The Parrots

Back from Greece, time to explore again. KHM has a Raphael tapestry exhibition. On 24th September I go alone for a stunning production of Tristan & Isolde. At least the music and singers, as the staging by Calixto Beito was…

Off to Greece 12th-20th September, courtesy of John and helped by Ryanair to Skiathos. Much walking (Staphylos, Milia to Skopelos, Mamma Mia chapel ie Johannes Kastri church, Glossa, Agnontas), many meals out, too much booze at places like Pablo’s, Thalassa…

We take the train back from Weissensee on Monday August 21st. The weather changes from well above 30° to chilly teens. Days are leisurely spent visiting familiar sights, including KHM, Naschmarkt, biking to Prater, and Museum Quartier. There we go…

John picks us up on Monday at St Veit for a 2 day visit. Peter and Zitu are also staying. On Tuesday 15th there is a church service, followed by brettljause outside at the pub. Shortly after we drive to…

Sunday, annual kirchtag up in the hills. Mungo and I walk there (me back too), spectacular weather, lively trio – fun!!

We arrive from Gars on Friday 4th August in time to celebrate Trude’s birthday, and the following day there is a celebration at Ronackerfels with Harald and Miriam. Very enjoyable, and great weather unlike last year. For the first few…

We fight our way by bus and train to Gars am Kamp, and then take the direct Google route through showers and builders’ yards to our spacious Kloster appartment. At 6 we puff our way up to the Burg, where…

We catch Larry on Friday, fresh back from his month taking part in BBC’s Survivor in the DR. Before that a short and freezing visit by train to Bavaria to see Hartmuth and Maria. On our way back we stop…

Time to return back to Erl, this year for Siegfried and Götterdämmerung, and this year staying in the lovely Gasthaus Zur Schrank. Weather was dodgy but kind enough. We walked beside the river Inn, went up the Kaiserlift, even visited…

More hanging round KHM, and going to the Welt Museum. The first time visit to KHM’s Egyptian and Antiquities wing is simply overwhelming. At the Film Festival Igudesman & Joo perform their ‘Rachmaninov will survive’ with the Czech Symphony Orchestra.…

Swanning around in Vienna, Mungo having cruelly abandoned me for the dubious delights of Weissensee. Visit KHM twice, see Fidelio at Film Festival, bike to Hapsburgerwarte, pass Secession, visit Thalia bookshop. Can a mortal take this, particularly with hot sultry…

Tour from the Wien Radeln book again, this one going to Post Sparkasse, Hundertwasser house, WU Uni, and UNO city.

Now that we have the year pass, we start going. First time: Tuesday and Friday. The Vermeyen cartoons on the top floor are vast and amazing, although too high and poorly lit to take in well. They show the 1535…

Today, Saturday, we finally smash the piggybank open and buy year passes for the KHM museums. We start with the Theater Museum in the stunning Lobkovitz palace. The costume designs on the ground floor by Monika von Zallinger are particularly…

Lynette and Mario join us on Sunday evening for 3 nights – more fun. For those days we dine at Brasserie Les Loges and 2 restos in Place de Liberté facing the ducal palace. On Tuesday we meet for a…