Austria

Austria is the country of Sissi, Mozart and the apple strudel. But that's not all!

People of my generation have fantasized about the divine Romy Schneider as Sissi Empress Austria: Crinoline balls to the rhythm of Strauss’ waltzes, opulent Viennese palaces, a Tyrolean forest and everything in between. Why not, but Austria is much more than that. Austria is a beautiful country of forests, mountains and cities with a breathtaking architectural heritage.
Austria is also good gastronomy, friendly Austrians and fabulous museums where the greatest artists are exhibited.
 

Grüss Gott, Servas Österreich ! Ich bin Christinéééé, ich bin Französin, schön dich kennenzulernen ! 

Austria means wine, beer, party !

In Austria, celebrating is a serious business. The folk music is lively and cheerful, and the rhythm is wild. Accordion, bagpipes, violin or horns, it also consists of electric guitar and double bass drum. It is danced to the rhythm of clapping the soles on the floor, clapping hands on the thighs and stamping beer mugs on the table. Yes, it is a cliché, but what a hellish atmosphere! What a joy! A folk evening leaves no one unimpressed, not even techno fans.
 
Austrian festivals always follow more or less the same pattern: an orchestra in Lederhosen and Dirndl (lace dress with a nice neckline) sings and dances on stage. In front of them stands a table full of party guests who drink, eat, swing and sing while holding up their beer. In the back, huge grills filled with sausages, mountains of potatoes salad, pretzels and steaming pots of goulash or rostbraten are waiting for empty stomachs. And it’s off and gone by the end of the night!
This kind of celebration can be found with some gastronomic variations in Germany and Switzerland.
 

Austria’s architectural heritage is worth a visit

Baroque, classical or art nouveau architecture surprises the traveller at every corner. Heavy domes decorated with gold, crazy volutes, warrior angels, magnificent flags, Triton fountains: nothing is missing.
In every city you will find different influences. You can see them from a distance when you look at the roofs: pointed, rectangular, onion-shaped, etc. These roofs are true marvels of detail and finesse. Outside the big cities, the traditional style “wooden chalet-balcony-with-blooming geraniums” dominates.
 

Exciting museums: history, art, music and psychoanalysis

Austrian museums are rich in history. Mozart, Freud, Klimt or Schiele are Austrian celebrities that are worth a visit. Museums and galleries are beautiful, modern and very well organized. Curious travellers will find all to enrich their general culture.
It would be a pity to visit Vienna without taking at least half a day to admire the extraordinary works of the artists of the Vienna Secession (Secession style). Klimt, Schiele, Kokoska, for the most famous, but also Art Nouveau intellectuals, the works of the poets are real treasures to be discovered.

YodlyodlyodYodlyodlyollllllyoyoyoyoyoyoooooolololilililiiiiiiiii

Yodelling is not only about choirs in hats and folk costumes. Yodelling is a very difficult song to master and requires practice and breath. It is an art!
A long time ago, before it was part of Tyrolean folklore, yodelling was practiced by shepherds to call the herds. Today it is present on the music scene with as much passion as ever in rock and techno!

Yodelling in the jungle

Happy people born in the 60s heard it and took it into their hearts without knowing that they were yodeling. Johnny Weissmüller, the American actor who played Tarzan in the 1930s, yodelled amazingly well when he swung, half nacked, from liana to liana. His parents were of German and Hungarian descent. They probably cradled little Johann Peter with yoyoyoooooooolololililili, which for decades became the famous cry of the jungle son on the playgrounds.

Which language is spoken in Austria?

 
In Austria they speak German or almost German. The accent and some words are quite different. 
Hello, Grüss Gott means translated “say hello to God”. If you want to make her laugh, answer humorously with “when I see him”, ha ha.
Goodbye, it’s baba or wiedershaun. In Austria they say Marille and not apricot and Erdapfel and not Kartoffel.
A typical restaurant is a Beisl, a typical hotel a pension, a beer a Gösser.
Es ist mir Wurst” as understood by “I don’t care”. In Austrian it turns into isshh or isssssssss moa voucht or short voucht, but it remains in the sausage. 
The Austrian language for a German, it’s a bit like Quebec for a Frenchman. Make her happy, force the accent, put your heart into it and forget the High German! 
 

Austria is a country of adventure and nature

 
Art, music and cake are wonderful, but it is time for nature and adventure. 
In Austria there are high and steep mountains (up to 3800 m) for experienced and amateur mountaineers. Ski areas with gigantic ski resorts, romantic lakes and bohemian forests full of trails are waiting for nature-loving hikers.
 

To visit Austria also means to meet the Austrian people

 
The people in this country are very friendly and surprisingly cheerful. The contact is simple, warm. It is sometimes a bit difficult to communicate with them because in the country English is not always spoken. A repetition of the German language before and during the trip will therefore be very useful.
 

Baba Österreich, Vielen Dank, Wiederschaun ! 

Next travel: Let's discover Germany!

Germany has everything to attract travellers: beautiful cities full of history and architecture, interesting gastronomy, mountains and great landscapes.

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