Christmas Markets in Vienna

Every year Vienna has a world famous Christmas market, one of the biggest in Europe. We visited the largest one in front of the city hall...

and one in another part of town.

Of course there were Christmas villages to buy for your home...

and manger scenes.

Is this where Harry Potter came to get his owl when he enrolled in Hogwarts? These owls and hedgehogs are made of pine cones and other materials collected in the wild.

If you don't have magical powers, perhaps you'd rather fly away with a Christmas balloon.

There is no reason to go hungry. There are lots of baked goods...


hams and sausages...

chocolate covered fruits...

and even new flavors of pretzels.

Of course with all the cold weather you need something to warm up the insides. There are "Punsch" stands everythere. However, hot punch is alcoholic in Austria, unless you get the "children's punch" or the "car driver's punch" that are advertised across the top of the stand. You'll notice that the non-alcoholic version is 50 cents cheaper.

Golden Snow

It looks like it is snowing gold in Vienna.

How about these golden chandeliers?

Or these golden crowns? Can you tell these streets are near the Hofburg, or the downtown palace of the former rulers of Austria?

I guess that musicians are poor even in the golden city of music. Here's Mozart trying to pick up some pocket change.

Do you suppose that thoughts of all this gold have caused this man to levitate?

St. Andrew's Day

Today November 30 was St. Andrew's Day. This celebration for the patron saint of Scotland is like St. Patrick's day is for Ireland. Even though some of my ancestors were Scots, I had never heard of it. However, fellow American Kimo is proud of his Scottish heritage and wore his kilt and all to the English club tonight.

Advent creations

Last Saturday was our advent activity where we made Christmas centerpieces with candles. Here are some sample advent centerpieces that you see for sale on the streets.

We are a more creative bunch than that. The following were produced by our children, youth and adults. Does anyone look like they had fun?

Pie time

Last Monday we celebrated Thanksgiving with all the elders in the West Zone in the Szombathely chapel. These are the apple and pumpkin pies that Mom made to top off the piles of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, beans and delicious rolls.

Do the elders look like they got enough to eat?

Here are the hosts and chief cooks, the Folsters and the Thompsons. The Folsters go home next week. The elders brought veggies, dips and the mashed potatoes.

We have been enjoying the left over rolls, turkey, dressing, corn bake, gravy and pie. We won't be doing any shopping this week.

Living off the land

Hungarians are trying to teach us how to live off the land. Every time we are in the woods with them, they show us some berry, root, bark, or leaf that is "really good" for you. How about these mushrooms?

Here is a collection of nuts I've found.

Mom is picking leaves for delicious "stinging nettle tea."

I'm not sure I'm ready to try any of these.

Mom's new pony

Mom, is this what you meant when you asked me before we got married "Can I have a horse?"

This brings new meaning to "pony car."

Contemplating culture

We took the elders from Sopron and Szombathely to nearby Esterhazy Palace for their P-day cultural treat. Here they are contemplating the experience.

Happy 90th!

The Relief Society Presidency hosted a birthday luncheon for Gizi néni, our 90 year old member missionary, at our house.

Doesn't the food look great? Gizi doesn't like this second picture--says it makes her look too much like a boy.

Green thumb mom

From this past year you might remember this poinsettia and this orchid. We've never had luck in keeping such plants alive to bloom again. But take note of Mom's new Hungarian green thumb holding the orchid pot. With the first frosts, the orchid is blooming again and the poinsettia leaves are turning red in time for Christmas.

Don't ask what she did differently in Hungary. It may have been the loving neglect by the window facing our balcony that did the job.

Transitions

We have a new branch presidency in Sopron. Balázs in the center is the new branch president with Péter and Elder Thompson as first and second counselor.

Here to stay

We've just announced to Sopron that the church is here to stay by installing a stone sign above the door.