Baby Elephant

Here's the baby elephant again... The sign at the door of a shop reminds the clients to wear masks and keep a distance of 1m. I don't quite get which kind of animal sits on the elephant's trunk... 

Distance Marks - the Austrian Way

The Austrian government did an advertising campaign on tv to "promote" the necessary distance of at least 1m to people in shops and public space. In this spot a girl describes the dimension of the distance as "as large as a baby elephant" so that really everybody gets it. No wonder that a hot dog stand decided to paint some elephants as distance marks on the pavement...

Rainbow

It was a long time since I have seen a rainbow, but yesterday evening this was the view from in front of my apartment door. In Vienna currently you can see a lot of rainbow paintings by children on windows, balconies, doors or the pavement as messages of hope to passersby.

Sunday Flowers #300

"Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Blue Hand

I discovered this eye-catching blue hand in the window of a bookshop in the city center.

Quiet Stroll

Without any tourists and with museums and restaurants that are closed, the small streets in the city center were still rather deserted last Sunday afternoon. I had the impression that this promenader/cyclist took advantage of the calm to attentively watch the old buildings.

Guitar Session

Unfortunately I don't play any instrument, but it must be really nice to meet a friend and play music while sitting in the grass on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Enjoying the sun

In Austria there are no exit restrictions any more since May 1st. It's now again possible to meet friends in public but the minimum distance of 1m to persons with whom one does not  live in the same household must still be observed. On Sunday afternoon a lot of people enjoyed the sunny weather along the Danube Canal. The people in this photo adhered to the rules of social distancing. Some days ago I met a friend for a walk and I have to admit that it felt strange for me to always keep a distance to him.

Life is Beautiful

Let's start the week in a positive way, although with the current pandemia, the accompanying restrictions and the "new normality" (as our Federal Chancellor loves to put it) it's sometimes hard to consider life as beautiful. But I hope you can find at least one little something every day that makes you forget the present situation. The Beach Club in this photo, located on the banks of the Danube Canal, has definitely seen already better days...

Sunday Flowers #299

“It’s the time that you spent on your rose that makes your rose so important… People have forgotten this truth, but you mustn’t forget it. You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed. You’re responsible for your rose.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

First Day of Shopping

Today was the first day after the shutdown that all shops were open again. In the city center I saw quite a lot of people doing some shopping and I heard of waiting lines at furniture and electrical stores...

May Theme Day: Shopping

For four of the last seven weeks all shops, except supermarkets and drugstores have been closed due to the pandemia. Nearly three weeks ago the smaller shops reopened but I haven't been to any of them, I preferred to do some online shopping. Amongst other things I bought several face masks as they are now part of the new rules for our life with the Corona virus. During one of my last walks I discovered these masks in a shop window. 
Click here to view the photos of all participants in the theme day.

Vienna - the World's Greenest City

On April 22, 2020, World Earth Day, "Resonance Consultancy", a consultancy group for real estate, tourism and economic development based in Vancouver and New York, published its list of the world's greenest cities and ranked Vienna in the first place because the city has "a bounty of fresh ideas about mobility and public parks. (...) The commitment comes from a history of methodical city planning that has given the world everything from the English garden-inspired City Park (opened in 1862) to an actual national park just outside of town (Nationalpark Donau Auen). Vienna is also the European benchmark for public transit, with almost half of the city’s population holding an annual transit pass (...)". Please click here for more information.

Deserted #3

After nearly seven weeks exit restrictions will end on April 30 at midnight and on May 2 all shops, hairdressers and beauticians will be open again (May 1 is a national holiday), on May 4 the graduating classes will be the first back to school. So slowly but surely we are back to what our politicians call "the new normality" as there are still a lot of rules to be observed. I guess there will soon be cars and people in this street...

Liechtenstein Garden Palace #5

It's not the first time that I show you the Liechtenstein Garden Palace, but it's always nice to take a walk in the small park that surrounds it. With the still valid exit restrictions it was rather quiet there.

Administration Building by Otto Wagner

The administration building of the Municipal Department "Water Management" was designed by Austrian architect Otto Wagner. It was erected in 1899 and is located next to the Nussdorf weir and lock, at the point where the Danube Canal leaves the Danube. The building's roof features a platform that served as an observation post.

Sunday Flowers #298

"The breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air than in the hand." - Sir Francis Bacon

Keep Smiling

We started the week with the reminder to not forget to smile and we end it with "keep smiling" by British artist David Shillinglaw along the Danube Canal.

Urban Jungle

The work "Urban Jungle" by Viennese artist and graphic designer Emanuel Jesse should create awareness for the shared living space of human and animal in an urban landscape.

Spring Trees

Spring is definitely my favourite season. I love it when nature awakens, the days are getting longer, the sun is shining more often and it's getting warmer. This year I love spring even more because watching all the blossoms and bright colours distracts me from the current restrictions and the uncertain future.

Social Distancing #3

When the weather is fine, the benches in the inner courtyard of MuseumsQuartier Wien usually are crowded. This was not the case some weeks ago... It's really strange to see places that are usually frequented by a lot of people so empty... The day before yesterday the government announced that at the end of April new exit restrictions will be announced... Let's see...

#Wellbeback

As a matter of course currently all cultural venues are closed and one summer festival after the other is cancelled. It is not yet clear which requirements the theatres will have to fulfill when they will get the permission to reopen.

On Sunday I passed by the theatre Schauspielhaus Wien in the 9th district. The venue started as a cabaret theatre at the beginning of the 20th century, later it was converted into one of Vienna's first cinemas, and in May 1978 it was opened as a theatre. One of its directors (1987-1990) was the Hungarian writer George Tabori. The focus of the theatre is on contemporary writing with a great variety of diverse accesses to authorship and a politically involved programming.

Don't Forget to Smile

Well, the "current situation"- as it is often paraphrased - is hard for many people in many different ways. It takes a lot of perseverance and it's really not easy to stay positive. I try to find at least one little thing per day that makes me smile or brings some joy into my life. Sometimes I have to be very attentive to find something, but then it's suddenly at my feet... 

Sunday Flowers #297

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden." - Frances Hodgson Burnett

Museums Will be Reopened

Museums are allowed to open their door to visitors again from mid-May. The Austrian Federal Museums (Albertina, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Belvedere, MAK, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Museum of Natural History Vienna, Museum of Technology, Austrian National Library) have already communicated that for economic reasons they will reopen only at the end of June. Let's see when the Clock Museum (in this photo) will be open again...

Not so Deserted Anymore

Yesterday I had to get something done in the city center. There were more people than the last time I was there, but in most of the reopened shops I saw only the employees and the atmosphere on Graben, a normally busy street, was still very quiet.

Sunset Obsesssion #51

The sunset the before yesterday seen from the Danube Island. If I ever will get sick of sunsets? 

New Rules

Yesterday Austria started to reopen public life: small shops and garden centres opened again, in Vienna the Federal gardens reopened and the resctricitons for the use of public  transport were lifted. But there are new rules: only a limited number of clients are allowed to enter the shops, they have to use a trolley and most importantly nose and mouth have to be covered by a mask or a scarf, even in the public means of transport. If everything goes well further reopenings will be possible at the beginning of May.

Spring Tree

Last week and during Easter we had some very sunny and warm days and nature exploded into bloom. I just can't get enough of all those blossoming trees! They are such a cheerful sight.

Easter Bunny

I live close to the Danube and when I return home from my walks on the banks of the river, I often see rabbits running around. I'm always so happy to see them!

Happy Easter!

This Easter is different as family gatherings are not allowed (if the family members are not living together) and churches are closed.  Plush bunnies of course are excepted ;-)

Dancing Alone

I took this photo in the first week of the exit restrictions when the situation was still very new and felt strange. This girl was listening to some music with her earphones and dancing alone on the banks of the Old Danube, lost to the world... A good symbol for today: it's my birthday and I guess this time it will be a very special day...

Still Getting Used to the new Accessory...

The anti-corona virus restrictions have been prolonged until the end of April. Since Monday, April 6, wearing a "nose mouth protection" in supermarkets and drugstores is compulsory. It doesn't have to be a face mask, we can also use a scarf, but the nose and the mouth have to be covered. I used my face mask yesterday for the first time and I have to say that I found it rather uncomfortable, especially as I'm currently having a pollen allergy... As of April 13 this protection will also be compulsory in public transport. Restaurants, bars, cafés etc. are still closed until further notice, but food pick-ups are now permitted. Earlier this week a step-by-step reopening of economic life was announced: As a first step individual shops (max. 400 m² shop area and garden centres) will be reopened (of course masks will be compulsory) on April 14. If there is a steep rise in COV-19 cases, the reopening of public life will be stopped or even reversed immediately. Let's hope for the best...

Mölker Bastei

Today Mölker Bastei is an address in the city center, but from 1531 until 1861 it was a bastion of the city wall.  With the demolition of the city wall, the bastion was also destroyed. A small part of the area was not inclined, and in 1871 a supporting wall was erected.

Big Mutter

"Big Mutter", a sculpture by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm is currently located in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral. There are more of his sculptures inside the cathedral (which is temporarily closed because of the pandemia), and Wurm even created the lenten cloth.

St. Stephen's Cathedral

St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. The current Romanesque and Gothic form of the cathedral was largely initiated by Duke Rudolf IV and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches. Usually the square in front of the cathedral is terribly crowded, but with the current exit restrictions it was deserted when I passed by.

Flower Bicycle

Spring has sprung... also on this bicycle. I recently saw it twice in my neighbourhood - in different locations. So it's not only there for decoration, but also used for getting around. I would love to know who is its owner.

Sunday Flowers #296

"She sprouted love like flowers, grew a garden in her mind, 

and even on the darkest days, from her smile the sun still shined." - Erin Hanson

Florido Tower And its Reflection

The office building Florido Tower in the 21st district is one of Vienna's tallest buildings. It's located next to the Floridsdorfer Wasserpark (Waterpark Floridsdorf) where I currently pass on a regular basis during my afternoon walks. Yesterday the atmosphere seemed to me special and I also liked the reflection of the building in the water.

Social Distancing #2

Here's another example of social distancing...

Social Distancing #1

That's what a chat in the street looks like in spring 2020: keeping a distance of at least 1m to each other... 

April Theme Day: School

When I step on my balcony and look to the left, I see this green building. It's part of a school campus that is to be opened in September this year. It will be named after Christine Nöstlinger, an Austrian writer best known for children's books. Speaking of schools: currently of course all schools are closed and so far it is not clear if they will be opened again before the end of the school year in June. Only the A Levels are planned to take place in the second half of May (two weeks later than primarily scheduled).
Click here to view the photos of all participants in the theme day.

LOVE

A little bit of love can never hurt - even if it's only an eye-catching window display...

Blooming Magnolia Tree

The magnolia tree in front of the administration building of the Municipal Department "Parks and Gardens" is in full bloom. This department administers the about 2.000 square kilometers of urban green areas. Unfortunately the better part of these areas is currently closed until further notice.

Sunday Flowers #295

"Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light." - Theodore Roethke

Not Without my Mobile Phone

Usually I'm rather displeased and surprised how important the mobile phone has become for all of us, admittedly even for me. But now that we have to practice social distancing and most of us can't meet our family, friends and colleagues, the device is a good way to stay in contact. 

Evening Walk

Currently I'm especially happy to live next to the Danube because this means that I can take a walk by the water whenever I want to. Even if public transport is still working, we should use it only for unavoidable rides (i.e. going to work or the aid of other people in urgent need). On Wednesday evening I took a short walk on the Danube Island and enjoyed the sunset. The building in the background is the Millennium Tower, which to me still seems new although it has been completed in 1999.

Yellow Fog

"Yellow Fog" is a light installation by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson on the facade of the headquarter of Austria's leading electricty company, located in the very city center. Every day at dusk for one hour a yellow fog rises up the facade every three minutes for a duration of 40 seconds. (Photo from the archive, taken in February 2020)

If you want to revisit Eliasson's exhibition of some years ago, please click here, here, here, here, here and here.

Deserted #2

Well, there's not much to say... It's just another photo of the deserted city center...

Deserted #1

I know, a lot of countries currently have a curfew or at least exit restrictions, but when I took a short walk in the city center yesterday, the deserted streets (in this photo: Kohlmarkt where you can find a lot of luxury shops) really made an impact on me. I'm usually working in the very city center and used to seeing it crowded with people...