Mittwoch

Yes, I think today is Wednesday.  My days are a little mixed up with the Saturday that quickly turned into Sunday and I only had a few hours of sleep.  Luckily my body clock seems to have adjusted to UTC+2 time very well (note: home is UTC-5) - just in time to switch back.

Today started off much the same.  Amazing breakfast at the hotel and then a short drive in the Austrian countryside to the facility. The route was different this time though.

As my faithful blog followers may recall the 2.0m wide opening between a home and a rock wall, today this was blocked.  By a delivery vehicle off loading patio bricks.  Good thing I had a GPS and knew there would be a way around this by going through Bad Erlach.  (look at me, I sound like a local...).

So I turned around and went that direction.  The GPS quickly adjusted my route.  After crossing the tracks, I made a right as I did yesterday on my walk.  Well, that is a walking/biking path - not for cars.  I realized this about 100m down the path when I looked at the GPS which said I was supposed to turn left (the GPS was clearly smarter than me).

Another turn around and then I was on my way.  The new route didn't add much time to get to work - maybe 5 mins (would have been 4 if I didn't have to turn around).

My favourite castle (until I find another one)

I'm hoping this video works - no music in the background

Work went well today.  Testing was accomplished (successfully).  That was all we did today.  It was productive.

I also learned a few things:

1. Lunch isn't free for all employees but you can buy into it for a nominal 3.50 euros.
2. Housing in Austria is expensive.  One of the ladies said that she and her boyfriend are looking to build their own house because buying is too expensive.  Building is approximately 500,000 euros (times 1.5 = 750,000 CAD).  Renting a "flat" (aka - apartment) is about 100 euros a month per 10 square meters.  So, a 90 sq m flat would be 900 euros.  Our house is pretty much 100 sq m.
3. People are surprised that we own a house inside the city and are even more surprised about the cost.

We finished everything at around 4:30 (after a 4pm cappuccino with the test operators).  I had decided on my way to work that I was going to go for a drive on the way home.  As I left the facility, it was starting to rain so this was a perfect way to see more of the country side instead of a walk/hike.

As I was making my way to where I wanted to explore, I got a call from our car salesman (following up on Lola's chrome issue and seeing if I had made any decisions about my TDI).  When I told him where I was, he gasped and said "are you really a spy?"  I laughed, really hard, because I had noticed today that my visitor badge that I have had all week was "007":

I continued on my drive, going on many twisting, turning roads up the side of the mountain:

At this point, I wanted to get a cool picture of the valley that I was in between the two mountains.  I spotted a small field with a short gravel path that would be an excellent view,.  And it was:

I didn't want to back down the path I took because I would back right onto a blind corner - not something I wanted to do in the rain in a rental car on a mountain in Austria.  So I decided to turn around.  And wouldn't you know it, I almost got stuck.  Grass is slippery when wet (maybe we should test that for slip resistance tomorrow) so when I pulled forward and turned to back up I couldn't get much traction in reverse.  I went forward a little more (ie. more on the grass) which had the same result (I guess that makes me insane, right?).  After some critical thinking, assessing the physics at play, restarting the car 3 times because it stalled when the traction control started to kick in (remember - manual transmission) I made it out by giving it more gas and spinning a bit.  

Once back on the road and my blood pressure started to drop, I found the traction control button.  Good to know... now...

I continued on my drive, passing through small villages of 10 houses tucked into the hillside.  

I stopped in one of the villages which had a pretty good view.  I think I parked in an area designated for parking.  That or I pulled onto a very large sidewalk...

This old church was directly behind me.  Note the "parking pad" at the base of the picture

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the many hairpin turns I had to make - I didn't think it was a good idea to stop on the road at a hairpin turn...  And, the drive required two hands so I couldn't get a video.  I thought about propping my phone up with the GPS but it would have likely toppled over with the turns and up-and-downs.  So, instead, I was going to post some some shots stolen taken from Google Street View but these don't exist because Google hasn't driven on these roads.  Not sure what is wrong with them - there are some pretty spectacular views, especially when there are low level clouds in the hills.

All-in-all, it took me an additional 40 mins to get back to the hotel but definitely worth it. 

At the hotel, I went to the pool for a swim and then a shower and a short rest before I talked with Lola.  Then, it was time for dinner at the hotel restaurant.  I had the "salmon" which wasn't salmon - it tasted more like pickerel (and was definitely a white fresh water fish).

After dinner, it was time to get some work done (only an hour and a half tonight) and then time to blog.  Next I should pack as I'm changing hotels tomorrow - moving to one near the airport so it will be easier for my 10:50am Friday morning flight.  Who knows what traffic would be like going to Vienna in the morning...

Tomorrow should be less busy at work - answering questions and discussing procedures.  I might even have time to do (other) work during the day!  I was invited to dinner tomorrow with the team I have been visiting this week.  

I also was told that there is a "special event" tomorrow which might make its way onto the blog (haha, a cliffhanger... ;) ).  

The Hills are Alive

Today started off much the same as yesterday - delicious breakfast at the hotel and then an enjoyable drive to work.  This time I was able to get MBMell a picture of a castle on the hillside:

And here are a couple miscellaneous pictures from the drive:

Work was more routine today.  By routine, I mean that in the context of aviation and certification - could not do tests because some equipment was down.  Luckily we are ahead of schedule and can catch up tomorrow and have Thursday as a complete fall back.

Not much else to report on the work side.  At lunch, I had the local favourite drink - apple juice with water.  And wouldn't you know it, some local (Manitoba) connections could be drawn:

The drive back to the hotel was equally enjoyable with one train at the crossing this time:

Just to give you an appreciation of the country side, I was able to record this;

(Editor's note: this video may or may not work depending on whether the music I had playing is audible and caught by copyright filters...)

Back at the hotel, I decided my daily exercise today would be a hike/walk.  I spotted a trail with people walking on it as I approached the hotel so figured that would be a good idea.  I took this picture of the map as a reference point:

I was going to do the green loop which was 5.12km (yes, German-like precision).  So I set out on my hike.

The first observation - a snake:

At this point, I started to wonder "are there poisonous snakes in Austria?"  I did not intend to find out.

I thought about going the opposite direction as to what was shown on the map and direction sign.  I started that way:

After 20 steps, I reconsidered and went the other way (the correct way), thinking that perhaps I should go the way that is marked, might be easier to stay on the path.  Ha...

The temperature was a balmy 31.5*C - I would say a HOT 31.5*C but others might not.  I had my iPod and headphones in but fairly early in the walk removed one headphone to hear the birds in the trees.

I wasn't sure what this sign meant but figured I was ok going past the gate.  Looks like the path was an old/current logging road:

This was the start of my short elevation gain.  According to the map above, I was expecting a 30m gain in elevation.

Evidence of logging;

Shortly after this mound of logs, I came to an unmarked fork in the road.  To the left you went down, to the right you went up.  I chose up.

I came to an opening in the trees to a pretty amazing view:

I looked at the map and figured I was on the correct path.  Below me (and to the left) was the road I was driving on each day and the map seems to show that you stay near that road for the next 1.25 km or so.  So I continued to walk.  When I got to a right turn and a path going away from the road, I decided to stop and check my app (Map My Run) to see where I was.  I did some calculating from miles to km and figured that yes, I was on the wrong path.  So I turned around and went back to the fork and to the road "left" traveled.

I was correct - the left road was the one I was supposed to take (but wouldn't have had the same vantage point ;) ).  I continued on my walk:

At this point, I looked at my picture map again and realized that I goofed when I did my calculation - 1.25 miles is not 3 km.  I probably was on the correct path.  I had two options - go on the road to the left (as seen above) back towards the hotel and finish on the red path which was 2 kms or so.  Or I could go to the right and walk the green trail backwards.  I wasn't ready to go back so I chose right.

The walk was quite peaceful - a bicyclist passed by and so did a kid (20-25 years old) on a skateboard.  Sorry, no pics.  But I did get one of this crop (corn?):

And this one of a small river/stream:

And a bug on a blossom:

I entered the village of Brunn an der Pitten which borders on the road I drive to work.  I also ended up walking along the side of the road which is the correct path according to the map (I know because I saw a 2.0 km green marker on one of the road markers).  It is a pretty quaint Austrian village:

The building to the right with the half-doors is a barn.  In town.  On the side of the road. 

A fire hall (Feuerwehr)

A few mins later, I entered Linsberg which I also drive through.

Would be a tight squeeze in a North American car...

I'm guessing this was a cold storage room.  Or a shelter...

I then came to the same point I had already walked.  This time I went left to go back to the hotel. And apparently took the same picture as before...

This is the village of Bad Erlach.  It's not so bad:

In order to cross the tracks, I had to go down:

In the 322-xxxx phone number district, this would have just been a gravel path that intersected with the tracks.  There would have been a crossing made of wood so you could take your bike over the tracks (safely) and maybe a crossing marker.

What was supposed to be a 5.12 km walk ended up being 5.16 miles.  But it did not disappoint.

(68m elevation gain)

Where I took some pics

I was ready for a shower and then had to get on a conference call for work.  Afterwards, I talked to Lola who was on her lunch break and went for dinner at the hotel, this time outside.  Goat curry tonight.  Soooo good but I am soooo full...

After dinner, it was time to get some more work done - getting on another conference call and then going through emails.

Tomorrow will be a slightly later start time (9:30 at the facility) so I can get a little more sleep as I wrap up this lengthy blog at 11:45pm.

Good night / guten nacht!