Big surprise. The hotel which was used as a home for prelates in earlier times offers a chapel on one of its floors. I was very impressed by the light inside the chapel which was determined by the design of the windows.
Villa Excelsior in Bad Gastein
Villa Excelsior has already hosted famous guests. For example Sigmund Freud spent several summer holidays here. My tour guide told me it was here where the Austrian neurologist was thinking about the concept of Eros and Thanatos.
Hotel Klammstein in Dorfgastein
The hotel is situated next to a biking route at the northern beginning of the Gastein Valley. The place is fine as starting point for biking, hiking, skiing and collecting mushrooms. Actually I had a delicious mushroom dish while staying at the hotel.
Magic lamp in Hotel Klammstein
At my hotel in Dorfgastein I had a fun bedside lamp. One can turn on and off the light just by touching anywhere at the metal. Any ideas how this works?
Mushroom dish in Klammstein
One reason to visit the restaurant of Hotel Klammstein was the ‘Pfandlwoche’. In this period the restaurant offered especially dishes served in pans (‘Pfandl’). I had a pan with mushrooms and dumplings. The owner of the restaurant told me the mushrooms were collected in the woods around the hotel.
Nettle soup in Klammstein
At the restaurant of Hotel Klammstein I tried nettle soup as starter. It was a great alternative to all these noodle soups you generally get in rural areas. The owner of the hotel told me that she collects the stinning nettle herself at certain places around the hotel. More…
Conference hotel SPES in Schlierbach
The conference hotel SPES (Seminarhotel SPES) is situated on a plateau overlooking the Upper Krems Valley (Oberes Kremstal). It is near the centre of Schlierbach but also next to a forest. It offers rooms in a modern building opened in 2009 but also in a eco-holiday resort at the foot of the plateau.
Landmatura in Schlierbach
At the farm house of Mr. Weingartner in Schlierbach I took a lesson in cutting hay with a traditional scythe. Interested people can also take a class learning about some facts regarding agriculture. Though this is mainly an offer just for fun the lessons are pretty informative.
Shropshire sheep in Schlierbach
In Schlierbach I met the Shropshire sheep the first time. This sheep are known for loving grass but not nibbling at trees. So they are ideal for keeping grass short in fruit farms and in Christmas tree plantations. Best lawnmower ever.
Free running piglets in Schlierbach
In Schlierbach I had the chance to speak with the founder of SPES which is also a local organic farmer. While visiting his farm next to my hotel I came across these free running piglets. Well, the operative word is running! As you can see it was pretty difficult to get my camera ready on time. More
Waiting room at railway station Selzthal
In the small Styrian municipality of Selzthal, the structures of the railway station dating back to 1872 are still existing. So one can spend the time of waiting in this lovely decorated room.
Bear at a window in Vienna
For several weeks this bear standing in the window of a house made me always smile while passing the city railway station Gumpendorfer Strasse in Vienna. By the way it is not the once toy animal that makes me smile in Vienna.