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Monday, November 1, 2010

Mountain serenade



A few days ago I wittered on about how lucky we are to live here. 

On the same theme – while in Schladming a week ago we were walking in the Rohrmoos area in Styria and at one stage found our way into the lower mountains and came upon a Gasthaus where we could sit outside in the sun and have a drink. 

There were a whole bunch of walkers having a nice time – basking in the sun, drinking beer and watching the gorgeous scenery.

While we were there one of the waiters got his piano accordion and serenaded a group of hikers. 

This is in the middle of the mountains and snow-capped peaks on a warm sunny day in Austria. Unreal! Brilliant!

Some weird things happen in this place.

There are two entrances to our building. The Grand Entrance from Am Heumarkt through the two courtyards and the rear entrance in Beatrixgasse.

In the entrance foyer inside the Am Heumarkt entrance the floor is made of wooden ‘bricks’. Many months ago someone tore up a few square meters of these and placed them under a blue plastic cover in the courtyard.  

They put felt on the ground and around the hole they had created they put sticks in the ground and tied a strip of colored plastic. 

They identified the hazardous nature of the site by stringing bits of advertising material along it (Spar).

A few weeks ago there was some activity at the site and I thought at long last they had come to fix this unsightly mess. Wrong.

What they have done is erected a more permanent wooden barrier around the hole. I don’t like the looks of this at all. It looks like it could last  a very long time indeed. It will be an even worse sign if they come and paint it.

I would be fascinated to know what it all means. If I ever see anyone there again I shall ask them.

Perhaps one day in a few years time stonemasons will arrive and start erecting a more permanent structure. 

Maybe a fountain - with cherubs - and fish - with water coming out of their mouths?  And certainly a big naked man strangling a lion – they always have one of these.

I am looking forward to the next chapter but at my age I am unlikely to see the project come to fruition. 

I wonder if it being done by the people who put the cardboard in our air conditioners? 

4 comments:

  1. I bet some of those hikers in the Styrian mountains are undercover artisans who are doing in-field research to find the perfect tree to fell and make wooden bricks from! Too bad no one can see how they work their fingers to the bone, all in the name of ancient rites and handicrafts.

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  2. You did not listen to a Piano Accordion,
    this instrument looks to me like a real "Steirische" , a diatonic harmonica.
    Hopefully no Styrian sees your post!!!

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  3. Merisi: That;s it! they are waiting for new bricks to be carved.

    knitomi: Thanks. I have corrected in today's blog and apologized to Styrians.

    Jessica: You are far too kind.

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