VELDEN

This picture is a little unclear, but it shows one of my favorite hotels around here. I’m not even sure of its name- but I remember it from last year- its on the farthest most western end of the lake in Velden, Austria.

WE MADE IT!

Finally made it around the lake today on bikes. 30K without counting the few times that we got sidetracked and got on the wrong path. I figure all in all it was about 20+ miles that we did (and remember- on those old bikes), with seats too low, and not enough air in the tires- and if we had helmets watch out!

We had lunch in this delightful park area outside one of the hotels in Portsach. It was already REALLY hot. There’s something about the sun around here- when its out, its just intense. Course it could be because there’s water everywhere too- But we made A LOT of stops at grocery stores in each town and kept buying the liquids. Pretty interesting way they sculpt the trees huh.

In my quest to show interesting advertising and things that catch my eye, here’s a shot of this little restaurant that was in the park where we stopped to get some liquid in Velden at the western end of the lake. See the ads for the boats on the chalk boards and the food? Last year I kind of learned, that if I wanted to understand German, I just had to say out loud REALLY FAST. Try it, it really works J

And does that look like a cool hotel or what!

OUTDOOR REFRESHMENTS

Right across from the volleyball players, Ironmen and on the Lend canal we found this quaint/cozy little old diner turned into an outside place to get some food and refreshments. We went up and the women working saw through us instantly and starting speaking English before I even said anything. I got my usual Cola-Light and Carol and Aplesaft and we relaxed in the shade awhile before heading back to Krumpendorf. Its funny- sometimes when we integrate into a group like this - and there were groups of friends most in their 40s, 50s and 60s hanging out in this outdoor area----usually when we join in nobody even looks or notices us--- but once we are there and we start talking with one another- in English- I notice- people turn and give us quick looks- not bad ones- just that its something different- I'd do the same thing if I was hanging out in Overman Park in Cedar Falls and suddenly a couple start to laugh and talk in German. Just an interesting observation :)

SUMMER FUN IN KLAGENFURT

So we arrived safe/sound and THIRSTY back in Klagenfurt! People were DEFINITELY out enjoying the weather today- This is a shot of the Lend canal that runs through Klagenfurt- they have these little taxi boats that take you from one spot in town to another. We've never been on them but it would probably be fun. Also, you often see guys training for the AUSTRIAN IRON MAN contest which is going to be held in about a month. Its the national championship for Ironman competitions and its held every year in Klagenfurt- last year we even got to see it! This year I'll just be starting summer school at UNI- Last shot is one of kids playing volleyball at the courts at the Parkbad in Klagenfurt-

FOUND

So anyway, we turned the bikes around and just undid for about an hour what we had done- funniest part was on the way back, as we approached the area near where we entered into the wooded area with the wood nymphs at play, all of a sudden Klagenfurt's new HUGE soccer (football) stadium (

Woerthersee Stadion)

appeared in the close distance. I had always WONDERED where it was- and had only seen it in pictures. Here's a shot of me, in front of a corn field in its early stages with the stadium behind me. If you're interested in learning any more on it, here's their website. It looks like it cost about 66 million Euro to build.

http://www.sportpark-klagenfurt.at/deutsch/startseite.htm

BIKE RIDE

We went out for another bike ride this afternoon. The weather is absolutely perfect- in Farenheit its probably about 85 degrees and not a cloud in the Alpen skies. A few of our gears even worked on the bikes today too! We went the opposite way around the lake today (at least we attempted to). The Woerthesees (lake) is about 30K all around - and we've been from Krumpendorf to Velden and I've taken you with us on the leg of the journey last week. So today we were going to try to do it the other way- Krumpendorf to Velden only in the other direction which goes directly through Klagenfurt. We didn't make it- we did, however, make it somewhere- we're just not sure exactly where. I think we ended up north of Klagenfurt- the path in places was beautiful- and for awhile we were riding along wooded parts of the Lend canal- and it was fun cause we heard in the woods, like nymphs, people laughing and playing in water- you couldn't see them because the woods were so thick- but the clear running canal apparently ran parallel to the bike path- and the sounds of children playing, laughing, and adults talking in German could be heard as we whizzed along through the forest- we also went through great stretches were the sun was beating down on us and all around us was a panoramic view of the purple hued alps in a distant haze- you could see for MILES- and then after about an hour of riding- we saw the tops of a couple old ancient churches- and eventually the path became wooded again and we rode over about a 2 foot wide wooden bridge and came to the back of this church. It was a little unsettling at first because there was absolutely NO one in sight- and yet- a voice calling out commands and instructions in German was coming so clearly over a loudspeaker- and the closer that we got to the church, the closer and louder the voice over the loudspeaker sounded. It was sort of like an episode of LOST. We inched our bikes up closer and close to the right hand side of the church- and came across a very very old covered structure which held places to park hundreds and hundreds of bicycles- on there weren't any bicycles there-- and all the while the voice on the loudspeaker got louder.

I came around the bend of the church first- and I began to see people--- and a banner which read "Wilkommen" which of course is German for WELCOME! That was good. Then I began to realize that the voice on the loudspeaker was seemingly calling out rules for a game- and we saw maybe 100 people gathered around picnic tables- with food, balloons, and kids playing. Well even though it said welcome we quickly turned our 100 pound bikes around in huge semi-circles and started to head back in the other direction to the back of the church. I thought it was a church picnic and Carol thought it had something to do with Scouts. In any event, it was a fun little adventure moment, and then we turned our attention to the fact we were lost.

GENDER ISSUES

I've heard from a few faculty, and even my students that gender bias is a HUUUUUGE issue in Austria right now- it almost sounds sort of like the US about 30 years ago- For instance- there is a growing outrage among a group within Austria about the symbols used on crosswalks. Here is one I snapped today- the problem is apparently that the symbols used in the crosswalk both appear to be male. There is talk of forcing the government to replace 1/2 of them with female symbols at a cost of millions of Euros. This in the face of the economic problems facing Europe (and the rest of the world)- The Austrians I've talked to about it (and they've all been female) think it is ridiculous. I don't know--- could you sleep at night?