Great that everyone is blogging away, but where is Duncan?
I have read him since the giant squid article?
Did he run off to Lech with Paris?
Duncan, let us know that you are out there and all right!
svon
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Monday, 26 February 2007
Prague and Francesca von Habsburg Article
Gross Gott:
I have just learned that when I am in Wien in May, I have to travel to Prague to meet my friend, William Lobkowitz (now Furst Wilhelm Lobkowitz) at his new cafe/restaurant in the Palais Lobkowtiz close to the Hardarcy Palace.
Can anyone suggest a quick way to get to Prague from Wien. I have been there once before and took the train from the Sudbahnof and it took 5 hours each way. Horrors! Is there something like the Eurostar going from Wien to Prague? I want to go up and back the say day.
Also, there was a great article in the New York Times Magazine on Francesca von Habsurg and Vienna. It was very insightful and gave me a different take and perspective on her. I think that she is getting to be regarded as a serious collector of art for the 21st Century much the same as her father was for the last century. I will try to post it if I can figure out how. If not, I will send it to our Blogmaster and he can post it.
Hope you all are doing great for a Monday.
svon
I have just learned that when I am in Wien in May, I have to travel to Prague to meet my friend, William Lobkowitz (now Furst Wilhelm Lobkowitz) at his new cafe/restaurant in the Palais Lobkowtiz close to the Hardarcy Palace.
Can anyone suggest a quick way to get to Prague from Wien. I have been there once before and took the train from the Sudbahnof and it took 5 hours each way. Horrors! Is there something like the Eurostar going from Wien to Prague? I want to go up and back the say day.
Also, there was a great article in the New York Times Magazine on Francesca von Habsurg and Vienna. It was very insightful and gave me a different take and perspective on her. I think that she is getting to be regarded as a serious collector of art for the 21st Century much the same as her father was for the last century. I will try to post it if I can figure out how. If not, I will send it to our Blogmaster and he can post it.
Hope you all are doing great for a Monday.
svon
Sunday, 25 February 2007
Steamy photos....
Now I'm not entirely sure if the squid isn't the better candidate after all....
Did Hilary just discover that running for president might just mean having to entertain handsome young interns in the oval office?
And was the paper pelting and leaving the ball in a huff actually just a red herring to cover up Paris and Richard's recently announced engagement?
Hmmm. I think this blogging could be fun :-) I must admit to having programmed a few, but never having actually contributed. Hopefully I'll find more time for this one......
In the meantime, I wish to briefly report - ie let off steam - that even volunteering in this world has become a ruthless battleground where one has to apply, sit on the edge of one's seat, fist in mouth, awaiting eventual acceptance, expect at least 3 months wait before a project becomes available and then spend a fortune for the pleasure of contributing one's own sweat equity. I think I should take another look in the dictionary for the definition of 'volunteering': it seems to hav change......
Ok, valve closed. Happy again. The trip will be worth it I know, but I had expected it to be a little easier! Anyway, whether 'those in power' allow me to build or not, Costa Rica is beginning to look v.interesting: climable volcanoes, hikable rainforests, learnable language, non-swimmer safe coastline, curious wildlife and lots of lavishable sun. Not unlike Vienna, in fact, to bring us back to the true purpose of this blog........
Friday, 23 February 2007
New Photo
Gross Gott:
Will someone on our blog please post a new photo!!
I am sick of looking at the qiant squid that Duncan posted! Ugh! Even a photo of Hilliary Clinton or Paris Hilton or Richard Lugner would be better than this creature!!!
Where is our Blog Master when you need him??
svon
Will someone on our blog please post a new photo!!
I am sick of looking at the qiant squid that Duncan posted! Ugh! Even a photo of Hilliary Clinton or Paris Hilton or Richard Lugner would be better than this creature!!!
Where is our Blog Master when you need him??
svon
Our Blog Master Richard
Gross Gott Everyone:
Well, I heard from our Blog Master Richard and he is all right, just very busy. I am glad that he is not mad at me for the comment I made about HC's legs; also he did not run off skiing with Paris Hilton after the Opera Ball.
A special kuds to our Wien expert, Duncan, who has been blogging away and even posted a photo of a squid; he is getting to be quite the expert.
Hope to read from all of our bloggers soon, ie, Idriss, Barbara, etc. It is a great way to stay in touch.
Hope you all have a great week-end and hope that Dame Helen Mirren wins the Oscar!
Auf wiedersen
Svon
Well, I heard from our Blog Master Richard and he is all right, just very busy. I am glad that he is not mad at me for the comment I made about HC's legs; also he did not run off skiing with Paris Hilton after the Opera Ball.
A special kuds to our Wien expert, Duncan, who has been blogging away and even posted a photo of a squid; he is getting to be quite the expert.
Hope to read from all of our bloggers soon, ie, Idriss, Barbara, etc. It is a great way to stay in touch.
Hope you all have a great week-end and hope that Dame Helen Mirren wins the Oscar!
Auf wiedersen
Svon
Thursday, 22 February 2007
Giant Calamari!
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand fishermen may have caught the largest Colossal squid ever found -- weighing around 450kg (992 pounds) and with rings the size of tyres.
The adult Colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) in deep ocean off Antarctica, New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said on Thursday.
The squid was frozen in the ship's hull and brought back to New Zealand for scientific examination.
"The colossal squid has just arrived in New Zealand and it is likely that it is the first intact adult male Colossal squid to ever be successfully landed," Anderton said.
Colossal squid are one of the most mysterious creatures in the deep ocean, growing up to 12 to 14 metres (36 to 42 feet) in length. Anderton said the squid would be photographed, measured, tissue sampled, registered and preserved intact.
Local media said early estimates put the squid at 10 metres (30 feet) in length and weighing 450 kg (992 pounds) -- 150 kg (330 pounds) heavier than the next biggest specimen found.
If calamari were made from the Colossal squid's rings it would be the size of tractor tyres!
Bloggers
Gross Gott All your Pals Without Borders Bloggers:
Where are you all? So far only Duncan and I have been blogging away. You know this is a great way for all of us to stay in touch, so let's hear from Richard, Idriss and Barbara.
I hope that you all are all right and have some great weather now and maybe you all are enjoying some skiing.
On the othe side of the pond today, it is finally getting warm - almost like being at my place in the Sunshine State - Florida!
All the best to everyone.
svon
Where are you all? So far only Duncan and I have been blogging away. You know this is a great way for all of us to stay in touch, so let's hear from Richard, Idriss and Barbara.
I hope that you all are all right and have some great weather now and maybe you all are enjoying some skiing.
On the othe side of the pond today, it is finally getting warm - almost like being at my place in the Sunshine State - Florida!
All the best to everyone.
svon
Wednesday, 21 February 2007
The Fairies Are Coming!
I have just finished reading a magical little book called "The Fairies Are Coming", by none other than the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As a native of Yorkshire, England the story about two young girls in the early 20th century claiming to have taken photographs of real living fairies is an oft-told one. Not until the 1980s did they admit that the pictures were hoaxes. In the meantime, Doyle, who had lost his son in the Great War and turned to Spiritualism, fell for the photographs hook, line and sinker. His book demonstrates how far it is possible to make oneself believe in something, however incredible it may seem to others. Incidentally, the girls also claimed that they really did see fairies but that they had to forge the images in order to prove their story to "the big people" (i.e. the adults). For what it's worth, I myself believe I saw some "little people" in an old garden some time during the late 60s. But then again...
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Where is Paris Hilton?
Gross Gott All you Bloggers:
Duncan I read your blogs, well, when you start blogging you really start blogging. I read the English Patient one and intersting his name is Laszlo!! Anyway, saw the movie and love Raf Fineees.
Anyway, please no more dreary comments about Global Warming, I mean I have Al Gore over here talking about it all the time - I never saw him ride the Metro or any public transportation - he takes his big Lincoln Town car everyplace.
lets get to the important Viennese stuff - where is Paris Hilton and how was the Opera Ball?
Havent heard from you Richard, hope you are not mad at the comment I made about Hillary Clinton's piano legs!
All the best to you all
Susan von
Duncan I read your blogs, well, when you start blogging you really start blogging. I read the English Patient one and intersting his name is Laszlo!! Anyway, saw the movie and love Raf Fineees.
Anyway, please no more dreary comments about Global Warming, I mean I have Al Gore over here talking about it all the time - I never saw him ride the Metro or any public transportation - he takes his big Lincoln Town car everyplace.
lets get to the important Viennese stuff - where is Paris Hilton and how was the Opera Ball?
Havent heard from you Richard, hope you are not mad at the comment I made about Hillary Clinton's piano legs!
All the best to you all
Susan von
Monday, 19 February 2007
The English Patient
An interesting story I was discussing with my Dad on the telephone yesterday:
The mythical city or oasis of Zerzura was long rumored to have existed deep in the desert west of the Nile River, in Egypt or Libya. In writings dating back to the 13th century, authors spoke of a city which was “white as a dove” and called it “The Oasis of Little Birds”. More recently, European explorers made forays into the desert in search of Zerzura but never succeeded in finding it. Notable twentieth-century explorers Ralph Bagnold of Great Britain and the Hungarian László (Ladislaus) Almásy led an expedition to search for Zerzura from 1929-1930 using Ford Model-T trucks. In 1932 together with Patrick Clayton the Almásy-Clayton expedition found two valleys in the Gilf Kebir that suggested themselves as Zerzura. In the following year Almásy found the third of the so-called “Zerzura wadis”, actually rain oases in the remote desert. On the other hand, Bagnold considered Zerzura as a legend that could never be solved by discovery. The participants of the Zerzura hunt created the ‘Club Zerzura’ in a bar in Wadi Halfa upon their return in 1930. Many of the club’s members remained friends and several went on to serve as officers in the British Army in World War II in Africa. Almásy, however, served in the German Afrika Korps and found posthumous fame in the film The English Patient, based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje.
The mythical city or oasis of Zerzura was long rumored to have existed deep in the desert west of the Nile River, in Egypt or Libya. In writings dating back to the 13th century, authors spoke of a city which was “white as a dove” and called it “The Oasis of Little Birds”. More recently, European explorers made forays into the desert in search of Zerzura but never succeeded in finding it. Notable twentieth-century explorers Ralph Bagnold of Great Britain and the Hungarian László (Ladislaus) Almásy led an expedition to search for Zerzura from 1929-1930 using Ford Model-T trucks. In 1932 together with Patrick Clayton the Almásy-Clayton expedition found two valleys in the Gilf Kebir that suggested themselves as Zerzura. In the following year Almásy found the third of the so-called “Zerzura wadis”, actually rain oases in the remote desert. On the other hand, Bagnold considered Zerzura as a legend that could never be solved by discovery. The participants of the Zerzura hunt created the ‘Club Zerzura’ in a bar in Wadi Halfa upon their return in 1930. Many of the club’s members remained friends and several went on to serve as officers in the British Army in World War II in Africa. Almásy, however, served in the German Afrika Korps and found posthumous fame in the film The English Patient, based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje.
Paying for global warming
Dear All
This seemed to be something that might interest all of us and make for a suitable Blogging issue.
A means of continuing our privileged lifestyles (i.e. cars, flying, central heating, etc) by paying for our carbon emissions. It seems a thoughtful and sensible short term solution until our governments get to grips with what will become one of the century's most pressing issues.
Here is the link for those interested:
http://www.climatecare.org/
All the best
Duncan
This seemed to be something that might interest all of us and make for a suitable Blogging issue.
A means of continuing our privileged lifestyles (i.e. cars, flying, central heating, etc) by paying for our carbon emissions. It seems a thoughtful and sensible short term solution until our governments get to grips with what will become one of the century's most pressing issues.
Here is the link for those interested:
http://www.climatecare.org/
All the best
Duncan
Thursday, 8 February 2007
Blogging
Hello Everyone:
Did you all receive the post I sent at the Opera Ball and Paris Hilton?
It would be easier to post Vienna related messages like that to our Blog, but I am not sure how to do it.
Richard, maybe you can send me via email or this Blog a crash course in Blogging or suggest a manual or blook to read.
Hope you all are staying warm.
All the best
Susan von
Did you all receive the post I sent at the Opera Ball and Paris Hilton?
It would be easier to post Vienna related messages like that to our Blog, but I am not sure how to do it.
Richard, maybe you can send me via email or this Blog a crash course in Blogging or suggest a manual or blook to read.
Hope you all are staying warm.
All the best
Susan von
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