We decided to meet B's dad for a hike. Drove over to his place about noon and from there drove to a section of the Vienna Woods. There's still snow on the ground and the temperature was right around freezing, but it wasn't uncomfortable...I never had to put my gloves on, just kept my hands in my coat pocket most of the time and that was enough.
It was the usual Saturday outdoor experience in Austria---lots of people out walking and jogging. Had there been no snow, certainly we would have seen bicyclists, too.Even in winter, even with snow on the ground, the Austrians get their asses outside and DO SOMETHING. Having been here five weeks this time, and visited twelve other times since December 2003, I can only point out that I almost NEVER see an obese Austrian.
So maybe OUTSIDE + ACTIVITY = BETTER HEALTH? Dunno. Just saying. B's dad is 83 and he was trucking right along. Pick an average 43-year-old Oklahoman and put him in the woods and tell him to start walking, and don't stop until he hits the 5-mile mark...see if you don't have a stroke victim on your hands within minutes.
Dog fetches giant stick in the Vienna Woods
Some benches and a small Catholic shrine, Vienna Woods
Austrian horses for rent. Can you spot the MIDGET horse?
The branches of these tall trees were ice encrusted.
As the wind blew, the branches swayed; interesting cracking sounds were heard!
After our walk, it was back to B's parents' house. Her mom made good sandwiches for us, and her dad poured me a Metaxa; I bet my buddy George The Greek knows all about Metaxa. If not, I will teach him.
We watched ski-jumping on TV. The Austrians are apeshit for skiing. I kind of like watching it, at least on Austrian TV, because 1) the events go very quickly, and 2) very few motherfucking commercials, which are the absolute bane of American TV. Don't get me started...
Yesterday, saw an Italian skier with an interesting name: Wolfgang Hell. Sounds like a punk-rocker. B says the word "hell" means nothing in German (and I guess, not in Italian, either) but I thought it sounded cool.
Also yesterday, happened upon a championship bout featuring two German women boxers. I've never really seen women boxing before, but I have to give them both credit---they looked pretty sharp. One gal had a great reach advantage and was jabbing the shit out of the other girl, puffing her face up pretty good. But neither of them would throw many combinations. Finally in the 5th round, the shorter girl opened a cut above the eye of the tall girl and the ring doctor stopped the fight (wisely.)
I saw no low blows because, uh, what would be the point?
