36yearsago.com

Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.

Day 9 — Grinzing wine tasting
11-August-1971 (Wed.)


TRANSCRIPT

Class is fairly hard. Today, I went up to the board. The teacher dictated and I wrote. I wrote down a bunch of separate terms, from which you can get a meaning. The professor said, “Ist das gut” and I replied, “für mich, das ist gut”…my first attempt at humor. Succeeded.

Shopped for necessities.

Grinzing Tour

From University, went to the wine house in Grinzing. Tasted wine and food. Very enjoyable. Met a Spanish girl–Maria. Very pleasant conversation. It seems as though most Europeans know how to speak several languages. Europeans also know how to have a good time and most aren’t inhibited. Together, everyone talks and sings.


REFLECTIONS

German class. In German class, I try my first attempt at humor. “Is that good?” asked the professor in response to my paltry try at guessing the meaning of some word I had written on the board? Stoically, I said, “For me (myself), that is good.” Wait a second, that’s not funny in any language.

The German language courses were in the morning. The afternoons (and sometimes early evenings) were often reserved for group tours and activities in which all the summer university students could participate. Some of them were fee-based events. Sometimes you had the afternoon off to do your own sightseeing. Basically, you could choose to do whatever you wanted.

I went on the university sightseeing tours because I had no idea where to go on my own. If you ever take one of these summer language courses, take advantage of the tours to see the city and its environs.

Grinzing wine district. Grinzing, I was told, was a wine-making region just outside of the city. I remember that it was truly enjoyable, eating and tasting the wine, outdoors in the early evening. Food, conversation, music, singing, companionship. What more can you ask for? (girls) (Well, voila!)

Trying to pick up a Spanish girl. Met a Spanish girl. Once again, “everyone” apparently knows a whole “bunch” of languages. Those Europeans; what if your countries weren’t so close together? What then? Do people in the U.S. who live near Canada know “Canadian?” I’ve never been to Spain. I know it’s beautiful. (Please, let me win the Lottery so that I can finally go.)

Well, I can’t say much about the specifics of every event (faulty neurons), and I don’t specifically remember everyone I’ve only met once. The journal says I had an enjoyable time, so I had an enjoyable time. I remember being outside in a vineyard, talking, and listening to everyone sing. Very nice.

Social singing. Americans need to learn some common songs that they can sing at get-togethers. (Take Me Out to the Ballgame doesn’t count.) Many cultures have this tradition of singing when they get together—eat, drink, and sing. My wife, Olga (Ukrainian), and her friends sing a lot, especially at holidays. Why don’t the Americans do it? Let's try.

The eensie, weensie, spider ran up the water spout.
Down came the ….

Is this song public domain?

John

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Tags: Grinzing, wine