seniors' brutality on hometown sightseeing tour

A little newspaper called 'Bezirksblatt' sponsored sightseeing tours in our hometown Wiener Neustadt on the last few Saturdays.


1st try - last Saturday:

We already wanted to go last week. It was clear that there would be many people because the tour was free and that week the guide was our mayor and so there were even more than on the other days. Waiting among the crowd of mostly seniors we knew that the bus won't be big enough for all those people.
When the bus came all the seniors - many of them armed with canes and some already at the age of Methusalix from the Asterix comics - started to move like a herd of rhinos or so on stampede. Like an avalanche they nearly rolled over each other and pushed against the bus. An old lady pressed the tip of the handle of her cane hard into my back.
It was really scary and so we moved out of the crowd and had a nice breakfast at Café Stadler next to the train station instead of the tour.

2nd try - today:

Today not the mayor guided the tour but a town council and so we hoped that it wouldn't be as hard to get in the bus as last week because this time there wouldn't be as many people.
We were right there were a few less but still too many for one single bus.
The bus came and all the people - again mostly seniors - showed the same behavior as they did last week. Pushing and punching they fought their way into the bus - it was like war. But this time we were as rude as our senior fellow citizens and all six of us made our way into the bus.
Julia and I sat in the second row and so we didn't see what was happening in the back but the others told us afterwards that there was a man who tried to reserve six seats for his friends. He rudely pushed Elisabeth beside and then when another man sat down, on one of the seats the 'Emperor' wanted to keep, the 'Master of the seats' grabbed him around the neck and shook him around but the man stayed on the seat and the 'King' was defeated. Some others nearly pushed Karin down the stairs.
It was just insane.
Okay, you could say that they don't have much time left - just kidding - but those are exactly the seniors complaining about todays youth. What kind of behavior should todays youth have when they got such role models???
They survived WWII and tell everyone how lucky we are to live in peace - at least in our country that is - and then they start fighting over shit.

the tour:

The tour itself wasn't bad but we had expected more. Some of the things town council Puschnig told us were interesting but she is a politician and so the history part was a bit flat and she told us more about the many schools and social facilities. But overall it was good for remembering things my mother had already told me when I was a kid and had forgotten in the meantime.

Website: Wiener Neustadt

License To Wed - sneak preview

Yesterday we went to the sneak preview again. This week I was right that billard was remitted to Friday.
On the way to the cinema we learned that you shouldn't be late when you want to go to the movies on a day on which a lot of people are on their way to a soccer game - traffic was very slow.

Robin Williams is great! Just perfect for the role as Reverend Frank.
He takes newly engaged Sadie Jones (Mandy Moore) and Ben Murphy (John Krasinski) on his patented 'Marriage Preperation Course'.
A lot of fun and laughs. Overall it's a nice love story but not gooey. You won't regret having seen it!

Website: License To Wed

Samsung SyncMaster 223BW

Just connected our new lcd wide screen monitor to our pc.
Had to update the graphic card's driver but then it worked without any problems.
It looks great! The picture is clear and sharp and the black high gloss case front is fantasic!

It really was time to get rid of that old 19" crt monitor.

For further data and specifications visit the Samsung website.
www.samsung.com
SyncMaster 223BW

Audi A4 - control arms exchanged

On Saturday I had the control arms and tie rod ends on my Audi A4 exchanged. The old ones were already hearable defective - especially on the right side.
As adviced by members of MOTOR-TALK.de I bought the parts from Meyle instead of genuine spares because the Meyle parts are reinforced and will last longer.
Only thing left to do is to have the toe adjusted.

It's a hell of a difference in driving with the new parts.

Next thing will be the repair of the damage on the front - exchange of the hood (including paint) and the driver's side headlight - and the dent on the co-driver's side.

Knocked Up - sneak preview

We wanted to go to a sneak preview - a movie shown before it's regular start without the audience knowing what movie it will be - in our favorite cinema for some time. But on wednesdays - when the s.p. is in original language - I usually play billard with friends, but this week I didn't read the emails carefully and so I thought it was deferred until Friday. (I really have to read more carefully!)
Anyway I didn't really regret it. Before the movie we had dinner at an Italian restaurant in the MillenniumCity called D'Lounge.
The movies name was 'Knocked Up'.
After a one night stand under alcholic influence with a not so pleasing waking up the next day Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) and Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) end up as future parents.
It's very funny! The people are chaotic and many of them are most of the time stoned. The used language is just f**king straight into the other's face - you'll know what I mean when you watch it.

Website: Knocked Up

40 persons bbq

Yesterday a friend of us made a bbq-party for 40 persons. First we were a bit unsure how this could possibly work out but it did just fine.
In the afternoon I helped him mounting an awning to the carport to make sure all 40 guests had enough room to sit protected if it started to rain.
The music was good and the three barbecues were enough for all to make their stuff.
To bad we had gotten to get up early that day so we already were tired by midnight and had to go home.
Later there would have been a campfire and marshmallows.
I really hope we will be less tired next time.

Because I Said So

On saturday on the way back home from our visit to the Schallaburg Castle we decided to go to cinema and watch a movie. This time it wasn't the UCI MillenniumCity but the UCI Vösendorf because it was nearly on the way.
The movie we chose was 'Because I said so' with Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Piper Perabo and Lauren Graham.
It's real fun! Just fascinating what ideas spring out of an overprotective mother's mind just to get her insecure youngest daughter the perfect boyfriend.

Website: Because I Said So

Schallaburg Castle & exhibition about the crusaders

Today we visited the Schallaburg Castle for the first time.

The Schallaburg, located about 5 kilometers from Melk, ranks among the finest Renaissance castles north of the Alps.



Inside the castle there is a wonderfull garden and each year they have a special themed exhibition. This year it's about the crusaders. We knew that there could be bad weather, but we wanted to try our luck anyway. It kept raining the whole time. Sometimes a bit more then again it just dribbled a bit. So we had to remit the tour through the castle and the tournament garden and just visited the exhibition about the crusaders.

You can see a lot of fascinating models of castles of the crusaders and weapons and suits of armor and of course many luxury goods the crusaders brought from their forays.
First we took the guided tour. Very informative and well done. After the tour we walked through the exhibition again on our own so we could see everything in detail.
I tell you everyone interested in the middle ages and crusades should at all events visit the Schallaburg Castle and the crusaders exhibition.

Next year's exhibition will be about the 'Native Americans'.

After the exhibition we took a little snack in the castle's restaurant. They serve Austrian cuisine and specialties themed according to the running exhibitions.

You can also have special events like marriages, knight's meals,

We have to come back soon when the weather is better so we can visit the garden and have a look at the rest of the castle.

Websites: www.schallaburg.at & www.schallaburg.com

flight statistics

Julia sent me a link to a page where you can record all your flights.
You can also enter the exact date and time of a flight, the airline, where you were seated and additional information. With the entered data the site calculates the statistics of you flight.
If you like you can even order a poster with your personal trips on a world map.

Transformers - The Movie

Yesterday Julia and I were once again in the UCI MillenniumCity. This time to see the new Transformers movie. I loved the cartoon series and the toys in the 80s and so I was very curious about it.
Micheal Bay and Steven Spielberg didn't disappoint me.

The movie is done very well. Special effects are excellent.
The story line is a bit flat - but who cares? The action and jokes are enough to compensate that.
Just the romance part between Sam Witwicky (Shia Labeouf) and Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) is to extensive.
When you like cool cars that turn into robots then you should see this movie!

Website: Transformers