Vienna Calling

As those of you who know me can attest to - I am not a summer kind of girl.
I think I was probaly predestined to love winter. My skin is not cut out for summer weather and I am sneezing like nobody's business and it is not even summer.
Well, all I can say is, let us all hope for rain - ok, just me then!

Tomorrow we have a public holiday - Christi Himmelfahrt - aka Ascension. Although not a Catholic I have to admit that the Austrians do have a loads of public holidays and I am certainly not complaining!

No major plans really - if the weather is good then maybe go for a walk and if not - catch up on my reading! I am currently reading Guest of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden. Although it is not my usual sort of choice it is very interesting and I know nothing about the revolution in Iran and the subsequent hostage taking so hopefully I will be a little more enlightened by the end of it!

Hopefully I can buy some more books when I am home next week - if I have room left in my case that is.

Talking of travels, the significant other and I have decided to go and visit Sofia, Bulgaria later on in the year - I am really excited - it will be the furthest east I have been in a while and looks really beautiful.

Otherwise we are also planning a little trip to Geneva - I will not have been there for 3 and a half years by the time of out trip, so I guess it is time to make an appearance.

And next summer - Argentina - fingers and toes crossed!

Well, now you know my itinerary for the next year I guess I am out of information to divulge.

Loads to do in work - multitasking should be my middle name!

Well, I am looking forward to seeing you next week family....

Ciao

Nxx

Posted by Anastasia at 7:45 pm | Permalink | Comments

Girl gets pay rise, a few days later girl remembers this wonderful news and decides to go late night shopping and girl buys..........nothing!
I am sure I would not have had this problem in Cardiff - sorry Vienna but you are pale in comparison!
I did manage to buy some books but that wasn't my intended purchase! Hmm.....

I worry that anyone who reads this blog is going to be concerned that I am a little overly interested in shopping.... I do also love to read, crochet, visit art galleries and museums and yes I admit it....... shopping. I am young, sort of single, and free and I save enough. What else does a girl do? And I have a whole list of things still to buy - clutch bag to go with my dress for the wedding - Jewellery, something for my hair... I have worries don't I!

My plans for the weekend..... Tomorrow - I am not sure but on Sunday I plan to finally make it to the Leopold Museum in town and see the biggest collection of Egon Schiele in the world, they also have some good Klimt's there as well! Fun, huh!

Well, that is my update for now.

M.O.M. thank you for the bag from Greece - it is divine and will fit right in to my ever growing collection! I will be home soon to collect it and see you all of course! I cannot wait!

Ciao for now!

Nxx

Posted by Anastasia at 5:52 pm | Permalink | Comments

Well, today I have officially been in Austria for one whole year - how time flies!

Lots of things have changed and much has remained the same- as is life!

All here is good - the German improveth daily - the only wish I have is to eradicate some of the English in my accent - I know I am Welsh - but I have an English accent when I speak German ;-)

The job is going brilliantly! Although as I suspected - significant amounts of extra work to be done. I much prefer to be busy than searching for things to do.

Looking forward to going home in a couple of weeks to see my Women ;-), attending my cousin's wedding and also the wedding of a family friend which starts and hour and a half before the cousin's wedding - lets hope the first bride is not too late!

The significant other has caught the germs that I brought home from the UK a couple of weeks ago - I do not think he is too impressed. I didn't do it deliberately!

This is my first full week back in work after my time away and the Public Holiday last week messed last week up and this week seems to be going very slowly! Well next week, we have a holiday on Thursday - Christi Himmelfahrt (Ascension)! I am completely out of sync.

Fiona, my now 16 year old sibling, celebrated her birthday in Greece - swish! And was good enough to call so I could wish her a happy birthday. She was her usual enthusiastic self! I sometimes think you would find more emotion in a green fly! Love you Fiona!

Well, more from me later I suppose. Maybe with some real gossip next time.. unlikely but still possible!
Oh, I got a pay rise - that's news right! Made me V Happy! :-)

Ciao for now Leute!

Nxx

Posted by Anastasia at 10:31 pm | Permalink | Comments

Well, my stay in my beloved home town of Cardiff is nearing to a close and I am proud to report that as the good part-time citizen of Cardiff that I am, I have done my civic duty by single handedly boosting the economy of Cardiff for the next 6 months. Of course the only downside to this equation is the serious hole in my bank account......oops!
I will have to do another picture of my pumps for you so you can see the three new pairs that I have acquired...... ;-]

I am pleased to report that there has been significant fruit of my labour and I am now in possession of a dress for the wedding next month....thank goodness, the thought of looking in Vienna again was not overly appealing. It is very pretty and perfect for a May wedding - it was the last dress I tried on after two very long days of traipsing around Cardiff city centre's many shops. It is from Coast and about double my intended budget, but then I do not get to weddings too often so what the heck?

Not looking forward to the journey back tomorrow but I have really missed the significant other and Vienna of course. It will also be great to be back to work and routine - although I have a feeling that there will be a LOT to do!
Multitasking here I come ;-)

Well, I will post pictures upon my return to Vienna! Take care all, I know you all await the next installment with great anticipation... yeah right!

Nxx

Posted by Anastasia at 9:41 pm | Permalink | Comments

I am back in my wonderful hometown of Cardiff for a few days for the funeral of my Grandmother and to catch up with my family.

Yesterday was a pretty exhausting day which began in work at 8am and finished at 5am Vienna time - I think this evening I will probably just crash and sleep until tomorrow morning. Maybe take Beauty to school with Mother of Many and then who knows?

I still have to find that ever elusive dress for the wedding next month........If I cannot find something in Cardiff then I probably cannot find anything anywhere - wish me luck, I may need it!

Otherwise, looking forward to relaxing, speaking English with people and generally being a Brit for a while!!

Well, I have some photos of Rome to post so that will probably be my next installment, unless of course I find the dress and then I may give you a preview!

Nxx

Posted by Anastasia at 5:25 pm | Permalink | Comments

Faced with the choice of staying in Vienna, visiting our old haunt Geneva or exploring somewhere new, we went for the latter and spent the Easter long weekend in Munich - Germany's third city.
Only four hours and a bit from Vienna we had an absolutley rilliant time, which is pretty good considering a lot of the city was closed for the holiday's.

We stayed in the very centre of town in the ***** Dorint Sofitel Bayerpost München, and all I can say is wow! I may be a tad impressionable having never stayed in a five star hotel beofre but it was really amazing. The room was gorgeous and the pool and spa area were brilliant - why ever leave the pool?



Fear not, we did get out of the pool and saw a lot of the city to boot.
In its way Munich is a lot like Vienna, Beautiful, classic and a wonderful mixture of classic architectural styles. The city centre is also conveniently pedestrianised although teeming with bicycles which seems to be the preferred mode of transportation for the average local - or of course one of the many Porsche's, BMW's or Audi's that we saw driving around. I have never seen so many sports cars at once in my entire life - more money than sense......?
The weather was beautiful, so beatiful in fact that I burnt my nose and a certain someone burnt his whole face - it was the wind apparently that disguised the strength of the sun...... ;-)
We saw all the main sites and some of the newer attractions like the Allianz Arena - which made someone very happy! I enjoyed it too ;-)
Also went to the olympic village which was also really nice and the stadium was completely unexpected, like a big perspex tent!



Well I will post morel ater, although I had better hurry up - Rome next week people! Yippee!! The thought of Rome makes turning 25 so much less painful!

Nxx

Posted by Anastasia at 7:29 pm | Permalink | Comments

All here in Vienna is great - the weather is beautiful and sunny!
All with me is quiet but good. I went shopping yesterday and although I bemoan the lack of shopping opportunities available in comparison with GB (Oh Primark, How I miss you!) I was quite successful - 2 Shirts and a top ( for work of course...) a new handbag and 2 silk scarves. And what was the other half's reaction - "How many white shirts do you own?" and that particularly original - "why are you buying scarves - it is summer soon!" Boys!

Below is a picture of the Wotruba Kirche which I went on travels to see and got very wet and very ill afterwards.

I have never seen a chuech like it - but it is arefreshing change in comparison with the baroque/traditional churches which are the norm here.



I am looking forward to being home next month...... I think my English needs it. I am now having difficulties with idiomatic English! who would have thought it? My German is pretty damned good even if I do say so myself! (grammar could be a lot better though:-()

Easter soon! Chocolate... yummy! Any chance of some mini eggs? or is that very cheeky of me?

Nxx

Posted by Anastasia at 12:01 pm | Permalink | Comments