The Wachau region was inscribed as “Wachau Cultural Landscape” in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its architectural and agricultural history, and is known for its high-quality wines… …and that is the River Danube to the left… This was funny… According to the GPS, this is a bridge… 🙂 After much reading of signs, …
As we were touring through the Viennese countryside and in particular the Wachau Valley, we came across quite an assortment of ‘interesting’ sights… Yes, these are headless people, complete with a happy birthday version of ‘do not cross’ police tape… …and a park for bees… The leaning tower of Wachau Valley, perhaps..? …and another abandoned …
In case you are interested, here is a snapshot of a normal day for me in Vienna… starting with the view from my window… …then downstairs – and everything you are about to see is all within the same city block… …I believe I showed immense intestinal fortitude to resist the urge to enter this …
Artstetten Castle (Schloss Artstetten) was the home to Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his family until the tragic events in Sarajevo in 1914… The castle is still owned by the same family and they live in it all year round… Note to self: I want a bathtub like this, but preferable with steps to get in …
Donna, Alexander and I set off for a day of exploring the Viennese countryside, but first we went hunting to find a cow and wolf playing backgammon… Success! “In the 15th century, Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini, better known later in life as Pope Pius II, described all the fine houses of Vienna as being painted inside and out with …
Leaving the majestic horses, we made our way back to Graz to find the ‘Stairs of Reconciliation’… No matter where you look, there are cyclists everywhere in Graz… The archway on the right is where we are headed… …and through the small door on the left… Completed in 1438 under the guidance of Holy Roman …
…and now we head to the Lipizzaner Stud Farm in Piber, Austria – and being a horsey-girl, this was such an incredible treat! Most know of the famous Spanish Riding Horses, but waht few realise is the breed, Lipizzaner, is Europe’s oldest cultural horse breed, with their origin going back to the year 1580. Welcome …
From Graz, we made our way to Thal, birthplace of Arnold Schwarzenegger… – but first, a leisurely lunch beside Thalersee lake… where apparently Arnold proposed to Maria in a small row boat… …and then… I certainly was not prepared for what we found when we reached Arnold’s childhood home… Last I checked, Arnold wasn’t a …
Anyone who has seen “Under the Tuscan Sun” (or if you are like me and have seen it so many times you could just about recite the entire script), will recognise the following: Martini: Signora, between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It is an impossibly steep, very …
While that statement may not be totally grammatically correct, it does sum up my Luxurious Nomad life. As you may know, I love words – not just writing, but the actual understanding of language, how it is used to convey meaning, when and where that meaning is sometimes lost, and so much more… While it …
