Maypole Rising in Salzburg, oder Maibaum Aufstellen Salzburgs

In Small Town USA, May Day passes by like any other day.  In other parts of the world, however, May Day is celebrated as International Workers' Day, and generally, a day to do something besides work.  This year, a peaceful protest in Seattle turned violent, and in Bangladesh, thousands of workers took the the streets to protest against factory owners who they believe are responsible for the deaths of 400 garment workers in a factory collapse last week.  In Hong Kong and other places in Asia, workers protested for safer working conditions, better wages, and access to breaks during the work day.  In some European countries, the protests centered on high unemployment rates and low living standards. 

While workers protested around the world, my May Day was completely different.  Austrians didn't have to work, yes, but the free time didn't seem to encourage them to participate in protests or parades about their rights as workers.  Instead, they celebrated May Day with the rising of maypoles, and music, dancing, food, and beer.  Again, as a perpetual resident of small towns in the United States, May Day was a foreign concept to me, and in the case of protesting, it remains so.  

But, let's recount the day the Austrian way, shall we?  

As we traversed the city to the fest in Maxglan, we stopped at Mirabell Gardens for some choice background.  An Italian tour group stopped us and took our pictures.  I heard "bellissima" whispered through the crowd, and it pretty much made my day.

The fest was held at the Gasthof Heimathaus Maxglan in Salzburg.  We enjoyed some delicious chicken barbeque, some local beverages, and some traditional music mixed in with Elvis and German-English hybrid songs.  After that,we walked around and saw the Maibaum for the first time.  A group of people were connecting pretzels to the tree as decorations. 

Finally, it was time for the lifting to begin!

This picture of the director, amidst the pretzels and carrying a tree umbrella, is my favorite of the day.   How could you not love this?

And it's up! The lead singer of the band said it was 100% 90 degrees in the air. 

All in all, it was a pretty wonderful May Day.  We even won some Manner chocolate that we had every intention of saving for our trip home, but... you know.

Hunde Ausstellung Salzburgs, oder Dogs with Captions

This past Sunday, we went to the Hunde Ausstellung Salzburgs, or the Salzburg Dog Exhibition. 

If you knew me, you'd know that I love dogs.  Growing up, dogs filled the house.  We're talking little teams of three or four of them.  The canine du jour for our family is and always has been toy poodles.  My mother grew up with them, and she made sure we did too.  I believe that owning and loving a dog (or a small troupe of them) is one of life's most wonderful pleasures.  Since my life is sadly lacking of dogs at the moment, I knew I had to go to the dog show in Salzburg to get my fix.

So, we went.  The exhibition hall smelled of leather leashes, rawhide, and well, dog.  Sigh.

While the dog show was a feast for the eyes, it reminded me that I need to learn how to use my camera for moving subjects.  ISO what?  Aperture who?  I've read tutorials from bloggers, articles, etc.  I'm rubbish at it, but I could still learn!  Any tips?

So, this blog post is not about action-packed, yet endearing photos of dogs.  Rather, it's about me wanting to talk about dogs and making fun of myself for these sad pictures.

My mother's youngest poodle, Cooper, does this same "praying" motion, in which he sits on his back legs and waves his forelegs in the air.  This Lhaso Apso did not want to cooperate with his handler at all during the junior handling section of the show.  He popped out of his collar two or three times. and he put on his brakes when she tried to walk him.  Despite all of that, she did not give up, and I was very impressed that someone so young had the poise and composure to get through the difficult showing.  She and her dog were awarded second place for her "tremendous nerve and focus." 

via and via

I'm the type of dog nerd who watches the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.  I had to watch it online for the first time this year, but it still packed its punch.  The title of Best in Show for 2013 belongs to Banana Joe, an Affenpinscher.  Affen translates from German to "monkey," and it's easy to see why.  I saw my first Affenpinsher this Sunday, and I could only speculate on the amount of pressure he must have felt competing in Banana Joe's angelic, imposing, prize-winning shadow.  

This little Shih Tzu wanted nothing more than to return to the imperial palace from whence he came. 

Buck from The Call of the Wild, anyone?  I think that my book cover pretty much lives up to the originals.  This beauty is a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, a cross between a German Shepard and a Carpathian Wolf.  The breed was created about 60 years ago to do search and rescues, border patrol, tracking, herding, and all the rest.  And if you had any doubts, he resisted long enough to win his first-place trophy!

I'm not kidding.  These are the photos I took.

Finally, to prove that we were there, here are two classic portraits of us, and a portrait of the bag Ben lifted to take home his German-language dog magazines.  If the graphic of a excrement-filled speech bubble atop Austria doesn't clue you in, here's the translation:

Save yourself a pile of discussions. 

Get a grip on dog hygiene.  

- Thanks, Ben.

May Day in Austria

The Dance Around the May Pole, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, via

 

Here we are at another Austrian holiday, Maifeiertag. 

We're going to celebrate May Day by attending a Maibaumaufstellen, or what we'd call a Maypole Raising in English.  We'll do so in Dirndl and Lederhosen.  Will we dance around the Maypole?  Possibly.  Will we make new friends?  Maybe.  Will we look stylish?  Absolutely.

I will document it, of course, and I'll report on how Austrians bring in the lovely month of May.

And as a reminder to make much of the time we have, here's a stanza from one of my favorite poets, Robert Herrick.

Come, let us go while we are in our prime;
And take the harmless folly of the time.
      We shall grow old apace, and die
      Before we know our liberty.
      Our life is short, and our days run
      As fast away as does the sun;
And, as a vapour or a drop of rain
Once lost, can ne'er be found again,
      So when or you or I are made
      A fable, song, or fleeting shade,
      All love, all liking, all delight
      Lies drowned with us in endless night.
Then while time serves, and we are but decaying,
Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying.

 Excerpt from "Corinna's Going A-Maying"

Happy May Day!

  Village Scene with Dance Around the May Pole, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, via