Thursday, June 19. 2008
Flags, Fans, and Fiakers
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I just happened to be in Vienna for a week (last week). My trip didn‘t have anything to do with football, the timing was purely accidental, but it was almost impossible to not get caught up by football fever.
Everything in Vienna seemed to tip its hat to the championships. Flags were flown everywhere – along the streets, from cars and streetcars, and even occasionally from one of the Fiakers – Vienna‘s traditional horse-drawn carriages. Street cars and busses were re-routed to avoid the fan zone. Public gardens close to the fan zone were fenced off “in the interest of preserving the historic monuments and nature” (according to the signs). Most shop windows were decorated with a football theme. Most restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. had signs advertising live showings of the televised games every evening. A huge percent of the tourists had on some kind of fan attire – scarves, shirts, funny hats – and/or were waving flags or pennants....all in the colors of their country or favorite team. And a large percent of them were red and white – the colors of the Austrian team, but also the colors of the Swiss, Turkish, Polish, and Croatian teams (and maybe a few more that I‘m not aware of).
Vienna is an exciting place to be under normal circumstances, but under the reign of “king football” it has it‘s own special charm. I took a few photos to share Vienna in the throws of football fever with you!
A Fiaker flying the Austrian colors – note that the horse is wearing a fan scarf!
Giant football shoes representing each participating country, outside the MuseumsQuartier.
Even the famous ferris wheel (which played a supporting role in The Third Man) in the Prater amusement park got a new outfit for the championships.
A red and white window display in a tiny shop selling ties, gloves, umbrellas, and suspenders (braces for you from the UK).
Even the fabric stores got in the mood.
My favorite shop window – for obvious reasons!
And again...
Despite all the hubbub, it was still possible to find a nice quiet little place to have a cup of good coffee and yummy baked goods (this is Bäckerei Grimm in the Kurrentgasse).
Wow! What an interesting blog! Great pictures. :0) I actually found you through a search on Fassett, but I think I will have to bookmark you. My husband is from Ulm and we are currently in Texas living. I will have to email you when we come to Germany for fabric store selections. Thanks for the soccer ball tutoring. :0)
Tolle Bilder! :-)
Nice pictures! :-)