Letter 18
Sunday 07.08.11
I wake up early and transfer my last letters to the computer. So when
the family shows up, I'm ready to send them. I have to transfer them to
Markus Apple via my USB-stick. They don't have wireless LAN.
They suggest we go to Burgenland. It's one of the smallest austrian "bundesländer",
bordering Hungaria. I'd better bring my passport, if we're crossing the
border. Both Markus and Berni originate from there. Never the less
they've met in New York, but that's another story... We go in their
small Citroën, that can have us all four and the folding pram.
Burgenland is rather waving hills than mountains and with plain like
areas in between. It's the transition from the Hungarian plains to the
austrian mountains. Vineyards are seen all over. First we go to an old
stone quarry from roman time, where the stones for Sct. Stephans Dom
later were collected. Now it's been changed into an outdoor theater and
ther's going to be a performance tonight. Markus hasn't been here since
he was a kid and is a little disappointed by the looks of it now.
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| Neusiedler See in the mist | A quite common sight in these areas |
Then we go to Neusiedler See, where they have a sailing boat together
with his parents. Unfortunately the accu has broken down yesterday, so
we can't go sailing. It's not a big boat, but 3-4 people can sleep there.
There are no big boats in the harbour, the lake is too shallow. Around 2
m all over.
I meet his mother, who's at the boat already. Markus is 30, so his
mother must be past 50 but still looks young. She speaks a little
english and I've started believing I can speak some german, so we manage.
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| Burgenland is flat with hills |
In stead of sailing we go to the beach, which is a big fenced area with
grass and some trees, where people enjoy the sun or goes swimming -
there's a LOT of people. The water is a little brownish, but should be
close to drink water. The bottom is lightly stony until you reach the
point where you sink 5-10 cm into the mud. It feels really soft around
your feet. If you don't like it you hav to swim. Part of the lake is in
Hungaria, it was patrolled during the time of the iron curtain.
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| In Mummys arms... | ..and in Dads |
It's turned unbearable hot and moist, so there's nothing else to do.
But when we get back from the water, the sky is getting dark to the
south. We pack our things and go to the village (1000 people), from
where Markus descends, and where his mother and father live, and the
grandmother and grandfather. The last runs a farm. It's the last day in
"Der Heuriger", a period where the farms keep their "bierstuben" open,
so people can come and taste their products - and buy wine, suasages,
meat a.s.o. I say hello to the grandfather, the grandmother, the uncle
and the aunt. It's a family business. First we're served a glass of "Spritz"
- white wine with mineralwater. In come some starters, bread with
different things: Liver pie, as when it's best in Denmark. Fat with
onions, kvarg with paprika. It's been many years since I last had bread
with fat - and even with onion - it's not bad! Then the real dinner
starts and Markus suggests I have ..... a little of it all.
It's a huge plate with grossly bread. It's farm food like when it's best.
A sausage, a blood sausage, some ham and something like roasted pork.
With Kraut. It's been made by pure products. And a glass of Grüner
Veltliner. White wine like I had it the day before yesterday in Melk.
This one's a bit more exclusive. Die Bierstube quickly gets crowded.
Markus points out some: Those three only speak croatian. He spoke both
as a child. It goes back to the time where the emperor kingdom had to be
defended against the turks and they called for some croatian soldiers,
if I understand it correctly.
The rain has started and for a short moment the light disappears when a
lightning strike nearby. A minor cloudburst, where it's nice NOT being
on bicycle, but only having to walk out to the car. All the old people
are mad about Maxomillian, as their son is called.
Then we go home through the rain. The 40 km to Vienna. The traffic is
dense. Most are probably coming from the show in the stone quarry, I
wonder if it was called off? When we drove back from the lake people
were swarming to, but the rain started shortly after.