Hmmm ... 34

The 25th of December – Christmas day and also my birthday. Like every year a couple of friends and I met in Zwettl at the 'Café Sued' to celebrate a little bit. Over the years it's become tradition to do a pub crawl on my birthday. So we did this year.

Christmas parties – part 4 & 5

Haven't celebrated Christmas enought – hmmm – two more Christmas parties to come.

The first party took place at the 'Universitaetsbraeu' and was the annual get-together of friends also called the 'Xmas Flash'. It was quite funny but nethertheless I had to leave around 10:30 pm to attend the last Christmas party for this year.

It's been the christmas party of the student's union and it took place at the student's union building. After hours of gossip and drinking (and a shortcut to the Ride Club) I decided to finish Christmas parties for this year. ;-)

Christmas parties – part 3

At the 'Rathauskeller' – a restaurant in the basement of Vienna's city hall – the fraternity did its christmas celebration. The official part took about two hours. Then I picked up Sabine and we went to celebrate the conclusion at the club house.

Christmas parties – part 2

Like the years before the firm celebrated christmas at the Racino. This year we've been company for the Emperor Robert Heinrich I. (known from television). It was quite funny. The cabaret was followed by an awful magician (also known from television) and then the music show started hosted by the former participator at Eurovision Song Contest – Manuel Ortega.

The dinner buffet was excellent. Also a midnight snack was offered (eggs, ham and greaves). Around two I left the party to drive back to Vienna.

At the Christmas market with an old buddy

KW and I failed to meet on a Christmas market last year but we fixed a date for this year. I decided to have a hot wine at the 'Altes AKH' – the old general hospital. Positive effect: You can easily catch a beer if you're fed up with these sweet'n'sticky punch things. And that was how it ended – having a 'Zwettler Zwickl' at the pub nearby.

Hot wine at the 'Belvedere' castle

I've never tried the Christmas market in front of the 'Belvedere' castle. So I made a date there with Sabine and we tried the 'Schilcher' hot wine as well as the 'Uhudler' hot wine. Both good. ;-)

Christmas parties - part 1

The first Christmas party for this year took place on Friday. The department invited to a so-called 'Hendlbrater' somewhere in the boonies. Nevertheless it was funny and I got an exquisite four-course menu as well as the first bock beer of the season.

Ski Zell December 2009

The annual December ski trip to 'Zell am See' took place last weekend. Due to less snow conditions it was only possible to ski at the peak of the 'Schmittenhoehe' or to go to the 'Kitzsteinhorn' glacier. The first day we decided for the glacier but because of the weekend it was very crowded (they counted approx. 12,000 skiers up there on Saturday).

So for Sunday we tried the 'Schmittenhoehe' and I think that was a good decision. The few slopes weren't crowded and the snow was great. A really good skiing day.

On Monday we switched again to the glacier. The weather conditions were quite ok and the skiing was great. We also had a cool après ski at the 'Dorfschenke' with our group of 'cows'.

The next day the weather was really worse. It's been snowing and very foggy. For this day we decided to relax. On Wednesday we went back to Vienna.