Austrian Insects

One doesn't see too much wildlife here in Gaming, but the insects are more prevalent. A friend and photographer in the neighborhood, captured some great shots which I want to share:

Viennese Coffee!

One of the highlights of Vienna (the students' second day trip excursion) is of course the famous coffee house culture. One of my favorite coffee shops is Cafe Diglas which is close to St. Stephen's Cathedral. The homemade pastries are fantastic and always fresh; in the evening they have live piano music; and the people seem to be more commonplace than some of the more upscale locations near the Hofburg; and the coffee is delicious as well.

For anything visiting Vienna, a visit to a traditional coffee house is essential -- and NOT Starbucks -- and just soak up the atmosphere, coffee, dessert, and of course, the newspapers which are always there.

Some of the Viennese Coffee Choices:

Schwarzer. Strong black coffee. A kleiner Schwarzer is the equivalent of an espresso; a grosser Schwarzer is a double shot. Also called a Mokka.

Brauner. Coffee with a dash of milk or cream.

Goldener. Coffee with milk; similar to "regular coffee" in New York.

Mélange. Equal amounts of milk and coffee with froth.

Kaffee Crème. Coffee with a miniature pitcher of milk on the side.

Kapuziner. Cappucino. (Same name, different language.)

Kurz. A single shot of espresso.

Mokka. See "Schwarzer" above.

Verlängter. Coffee with hot water added; a good choice for North American and English visitors who like their coffee weak.

Einspänner. Coffee in a glass with a hefty dollop of Schlagobers or Schlag (whipped cream).

Fiaker. Espresso in a glass with sugar and Kirschwasser (a dry cherry brandy), topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

Pharisäer. Espresso in a glass with sugar, whipped cream, cocoa, and a shot of rum.

Many coffeehouses serve other variations on the coffee theme, such as Eiskaffee (coffee, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream) and alcoholic combinations. Also, you can usually count on a tasty assortment of pastries, especially in the afternoon.

Summer, at last!

According to most locals I have spoken with, this area of Austria recorded its coldest May in history--since records were first recorded in the 1880's! Here in Gaming, I believe we had only 2 days without rain!

Needless to say, it was miserable, as if we were living through Monsoon season, or next to a rainforest. The kids were pent up indoors as they peered outside, waiting for the weather to break. But, it always does, and summer is finally here, at last!

To celebrate, we have been to the pool the last 4 days in a row and the farmers have been desperately trying to cut and bail the hay. These pictures are from right across the street in the neighboring field!

Study, Travel, and Education of the Emotions

During the Gaming study abroad semester, we spend a lot of time discussing the mutual benefits between the integration of study and travel.

Former Gaming philosophy professor, Dr. Pete Colosi, recently posted a short blog post on this exact topic. It is a great read which draws from his extensive experience in the classroom as well as his work and travel with the Gaming Program.

The blog post can be found and read at: http://lehrman.isi.org/blog/post/view/id/376/