February 28, 2012

• German for Beginners

  One major difference between being in England and being in Austria is not the lack of ice in drinks (ice is a rarity both places).  It’s the fact that in Austria, the signs are in German and people speak German. Very fast German!  Thankfully, every person we have met has had some experience with English. As the museum docent said to me yesterday in perfect English, “Yes, I speak some English, only high school English.”  If that is high school English, well, wow.

  So far, I have felt the need to learn a few German words:

  Hello- Hallo

  Please- bitte

  Thank you – danke

  Women- Damen (thank HEAVENS for the picture of the girl with the skirt on the door!!

  

   

  Excuse me – Entshuldigen Sie

  Tap water – Hahn Wasser

  Yes, one must ask for the right kind of water to avoid the mistake of getting mineral water or sparkling water. And most of the water is lukewarm, which doesn’t bother me too much, but Rachel and Libby are desperate for ice water. I was pleased with myself this morning when I asked the hostess at the hotel breakfast bar (who does not speak much English) for tap water for two, please. And she brought just what we wanted!

  I have found, though, that some things are easy enough to guess at, even if you don’t know the language. Can you tell what you will find inside if you enter these buildings?

  (Hint–the first word means “Austrian”)

  

  Yep, that’s a bank!

  

  Shoe repair

  

  A drug store (apothecary?)

   

  One thing that has amused me here in Vienna is that “Vienna” is really “Wien.”  And things Viennese are “Wiener.”  So, you can dance to the “Weiner Waltz.” And Vienna Sausages truly are wieners. We even saw a store called “Wiener World.” I haven’t gone in yet, so I am not sure what sort of store it is.

   

  Last night, we had supper at a cafe. Rachel had spaghetti (again), and James and Michael had schnitzel with potatoes.

  

   

  Libby had the exotic “toast.” When you order “toast” here, you really order a grilled ham (ham is “schinken” which is not to be confused with “Hahn-chen” which is chicken) and cheese sandwich. 

  

   

  I had, well, I forget what the German word was, but it was potato dumplings with sauerkraut. Best sauerkraut ever! 

  

  Anyhow, when I cut into the dumplings, they were stuffed with something. Being brave, I ate it, and it was sort of like hamburger, but sort of crunchy. Hmmm. Not a particularly clear taste of any spice.  After dinner, I asked the waitress what was in the dumplings. She did not understand English well. She said, “Meat. Bacon.” Hmmm. It might have been bland bacon. It might have been some other pork-based meat. I have no idea. I just figured I was in Europe at a restaurant, and they’d not put anything very inedible inside a dumpling, right? Right??

  • 6:16 am
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