Wednesday 27 November 2013

Some sites that really capture that Vienna vibe

I love animated gifs, specially when they are spot on like the ones on:

When you really live in Wien on tumblr

It´s kinda like "How to act if you don´t wanna be spotted as a tourist".


The opposite of the previous link is a franchise of the ever so popular 1000 things Not to do in.. pages.
SO true! You are invited to add to the list and the makers of the group will turn your thoughts into animated GIFs -n.i.c.e.!

1000things NOT to do in vienna



Time travel works! Check out:
Vintage Vienna

It´s amazing to see how this city has changed. (and how grey it used to be back in the days). I love finding
those spots in the present time. Back then you have to imagine them with cars all over and the air smelling of coal and exhaust fumes. I also love the little details like that you obviously could smoke everywhere or how they always dressed up kids like little grown-ups.


Excellent street photographers in Vienna are all in..

The Vienna Pool on flickr




We'll soon have more on cycling in the city but for now: here is one group of gentlemen and ladies that rides in style, très chic!

TweedRideVienna










Monday 11 November 2013

The pre- Xmas hysteria

source:
theenglishcornersevilla.blogspot.co.at/
We didn’t even have time to pack away our swimwear, summer dresses and flip-flops, and winter has already arrived. Or at least the Media and shopkeepers think so. 
The Christmas craziness starts in November every year. It always starts very slowly. - A chocolate Santa here and a cinnamon scented candle there - and then suddenly Christmas is all over the place. 

Consumerism

In Vienna, Christmas is very commercialized.
Right now, media and industry are starting to annoy us with commercials which say that the Christmas season has started and even food shops have started selling lametta and baubles!

Is it me or is it really a little bit too much? Sometimes I get the feeling that the famous ‘Christmas spirit’ is more about us buying and spending money than about love, family and friends.

All the shopping malls have already rolled out the Christmas decoration.
They want people to be stressed, want them to start shopping already and look for presents.

It makes people spend more money, and spending money makes the mall earn more money. This is manipulation of people!

For example, in July I was in the „Interspar“ (a big grocery store in Austria). I just wanted to buy some food when I came to the candy section. I was shocked to see that they already sold gingerbread with Christmas motives. I just tried to ignore it but I had summer holidays and really couldn’t understand why it is necessary to sell them in July!
Whatever, two or three months later I was in a furniture store named „XXXLutz“, we just wanted to look around. As we entered, I suddenly saw a huge Christmas tree and Christmas decoration 
all around it… I just thought “What the F…??

I could not believe my eyes! Do oversized Christmas trees need to be part of the decoration in mid-October?
I can’t imagine someone who already buys porcelain snowmen on silver plates in early October…  Are you being serious?? It is October! Who needs this?
Now Christmas is not the same as it once was. It´s not only about spending time with family and friends. It’s more about stress. And starting the Christmas stress at the begging of November? Seriously? Do they want to screw the holidays?
Where is all the magic of Christmas? It’s gone. Why? Because all people want is to earn as much money as possible. That’s sick!
As you can see, we all agreed on Christmas being annoying. But hey, don’t let us ruin your good mood. :)
After all, Christmas is about love, even if it sometimes gets cheesy and corny.

What do you think about this hectic Christmas madness?