Vienna cool!

Vienna coool, recon it would be a better plaee to live than Salzburg, but I liked Salzburg more on a there for a day basis!

Going to Verona tomorrow, 6 hour drive, on autobahns, so gotta go and pack!

Mum, photos onto cd today, finally! May send them over with michalea!

Bought new trousers (not jeans, but cool!) and shoes for under €35 (about $55)... Bargain! Did new visa, have to wait 4 weeks´- they really don't want me to stay here or something! Gotta run now!

Wow, last week was fantastic!

First there was Munich, on Wednesday, which in many ways reminded me of Queensland, alhtough I'm not entirely sure how or why! We went to a really cool museum, with a whole level for puppets and marionettes, and a whole heap of old fahioned fair games - shoot Hitler for example, and a big king kong that moved when you walked past him! There was also a room of old wax bodies, for medicine, and pphotos of the 'freaky people'... Very cool! Down a couple of levels was a room with heaps of stuff from WW2, was kinda weird to be seeing it all from germany, but anyway! That was cool, there were first aid kits and food boxes and stuff, all with a little story about who owned them, how they were found, all in German! I could understand most of it!

I also bought Finding Nemo on cd (a read out story) for aural practice, because that's still my weakestz point!

Last week for 3 days was a massive street artists festival! It was amzing - I went everyday and saw heaps of people. Some I actually recognised from ZTaste of Tas (sorrry, i'm writing this very fast, don'T have time to correct!), like Leopardman, that lady on the trapeze and silky things and a few others - they came from all over the world! Said hello to most of hte Australians and New Zealanders, gave them money, nice to talk to my own kind again! Funniest were a Japanese duo... Hilarious, had my sides hurting at times! Other funny ones were Married Men, from England (one was heaps like Bill Oddie) whos' finale was to be arguing, juggling clubs between them, then the Bill Oddie one whips off the table cloth, during the argument and juggling, from under the dishes. He then also puts it back.... Very very funny! Best overall ws the fire show I saw three times, by FlameOz. Was AMAZING, I filmed bits of it on my digital camera, not brilliant, but better than just photos!

Vienna tomorrow. Verona Friday... Need new jeans and shoes (have a little toe hole in my reeboks, can live with it though and a mobile phone hole in my jeans...!!)

Gotta go!

The continuation finally!

Well I’m finally writing my update about salzburg that i promised last week, haven’t had time really, or enough enthusiasm...!!! I had to write it all in my diary, isn’t that enough? Currently the house has been reinvaded by small children, the kids from the other two sisters… They’re good at amusing themselves though, although selina doesn’t actually talk to anyone other than her mum, teacher and cousin (who’s also here)… Very strange!

Read Harry Potter on Saturday (bibi and I went halves, she gets to keep it), very good, though very different. Much more of a hanging ending than the others – nothing specific, like OWL results to wait for…. Wasn’t entirely surprised by the death, that name had crossed my mind! The end very much reminded me of Star Wars though – during the final scene by the lake with lots of people, I was completely expecting Harry’s parents and the other people who’d died to be standing behind everyone, as ghosts… Like in the celebration bit of Star Wars! Then I realised I was just thinking of Star Wars, and forgot the idea…!

I’m writing this is word, so I’m not on the internet for so long, can you tell – it’s kindly correcting all my mistakes!! Well most!

Ok, Salzburg… We met up on Tuesday morning, my second day of summer holidays (although we’ve brought the weather with us, lots of rain! And thunder and lightening – proper long loud rumbles of thunder too!) I got up at 5am to be in Salzburg by 8ish. Met Imo, who’d been there since 4am, and off we set (actually had to do the ring Imo then realise she’s just ahead of me thing, but anyway, we found each other!). It was drizzling a bit, or more mizzle really, and we walked through the city, to Altstadt, then wandered through there, bought a few postcards and started to do the tourist thing! We saw the house where Mozart was born (were going to go on to where he lived, but were a bit Mozarted out by then…), which was very interesting, I never knew he was such a freaky looking child really – MASSIVE eyes, oddly out of proportion, although it could have just been the artists style, but it was in more than one painting!

We also went to the catacombs, where various important people are buried, which were kinda cool, and we had to help a couple of Americans find their way to somewhere… Don’t know why we looked like the English speaking experts, but go asked a few times for that kinda help…! Also went into a massive cathedral, which was very nice, but so many tourists… (learnt the city normally has a population of 150 000, in tourist season, there are an additional 100 000 people…..) saw a group of people playing classical music on funny triangular guitar cross violin things (there was a tiny one and a cello sized one too…) which was very good, and we had to run off, from fear of being stuck there listening all day!

The most time was spent at the Festung Hohensalzburg (Fort Salzburg) which is this MASSIVELY GIANORMOUS castle, with city inside the walls too, ontop of a big cliff. Waas amazing! Has never been taken by force, but was handed over the Napoleon…. We went on a guided tour, with little walkie talkies telling us what we were seeing… Inside only. And outside we just wandered around and looked at everything! I reckon being a guard there can’t have been too bad a job, except for the walk up (there’s a funicular, but we walked), but it is one of the speckiest views of a city I’ve seen….!! Saw a copy of the Sound of Music video for sale, for €40, or about $65…. Went by train home, in the train station was a great group of brazilian flautists playing (and a few drums and clarinets etc…) Not sure why, but we had an hour to listen, and they were so enthusiastic!

Wednesday we just spent in Linz, Imo seeing just normal Austrian life – didn’t do any touristy stuff (except see the Danube, my school and Mariendom), just showed her the good shops, ate pizza etc etc! Outside Mariendom (or Neuer Dom) we were accosted, well stopped, by two guys from Cameroon who told us they were just interested in getting to know people and stuff on their travels.. We weren’t that keen on going with complete strangers to eat icecream (hmm, funny that) so we kinda twisted the truth and got away… I don’t like lying, but I think it was the only way with them – were very persistent, I was worried they’d offer to escort us to the train station for out ‘2:30’ train…. But they didn’t, good answer to prayers there!

Thursday was back to Salzburg, onto the Sound of Music tour. First we bought fresh apricots and bread and stuff from a market that was near where we had to meet. It had a fruit section, a vegie section, meat, bread, cheese… Etc! Was great! The tour was pretty good, maybe not as good as expected, but I think that may have been the fact we were in a tour group – can’t actually see the attraction there, nice to have someone to say what’s what, but the pressure of it is a little irritating! Was good though, we learnt lots about behind the scenes of the movie (for te record, I’ve only seen it once, so wasn’t always entirely sure of the relevant scene, but anyway!)…

We departed slightly sadly at the train, and headed off our separate ways… Will meet up again, hopefully in Switzerland next time! And that was the (condensed) meeting of Imo and Imo! It was great to talk to someone (a) in English (as a native language) and (b) who knew me, and understood all references to past events in tas and stuff! THANKS IMO!!!!!

Well I think I’ve written enough, will now connect to the internet, post this and read my emails, including a couple of exciting ones that I know are waiting for me! Will share when I have permission! On Wednesday I’m off the Munich (Germany) for the day, looking foraward a lot to that!

Well, Salzburg is FANTASTICALLY cool!

Were in Salzburg yesterday, and it is a very cool place! Spending today in Linz, doing LInzy things, basically Imo is just seeing ordainary Austrian life! Yesterday Salzburg was CHAOS though, with SOOO many tourists (many american), and we were actually assked for directions a ew times, which is funny, we were speaking English, but obviously looked like we knew what was going on! WE saw a big castle on a hill,very interesting, old and cool! Went on a guided tour of the inside (for safety reasons it was guided) but we got these little walkie talkie type things to listen to, to tell us about what we were looking at in out own language!!

Anyway... Will continue this later, trying to look at about 5 different things at once, so will have to continue this tomorrow, prolly after Imo's gone (boohoo!)... she goes at 2, so I'll get into LInz in the afternoon, will write all about our adventures together then!

Once thing though, i've gotten a good guide of my German now, I keep on accidently saying things in German to Imo... Just little things, that are automatic for me now... 'willst du mehr' was my biggest so far (do you want more?)...Is kinda weird having conversations with both her and Bibi in the room, I'll switch into German for Bibi sometimes, but then back to English - don't think anyone ever knows what languge I'm going to use next erally!

Ok, gotta go!

Red Dwarf hunt

quick one this time! Anyone have Red Dwarf on video that they want to send over to me?? My sister is coming over in a month or so, so if you got it to my paretns who then got it to her, I'm sure that could work (one video doesn't weigh that much! I was explaining it to Bib, and she really wants to see it now, doesn't have to be much, just a couple of episodes would be fine! In fact any British comedy would be nuce, on video! I'm missing my british comedy really! But Red Dwarf would be super! PLease please someone feel generous! (A really generous person would offer to make me a nice tape of episodes from lots of different programs, but really, not expecting that!! Just suggesting!)

Meetin Imo K tomorrow! Hooray!

Clarrie now home, weird that people who were overseas are now starting to go home - elise goes in a week or so...

They need to learn German here!!

Honestly! I was just in the library, wanting to know (a) how many books I could take out, and (b) how many I already have, whether I could get one more (have to return a whole heap, but forgot them today!). Went and asked the lady in good, corret german (I'm pretty sure it was correct, alhtough my 'take out' mayhave been a little wonky, but i gave her options there to choose from!) Eventually we worked out that I may take as many as I can carry, but not how many I have (which was kinda irrelevant by then, but anyway!)... I went and found a book (Jane Eyre, been wanting to read it for ages) and took it out. Here you don't get the little bits of paper unless you ask for them, so the lady just did the 'she's non-native speaker' thing and said very loudly and slowly when it's due back... Was kinda funny, but still, really, they need to learn german!! Nah, I think it wsa partly my own fault too - I think she told me I could fill my bag type of thing, which I misunderstood... but anyway! Over that now, onto my list of stuff I have to report about!

Found some very funny things on tv recently. First there was Silent Witness (unfortunatly the series I've seen about a gazillion times, so I can remember who dunnit just from the ads, why and how...) then the Midsomer Murders, sunday nights at about 10:30, but I do get them on y tv in my room (also discovered I can get about 3 other stations there, by twiddling some thingys!) so maybe when insomnia sets in... The funniest thing I have so far seen thoguh has got to be McLeod's Daughters, in Italian. Was channel surfning, came across the Italian channel, said to Bibi, hey, I've seen this, she asked me how I could have seen an Italian tv show, true, said I, maybe it's just the actress.... Onto the next channel. Next day, found it again, really was trying to work it out, then came one of those millions of paddocky horsey people in Akubra shots, and I literally yelled with surprise at seeing McLeod's Daughters, dubbed into Italian... Scary thing was that from watching it about 3 times in my entire life, I could say who died, who got cancer, who got married etc etc!!

The funniest Austrian show here is one called 'Echt Fett' which is very much like many Aussie shows (or bits of) where the people go out and make fools of themselves in public (or make the public look like fools!)... SOOOOO incredibly funny, a lot is visual! One example, man walking through lots of different settings (just a shot from each scene between other skits) wearing jockeys clothes calling 'Beauty... Beauty'. Or the man with a man dressed as a chicken who asks a random lady to look after his chicken for a short time. She just zhas to stand there and hold his hand, then the owner comes back, takes the chicken and they walk off. Or the three moutaineers going up the escalator... And so on... i'm going to see if I can find a vidoe of it to bring back, or I might be able to tape it off tv.... Just spent my mornng watching it. Was suppsed to be going to a bbq at the 'beach' (lake), but the weather is icky, so we were going to have it at school, but then the grills didn't work, so we just watched echt fett and the simpsons (in english - taped by the english teacher in america I think!) (Teeeeeheeeee! Bart and Milhouse go to a Spinal Tap concert... Didn't get to see the end, but stzill made me want to watch Spinal Tap!)

We went to Isabelles new house last week. She's another daughter in the family, married with 2 kids, who are building a new house. Ws funny, had all thewalls and everything, but no doors or windows, we ate sandwiches off a plank for lunch... The weather returning home however was crazy. The kind of driving rain you can't see 4 metres ahead in... People were driving with their hazard lights on, but we were going very slowly.... onyl 70km/hour.... ! Was strange, very patchy, parts of the road were completely dry, but then you'd hit one of these patches....

Saw a hilarious ad on some 'best ads' tv show, for a new car. Man walking his white scotty dog (or seomthing like that), gets to his new car, sees a spot of dirt on the bonnet... Looks at it for a moment, looks at the dog.... Picks up the dog, cleans spot with god, chucks dog (fairly gently) into car (who then escapes out the window at the other side)... Slogan: Man's new best friend. Maybe you have to see it, but i couldn't stop laughing for quite some time... They've also got some strange anti-smoking ads here, but a bit hard to explain, so I won't... Basically people secretly blowing party hooters in the loos, hiding them when the teacher comes, or another is a man 'smoking' his tooter at various times of the day, then throwing out the packet, then sitting by the bin smoking from that packet.... It's all about looking silly and folling the pack an stuff... I have no idea how effective they'll be, but it's a start!

I'm getting rather worried about two new fashions that have hit Austria (hopefully not, and never, in Tassie!)... Girls wearing singlet tops. with the back of their bra way above it... I don't understand that, or the other, which worries me whenever I see 10 year olds follwing it... platform shoes are coming back.... In about 30 years, there are going to be lots of 40 somethings wiht massive hip problems.....

Sorry about all the typos today, don't have enough time to fixy them, and i really can't type at all today!

In English, over the holidays (they get homework over the summer holidays... how mean is that!) we have to read Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck) (nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!) and The Loser Takes All (Graham Greene)... Alright for me, but since the English teacher has set them without reading them, i'm a little worried!! Anyway... What can I do! Just read two Jane Austen books by the way (what' going on, you ask, she's reading classic chick lit... Austen, Bronte...) Northanger Abbey (her first written book) which was alright, but made me really want to read Pride and Prejudice, which I did... It's so close to the tv series! COuld hear all the characters saying their lines and everything!! Very good read though!! Also read About a Boy, that's also very close to the movie (or should I say, the movie is very close to the book...)... Bought two books in German last week... One, Terry Pratchett, the fifth elephant (it was €3) and the other Tatsächlich... Liebe (Love Actually, also only €3)... Teehee!

Went to a horsey do on Sunday (mum's birthday, say happy birthday if you see her!) where Bib was riding. Won't explain it all, but was long, but in the sun (burn to prove that, although mine's lovely brown now... farmer's tan...) with a good book (P and P) so it was fine! Walked home afterwards, past the Reformed Church, and discovered they have a morning and evening service on sundays, but wasn't sure if the evening is a normal service (had a srange title!) so will ring up sometime this week (although where I'll find the phone number, don't ask me... Phone book... Pah, confusing as anything!) so hopefully!!!! Pray there please, is kinda scary to go by myself to a completely different church in a foreign country, not knowing anyone, in a foreign language... Is also very easy to make excuses....

Ok, have another quiz, will stick it on here sometime soon.... not quite finished...! Have to go now though, my times going to be up soon, and I have lots of things to do!

Here's a quote I found recently that I thought was good:
Jesus never called us to a fair fight. (George Otis, Jr)

Anyway, I like emails, they're fun to get.. and I like comments just as much (especially from people I didn't know read my blog! Hi Stelle! Not that the others aren't good... I'll stop now hey...!)