Honoring Classic Easter in Vienna

I have been to Vienna a lot of times already to see varying places and festivities, but I still have not witnessed how Austrians celebrate this one famous event---Easter. That is why when a close cohort invited me to celebrate Easter with his family last year, I was zealous to drop all my works and fly.

In Vienna, Easter is honored in two procedures: through the Easter fires and passion plays. Austrians hold bonfires on mountains once the sun has set on the Holy Saturday while musicians stay everywhere in the towns and play sacred hymns. The fires are named Judas fires since the followers of the celebrated traitor, Judas Iscariot, were used to be burned using these big bonfires; though, some say that these fires signal the beginning of spring.

Meanwhile, Austrians also hold varying passion plays during the Easter Day celebration, and the most celebrated plays focus from the crucifixion to the resurrection of Christ. Since the Medieval Ages, these plays have been popular in Austria -- the most historic of which is presented every six years in the famous Erl in Tyrol, Thiersee, and for two hundred years in Burgenland exceptionally in Saint Margarethen. At present, you can travel to the three renowned Passion theaters, which have survived since the 18th century.

The Family We All Esteemed Isn't Spotless After All

Almost everybody knows the undertaking that one Austrian family had that was related in the film, The Sound of Music. It is intrinsically tells how Maria, a trainee nun, was sent to look over the children of an Austrian military officer and eventually falling in love and marrying the man of the house. To cut the yarn short, it's an all-time beloved love story. But sadly, a movie is a flick -- it's either telling half-truths or no truth at all.

Let's embark particularly with Ms. Maria K. Von Trapp. Although she has no indecision about how Julie Andrews pictured her, she actually never was 100% religious all her life. She was in the beginning a follower of atheism and socialism before she was won over through a Jesuit priest's preaching. Another peculiar fact about her was that she never was a governess but simply a private tutor for Maria Agatha, who happened to be healing patient of an illness.

Regarding Georg Von Trapp, it seems like the movie did more of a scandal than reputation. The captain was really a complete clashing of how he was portrayed in the film. The tough reality was that, Maria was even shorter and unpredictably impulsive than him.

Another shocking disparity was that the couple was already 11 years married even before they escaped the Nazis to seek refuge in Italy and not Switzerland, traveling by train and not by foot.

But despite these new shock, my love of the flick and the Von Trapps will still remain. Besides, it's their music that the world kindly entertained and not their personal lives.

Appetizing Austrian Courses

Next to Italian courses and Chinese food, Austria doesn't fare well when it comes to the greatness of its homegrown dishes. This is not to say that Austrian dining is inferior to other pleasing experiences, while in fact, it offers a humble variety of luscious recipes. There's the famed Viennese coffee and sausages but what oozes with much delight are meat and potato cuisines. I think they're the most special combination for a delightful platter. Aside from the crisp goodness of fresh potatoes, these vegetables also attunes the strong flavor from herbs and spices. I also noticed that Austrian dishes prepare their meat with favored tenderness, making every bite a satisfying moment to enjoy.

The strength of Austrian dishes is not in fine ingredients but in how they are used to create a subtle blend. I also enjoy the fact that Austrian dishes are not overly decorated. They are as good as they look and offer nothing more but a good serving of different diverse European influences. Salads are also one of the perfect entrees to have in local bistros and cafes. However, if you will ask me what would stand out from the rest, it would be Austria's pride in producing cakes and pastries to flavorful perfection.

Favorable News to All the Talented Fashion Designers of Austria

In order to help the very creative designers of Austria to uphold the Austrian fashion to the country and to the rest of the world, SUPPORT cooperates with the federal government's Art section and City of Vienna. Austrian designers are given financial support every spring and autumn to conduct various works to create awareness on the latest and the important happenings in the Austrian fashion scene. Austria's talented designers organize fashion shows and viewings and create websites and catalogs to inform people about the freshest and the trendiest things in the industry.

I learned about this news from one of the issues of the Austrian Fashion Week magazine and I presume that funding the fashion industry is good favorable to all the designers in Austria. This gives them the opportunity to show more people their finesse and to inform everyone about the essence of fashion in the Austrian Lifestyle. This is not only a good thing about the fashion pro, but it is also going to be advantageous to ordinary people because clothing and style are essential in living their lives. I hope the government of the other countries will do the same move because I believe that supporting the fashion industry also helps in developing the economy and in preserving the culture, since the way people dress reflect the kind of customs that they have.

A Notably Unforgettable Trip to Seefeld Region

To some people, Austria may feel like a too far-away place and a place where the people and the atmosphere are too cold and uncaring. Yet, that line of thinking is not a particularly accurate description of the entire Austrian region. While some places may feel cold at times, there are many cities where you can clearly feel the warmth of a truly caring people.

For instance, in the town of Seefeld, there is one noted Austrian hotel where several activities are available which are conceived to help you create a bond between you and your friends as well as with the Seefeld folks in general. The hotel is called AktivHotel Veronika which has diverse outdoor activities that should ideally foster camaraderie among sightseers and with the local residents. These primarily include biking, hiking, jogging, fishing, horseback riding, and diverse others.

However, if you wish for a more private type of leisure activity, you can play billiards, snooker, or any casino game available in the recreation corner of the hotel. You can also try taking a cozy dip in the hotel swimming pool which has an indoor version, or simply pamper yourself via the resident health spa. Either way, you should find these innumerable recreational activities of the hotel truly engaging, and your trip to Seefeld a most unforgettable one.