What is a beautiful mind? How does meditiation fit into this? We spent the better part of to-day with friends and kids and amongst udder things took a walk uphill into the lovely area of the Föhrenberge and to a viewpoint overlooking Mödling called the Augengläser. Do expect a Hashrun coming up there in the next few weeks. That walk led us also by a wellknown, ahem, clothing shop and the sheer beauty of them advertising their rebates struck me instantly.
My friend, you will be given a special price!
Eventually, our local Red Dress Run is coming up after two more sleeps. 2017 will see this Chapters 35th anniversary and the year shall be crowned in early summer by hosting the Eurohash. Stay tuned.
In the morning of Christmas Day I am throwing in some snippets that have been floating around these days in the Vindobona Blogosphere. Read about the pie in the sky, attached to a weather balloon, naturally reported first by the BBC.
The Catholic church has introduced "The Catholic App", (watch out Richard Kopf for some more religious advice) and once again we won't have snow in Vienna for Christmas.Then there is this incredible story about Christmas Carol singing in German soccer stadiums, in Berin and Cologne that was. Amazing and abolutely lovely stuff.
"Frohe Weihnacht! (Merry Christmas)"
May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful, safe and healthy 2017 with lots of Hashing. Hope to see some of you at Eurohash 2017.
Last week on Saturday evening after having heard a Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic in the Musikverein I was unexpectedly invited to a good friends house by another good friend and the theme of the evening was Christmas Carol Singing accompanied by a young lady on the piano, some local Hashers were amongst the merry party. The Christmas tree in their hourse had its trimmings up already (like in our own house a week before Christmas Eve so we can enjoy it longer).
Outlooks and insights
It was a beautiful evening with truly generous hosts and a very warm feeling. Amongst all the English, American and Ostrich Christmas Carols and Songs I was surprised that no Welsh, American, Canadian, Swedish and Ostrich Singer had ever heard of the Boar's Head Carol, to be found on the Chieftains Christmas Album Bells of Dublin.
I like this song very much and am including it here on the Hashblog.
I believe that this is the right time for our annual Christmas run, yesterday held in Baden bei Wien, lovely old-fashioned city. Starting from the Arthur Schnitzler Park opposite the train station the crowd of more than 30 (counted by me during the circle after several beers and including visitors from London, Baltimore and Bonn) had to find their way along some backroads until it was uphill into the vineyards.
Further on up with lovely views and passing by the Rudolfshof (yes, we once did have a run up there some years ago) until the top of the hill above the Kurpark was reached. After same indecisive back and forth by the fast runners - no real checking out the right trail - it was a long way on down the hill with a gorgeous Hashview point along the way until the local Christmas market came in sight and then we all marched together to get some Glühwein, Heißer Hugo and Kinderpunsch. While joyfully sipping the hot spirits we were in the right spirit for a rousing Hash Version of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
World's Worst Singing, Eurohash Song Contest here we come!
OnOn afterwards to the nearby carpark, circle and Christmas sparklers. I do believe that our Chistmas runs have a nice tradition, very much so as do the Red Dress Runs on each 31st of December. And I certainly believe in Father Christmas. RIP Greg Lake.
And another long time favourite occured last week on Saturday, namely the VH3 Christmas Party (see the post "A Christmas Song" for part 1 of this short story) where food and drinks were enjoyed in plenty, the Old Skool Band was playing, furthermore the annual Award Ceremony and the Moron Entertainment Inc. retrospective of the bygone Hashing year were performed. Half a mind is all you need to be part of it all.
One of the bare necessities for the average Vindobona Hasher is the opening of the Monday evening run season at the venue for run #1 in Vienna (THE first ever Hash run here in 1982) up at the Grüß di A Gott Wirt all the way up between Cobenzl and Kahlenberg.
On the following day after the revered Freistadt weekend our local Hash tradition (invented somewhat 13 or 14 years ago) has it that Cardinal Munk, OVH and yours truly are setting that run up where the highest elevation point of Vienna is located. And add to this that it is really a very nice area.
Since Cardinal Munk, OVH had several medical issues but made it up to the Gasthaus nonetheless (no wimping out here!) it was left to yours truly to set the run and carry on up the bubbly Stuff known as Sekt and cups to the top pf the hill. Tradition has it that the the hill needs to be conquered either from the right or the left hand side. My CoHare had to be carried up near the hilltop by car (!) with little help from our always supergenerous host Stephan (owner of the Gasthaus OnIn).
The stage was all set and the Sekt was hidden somwhere nearby (as in every year)
The Songstop and Sektstop also has been featuring the same song for years now, naturally invented by the World's Worst and copied here in a public performance by a potential rising star, ahem ;-)
Be it one way or the other way around the Hermannskogel, the way from a certain point during the run is simply spectacular, look for yourselves:
Welcome to Vienna and to Eurohash 2017 (click to enlarge)
While I was setting that run on coming down the hill a definite snowshower occured with lots of windgusts, after all it was stil only the end of April so not unsual.
Memorizing the Christmas Party in 2009 at the Martinsschlössl in Viennas 18th district with this video from My Pints Youtube Channel while waiting for the pics of yesterdays party to be uploaded.
In loving memory of King Gook (RIP), featured here on the Maracas.
I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
Well, in total synchronicity let it be never too late to write about beer. And women. And most naturally the deeper reason why this very weekend in April took place in Freistadt, celebrating the 500th anniversary which was of course the 500th anniversary of the German Beer Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot). As I sprained my ankle on a run in the Lobau a couple of weeks ago the most I was capable of was walking.
Walking from the U4 Terminal Station in Hütteldorf to where the Hashbus was waiting already, perfectly being organ-sized by Cherry Licker and her Commitee Helpers. I think I came along with at least four cold cans of Stiegl Beer, only to find out joyfully that there was cold Freistadt Beer on sale before and during the buzz ride.
In the bus with Hashers we (the serious drinkers I should say) occupied the feast table at the back end and trawling through some old pics I remember Lopsided Backside providing wonderful Jell-O Shots, RootCAnal provided a few bottles of Sekt, lots of beer cans and bottles were passed around and by the time the bus arrived in Freistadt at least the attendees of the party table were in quite festive mood already.
"No more Jell-O Shots ?!? What's that supposed to mean?"
The evening entertainment consisted of a guided tour of the Brewery (intense aroma inside!) and a nice dinner later on.
The Main run on Saturday, being split into a long run and an also not-too-short walk (I was on the walkers group) was leading by the local Teufelsfelsen and along through lovely surroundings where there once was a horse-railway running from Linz to Budweis (do you begin to see that great overall context?) ; Budweiser Beer at the Schweizerhaus, hint hint!
At very long last there was a much welcomed drink stop hosted by Little Richard in the remarkable village of Vierzehn which is located on a road leading from Linz to Prague directly.
The second part of the run and walk ended up at that Vierkanthof which was a great sort of Gasthaus. Delicious food and copious amounts of beer, looong food and beer break ensuing. The last past of Saturdays run/walk was a stroll back to Freistadt. Evening party and muzak until the wee hours.
Mahlzeit!
Sundays hangover walk through Freistadt was pleasant, one had to mind the occasional crocodile and the way and in the end there was a BIG snowshower coming down during the circle. Mind you, it was only the end of April that I am writing about here. Lovely weekend, thanks to everybody..
