Advent Market in Würflach, Austria

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advent, Advent market, Austria, Christmas, Johannesbachklamm, Würflach

One of the Advent traditions in Austrian cities and villages is organisation of various Advent Markets in period of four weeks before Christmas. Most of them offer the same – fatty food, hot wine or punch, fun for kids, possibility of purchase of home-made schnaps, honey or jam. Some of them, the traditional ones, still show some hand craft. Where the various markets differ is the atmosphere and location, of course. You can find one in Vienna in front of Schönbrunn, or in front of Rathaus. You can also find markets in villages in mountains, or in forest. Now, where there is very little or no snow, all of them lost on some magical atmosphere. Some important ingredient is missing, and the world of Advent Markets is not the same.

We visited one in Würflach, in Johannesbachklamm. Below please find some images from that trip.

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Merry Christmas

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Christmas, health, hope, people, wishes

I have to admit that I am glad that this year nears its end. It wasn’t good – at least in terms of what was happening around me, with and to people I know and cherish. My good friend passed away, many of my friends and work colleagues have cancer. It is so bad, that I am afraid to go to a doctor – odds are definitely not in my favour. Here and now I know that at some of those who got that fucking disease will possibly not make it through the next year, so I need to be prepared, although I don’t want to, I want to cling to smallest rays of hope. It pushes me down and tires me – I hate this feeling of helplessness. Seems like life turned around again and I entered age when people from my nearest circle slowly walk away…

I wish you all that you don’t have to go through anything like this. I wish you all just health – rest you can somehow buy, steal, work on. May your families be healthy too, may your friends be healthy. This is (however lame this sounds) truly the richest of riches. I don’t really give a rats ass about anything else.

Be healthy. Have a Merry Christmas, have many of them for years to come.

Christmas

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Christmas, poem, poetry

So here comes Christmas

It’s this time of the year

But please, let it this time

Give us smiles, not tears.

 

This time of Joy, so mystical

When the Holy stops the Hatred

Give us please a miracle

And return all departed.

 

Bring back soldiers, fallen

Bring back children, killed…

Make our lives worthwhile,

Our hopes, fulfilled.

 

We know, this is Christmas

It’s this time of the year

But does He know it with us

And will He stop our fears?

 

 

Traiskirchen,

21 December, 2012.

Merry Christmas :)

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atmosphere, Christmas, family, preparations

On Tuesday I fell down the stairs walking sleepy out of my attic bedroom, about half past eight in the morning. Whole day I was taking care of various chores, Wednesday and Thursday I went to work. But Thursday evening my foot was so swollen that I decided to go to the emergency room to have it checked. Two hours later my leg was heavily bandaged and I cannot walk – I ripped some tendons, although luckily bones are intact. One week of this plus five weeks with some metal support…

I am angry that I am so useless – a funny feeling, but possibly a result of me being always active. This limitations on my mobility pisses me off, especially that Christmas Eve is tomorrow and I would like to do something to help my wife in preparations. I can imagine what a grumpy old man I am going to be…

I enjoy those preparations immensely. Cooking the traditional soup, making dinner, dressing the tree… All those smells and atmosphere of expectations are bringing up childhood memories. Those memories are more valuable than even a bunch of presents – the whole Christmas spirit is in them. I don’t like commercial side of it, I think that chasing the next big gift kills what is really important in this time, which is simply sharing the best of you with all around you. Enjoy Christmas, I know that I will, no matter what.

Christmas Charity

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charity, Christmas, donation, help, misery

Christmas, as usual, is the great season for charity. Something about the general atmosphere of this period makes us especially susceptible to human misery. The bravest ones from us do help personally, handing out soups in kitchens set up especially for homeless people, for example. Others just give money, others still buy additional food at the store to be donated to those in need.

To be honest with you, I would like to help too (at least I like to think so) where my help would go beyond simple donation. But I am not ready for a commitment of  “every Thursday 5 pm” type. My free time comes and goes and I have no fixed schedule. I would like to see somewhere a possibility to give an hour of my time when I can, or to do something (a specific task) for someone. I wonder if there is a web site or an organisation which has such tasks for people like me. Scared to commit, brave enough to do a little something. Let me know.