Today Paul and I went to a thermal bath near Vienna call St. Martin’s.
These are giant swimming pools using naturally heated water for people to swim around in them. It’s a really relaxing experience. You swim, you lounge, you eat and you go home.
Austria is full of these thermal baths. Vienna even has its own. However, Therme Wien as it is called is really awful. Overcrowded and not clean enough.
I highly suggest St. Martins even though it is an hour drive away from Vienna.
Restaurant week in Vienna is coming up fast. Click on the link below to find out what it is and make a reservation while you still can.
http://www.restaurantwoche.at/lang/en/cities/wien/restaurants
I was watching TV the other day and laughing at some cranky Viennese. They were protesting that a commuter train did not stop when it was supposed to. Apparently the train company was thinking about closing the stop down, because not enough people were using it. To make a long story short, the Viennese formed a group (with assigned head of the group) and protested strongly enough to prevent their station from being closed.
The fact that this group won their protest made me stop laughing at them. I thought about it for awhile and have decided this. I need to give the cranky Viennese a break and actually thank them instead of making fun of them. They protest about anything that doesn’t suit them. They put up a fuss until they get what they want. They form a group and in an organized manner, nip and nip and nip at the government until, in exhaustion/exasperation, the government just gives the people what they want.
So thank you dear Viennese for being so damn cranky. Thank you for standing up to what you perceive as unjust or unfair. Because if you did what a lot of other cultures/people do, and look away as the city deteriorates around them, Vienna wouldn’t be the #1 city to live in.
Stop asking me why I would rather live in Vienna than LA. Though the beach and weather in Los Angeles are awesome and nothing can compare, there are severe downsides that I am happy to have left behind.
Hey sorry about the crummy link to our episode of House Hunters International. It blocked anyone who wasn’t a US viewer. So um, here we are on HHI:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOiump3__Mo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBEwpSzXVAg
Awhile back I announced that an American TV show got in contact with us to do an episode on moving and living in Vienna. It finally aired. Here’s the link
http://www.hgtv.com/video/vienna-apartments-on-a-budget-video/index.html
The Austrians are VERY open when it comes to nudity. It’s all over the place. On TV (not HBO or Show Time I mean regular TV) in advertisements, and even in public parks.
Usually I can handle this. On TV or advertisements are just a whatever situation for me. In the public parks all I have to do is avoid certain areas.
Since winter has hit however, the temptation to hang out in saunas has increased for me. I figure that it’s the only place where I can get warm. So I told my husband that is where I wanted to go. To a sauna. He gave me a long look and said. “Really? You know it’s only nudity allowed. You are not allowed to wear a bathing suit.” I scoffed at this. How can you not be allowed to wear a bathing suit? I smiled sweetly to my husband and said that I can handle it.
The day after Christmas we took off to the local therme (hot water baths) and got the extra pass for the saunas. When we walked into the closed off area, I saw one naked woman and man after another. No shyness. No conservatively wrapped towel around this bit or that. It was full on, shameless flaunting.
My eyes widened, and I kept them down and glued to the floor. I asked an employee if I could keep my bathing suit on. She said no, it was not allowed, but I could keep my towel wrapped around me. However, if I wanted to sit in any of the whirl pools, I would have to give up the towel. Well, I guess the whirl pools were out of the question then!
My husband and I went into one of the saunas together (I wasn’t going to go alone! Ugh-uh!!) I kept my eyes down and my towel wrapped tightly around me. I did get a bit bored and decided to peak a glance up. I was pretty surprised. The Austrians were lounging around on their towels sitting any which way they wanted. All hanging out. No bother to sit conservatively. I saw more of this and that then I had ever seen in any sex ed classes I ever took!
Well on one side good for the Austrians for being so casual and comfortable about nudity. On the other I wish there were saunas that were bathing suit or towel required so people like me could feel a bit more comfortable. I don’t think I will go back to a sauna visit otherwise.
So I went and got published in the Los Angeles Times, the 4th biggest newspaper in America. Here’s the article
http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-snowglobes-20101219,0,2842044.story
This drives me nuts. Meet an Austrian and they immediately try to size you up to figure out where you stand in the social hierarchy. They do this within three seconds. Depending on the outcome, they will then either treat you terribly if they believe you rank lower than they do, or lick your boots if they think you rank higher than them.
What I do find amusing though, is when an Austrian decides that I rank lower than them because I have an accent or because I lack an Austrian educational title.
I just think, you are such an idiot. You made a snap decision without even trying to investigate further who I am. This totally makes your system invalid!
This is snobbery at its worst!
Please please please. If you are an Austrian and reading this blog post, help stop this! People are people. Whether they are well educated, have a “good job” or come from here or there. Being a person of value comes from inside. Meaning I can have more respect for the company cleaning lady than the VP if the cleaning lady is kind and hard working and the VP lazy and a jerk to everyone. Just take the time to get to know someone before trying to assign “worth.”
And remember this too. Everyone has something to contribute.
At this time of year, a lot of us are looking for a unique, fun, interesting gift to give our loved ones. Here’s an idea for you. Taschenhalter.
Taschenhalter, which means purse hanger, is a small, strong hook. When you’re at a restaurant, all you have to do is take the Taschenhalter out of your purse, place it on the table, and easily hang your purse from it.
* You no longer have to place your purses on the dirty floor of restaurants
* Keep your purse where you can see it to stave off thieves
* Less than 5 inches long and fits in every purse
Any woman would LOVE to receive this as a gift. I have to admit, the first time I saw these, I jumped at them and immediately bought five, for family and friends.
Hope this tip can make your holiday shopping a bit easier.
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