Mohnkuchen in Vienna

Mákossüti Bécsben

I so love this part of the world!

Annyira szeretem a világnak ezt a részét! 

In Central Europe and in Germany, poppy seed is broadly used for various cakes and in Hungary, we even have a couple of main dishes with it that everyone likes, so I grew up with this yummy stuff, un-imaginable for many in other countries. 

Közép-Európában és Németországban a mákot széles körben használják süteményekhez, Magyarországon pedig főétel-féléink is vannak vele, amiket mindenki szeret, így hát ezzel a finomsággal nőttem fel, ami más országokban elképzelhetetlen.

Oh, did I have a problem in all those years in Sweden where they only use it occasionally, to spread it on top of bake rolls, you can't just really buy it in the shops. Had serious cravings after Mákostészta & Co., but now I am back here, close to home and here in Vienna they have some variation of Mohnkuchen everywhere.  

Jaj, micsoda bajban voltam a svédországi éveim alatt, ahol csak alkalomszerűen használják a mákot, és csak arra, hogy a zsemle tetejét megszórják vele, és nemigen lehet kapni. Súlyosan sóvárogtam mákostésztára és társaira, de most, közel az otthonhoz, és itt, Bécsben  mindenhol lehet kapni valamiféle mákos süteményt.

The other small piece with the small cup of coffee was for an old lady who sat down to my table and we had a nice chat.
A másik kis darab a kis kávéscsészével egy idős hölgyé, aki odaült hozzám, és kellemesen elbeszélgettünk egy kicsit. 

Enjoying speaking Deutsch: I have lived in German-speaking areas for a bit more than 3 years and that was already 10 years ago - I speak it still much better than Svenska where I lived for almost 7 years, recently. Hm.
Élvezem, hogy németül beszélek: valamivel több mint 3 évig éltem német nyelvterületen, de az már jó tíz éve volt - mégis sokkal jobban beszélem, mint a svédet, ahol eddig majdnem 7 évet éltem. Hm.

*****

Beside being a singer and going wherever my performances take me, these are the top resources which make it possible for me to live one of my dreams and travel - they can help you as well to live as you would like to, have a look here

www.AndreaGerak.com

Snapshot Sunday: Lavaux Vineyards, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

Photo Friday: Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary

Gloriette of Schönbrunn, Vienna

A bécsi Schönbrunn Gloriette-je

Climbing up to the Gloriette on a sunny day from here, off-path in the snow and in slippery shoes, was almost like serious hiking.
Innen felmászni a Gloriette-hez szép napsütésben, az ösvényről letérve, csúszós cipővel a hóban, majdnem felért egy tisztességes kis hegymászással.

If you click on this picture, then Actions, View all sizes;, you can see in a larger photo the tiny people struggling their ways up in the snow. A little later, I was one of them:
Ha erre a képre kattintasz, majd Actions, View all sizes, a nagyobb méretű fotón megláthatod a pici emberkéket, ahogy felfelé küzdik magukat a hóban. Egy picivel később én is egy voltam közülük:





















Sitting on a bench, having a salad for lunch, getting some sun and enjoying this view:
Ülök egy padon, salátát ebédelek, süt rám a Nap, és ez a látvány tárul elém:



And up there:
És fent is vagyunk:







Two Swedish girls:
Két svéd lány:





The Gloriette where Franz Joseph I, used to have his breakfast, among other functions of this pavillon, today has a café.
A Gloriette-ben, ahol többek között I. Ferenc József költötte el reggelijét, a pavilon egyéb funkciói mellett, ma kávézó működik. 

More info about Schönbrunn on their official website
Még több infó a Schönbrunnról   a hivatalos weboldalukon.

*****

Beside being a singer and going wherever my performances take me, these are my top recommendations which make it possible for me to live one of my dreams and travel - they can help you as well to live as you would like to, have a look here

www.AndreaGerak.com

Take Your Next Coffee Break in Seattle

Best For:  Culture, Nightlife, Culinary Scene, Natural Beauty, Outdoor Activities

Best Time to Visit:  May through September

I was expecting a bit more pow from Seattle. For a city with a reputation for having a lot of character, everything seemed a little bit understated; now I realize that subtlety is part of the Seattle charm. There’s no flash, but the city certainly has its own kind of pizzazz. It’s quirky, chill, intellectual, and fun without feeling the need to brag about it. Used to a more conservative vibe, I wondered if my East Coast attitude would glare in the city’s shabby-chic dive bars. But the open-minded locals barely took notice -- and if they did notice, they didn’t seem to care. After all, you would have to be fairly laid-back to handle 300 cloudy days per year, so dealing with a feisty and opinionated consultant is probably only slightly amusing at best.  

Cityscape with Mount Rainier 

Culture:  Many American cities have long been associated with various scenes. Washington, DC is synonymous with politics, and L.A. is home to the glitzy motion-picture industry. Seattle, still in its infancy as a city, seems to embrace its youth with the fickle angst of a teenager struggling to find identity through rebellion. Home to hipsters and the birthplace of grunge, the city always seems to be leading the counter-culture pack. Its eccentric vibe combines with an entrepreneurial spirit to attract people who are an interesting blend of unconventional and Type A. During a visit here, the best way to get immersed the culture is to hang with the locals in the thriving art galleries and music venues.

The Space Needle

Nightlife:  Much like its inhabitants, Seattle’s nightlife can best be described as quirky and offbeat.  Where else can you find a bar in a converted funeral home or one that doubles as an arcade offering 16 vintage pinball machine games?  Nightclubs are hard to come by; in this city, music is played by bands, not spun by DJ’s. Pioneer Square is for rowdy 20-somethings, Belltown’s cocktail lounges offer a more upscale experience, and Capital Hill has a thriving gay scene.

Culinary Scene:  Adventurous chefs and fresh seafood make Seattle a noteworthy food town. Restaurateurs increasingly have a farm-to-table philosophy, making it likely that your meal will be made using fresh, organic ingredients. Seattle also shines in the beverage department. Take a peek inside the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market just to say you saw it, but get your morning joe somewhere else; the city is filled with offbeat coffee houses vying to make you the best latte in town. The city has a number of microbreweriesserving evening (or afternoon) refreshments.  And don’t forget about the wine: Washington State is one of the leading producers in the country and makes especially good Rieslings.

        

Mountain View from Bainbridge Island Ferry

Natural Beauty:  Nicknamed “The Emerald City” after the lush evergreens surrounding its urban center, Seattle has the feeling of a city that was plopped down in the middle of a forest.  The mountainous views add to the city’s natural feel.  On a clear day, you can see the Olympic Mountains to the west and the Cascades to the east, the crown jewel of which is Mt. Rainier.  The best way to enjoy the scenery is to take a ferry across the Puget Sound to charming Bainbridge Island.  Or, take a day trip to some of the scenic wonders on the outskirts of the city.  Favorites include the rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula and the glaciers of Mount Rainier National Park.

   

Boating in Seattle

Outdoor Activities:  It makes sense that a city with such beautiful natural surroundings would have plenty of options for enjoying the outdoors. Parks come in all shapes and sizes and range from city-center greens to heavily-forested nature reserves. Try Kerry Park for famous cityscape views, Gas Works Park for people watching, or Seward Park for nature walks.  Boating is big here, and plenty of companies offer kayak and canoe rentals.  For those willing to leave the city limits, there are plenty of skiing and hiking options in the surrounding mountainous areas.  

After a few days in Seattle, urban dwellers will want to either head south to the city's little brother, Portland, or cross the Canadian border into the more cosmopolitan Vancouver.  

For devoted nature lovers, Seattle might be no more than a short stopover.  Head north to the San Juan and Victoria Islands, west to the Olympic Peninsula, or East to the Cascades for some of the most beautiful wildlife that the region has to offer.  

Spring is coming to Schönbrunn

Schönbrunnba jön a tavasz

Back on the road!
Újra úton!

After living in Sweden for a good couple of years (and feeling like a bird being in a beautiful but remote and small cage), now the world is in front of me again :-)
Jópár évi Svédországi élet után (ahol úgy éreztem magam, mint egy madár egy gyönyörű, de távoli és szűk kalitkában), most újra itt van előttem a világ! :-)

I was back with my parents in Hungary for the last 2 months and in the past few days I hit the road. First stop from Budapest: Vienna, Austria. I lived here for one year in 1999-2000, and believe it or not, I didn't have any camera to take photos! Now I am catching up :-)
Otthon voltam két hónapig, néhány napja pedig ismét úton. Első állomás Budapestről: Bécs, Ausztria. Éltem itt egy évig, 1999-2000-ben, és ha hiszitek, ha nem, semmilyen fényképezőgépem nem volt, amivel fotózhattam volna! Hát most egy kicsit bepótolom :-) 

Wonderful, almost spring day in Schönbrunn Castle Park, which is one of the top sights in the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire - or the City of Music. (It is easy to get there: you take the green metro line in the direction of Hütteldorf, to the station called - Schönbrunn)
Csodálatos, majdnem tavaszi nap a Schönbrunn kastély parkjában, ami a régi Osztrák-Magyar Birodalom fővárosának és a Zene Városának egyik legfőbb látványossága. (Könnyű oda eljutni: zöld metróval Hütteldorf irányába, a Schönbrunn nevű állomásig).

Maria Theresia and Franz Joseph with Sissi lived in this beautiful place - 10 minutes walk from where I stay at the moment:
Mária Terézia, meg Ferenc Jóska Erzsébettel ezen a szép helyen laktak - tízpercnyi sétára tőlem:



















Up on the hill, the Gloriette awaits, next time we climb up there:
A dombon a Gloriette vár; legközelebb oda mászunk fel:



And in the evening, my host put on a DVD, André Rieu's spectacular super show at this very location, enjoy some imperial feeling:
Este pedig a vendéglátóm berakott egy DVD-t, André Rieu látványos szupershow-ját ezen a helyen; íme egy kis császári fíling:

*****

Beside being a singer and going wherever my performances take me, these are the top resources which make it possible for me to live one of my dreams and travel - they can help you as well to live as you would like to, have a look here

www.AndreaGerak.com

Where in the World is the Amazing Race Going This Season?

Though I’ve been watching The Amazing Race since I was a kid, I must admit that I’ve missed a few seasons here and there.  My interest in the race was strongly renewed when I ran into the show’s host, Phil Keoghan, during my last trip to New York.  He told me he was filming a documentary on the Tour de France (in Brooklyn??).  He was absolutely delightful and 100% engaging – I literally bounded away from our conversation giggling and clapping my hands together like a schoolgirl.  With the advent of my blog coinciding so nicely with the show’s 22^nd season premier, I am taking the opportunity to do a little homage (see stalkerish picture, above) to the race and its hunky host. 

Even after 21 seasons of the Amazing Race, there are many locales the show has yet to explore, as well as some old standbys that haven’t been visited in awhile.  Diehard fans know that the show has already released the locations for five of the filming sites (indicated with an * in the list below).  It’s my mission to fill in the gaps.  

Starting line:  Los Angeles, California*

1^st stop:  Bora Bora* 

2^nd stop:  New Zealand*

3^rd stop:  Chiang Rai, Thailand:  The race has gone to Northern Thailand before, but not since season 2 when they visited Chiang Mai.

4^th stop:  Botswana*

5^th stop:  Albania:  In more recent seasons, the producers have gradually been sprinkling Eastern European destinations into the race itineraries.  They’ve never been to Albania, and the country has become a tourism hotspot in recent years.

6^th stop:  Bernese Highlands, Switzerland*

7^th stop:  Madrid, Spain:  Fun fact - the race has NEVER been to Madrid!  This is especially surprising, given that the city’s airport is a major European transportation hub.  I’m predicting a Spanish stopover in season 22!

8^th stop:  Lima, Peru:  The race has only been to Peru once, and that was way back in season 7.

9^th stop:  Nicaragua:  The race has never been to Nicaragua, but has visited nearby Costa Rica and Panama.

Finish line:  New Orleans, Louisiana:  This is a completely random guess.  I must have Mardi Gras on the mind.

Now I want to hear from you!  Where do you think the lucky contestants will travel to this season?