Traveling the Pacific Coast: An Embarrassment of Riches

We have all encountered an embarrassment of riches at some point in our lives. Perhaps it was when we were at a party with a buffet table crowded with too many tasty dishes or when we were visiting a city in which too many historic churches had to be seen. My most recent embarrassment of riches came in late August during a car trip from Birch Bay, WA to Mendocino, CA.  Traveling down the coast, I encountered so much natural scenic beauty, so many memorable vistas, that I was unable to do more than sample a few of them.

The Trip Route from (1) Birch Bay, WA to (2) Mendoino, CA

The idea of the trip was to see as much of the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California as possible. After getting to the Olympic Peninsula, much of the drive was on Hwy 101.  In Washington, it sometimes veered inland, and we had to take some smaller highways to get closer to the water. In contrast, much of Oregon’s Coastal Highway (also Hwy 101) lies within view the Pacific, so side trips were not necessary. In California, after enjoying stops in the Redwood National Forest, accessing the coast required leaving Hwy 101 and driving a perilous mountain route on Hwy 1 to reach the coast. From there, Hwy 1 was often near the edge of the buffs overlooking the ocean.

Washington: The Olympic Peninsula

The trip was made with my young friend Denis Gajdamaschko. We have traveled together to many places since he turned twelve, including Austria, Poland, Ukraine, and China, plus we have shared a car on long drives from Athens (GA) to Fayetteville (AR) and Athens to Birch Bay (WA). He was as eager as I to see the Pacific Northwest coastline.

We departed from Birch Bay, WA (about 9 miles from the Canadian border) to drive to one of my favorite little towns, Coupeville, on Whidbey Island. There, we caught a ferry to Port Townsend which is located on the north shore of the Olympic Peninsula. The ferry ride is a short one, covering the 17 or so miles in less than 30 minutes.

The city of Port Townsend has an historic waterfront built on a bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and is worth an extended visit, but we stopped only to look at the housing models set up by Greenpods ( http://www.greenpoddevelopment.com/ ). This firm designs and builds efficient and modernistic modular housing, a candidate to occupy a lot I co-own in Birch Bay. We were impressed with both the design and quality of the model units we saw.

View of Port Townsend as the ferry approaches the dock

After that brief stop, we headed west to Port Angeles, another old seaport, to spend the night (http://www.portangeles.org/pages/ActivitiesAttractions/link ). This coastal city with nearly 20,000 residents lies on the north end of the Olympic Peninsula in the shadows of the Olympic Mountains. From Port Angeles’ ferry landing, the city of Victoria (Canada) is only about 25 miles across the Strait (https://www.cohoferry.com/ ) The city has mellow, artistic undertones amid the bulk and debris of an aging seaport.

Outdoor mural showing the futurist ferry, the Kalakala, that linked
Port Angeles with Vancouver CA for many years

The next day, we took off on Hwy 101 for the real adventure. The road plunged quickly into the Olympic National Park; although the highway generally follows the coastline, it often lies several miles away from the ocean. To get to the ocean beaches, we exited it at a couple of points to go farther west.  

Not far from Port Angeles, we turned west onto Highway 112 near Sappho, WA. After a short ride, we checked out Clallam Bay, a small but robust town with an expansive and empty sandy beach. After enjoying the beach views and reading about the town’s naval history on historical monuments in the city park, we headed back to Hwy 101, ready to exchange bay views for some raw ocean.

Just before we reached Forks, WA, we again left Hwy 101 to take Hwy 110 to La Push. Then, the real fun began. At the end of the highway was a noisy ocean plus the community of La Push sitting on reservation land owned by the Quileate Indians.  At La Push, the gentle ripples of bay beaches were only a memory; instead we saw beaches pounded by the powerful waves of the unfettered Pacific. It was a pleasure to finally see the high white-capped waves and hear the sound of an ocean in turmoil. You can sample the views here: http://forkswa.com/first-beach-webcam/

Sign at La Push WA

In and near La Push, we made our way to three sandy beaches (cleverly named First Beach, Second Beach, and Third Beach) separated by bluffs and rock formations. All three were under attack by enormous Pacific waves. To get to two of the beaches, we had to walk steep narrow trails, but the efforts were rewarded with the feel of white sand under our feet, the sound of the raucous ocean, and the sight of the sun turning the water a deep blue with white fringes.

First Beach at La Push (Note the surfer in the foregound)

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the La Push community has a resort operated by the Quileate Indians with cabins a few steps from the roaring water. After seeing them, I updated my to-do list to include a stay in one the cabins with my Godson Danielka the next time he comes to visit. Maybe we can ride out a fearsome storm there, just to say we survived. http://www.quileuteoceanside.com/

Resort cabins at La Push between First Beach and Second Beach

La Push is surrounded by the Olympic National Park, which includes coastal long the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula.  As with all Indian Reservations on the Peninsula, the Quileate reservation is not part of the park.

Ocean Waves at La Push's Third Beach

After returning to Hwy 101, we veered close to the Ocean for several pleasant miles, then abruptly turned to the East to go around the huge Quinault Reservation. When we were almost around it, we pulled off Hwy 101 to take the Moclips Highway to get us back to the Ocean. This highway ran through heavily forested land to the small ocean-front community of Moclips. There we met up with Hwy 109 and headed south.  Moclips and most coastal land south of it are not in the Olympic National Park, and the difference is immediately visible: without the park’s building restrictions, numerous houses and other structures have been built on the bluffs along the Ocean. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moclips,_Washington.)

The drive down Highway 109 mostly followed the shoreline, taking us past several small, aging cities with coastal resorts and RV parks. However, just a few miles south of Moclips, which is populated by modest houses offering million dollar views, we passed through Seabrook, a new development with expensive modern houses overlooking the ocean (http://www.seabrookwa.com/ ).

We puttered down Hwy 109 until we got to Hwy 115, which goes down a peninsula that ends at Ocean Shores, a small rectangular town, six miles long and two miles wide. Surrounded by water on three side, the ocean side of this resort town has huge sandy beaches onto which some people drive their cars. Although this was the first place where we saw cars on the beach, it turned out to be commonplace on Washington beaches further south.

Ocean Shores, with a population of about 5,600, is laid out on a precise grid. This precision likely came during its initial development as a resort in the 1960s. In its initial incarnation, the city, as developed by the Ocean Shores Development Association, was a glitzy place for the rich and famous. Why else would Pat Boone live there for a while?  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Shores,_WashingtonWikipedia .

The city’s low-lying, sandy soil, reminds me of similar cities along the coasts of the Carolinas and Georgia. It has several hotels/motels for tourists attracted by its moderate climate and superlative beaches. (For the city’s attractions, see: http://www.tourismoceanshores.com/ and http://oceanshores.com/ .) Also, most noticeable, it has an astonishing number of deer roaming along the roads, munching grass along the public land and in the yards of the city’s residents. Who needs a speed limit when the threat of hitting a deer is always looming?

After a night in Ocean Shores, we drove on Hwy 109 to Hoquiam and Aberdeen where many of the innumerable logging trucks on Hwy 101 dump their loads. Back on Hwy 101, we drove several miles away from the Ocean until we made it to Raymond, which looked like another logging town. After Raymond, Hwy 101 again ran along or near the Ocean for many miles, providing several different opportunities to stop and check out the seemingly unending sandy beaches.

We pulled off Hwy 101 to visit the Long Beach peninsula. Long Beach claims it has the “World’s Longest Beach,” and its white sand does stretch about eleven miles from the top to the bottom of the peninsula. This narrow peninsula reminded me of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where often when driving you can look one way to see the ocean and the other way to see the bay. Of course, Long Beach is not an island, so we did not have to worry about ferries.

The beach at the southern end of Long Beach

We spent too little time on this peninsula and I have added another visit there to my list of things to do. See https://funbeach.com/ for news of the attractions of the Long Beach peninsula.

After eating lunch in the small city of Long Beach (at the southern end of the peninsula) and walking some of its nicely developed beach-front trails, we continued on Hwy 101 across the soaring bridge that links Washington State with Oregon. Here is where the mighty Columbia River meets up with the Pacific. The bridge took us into Astoria, and after a quick look around the city we continued south on the Oregon Coastal Highway (the state’s name for Hwy 101). In the northern part of the state, Hwy 101 was often within sight of the Ocean.

After some time peeking through the trees for a glimpse of the water, we were ready for an encounter with an Oregon beach.  On a whim, we turned into a parking area with the sign “Hug Point State Park.” I am glad we did. The Hug Point beach is broad and sandy, surrounded by bluffs into which ocean waves have dug caves. Also, not far from the ocean’s edge, huge rock formations rise out of the water.

Energetic Denis jogs to see more of the beach to the south

Hug Point State Park is just one of many small beach parks off Hwy 101 in northern Oregon. If the others are like it, this part of the state is particularly blessed with beauty. 

Hug Point Beach cave

Continuing south, we had a steady diet of enticing ocean views until we reached the small city of Garibaldi; then the highway went inland a few miles, passing through Tillamook (famous for its cheese). We traveled for quite a while with only periodic glimpses of the Ocean until we reached Lincoln City. There, we got a room across the street from – you guessed it -- a sandy beach.

The next day we continued south on the Oregon Coastal Highway and had a long stretch of road with the ocean in view.  One of the two highlights of the long day of driving occurred after we passed the city of Depoe Bay, whose front street has businesses facing the Ocean. We noticed a crowd congregated on the sidewalk across from the downtown stores.  They were intensely staring out at the ocean. We wondered why they were there (bird watchers?), but traveled on. Then, climbing a steep hill south of the city, we saw a bevy of cars parked on a high bluff overlooking the ocean.  Many people were standing at the bluff’s edge. Were they going to jump?

Whale surfacing (left side of the picture) with whalers in pursuit

We stopped to investigate. We quickly learned that the attraction was whales. From that vantage point, we could see a couple of whales periodically coming to the surface. Not far from them, two whale watching boats were filled with observers. We enjoyed the spectacle; that was the first time I had seen whales in the Pacific.

The second highlight came a little later in the day, when, after a steady bombardment of jaw-dropping ocean views, we traveled down a hill in the Cape Perpetua area and stopped at Devil’s Churn State Park. As suggested by the name, at Devil’s Churn the Pacific is sending a steady flow of giant waves smashing into an unyielding igneous beach, creating huge sprays of water. We walked down to this beach, formed by lava flow, for a closer look, carefully avoiding the water crashing over the rocks.  (See http://www.beachconnection.net/news/dchurn021011_344.php )

Devil's Churn from a bluff overlooking it

We greatly enjoyed the spectacle provided us by Devil's Churn and noted that the entire Cape Perpetua area has several beaches and trails for ocean-loving visitors who also love to hike. I made a note to myself: “You have to return for a longer visit to explore this area.” To get a taste of the area, watch the video at this website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/siuslaw/recarea/?recid=42265   

Ocean meets beach at Devil's Churn

After Devils Churn we made the long drive to California, stopping intermittently when a view absolutely demanded attention. During the drive, as the road veered inland a bit, we traveled through land famous for its enormous sand dunes. (See information on the Sand Dunes National Park here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/siuslaw/recreation/recarea/?recid=42465) .  Sadly, we had no time to explore the dunes, but noted their existence as candidates for future travel adventures.  

At the end of a long day of travel, exhausted by viewing a surplus of majestic sights, we crossed the Oregon and California border, then stopped in Crescent City, CA for the night.

Northern California

Crescent City is not a particularly attractive city, so we departed quickly the next morning. We had two key items on our agenda: to explore the Redwood forests and to go down Highway 1 to Mendocino. 

Not long after we took off, fog rolled in and stayed around – in and near the water -- most of the day. The play of light and shadow on and over the water enhanced the beauty of the setting.

Foggy day on the north coast of California

We spent the morning appreciating redwood trees whose height and age and beauty are worthy of a long string of admiring adjectives. We left Hwy 101 to drive on the Newton Drury Scenic Parkway through the Prairie Creek Redwood State Park. Midway through the Parkway, we stopped to walk a trail among the giant trees.

Northern California's Pacific Coast on a foggy day

After getting back on Hwy 101, we exited it again a few miles to the south to get to the Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove near Orick. This grove of ancient redwoods is protected from development, and an interpretative trail has been developed among them. As we walked the trail, we were in constant awe of our surroundings

Denis on the Redwood Trail

As we sated our interest in redwoods, we worked up a big appetite and stopped in Trinidad, a nifty ocean-front city whose name I had never heard before. With the lingering fog, we had some fetching views of the ocean from the top of the bluff on which the city sits.  After a few minutes in the city, I had the thought: “Wow, I would like to live here.” Then I saw a modest house for a sale a few steps from where we parked. The half-million dollar price tag reminded me of why I don’t live in such a place.

View from Trinidad, CA

Continuing down Hwy 101, we saw enough of Humboldt County to regret that we did not have enough time to check out its many attractions. When we entered Mendocino County, Hwy 101 had gone several miles inland and we were ready to get back to the Ocean. To do so, we left Hwy 101 to travel on California’s famous Hwy 1 at its northern entrance. The first segment of his highway, we quickly found out, is a scary, twisting-turning two-lane road through the foothills of the Pacific Coast Mountain Range. The road has innumerable hair pin turns near jutting bluffs and very few straight stretches. It was an exhausting drive that, fortunately, paid off by taking us to the most memorable views of the Pacific to be found anywhere.

Along the ocean, Hwy 1 is still a dangerous road. Built in the 1930s, it is narrow by modern standards with almost continuous zigs and zags as it follows the coastline. What makes it especially dangerous are the ocean vistas that distract drivers as they try to negotiate the meandering road.

Driving along the Northern California coast, I was getting excited about the prospect of visiting Mendocino. For some reason, I have long wished to see this small coastal town. I am not sure why – maybe because of something I read or saw three decades ago when living a couple of hours away in the San Francisco Bay area. Whatever the source, I have pictured this town as an ideal ocean-front community.

State Park by Mendocino, view to the north

Mendocino did not disappoint. This unincorporated village of about 900 people sits on a bluff with the Pacific clawing at it on three sides. A haven for artists, it is quiet, tidy and unpretentiously upscale. It has an active art center with a gallery and small theater. At the village’s western edge is an ocean-side state park overlooking the ocean with trails for hiking and enticing views to the north, south, and west. In the evening, a lighthouse on a large rock to the north whirls its illumination across the water toward Mendocino every three or four seconds.

Birds on a Pacific Coast outcropping by Mendocino

The Coastal Trip Ends

The night in Mendocino, in a pleasant inn, was the last on the coast. We departed the next morning for a 150-mile trip to Berkeley, but just a few minutes after leaving the village and before we turned inland to drive through Mendocino County’s wine country, we noticed a huge modern mansion sitting by itself on the edge of a high bluff above the Pacific. On this perfectly beautiful sun-filled day, the house struck me as the perfect house in a perfect location, and my envy rose to new heights.

Perfect house in a perfect location on a perfect day, near Mendocino

After a few minutes of stewing in my envy, I calmed down, reminding myself that I had just spent four days enjoying some of the most spectacular ocean views in the world. I decided to be thankful for what I have instead of envying the rich SOBs with their billion dollar mansions and their perfect lives.

Well, maybe I didn’t get rid of all traces of envy, but as we left the coast, I was happy that I had been able to make this trip and was looking forward to returning. A good thing about this embarrassment of riches is that I can easily go back for more.

The 2015 Vienna Christmas Markets are Open and Are Bigger Than Ever

Vienna’s most popular Christmas market, the City Hall’s “Christ Child Market,” which also includes the “the Magic of Advent," opened on Friday, November 13. It was the first of about 22 such markets to open in Vienna to provide Viennese and visitors with the chance to buy delicate Christmas decorations, elegant crafted goods, cheap Chinese-made trinkets, tons of tasty food, and different kinds of hot wine served in cups especially made for the markets. For more information on this market, go to  http://www.christkindlmarkt.at/News-Events.3.0.html?&L=1

View of the entry to the 2015
Wiener Christkindlmarkt and Advent Sauber

For many, the main attraction of the markets is punsch, the hot wine that comes in many different varieties. A quick survey showed the following types of punsch were being offered for sale at different booths: Christkindlmarkt, hinbeer, erdbeer, heidelbeer, kirsch, orange, beeren, tequila, zwergerl, kokos, Jack Daniel’s, bärentöeten, Mozart, amaretto, schoko-rum, apfel-zwetschen, vanielle-kirsch, and energy. (Other varieties are available at other Christmas markets.) For revelers who do not like punsch, glühwein is also available. At the Rathaus, the price is €4 per ¼ liter, served in a specially made mug. For each mug, a returnable deposit of €3 is required.

A punsch stand at the Wiener Christkindlmarkt

Of course, punsch tastes best in cold weather when it warms the hands and gullet, helping to fend off frostbite. Sadly for the vendors, so far November weather has been unseasonably warm. At present, the chances of getting frostbite in Vienna are slim. Such weather dampens the need for the warming effects of punsch and brings to mind objections to opening the Christmas market SIX WEEKS before the actual holiday.

A stand at the Wiener Christkindlmarkt selling Christmas tree ornaments

A Wiener Christkindlmarkt stand selling baked goods

Food at the Wiener Christkindlmarkt

Trinkets sold at a Wiener Christkindlmarkt stand: the Viennese love their dogs

Preparing the Christmas Market at the Rathaus

Of course, it is not surprising to see the Wiener Christkindlmarkt opening so early, and the packed Rathaus square on Saturday night (November 14^th) showed why. (The crowds came even though the opening ceremonies were canceled due to the terrorist attacks in Paris.) This market is popular, attracting tourists from near and far. Also important, it is a big enterprise employing many people, and the market for Christmas markets is increasingly competitive, with new and expanding Christmas markets popping up around Vienna and in other Austrian cities and in the rest of Europe. The Vienna Chamber of Commerce estimates that the Rathaus market will have 3 million visitors in 2015 with each Viennese spending 22 euros and each tourist spending 36 euros. 

Preparing lights for the Advent Sauber
at the Rathaus Park

I had never realized the scale of the work needed to create Christmas market until this year when I was in Vienna at the beginning of November. On November 1, work had already begun on the Rathaus market with an impressive number of trucks bearing tradesmen and -women parked in front of recently  installed temporary structures (booths, stands, huts, stalls?) from which goods are sold. Not only did the electrical system for this village need to be wired, but the huts had to be stocked and a massive array of lights and decorations installed.

One Sunday as I passed by the Rathaus on a Strassenbahn, I was astounded to see work being done by an army of electricians: usually unions in Austria make sure their members do not have to work on Sunday. The cost for overtime work must have been substantial.

The Setting of the Rathaus Christmas Market

For those who have not been in Vienna, you should know that its city hall, the Rathaus, is a massive gothic building constructed on Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse. The Ringstrasse is a boulevard that was created when Emperor Franz Joseph was persuaded in the 1850s to allow the wall protecting the central city to be demolished. The new street opened 150 years ago.

As part of the grand plan to replace the wall, many important public buildings were built along the Ring. The Rathaus and its park, which takes up four large blocks, is located between the University and Parliament buildings. It lies across the street from the Burgtheater. 

View of the Wiener Christkindlmarkt facing the Burg Theater

In front of the massive Rathaus building is a paved public square and a large park. The 150 or so huts/booths/stands/stalls making up the market are located in the paved part of the square. The park is the setting for the "Magic of Advent" with decorations and children’s attractions. At night, the market and the Magic of Advent are a cornucopia of lights and sounds.  

Decorated tree for the Magic of Advent
 at the Rathauspark

The History of the Christmas Markets

This year, the Magic of Advent is celebrating its 30th year of operation at the Rathaus The Wiener Christkindlmarkt has been there about ten years longer. Of course, the history of Vienna’s Christmas markets goes back to a much earlier time.

The first records of a Christmas market mentioned “huts” in front of Saint Stephen's Cathedral in 1626 that were set up on December 16 and 17, then were taken down on 9 January. At these booths, bakers, gingerbread vendors and confectioners sold their goods. This market was shut down in 1761.

The Christmas market restarted in 1764 when the Saint Nicholas and Christmas Market operated at the Freyung (1st District). It stayed there until 1842, when it moved to Am Hof, a large open area just a couple of blocks from Freyung.  According to a history of Vienna’s Christmas Market, “Every year on 5 December, 132 "crèche market stands" were put up and remained there until New Year's day.” In 1903, the stands at the market were illuminated by electricity for the first time. The Christmas market had a home at Am Hof until World War I.

The Christmas market was closed down during World War I and for some years after its end. It restarted in 1923, when it was held at Freyung, then in front of St. Stephens from 1924 to 1928. After that, it moved to Neubaugürtel before returning to Am Hof from 1938 to 1942. In 1943 the market was once again held at Stephansplatz.

Christmas Market at Am Hof, probably around 1940 from
http://www.wien.gv.at/english/fima/h-xmasmarket.htm

In 1944 and 1945, Vienna did not have a Christmas market. From 1946 through 1948, the Christmas market was open at the square in front of the Messepalast (trade fair palace) located at the end of Mariahilferstrasse. The Christmas market moved back to Neubaugürtel in 1949 where it stayed until 1957. Then from 1958 to 1974, the Christmas market had a home in front of the Messepalast (which is now the site for art museums).

Christmas Card showing an early Christmas Market at Am Hof

In 1975 the market needed a new location because the underground car park in front of the Messepalast was being built. As a temporary solution, it was held at Rathausplatz in front of the city hall.  (For a history of the Vienna Christmas Markets, go to this link: http://www.wien.gv.at/english/fima/h-xmasmarket.htm )

The entry to the Wiener Christkindmarkt

Since then the Rathaus plaza and park have been the permanent home of the Wiener Christkindlmarkt. The Magic of Advent was added in 1985. 

Sign showing the locations of Vienna "Magic of Advent" decorations and activities

My personal experience with Christmas markets started in December 1967 when I was a student in Vienna. One day when headed to the Volkstheater, I accidentally stumbled on a row of huts located at the end of Marihilferstrassse along an ally in front of the Messepalast. The huts were lit for Christmas and were selling a variety of goods as well as food and drink. The main thing I remember from that market is that I learned that beer companies were permitted during the holiday season to make and sell a Christmas brew with a higher percent of alcohol than normally allowed.

I was not again in Vienna during December until 2000, when came for a short vacation. I quickly discovered the magic of the Wiener Christkindlmarkt at the Rathausplatz with its bright lights, festive spirit, and hot wine.  By that time, a few other Christmas markets had begun operation, including a smaller, more intimate and manageable market at Freyung . It was (and still is) called the Old Vienna Christ Child Market (Altwiener Christkindlmarkt). Its lighting is more subdued and the crowds less intrusive than the bigger markets.

Since 2000, I have been in Vienna eight times during December to visit the Christmas markets and take advantage of other events the city has to offer. Each time I have returned, I have found new Christmas markets or expansions of the older markets. 

Vienna had only the original market at the Rathaus until 1986 when the Old Vienna Christ Child Market at Freyung opened. No only long after that, new Christmas markets were held at Schönbrunn and Karlplatz.

Schönbrunn Christmas Market, 2013

More recent are the markets at the Old General Hospital (now called Unicampus at Alserstrasse), Belvedere Castle, Spittelberg, and Maria Theresia Platz. In the past few years, markets have been added along St. Stephens Church and near the giant Ferris wheel in the Prater. The newest Christmas market is the k.u.k. Weihnachtsmarkt am Michaelerplatz. I do not remember it being around in 2013, the last time I was in Vienna in December.

Christmas Market at Michaelerplatz
at the entry to the Burg

The Christmas markets have different names and characteristics. Two are called Christ Child Markets and others are named Christmas Villages, Christmas Markets, and Winter Markets. Different markets feature different products for sale. For example, the markets at Freyung, Am Hof, Schönbrunn, Michaelerplatz, and Karlplatz have a higher percentage of booths selling arts and crafts rather than manufactured goods. Also, each market has its own program of concerts, entertainment, activities for children, and events. To find out more about the different markets and their attractions, click on the links below:

Christ Child Markets

Wiener Christkindlmarkt and the Magic of Advent) at
Rathausplatz http://www.christkindlmarkt.at/

Altwiener Christkindlmarkt (at Freyung)
http://www.altwiener-markt.at/start.html

Christmas Villages

Weihnachtsdörfer http://www.weihnachtsdorf.at/en/ , located at

Maria-Theresien Platz

Unicampus/Altes AKH 

(The ground of the old General Hospital) 

Belvedere Castle

Christmas Markets

Weihnachtsmarkt am Hof  

http://www.weihnachtsmarkt-hof.at/

Weihnachtsmarkt am Spittelberg  http://www.spittelberg.at/index.php?en_wm_weihnachtsmarkt

Weinachtsmarkt am Stephensplatz 

http://www.weihnachtsmarkt-stephansplatz.at/

Kultur- und Weinachtsmarkt Schloss Schönbrunn  http://weihnachtsmarkt.co.at/en/the-market.php

k.u.k. Weihnachtsmarkt am Michaelerplatz

http://www.kuk-weihnachtsmarkt.at/

Christmas Market alongside St. Stephens Church

Other Markets

Winter Market: Wintermarkt am Riesenradplatz (Nov 21)  http://www.wintermarkt.at/wintermarkt/  nov 21

Art and Crafts Advent: Kunst & Handwerk (Art Advent) am Karlsplatz (Nov 20) http://www.artadvent.at/en/

For a list of my top ten favorite Christmas markets (based on visits in 2013), see this blog entry: 
http://www.eclecticatbest.com/2013/12/my-ten-favorite-vienna-christmas-markets.html

By the way, these larger Christmas markets are not the only places to get a fix of hot wine, fresh food, crafts, and trinkets. Other smaller markets are scattered around the city including on Mariahilferstrasse (by the Mariahilferstrasse Church), at Floridsdorf train station, and by the Staatsoper on Mahlerstrasse.  You can even find a small market on the roof of the fancy Ritz-Carlton Hotel, located on the Stuben Ring. (See http://kurier.at/weihnachten/adventmaerkte/der-hoechste-christkindlmarkt-der-stadt/163.826.251   )

Advertisement for a Advent Market
on December 6 in the 18th District

Also, on weekends you in late November and in December, Christmas markets are held at locations in many different neighborhoods, often to raise funds for charities and non-profit organizations. If you are in Vienna, keep an eye out for announcements of these local markets.  

Christmas Season is Here

The arrival of the Christmas markets in Vienna provides a good opportunity for locals and visitors to enjoy some of their favorite places in the city in the glow of mostly tasteful and colorful decorations. They provide a good excuse to be outside in colder weather, joining others in a festive atmosphere. For those who care about the traditional elements of Christmas, decorated Christmas trees can be found, as can nativity scenes and other representations of the religious side of the holiday. For those who do not care so much about those things, lots of different types of punsch can be sampled before Christmas Day.

Sir, Your Goose is Cooked: Eating Gansl in Vienna

It has been a few decades since I was in Vienna during November and I had forgotten – if I ever knew – that November is the month here for eating geese. In Austria, the word for goose is Gans or Gansl or Ganserl, and at the beginning of the month, I began to notice that the menus of many restaurants featured soups and main meals made of these creatures.

 

Sign advertising Gansl Week at Restaurant Leupold, Schottengasse 7
http://www.leupold.at/leupold.at/Heimseite.html

I was curious why November is the month for eating goose meat. I knew that duck (Ente) is served in various forms throughout the year, but had rarely seen Gans on Viennese menus when I was in Vienna in March or April or December, the months I usually visit the city. 

A little research shows that cooking geese in November is a long tradition not only in Austria, but other European countries with large Catholic populations. In its purist form, the tradition calls for meals from geese to be served on November 11, the celebration day for St. Martin (Namenstag des Heiligen Martin) who was born in 316 and was a Roman soldier before becoming a priest and bishop of the Catholic church (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_of_Tours). 

Apparently, he is associated with geese by a legend that when he trying to avoid being ordained as a bishop, he had hidden in a goose pen, where he was betrayed by the cackling of the geese. The association of geese with St. Martin explains why often a November menu offers “Martinigansl.”

 

Daily menu at a restaurant on Waehringerstrasse:
Creme of goose soup plus 1/4 of a goose with red cabbage
and a potato dumplisg, 13.80 Euro

Not only is the consumption of geese a matter of celebrating the name day of a saint, the time also coincides with the waning days of the harvest season when geese have had months to fatten and farm work is coming to an end. 

According to a newspaper story in the Kurier (November 8, 2015), the religious and secular traditions of eating geese in November was first mentioned in texts written in 1171. It was noted that the work year for farm workers (who labored for land owners) ended on November 11 and they each received a goose as part of the payment for their work.

Over time, serving geese at meals was not limited to November 11, but also a week or two before or after that date. Each restaurant decides the period of time it will feature Gansl or Martinigansl; generally it can be found in different restaurants throughout most the month.

Wikipedia has a good history of St. Martin’s day: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin%27s_Day. According to this article, in Austria St. Martin’s day is celebrated

…as a harvest festival. Events include art exhibitions, wine tastings, and live music. “Martinigansl” (roasted goose) is the traditional dish of the season…The nights before and on the night of Nov. 11, children walk in processions carrying lanterns, which they made in school, and sing Martin songs.

The celebration is, apparently, a popular one. According to the Kurier newspaper (November 8, 2015), Austrians consume about 500,000 geese each year, with 90 percent served in the weeks around November 11^th. In 2014, Austrians ate 2,377 tons of dead geese. Of the geese consumed in Austria, only 17 percent are produced in the country. The other percentage is imported from countries that have less stringent regulation of how geese are raised.

Goose leg with cabbage and dumpling
(Source: http://www.schiff-tulln.at/images/restaurant/Ganslessen_pic01.jpg)

In 2015, several newspapers recommended the best place to eat Gansl in and aroud vienna. The recommendations from the newspaper Kurier are here:

http://kurier.at/lebensart/genuss/restaurants-die-besten-martinigansl/160.396.230

Among its recommendations is the restaurant in the elegant hotel, Park Hyatt, located at Am Hof 2 (http://www.vienna.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html). According to the article, the four-course Martinsgans meal was available evenings from November 6 to 15. It cost 72 Euros without drinks. A cooked goose (Ganserl), sufficient to serve four people, can be ordered and picked up at the hotel from November 1 to December 26.  The cost, without side dishes, is 195 Euro.

The on-line magazine Goodnight has another set of recommendations at this link:  http://goodnight.at/magazin/freizeit/649-martinigansl-essen-in-wien. Included on this list is my favorite restaurant from my time in Vienna during the 1971-72 academic year, Heidenkummer Gasthaus, located at Breitenfelder Gasse 18 in the 8^th District (http://www.heidenkummer.at/). According to this article:

Gasthaus Heidenkummer lies in the middle of the eighth district and offers good, traditional food. Here you can get a Martinigansl until November 22 for a reasonable 16 Euros. In addition, in the afternoons you can get a two course meal for about 6.50 Euro. The Gasthaus is decorated in traditional dark wood and is very comfortable.

Inside Heidenkummer, photo from its website

A third set of recommendations can be found at the Vienna.at website:

http://www.vienna.at/ganslessen-in-wien-die-besten-lokale-fuer-den-traditionellen-martini-genuss/3759336. This site also mentions an eight district restaurant that I have long liked, Café-Restaurant Hummel (http://cafehummel.at/) at Josefstädter Straße 66. The article says  that "from November 7^th to the 15^th, one can enjoy Martini-Gansl at the Hummel, with traditional side dishes of dumpling (Knödel) und red cabbage. The pleasure of the meal will be enhanced with glazed chestnut and a cranberry pear."

(Even if you do not read German, take a look at the three links recommending places to get Gansl to see pictures of the eating establishments.)

It appears that if you are a fan of goose meat, the time to travel to Vienna is November 11^th or thereabouts, as soon as you finish harvesting your crops.   

The Quiet of a Birch Bay Autumn

On the day after Labor Day, Birch Bay (WA) grows quiet. Few cars are on Birch Bay Drive, the road along the Bay that is the heart of this resort. Vacation homes by and near the Bay have their shades pulled. The C Shop is dark and without its enticing odors.

Someone, it seems, flipped a switch and the bustling resort has transformed into a peaceful hamlet whose full-time residents have the colorful Bay sunsets, cleansed air, and relaxing vistas to themselves.

As visitors abandon Birch Bay, the weather gets better. September days are mostly sunny, and the mild days and cool nights are near perfection. The area gets just enough rain to filter the air and to turn the summer-browned land to green. Unlike dry July and August when only weeds can survive, Birch Bay's fall revives grass and moss and other greenery.

As September changes to October, the pace of life in Birch Bay decelerates even more. On weekdays, residents have the place mostly to themselves. Even when a few people wander into the village on weekends, the quiet remains mostly unbroken. In this setting, it is easier to notice the splash of Kingfishers as they dive bomb into Terrell Creek and of salmon as they leap out of the shallow water for no known reason.

No doubt the herons are pleased with the new peace that surrounds them. They return to locations on the creek and along the ocean they had abandoned earlier when the crowds had descended to shoot off their fireworks and to explore the nature around them.

A bonus for fall residents of Birch Bay is that they get to see flocks migrating ducks and geese that make stops in the Bay. With a guide book and some binoculars, Birch Bayers get the thrill of identifying their colorful guests.

Flocks of Birds Arrive in Late Autumn

With the beaches of Birch Bay State Park largely empty, fishing boats show up not far from the park's shore. They not only snatch critters from the Bay for diners near and far, they also serve as picturesque objects that enhance the beauty of fall sunsets over the Bay. The few people passing through Birch Bay can usually be seen with a camera at the State Park as sunset falls. Fortunately for some of us, it is almost impossible to take a bad picture of a Birch Bay sunset.

Fishing Boats Seen as Sunset from Birch Bay State Park

A Fishing Boat on Birch Bay, Seen from Birch Bay State Park

As October progresses, the shorter days are less likely to be sunny and more likely to be rainy. The clouds and rain often enhance the beauty of the Bay's sunsets and bring a deeper silence that sharpens the taste of coffee and, on the best days, stimulates deeper thoughts.

The shortening of days and the increasing absence of the sun create a feeling of uneasiness among the residents of Birch Bay. They remind us that another switch is about to be flipped. This time both the costs and rewards of living in Birch Bay increase. Even more residents leave to find refuge in a sunnier place.

The change usually comes in December. The sun disappears for days at a time. The wind changes from a cleansing breeze to steady force, then sometimes to a threatening roar. The gentle Bay waves are replaced by unsettled, roiled waters that threaten to blow onto roadways.

A Winter Storm Creates Big Birch Bay Waves 

If you live amid tall pine trees, you can only hope that they can, for one more year, withstand the frightening gusts of cold wind visiting from the Arctic. If you have a house along the Bay, you pray that it will survive onslaught of  the black sea for one more year.

Winter Sky Over Birch Bay

Yet for those who stay during the winter months, the rewards are immense: Quiet, calm, pristine air, active wildlife, superlative views of a transformed Bay. Thus as the autumn deepens and the signs of things to come appear. it is time to contemplate what the winter has to offer and whether we want to be here when it arrives.

 

Big Waves: Winter in Birch Bay