Austrian National Day: That’s why we love Austria

A flyover over some of the nine federal states of Austria.

Starting in the West.
Vorarlberg- Montafon is valley that extends from the city of Bludenz to the Silvretta mountain range.

 Bregenz  The town of Bregenz is located on the Bodensee colse to the four-border corner of Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The roots of this capital of Vorarlberg can be found in Roman times.

Tirol- (Tyrol) is  a state in the West of Austria.  Innsbruck is its capital. The city is known for its university, especially the renown medicine faculty. Tyrol is popular for its famous ski resorts, which include Kitzbuehel, Ischgl, and St. Anton, but has no cities besides Innsbruck.

Goldenes Dachl (photo below). The Golden Roof was built in the early 15th century as the residence of the Tirol sovereigns. The Golden roof actually is the three story balcony on the central plaza at the heart of the old town. It was constructed for Emperor Maximilian I to serve as a royal box where he could sit in state and enjoy tournaments in the square below.

Christmas time in Innsbruck

Close to Innsbruck is Wattens where the headquarters of world famous Swarovski Crystal are located. Swarovski’s product range includes crystal glass sculptures and miniatures, jewelry and couture, home decor, and chandeliers.

Kalkkoegel

Mitteldorf

Kaernten (Carinthia)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state. Situated within the Eastern Alp it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.
Carinthia’s main industries are tourism, electronics, engineering, forestry and agriculture. The multinational corporations Philips and Siemens have large operations there.
Velden am Woerthersee is situated at the western shore of the Woerthersee lake and is one of the most popular summer holiday resorts of Austria.

 Maltatal waterfall: 395 ft

Blauer Dumpf

Steiermark- (Styria) located in the southeast is the second largest state in area. Graz is its capital.
Grazer Uhrturm (clock tower) functions as a recognizable icon for the city. A cafe and restaurants offer fantastic views over Graz.

Graz' famous son: Arnold Schwarzenegger. He recently was there to open the Schwarzenegger Museum in his birth house.

 Arnie with his son Patrick who followed him on his last trip.

 Steiermark (Styria) is also known for its beautiful vineyards and excellent wines.

 as well as for its Kuerbiskern-Oel (pumpkin seed oil)

Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria) - borders Bavaria and Czech Republic. It is the fourth largest by area and the third largest by population.
The capital Linz is an industrial city. The Voestalpine AG is a large steel concern, known for the LD- procedure for the production of steel and the former “Chemie Linz” chemical group. This has made Linz one of Austria’s most important economic centers.

Gmunden

Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria)- most famous citizen: Erich (no Sollboeck Museum so far!)
This is how it looked like when Erich left Gresten (name of his hometown)

 Wachau is an austrian valley with a landscape of high visibility formed by the Danube river. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located midway between the towns of Melk

and Krems.

It is 40 km (25mi) in length and was already settled in prehistoric times. The architectural elegance of its ancient monasteries, castles and ruins combined with the urban architecture of its towns and villages,

and the cultivation of vines as an important agricultural produce are the dominant features of the Wachau valley.

Hope you enjoyed our short trip to Austria so far. See you for more tomorrow. 

Celebrating Austrian National Day: That’s why we love Austria!

There are many reason why we love Austria. Living overseas we see our beloved country from a different perspective. Sometimes more critical, sometimes more sentimental but end of the day we love Austria because our roots are there and will ever be!

We would love to show what makes Austria so special however we only can point out some of the highlights otherwise it would become an almost never ending series.

Today it’s : SALZBURG, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a genius musician and composer. But Mozart is only one of many besides Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert , Strauss and Mahler to name a few.

It was one Hollywood movie that finally put Salzburg on international travel itinerraries,

“THE SOUND OF MUSIC”. Needless to say that there are organized 'Sound of Music Tours’ to show visitors some of the sites used in the movie.

Frohnburg Castle, when Maria arrived at Villa von Trapp.

The glasshouse (which was actually shipped from Hollywood to Salzburg). You can find it in the park of Schloss Hellbrunn, just a few miles outside of Salzburg.

Below is Nonnberg Abbey, the actual abbey where the real Maria von Trapp was a novice  as well as where the abbey scenes in the movie were filmed.

Of course everyone remembers the dramatic scene where the Von Trapps had to flee from the Nazis during the singing competition. It was the Cemetery of St. Peter

Of course Mozart and The Sound of Music sites aren’t all they are to see in Salzburg. There are also a bunch of castles, fortresses and churches.
And then there is the city of Salzburg

Getreidegasse

and not to forget the “Christkindlmarkt” (christmas market) in Dezember

The picture of Salzburg wouldn’t be complete without the picturesque surrounding mountains, lakes and villages such as St. Wolfgang or Hallstatt which are worth spending your time exploring.

Ice skating on Lake St. Wolfgang

Hallstatt in province Upper Austria about an hours away from Salzburg

And this concludes our trip to Salzburg.
Come back to see more of Austria’s beauty.

  

Austrian National Karate Team visits Erich

Congratulations to the successful participation of the Austrian National Karate Team in the 7th World junior and cadet championships in Melaka, Malaysia from October 13-16.

After a tough week of training and acclimatizing they took a rest day and made a trip to Singapore.

Besides the usual icons in the Lion City such as Merlion, Central Business District and more they also visited another world famous Singapore icon: Erich's Wuerstelstand!

Maybe more of the delicious sausages, meatloaf and bread would have made them even more powerful!?

Congratulations again. Hope you guys enjoyed the short trip to Singapore.

German Imbiss at Suntec City’s Fountain Terrace!

One day you might be browsing the Suntec City Fountain Terrace and see that sign: "GERMAN IMBISS” And somehow you start wondering and associating if this stall has something to do with Singapore’s most famous Wuerstelstand (Sausage Kiosk) in Chinatown, you are not too far off!
Yes, Erich Sollboeck, the owner of Erich's Wuerstelstand, is involved in this new venture as a consultant and the brain behind it.

Frank N. Furter (FNF) interviewed Erich:” What is the idea behind this new project?”
Erich:” The whole idea of “GERMAN IMBISS" is to bring German food to the masses.”
FNF: “ What is the difference between your Wuerstelstand in Chinatown and here?”
Erich: “You cannot compare the ambience in Chinatown to the food court in Suntec. Chinatown is a laid-back, down to earth al fresco night market where my customers are many locals who love the heritage of China and of course a lot of tourists from all over the world. Whereas German Imbiss in the air coned Suntec City Food Courts attracts a different clientele. Especially during lunchtime he court is filled with employees from the surrounding office towers but of course also with shoppers.
FNF:” Any difference in the menu?”  Erich: ” No major differences, some additional things that cannot be offers in the “small kitchen” of a sausage kiosk.
However one thing you can be totally assured is the excellent quality of products offered in both locations. It is the “real thing” , you can get the same products in Germany or Austria since many of the ingredients are flown in from Germany on a regular basis.
You will find a variety of fresh, meaty sausages, meat loaf and tasty Pretzels.”
FNF: “So what can people find on the menu?”
Erich: “ Signature German/Austrian favorites like Bratwurst (pork sausage), Bockwurst (smoked pork sausage), Kaesekrainer (pork cheese sausage), Currywurst (pork curry sausage) and Sauerkraut ( braised white German cabbage salad.
FNF: "That sounds delicious. I’m already salivating!  But how about the costs?”
Erich: ” Have I not mentioned yet that you can enjoy these yummy dishes not exceeding $6! 
A set meal for example with meatloaf, veggies and bread for LESS than $5!!! 
Come see our stall and find out yourself about our bargain dishes. 
And if you happen to be in Chinatown stop by at Erich’s WuersteIstand I will be there and entertain you all.
FnF: “ Thank you Erich and good luck for your ventures." 

Singapore F1 Grand Prix should stay on the race calendar

More than 200,000 fans have thronged the Marina Bay street circuit to view live the 2011 SingTel Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix tomorrow night.
Hotels have been operating at more than 90 per cent capacity over the last week.

Downtown Singapore was all dolled up in glittering lights, Shakira's bewitching hips and Linkin Park's muscular rock entertained thousands of locals and tourists. The rich and glitzy set have paid top dollar for nights out at super-exclusive parties and the main actors of the whole extravaganza, the Formula 1 pilots, were primed to put on a show under the stars which has been watched "live" by more than 100 million fans worldwide.
I am confident that Singapore's biggest annual event will remain on the calendar well beyond 2014.

The five-year contract between Singapore GP Pte Ltd and the Formula One Management ends with next year's Grand Prix with an an option for Singapore to stage the sport's only night race for two more years.
I do hope this option will be taken up after the analysts and number crunchers at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) have figured out that races beyond 2014 will continue to boost the country.

According to the MTI, the economic impact of last year's race was S$150 million. Interest does not seem to be wavering, as the fourth edition of the Grand Prix this year is a sellout.

Mr Teo Hock Seng, chairman of Singapore GP, described the night race as a world-class show where the Formula 1 drivers stood at the top of the bill, supported by the various international recording artistes and concerts dotted around the 5.073km street circuit.

The entertainment package served up during Formula 1's race weekend in Singapore's is unprecedented and envied by so many around the world.

The challenge for the organisers is to continue to spice up the race with a supporting cast of big acts, and unveil unique entertainment each year to keep titillating fans.

Do so and Singapore's Grand Prix will easily remain a huge hit.

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and a whole host of other drivers enjoy the challenging Singapore night race.
The teams, officials and foreign journalists love the organisation and the atmosphere in the country.

Bernie Ecclestone is well-known as a shrewd and ultra-tough negotiator. He will know how successful this Grand Prix is, and will also know how much Formula 1 gains from such a spectacular stage. He said he would be happy if Singapore emulated the success of its night race with an unchanged format "for 20 years”. The F1 chief executive expressed his delight with the sold out event in the Asian city-state late on Friday at the opening of a Hublot watch boutique near the Marina Bay venue. According to the local Straits Times newspaper, Ecclestone wants the Singapore race to stay the same until 2030 "and then see what needs to be changed”.

The 79-year-old Briton said the race is a jewel in F1's crown and "keeps getting polished".

However he did not mention two criticisms of the event.
Lewis Hamilton slammed the re-profiled turn 10 chicane as "ridiculous" and "the worst corner I've ever driven in formula one”(sore loser!). And reigning world champion Jenson Button pointed to track drainage as a problem, explaining that long after the rain had stopped, there was "a lot of water coming up through the circuit".

David Sonencher an Englishman is the managing director of the Asian Festival of Speed, the company that organises the support races for the Formula 1 events in Malaysia, China and Singapore.
He said: "That picture of the cars hurtling along the Marina Bay streets against the city skyline, under the lights at night, you cannot put a price tag on that.
This race is fantastic. The organisation, the city atmosphere, everything about it. This race has been a game-changer.”

Vettel Won But Coronation Ceremony Postponed!

Congratulations Sebastian Vettel and congratulations to the Austrian Red Bull Team for the win of the Singtel Singapore Grand Prix.

Vettel took another dominant victory in an incident-packed Singapore Grand Prix.

Passing the checkered flag second and third were Jenson Button and Mark Webber.

Two-time world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who needed to finish on the podium to keep his own challenge for the driver’s title alive came in forth ahead of Briton Hamilton in the second McLaren.

After his ninth victory this season and a total of 19 in his career, Vettel is leading by 124 points with 5 races to go. The Brit Jenson Button is the only rival who could at least mathematically mess up Vettel’s titel defense. However Button would have to win all of the remaining races without Vettel accumulating a single point.

Michael Schumacher’s mercedes was launched into the air after running into the back of Perez. Schumacher emerged unhurt from his wrecked car.

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Erich already has a winner!

Even before the first race car leaves the pits Erich's already got a winner!

His famous LKW with ABS!
Watching practice and races will make you very hungry. So don't forget to make your personal pit stop at Erich's Wuerstelstand either before or after watching the events! You will not regret it.

And if you're not interested in the race events at all, that's even more reason to see Erich for his delicious sausages, bread or his race LKW.

"O’zapft is !!! It’s tapped!” Oktoberfest Munich is opened.

The 178. Oktoberfest opened at the stroke of noon, on Saturday September 17, as Buergermeister (Lord Mayor) Christian Ude tapped the first keg with only two blows of his hammer and shouted “O’zapft is!” (it’s tapped), accompanied by a loud 12 gun salute.
More than 7 million visitors are expected to come to Munich for Oktoberfest this year and hotels are almost completely sold out.

Last year visitors consumed over 7.1 million Mass (literally a measure but also a liter), ca. 530.000 grilled whole chicken, 117 grilled ox(es??), 117.000 sausages (only a few more than Erich sells! hehe).
Who wouldn’t want to get a seat on their table?
What an elaborate traditional costume?
As usual the beer prices at the Oktoberfest went up again and it’s a first to be above 9 Euros (USD 12.50) for a Mass (1 Liter). Of course these prices are a “travesty” for the locals where the price of beer is still kept artificially (politically) low. It’s still low compared to other countries.

Waitresses carry up to 10 mugs which is about 18kg (ca. 39 lbs!!!) per serving!
Despite the “outrageous” prices all the 14 big beer tents and a lot of medium and smaller ones are fully booked from morning till night. Capacity-wise they range from 90 to he Hofbrauhaus Tent with 10,000 seats.
“Die Krüge hoch” , “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit” und “Oans, zwoa, gsuffa” that’s basically all the German you need to know going to the Oktoberfest.
Guys and gals cheer in their traditional cloths ( Lederhosen and Dirndl).
Believe it or not but a lot of visitors actually don’t visit the Oktoberfest for the err but for the many other attractions like the amusement rides, the roller coasters and their countless varieties.

The rides range from tame and comfortable carousels to breathtaking overhead experiences in the Top Spin (picture) and from childrens’ rides with fairytale heroes to spooky ghost trains with real ghost in them.
Every dude has to buy a gingerbread heart for his sweetheart.
If you are salivating now and can’t make it to Munich, no problem at all!

You can have the same great, authentic food, original music and lots of fun and of course guys and gals in Lederhosen and Dirndl in Singapore.

Just catch the probably best Oktoberfest in town, not the biggest though, organized by BROTZEIT at Vivo City will be held from October 6 to 9.

You can find details on their website or just click: BROTZEIT
“ DIE KRUEGE HOCH! PROST IHR SAECKE!” ;)

Can Vettel pop open the championship champagne bottle already in Singapore?

Over the past 3 years, 300 million television viewers worldwide witnessed a spectacular view of cars racing past historical landmarks and modern skyscrapers under a canopy of stars and some 1500 hundred lighting projectors illuminating the Marina Bay street circuit.

It is the worlds only Formula One night race and Singapore celebrates the three day event in full fanfare.
Come next week, this dramatic race set against the backdrop of heritage buildings, iconic modern architecture and a glowing city skyline, will once again enthral crowds with a unique combination of sights, sound and an electric atmosphere at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.Witness first-hand Formula One cars racing on public roads at exhilarating speeds of up to 300km/h. The 5.073km Street Circuit presents a riveting combination of long straights and challenging turns, a stern examination even for the finest drivers.

The Formula One Circus Is back In Town

The fourth edition of the Singapore Grand Prix is about to roll into the City State. Organizers are trying hard to make this event more special every year.

They know F1 is not only about the race, to make this event memorable the entertainment part plays a big role.

Racing fans and party fans can soak in thrilling race action with the myriad of entertainement performances including international headlining artistes like multi award-winning rock group LINKIN PARK

global megastar SHAKIRA

Grammy award winning artiste BOY GEORGE

soulful CHARICE, reggae superstar SHAGGY or sing your heart out with legendary showman RICK ASTLEY as well as spectacular productions and roving performances available around the well-connected MarinaBay street circuit park.

To get the detailed program check out the official Singapore Grand Prix website.