There is more to Austria than the Alps, Heidi and snow covered mountains.
Outside of Europe, a lot of people don't know the real beauty of Austria. Yes, the Alps and skiing are great but the gentle rolling hills complete with undulating fields are even better. Austria is not just a collection of mountains complete with holiday chalets.
No, not everyone wears Lederhosen...all the time, ( only Schatzi of course and should anyone be able to tell me how to get rid of a mouldy leather smell, please do tell me... p/s: the real McCoy Lederhosen should not be washed, ever! ) and a hat plumed with a goat's whiskers.
Burgenland, the province of Austria we live in is as hip as the next place. Only at functions do some pull out the Lederhosen and Dirndl from the back of their cupboards and wear them proudly. Traditions are traditions after all. Texan's wear stetsons, Japanese wear Kimonos, Germans wear Birkenstocks with socks and Bavarians eat Weisswurscht at the Oktoberfest.
Austrians live life and more importantly, enjoy it. Our province, Burgenland has in the past been thought of as the " poor relation " to the rest of Austria. But now that is changing and the rest of Austria is awakening to the possibility of visiting or even living in this slice of paradise. One bonus point is of course that life is very affordable here.
If you put your ear to the ground or rather put your finger on the social media circuit, you will realize that the secret is out: Burgenland makes unbelievably stunning wines that has the worlds wine critics agog and wanting more. What we sip without giving it much thought during a function or two ( and pay only about 1-2 Euros per glass ), would make Sommeliers weak at the knees while tasting it, never mind the ecstatic descriptions of it. For us it is normal and part of the backdrop.
Burgenland is beautiful and happens to be right next door to Steiermark, the province where the Spielberg Formula 1 is held today. In fact, from our house it would be about 2 hours drive to the race track. I have a feeling that once the World sits up and notices how stunning, scenic and nice this part of Austria is, more people will come and visit. Waking up in a vineyard, sipping wine while watching the sunset, cycling the rural lanes and just unwinding from a hectic lifestyle would make any holiday perfect...
While I was out walking yesterday, a very fast looking & fancy Mercedes drove past me on the road. Thinking about it in regard to the Formula 1 race, it may just have been someone connected to the race. It was spluttering along at 50km/h so surely it couldn't have been a racing driver or the safety car, or could it have been?
Biggi
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