Pumpkins in heaven

Yesterday I joined a couple of girls from the ballroom dancing class I've signed up for and their friends to go to an autumn pumpkin festival, held on a open grass area known as "Am Himmel" ("In the sky/heaven") high up among the vineyards on the Kahlenberg (previously mentioned here and here).

There was a spectacular array of pumpkins and squashes on show, variously recommended for eating, carving or decorative purposes (as below).

As well as the pumpkins for sale, related regional products including pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin seed pesto, apple-pumpkin jam etc etc were on offer. Other stalls ladled out hot spiced Sturm and pumpkin soup from large vats - very necessary as it was really quite cold.

A brass quartet played some traditional tunes.

For those who plan their presents well ahead, you can pre-order a pumpkin with a message:

The words are carved into the pumpkin early on. As it grows to full size, the cuts scar over leaving a slightly raised white inscription.

To continue the theme, C and I came home in the evening post-theatre to find that P had made a beautiful pumpkin lasagna! Himmlisch.

Ausdruck der Woche #7

Muskelkater = (literally) muscle hangover 

[ENGLISH SUMMARY BELOW]

Man bekommt einen Kater, wenn man am vorherigen Abend (zu) viel Alkohol konsumiert hat. Ein Muskelkater ist auch eine Folge von einem Ueberschuss von einer bestimmten Aktivitaet, aber in diesem Fall geht es um koerperliche Anstrengung. Sei es nach einer Bergwanderung, einer zu kraeftigen Massage oder einem Wohnungsumzug, am naechsten Tag tun die Muskeln oft weh -  oder man ist wenigstens davon bewusst, dass sie da sind!

Ich verdanke meinen Muskelkater einer gewaltigen Bergwanderung am Sonntag im Gasteinertal, wo ich ein verlaengertes Wochenende mit vier Freunden verbrachte. Wir haben den Bernkogel (2325 Seehoehe) bestiegen und sind anschliessend ueber das Rauchkoegerl (1810m) und Drei Waller heruntergekommen. Insgesamt 12 Stunden, 1700 Hoehenmeter und ein unglaublich schoener Herbsttag.

Der Tag fing mit Nebelsuppe an.

Sonnenstrahlen brechen durch.

Nebelsuppe von oben

Bernkogel (von Rauchkoegerl)

Salzachtal (von Rauchkoegerl)

English summary:
A 'muscle hangover' is the ache you feel after physical exertion. The word for hangover also happens to mean tomcat, as becomes evident if you google image search the phrase! Mine (a mild case) came from an epic walk on Sunday in the Gastein valley (near Salzburg) where I spent a long weekend with four friends (three from Vienna and one Hungarian). The main peak was the Bernkogel (2325m), which you can see in the second-last picture as viewed looking back from the Rauchkoegerl (1810m), which we incorporated on the way down. Twelve hours, 1700m ascent and a stunning autumn day.

Street art

The Danube canal (Donaukanal) runs along one side of the inner (1st) district, marking the border with the 2nd. It flows considerably below street level, with cycle paths and an assortment of bars and restaurants on either side of the water. The wall space between the levels is the canvas for some large-scale and impressive graffiti art - here are a few particularly striking designs - click to enlarge!

Monsters of the Danube canal

 

Two adjacent works of art - and a passer-by for perspective.

I was quite taken with this collection of signs on a street corner just a couple of hundred yards into the 1st district from the canal - in particular its juxtaposition of different time periods, official infrastructure and contemporary creativity ( / vandalism? ). Alas, the PacMan ghost mosaic has since been removed - I was rather fond of it.

 Other odd corners of the historic inner district have also been subject to contemporary additions:

An angel in Jesuitengasse.

Not sure if this person loves life (multi-lingually) or just Vienna - perhaps the ambiguity is deliberate?

 This is a little further out, next to a café called the "Maedchen-Café" (Girl café) - I'm not sure if the painting is related to the name, or which came first.

Ausdruck der Woche #6 OMNIBUS CATCH-UP EDITION

[ENGLISH SUMMARY BELOW]

 

die Berieselung (Musik) = gentle background music (in other contexts ‚irrigation‘)

Schnee rieselt.
Regen nieselt.
Musik berieselt - oder, man lässt sich mit Musik berieseln. 

Wenn es um Werbung geht, kann der Ausdruck auch Konnotationen von Gehirnwäsche wecken...
 

etepetete  = prim, niminy-piminy; stuck-up

Man würde dieses Wort beim Hören oder Lesen wahrscheinlich nicht unverzüglich als ein deutsches erkennen. Der Buchstabe ‚e‘ (und kein anderer Selbstlaut) kommt nicht weniger als fünfmal vor, ‚t‘ erscheint auch dreimal und die Konsonantencluster, die so häufig in der deutschen Sprache sind,  sind nirgends zu sehen.

„Etepetete sein" heiβt, dass jemand sich ziemlich affektiert, empfindlich und geziert benimmt, und wird meistens leicht abwertend und spöttisch verwendet. Der Ausdruck ist seit dem 17. Jahrhundert dokumentiert und seine Herkunft führt möglicherweise auf die franzöische Redewendung „être, peut-être“ (sein, vielleicht [sein]) zurück: es wird auf ein wählerisches und schwankendes Temperament hingedeutet. Das nord- und niederdeutsche Wort „öte“ (=geziert) könnte wohl auch ein Einfluss gewesen sein.

das Küchen-Massaker

Als meine Mitbewohnerin eine reife Mango schneiden wollte, habe ich vergebens versucht, das entsprechende Wort für 'messy' (in diesem Zusammenhang - 'ordentlich' passt nicht in diesem Fall!) aus meinem Gedächtnis hervorzurufen. Wir sind dann auf den viel bildhafteren Ausdruck "Küchen-Massaker" gekommen.

English summary: 
"Berieselung" is related to watery words (think 'trickle') and refers to the kind of music that you can just let 'wash over you' in the background. In the context of advertising etc it can have more negative connotations of subliminal messaging.
'Etepetete' amuses me because it doesn't really look or sound very German on first hearing/sight. This is probably because it traces its origins back to the French phrase "être, peut-être", which was borrowed and assimilated back in the mid-17th century.
'Küchen-Massaker' is fairly self-explanatory, but a rather fun image. It came up when I was trying to find a way to say mangos can be messy without suggesting they don't tidy their rooms.

Ins Theater!

Vienna has a plethora of musical and theatrical venues, which are made very accessible to those on a student budget by the availability of cheap standing tickets. Students in particular can often also buy tickets left unsold just before the performance, meaning you might find yourself in the front row for the grand sum of 9 euros!

On 14th September I had the opportunity to explore the Volkstheater behind the scenes, at their "Tag der offenen Tuer" (Day of the Open Door = open day).

 

It was founded in 1899, aiming to bring modern theatre as well as classic repertoire to wider circles of society ('Volks-' = of the people). The interior is elaborately decorated: 

Looking up.

A backstage technical tour took us from under the stage right up to the roof space. This photo is about halfway between the two (below). If you look at the spot just below the person in yellow you can just about make out some artificial snow falling.

s

I haven't been to see a play in the Volkstheater yet, but I have been to a few other venues. First up was the Theater in der Josefstadt (founded 1788) with some fellow Oxford students, to see a performance of our first-year text Liebelei by Arthur Schnitzler. We enjoyed it, though it was somewhat more sombre than I recalled - probably because it was comparatively the light-and-fluffiest play out of the four we studied that term...

There followed two outings to the Staatsoper (opera house), where the Parterre standing places are below the imperial box and above the 150 euro seats. Not bad for 4 euros and a couple of hours sitting reading in a queue. There are also 3 euro tickets for high up in the balcony and gallery. Meg and I watched Massenet's Manon, which we thoroughly enjoyed, despite being (relative) opera novices. This last weekend we went to see Swan Lake, which was also stunning.

Pre-performance. Orpheus and Eurydice on the safety curtain.

My flatmate C had a lovely visitor staying all last week. Due to a flight mix-up she stayed an extra day, so we spontaneously went to see Spatz und Engel at the Burgtheater (~National Theatre - the one the Volkstheater was originally a counterweight to). The play is about the relationship between Marlene Dietrich (the Engel) and Edith Piaf (Spatz), and included some very impressive renditions of their iconic songs. The experience was further enhanced by our prime position in the fourth row - sing ho for last-minute tickets!