Haus Anastasia

Advent Markets

elaine — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:59:31 +0000

The “Festive Season” is upon us and all the delightful Advent markets are open for business. Over the last couple of weekends we have visited the local markets at St Gilgen, Strobl and St Wolfgang. Each village depicts the nativity in a different style and all are enchanting. We enjoyed strolling around the markets taking in the sights and smells. The pretty little stalls with their goods, the braziers and burning logs to warm yourself by and the Gluwein and Most (served from a cauldron hug over a wood fire) are all experiences to enjoy.

One of the wooden braziers in Strobl

Alpenhorn players in Strobl

One of the wooden braziers in Strobl

The star at Strobl

Market square St Wolfgang

St Wolfgang's lantern in the lake.

Strobl market square.

St Wolfgang Advent calendar

Saint Nicholas & his Krampussen also Salzkammergut Krampuslauf

elaine — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:04:48 +0000

Over the weekend Saturday 5th Dec 2009 - Monday 7th December 2009 we managed to get to see Saint Nicholas and his Krampussen at 3 separate locations. On Saturday we went into Bad Ischl to see St Nik giving out gifts to the good children of the town, whilst his Krampus went to find all the bad children. Then on Sunday we were in St Wolfgang where the Krampussen arrived through a smoky, noisy procession. To finish off the weekend we went along to Bad Goisern for the annual Krampuslauf where we had a marvellous time watching packs of Krampussen from all over Austria parade along the streets.

St Nicholas handing out gifts in Bad Ischl

One of the Bad Ischl Krampus looking for the misbehaved children.

Kramuslauf in Bad Goisern.

Krampus arriving in St Wolfgang.

Krampus in St Wolfgang.

ARS Electronica Linz

elaine — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:08:12 +0000

Yesterday, Friday 13th November 2009, we had another trip to Linz this time to see some of the Linz 09 exhibitions. We had a great day out enjoying the beautiful city and particularly the exhibitions at ARS electronica. http://www.aec.at/index_en.php

We had a great time wandering around exhibitions which included Geo City, Deep Space, RoboLab, BioLab and many more. The staff (infotrainers) were so attentive and helpful, nothing was too much trouble to explain or demostrate. We would fully recommend this wonderful exhibition.

One of the exhibits, "Infinite 4 D Fish" by Yoichiro Kawaguchi.

Amazing what you can do with tie wraps.

Another "Infinite 4 D Fish" by Yoichiro Kawaguchi.

The ARS electronica centre at night.

View from the roof of the ARS electronica centre.

Lamborghini meeting

elaine — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 06:13:00 +0000

On Saturday 5^th September 2009 Bad Ischl hosted a Lamborghini meeting in the Kur Park. It was an opportunity for us to pop down and have a look at what we could not afford ! But still very enjoyable to walk amongst the lovely cars. There were many models and a few unusual colours away from the yellow and dark blue most people associate with Lamborghini. We have added a few so you can see for yourselves.

Lamborghini

Colourful Lamborghini's

Lamborghini 4 x 4

Lamborghini

Lamborghini's

Youth Orchestras of Essex County USA & Royal Kamehameha Orchestra

elaine — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:31:56 +0000

Last Tuesday 30th June we were lucky enough to go down to the Kurpark Bad Ischl and enjoy a lovely afternoon listening to 2 youth orchestras. The 1st were were made up from 3 orchestras from New Jersey USA ( Youth Orchestras of Essex County) http://www.yoec.org/ and the 2nd Kapalama Hawai ( Royal Kamehameha Orshestra) http://www.ksbe.edu/. Both orchestras were excellent playing a great selection of pieces of classical and modern including a short Hawaian Repertoire.

Youth Orchestras of Essex County

Royal Kamehameha Orchestra

Castrol Sportwagen Alpentrophy 2009

elaine — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:18:20 +0000

On the weekend 26-28 June 2009 Bad Ischl hosted this years Alpentrophy. A great excuse for the owners to show of their pride and joy. All the cars that entered this challenge were wonderful examples of beatiful loved and well restored vintage/vetran cars. I have only added a small selection of some of our favourite’s, for those of you who would like to find out more here is a link to Oberösterreichischer Motor Veteranen Club : http://www.ooemvc.at/index.htm

Austin Healey MkIII 3000 1964

Jaguar XK 140 1955

MG TA-RS 1937

Puch 500 D 1963

Internationales Blasmusikfesrival (International Brass Band Festival)

elaine — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:11:18 +0000

On Friday & Saturday 19/20th June 09 Bad Ischl hosted the International Brass Band Festival. We were lucky enough to get down on both days (be it for only a short period) but we managed to hear/see The Band of the Brigade of Gurkha’s, who were excellent, we really enjoy them. Then on the Saturday we got to hear/see Buewrgermusikkapelle from Austria. We then really enjoyed The French Fanfare Talku who entertained outside the Trinkhalle. We have added a couple of photo’s.

French Fanfare Talku

Xylophone being played by 2 members of the Brigade of Gurkha's Band

Fanfare Bistritza, Romania

The Band of the Brigade of Gurkha's

Heeresmusikkorps 2 Kassel, Germany

Grundlesee & Toplitzsee

elaine — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:07:30 +0000

Small Klamm (Gorge)

: Toplitzsee

On Sunday 14th June we had a wonderful day at Grundlesee & Toplitzsee. We had heard from friends about how nice it was there so decided to check it out for ourselves, and we were not disappointed the scenery was spectacular. There were many people around enjoying the walks, sunshine, also some swimming but it was still so peaceful it felt as though we were the only ones there. We can fully recommend a day trip to this area! Hopefully the few photograph’s we have added will do justice to this beautiful part of Austria.

Grundlesee

A pebble beach at the end of Grundlesee,there are numerous pebble beaches scattered all around Grundlesee

A trip to the Eagles Nest “Kehlsteinhaus”.

elaine — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:33:30 +0000

Eagles nest "Kehlsteinhaus"

On Thursday 4th June we decided to take a trip across to the Eagles Nest at Obersalzberg, near Berchtesgaden. We had a wonderful day even though is was a little chilly on top with a cool breeze blowing. Here a couple of photo’s of our trip.

View around the side of the Eagles nest "Kehlsteinhaus" Eagles nest "Kehlsteinhaus"

A view across to Königssee from the Eagles nest "Kehlsteinhaus"

Helicopter flights around Salzkammergut.

elaine — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:48:51 +0000

Helicopter trip around Traxleckerweg Rettenbach

Helicopter trip around Rettenbach

[gallery]

Helicopter trip around Traxleckerweg Rettenbach

We recently meet another neighbour, Guenter Lechner, who runs the Bad Ischl office of Heli Salzkammergut (www.heli-salzkammergut.at) and he kindly gave us some recent photographs taken from one of their helicopter whilst flying around our little part of Bad Ischl. So curtesy of Heli-Salzkammergut here are a few photo’s of the area around our Haus on Traxleckerweg, Rettenbach.