by the way. Happy Halloween. No matter where you are in the world, go carve a pumpkin just for fun. I did.

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Thank goodness for my fashion magazine reading obsession! I was flipping through flair magazine and read about Spring Fatigue syndrome, or at least that’s what I’m calling it. It’s due to… ah forget it. I’m to tired to explain what it is due to.

You can check out an article about it here
http://www.london-weatherstation.co.uk/spring_tiredness

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I think the best market is at The Freyung in the Inner City. The mountain of eggs! You’ve never seen anything like it. Check it out here Ostermarkt Freyung

To celebrate, I’ve set up my Easter tree already. As you can see, I am quite the fan of these little eggs.

Easter Tree in Vienna

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I am still immensely pleased with my potted tulip.

Potted Tulips in Vienna

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The last two, maybe three months have been pretty rough though. Not much sunshine and very cold weather. If it’s below freezing, I’m pretty cranky.

So how do I keep my chin up and beat the winter blues?

First I think about other places in the world. For example, the northeast in America right now. Yet another huge snowstorm. Those people are just half way through their winter, and we’re already making it out from ours. I just think, “Wow, I can’t complain about the winters in Vienna if this is as bad as they get. Clearly it’s a lot uglier in other places.”

Second, during the dark winter, I light candles like crazy in my apartment to add some warm light to my environment.

Third, I get the hell out of Vienna. I ignore the whole Christmas break thing because I hate to travel when everyone else is. Too hectic at the airport and too expensive. Also, my co-workers are grateful that I am not competing for the time off. I offer to hold the fort instead. But come February, a low season for travel, I take advantage of all the vacation time offered from work, and flee to someplace warm. That’s what I was doing in Puerto Rico for 10 days. I came back glowing and happy because of the sun, warmth, and water. Then two weeks later, spring-like weather in Vienna.

So how do you beat the winter blues?

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Paul and I don’t know much about the balls in Vienna. I looked around on the Internet and was really surprised how little there was about the topic. I’m happy that I am writing about it then!

Friday, February 13 is the day of the Coffeehouse Owners’ Ball. This is what I understand so far:

• 5,000 people come to this event
• The Austrian President will be attending
• Black tie is expected, no suits allowed and women must wear floor-length gowns
• Debutants are presented
• Entertainment is provided
• People dance

That’s all I know for now. On Friday I’ll take lots of pictures and post them on my blog with details as to how it went down.

Coffehouse Owners Ball in Vienna, Austria

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It’s basically an outdoor fair that goes on for six weeks to celebrate that Christmas is coming. There are stands that sell toys, Christmas decorations, and sweets. What the adults really go for though, is the very strong alcoholic Glühwein. Here’s how Glühwein is prepared.

Take some cheap red wine and warm it up in a pot. Throw oranges, cinnamon sticks and other mystery spices in. Grab a metal grate and put it over the pot. Place a large sugar cone on the metal grate and douse it in rum. Set the sugar cone on fire and let the sugar drip into the pot. Serve hot. Get drunk.

Yesterday was the opening of the Christkindlmarkt in Vienna. Vienna has about 15 different ones located throughout the city, but it is the opinion of many that the one at the Rathaus (city hall) is the best. Don’t go to a Christkindlmarkt during the day, you’ll be the only one there. Go after the sun sets. I know it seems insane to stand around outside in the middle of winter, but get some Glüwein, and it won’t seem so cold. Enjoy the merry atmosphere.

Vienna Rathaus Christkindlmarkt

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Europe experienced a cold snap in September right around the official day of autumn. I took the cold weather in stride. After all, it made sense to me that the weather in autumn would be colder than the weather in summer.

I was at work one day waiting for the coffee machine to work its magic. A co-worker of mine walked in and we started to chat. She made a comment around the lines of, “I can’t believe it’s so cold. It’s like winter, isn’t it?”

I stood there and stared blankly at her for a moment. She then said again, “Isn’t it?”

Stumbling for a moment I replied, “Well, I don’t really know. I’m new to this whole four seasons thing.”

I think she was really surprised by my comment. She just shook her head at me and left.

How am I supposed to know any better?

autumn-in-vienna

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Now I’ll openly admit, I just might overcompensate for the cold weather and rain. I bought waterproof boots because every single pair of shoes that I had from Los Angeles let water in.

I also went on a coat and sweater buying binge. I have five different coats and more sweaters now than I have had in my entire life.

When mid-September rolls around in Vienna, I start pulling my supplies out and piling them on.

Saturday was a good example of my overcompensation for cold, rainy weather. I went grocery shopping. I pulled on my jeans, a thick wool sweater, my waterproof boots and a raincoat. I grabbed my umbrella and my fashionably oversized purse and headed out. At the beginning of my walk to the grocery store, things were great. I felt the chill of the air and was grateful for my warm clothing. I walked a brisk pace and started to warm up. All of a sudden I was just a tad too warm. Well no matter. It doesn’t hurt to be too warm. Or so I thought.

Once I arrived at the store, I noticed that I needed to get organized. I had many things to deal with. I had an umbrella in one hand and my fashionably over-sized purse in the other. I was a bit stuck. To get a shopping cart, I had to find a coin to stick in a little slot that released the shopping cart from a chain. I stood there for a second and tried to figure out exactly how I was going to do this. I had a dripping umbrella in one hand, and a zipped purse in the other. I needed one hand to hold the purse and the other to rummage in it. I flailed about for a moment and then thought, to heck with it. I dropped my wet umbrella on the floor. This freed up the hand I needed to get the coin to get my shopping cart. Success!

I started making the shopping rounds. My earlier state of a tad too warm started to rise as I was in the store. My wool sweater was getting scratchy. I started moving faster through the store in hopes that I would get my shopping done faster. All of a sudden I felt sweat drip. Eeewww! I quickly finished my shopping and rushed to the checkout line. The checkout girl gave me a strange look as she noticed my damp, flushed cheeks.

Once I had my groceries I rushed outside to gulp in the cold, fresh air. Except that it was raining outside and one hand was busy carrying my groceries while the other was busy holding my purse. I needed to get my umbrella. I dropped my groceries on the floor and rummaged around my purse to find my umbrella. I opened it, balanced my purse and grocery bags evenly, and started to set off for home. My earlier sweaty state was rapidly dropping to a chilled cold as the sweat cooled my body in the outside temperatures. My grocery bags were banging around my knees, and I started to feel my paper grocery bag shift. Stupidly, I had left that one to hang outside the perimeter of my umbrella. My paper grocery bag was getting wet! The damn thing was going to rip! I picked up my step even more in the hopes of getting to my apartment before the bag ripped. But noooo! It had to rip. I knelt down in the rain to gather the bag from the bottom and balance it on my hip.

So I had a huge purse, a plastic grocery bag and an umbrella in one hand, and I had a torn, wet paper grocery bag perched on my hip and a plastic grocery bag in the other. And it was raining. And I was cold.

When I made it home, I went right into the kitchen and dropped everything on the floor. My apples from the wet paper bag rolled out but I didn’t care.

All I know is that I need a new system.

How I felt on Saturday

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