Due to measures combating the spreading of Covid-19, the previously closed Viennese Christmas markets are now open again. They had to shut down for about three weeks and were allowed to open this past Sunday. It is so nice to see their lights in the Winter darkness. Filled with joy, I strolled through one of those markets. It is compulsory to enter wearing a mask and there are also signs to inform customers about this. Almost all people I saw were not wearing masks however. I was quite shocked actually. Could this low level of awareness contribute to the spreading?
Christmas trees being sold in a park 公園で売られているクリスマスツリー
Since yesterday in Vienna there are officially now Christmas trees for sale. Being Buddhist (Shin-Buddhism), I myself do not buy one but as a resident of Vienna I feel the local life through it and I find it interesting. Covid-19 is still strong and spreading which is intimidating. I hope however that the people buying and decorating those trees will spend a nice Christmas with their families…
I uploaded new music to YouTube. It is “Sovra il sen la man mi posa” taken from “La Sonnambula” by Vincenzo Bellini. This story takes place at the beginning of the 19th century in a Swiss village. The young woman Amina looks forward to her wedding and she expresses her joy in this song. Yuka Simeno – Soprano, Peter von Kogler – Conductor, Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc, Recorded in 2003 in Olomouc.
This past Autumn, in a street I often pass by, I noticed something new being constructed. Both border parts of the sidewalk were separated from the rest and filled with pebble stones. I was so curious what would become of this and thought that some dogs might use it as a “relief point” and indeed I saw proof of this. The next day, as if to say that that was not the true purpose, small fences around those areas were erected. Those poor dogs were too early in their celebration. I thought that the fenced part could be like a decorative part like a small Japanese pebble garden.
About one month ago, through the window of a bus passing by, I saw a man working inside those fenced areas. My curiosity was awakened and the next time I passed by I was quite surprised. Then I could see what the man had done there. Trees and plants were inserted. I did not know that such activity could be done during cold season. Trees are bare and the small plants on the bottom look almost withered. It looks so natural as if those flowerbeds had been around for a long time and now in their Winter state. In reality those plants in a hibernation state were carefully brought and inserted here. When those plants awaken in Spring, maybe it will be a surprise and they will ask “where are we?”. I had not known about this method of planting before and I was surprised and quite happy about it. Which flowers and plants are they? What kind of trees are they? I look forward to them sending me first signs and them blossoming fully.
Yesterday in Vienna there was quite a lot of snow. In the morning around 5 AM I was somehow awake and noticed looking outside through the blinds that it was somehow brighter. I went to the window to look outside and as I had thought it was snowing. The opposite rooftop was already covered in white and large snowflakes were falling. The sky had a dim white colour and seemed to have much more snow which could have been sent down on us. In the afternoon the snow stock apparently got low and subsided and so I went out to get some groceries. In some parts the snow had already melted and it was not difficult to walk. The mood in the city was somehow different than usual. Since I come from a warmer region of Japan, snow is always something special for me. No matter how many times I experience it, together with the cold air I get a fresh feeling.
Behind this tree to the right there is “Haus des Meeres”. That is an aquarium. To the left there is “Apollo Kino”. Due to the lockdown, both are closed right now.
One can only look at others with one’s own perspective. Whether we know it or not, we think of ourselves as the reference. Sometimes other people’s viewpoint really shocks or surprises us that such thinking might exist. I think such things are quite common in life.
When my grandmother died, my family wanted to hold a Buddhist ceremony for the deceased at home. Since many people were to attend, there should be many pillows for people to sit on the floor in Japanese style. Because we had too few of them, we urgently went out to buy some. In a small shop my mother explained what we needed the pillows for. The shopperson was a middle-aged man and said “Your mother passed away? That must a relief for you”. My mother and I were so shocked by this statement and we literally had no words. Maybe in his household “mother” was problematic like conflict between in-law mother and his wife or something. My mother’s mother was also my real biological grandmother. She always helped my mother with the household because my mother was also working. How much we loved her! I somehow felt sorry for this man because he apparently could only think like that but we got the feeling would not come back to this shop again.
Because of this experience I thought about whether I inadvertently would act like this or express my own opinion, or even have a wrong opinion about someone else. Sadly with my life experience so far I have to say that I can only see others from my perspective and through my viewpoint. It was shaped through my upbringing, my ancestry, my experiences, etc. Only through those filters I can look at other people. I want to take it to heart however not to become too one-sided. I want to strive towards understanding other people and value them.
After quite a long time my husband and I visited Vienna’s Westbahnhof. During lockdown many shops are closed but we thought we should do some exercise for our health. It is already quite cold and Westbahnhof has a large indor area for some window shopping. Also my husband likes trains and we wanted to have some hot coffee while looking at trains. There were hardly any people on the platforms. We were not afraid of Covid but the wind was very strong and cold. That’s why, after some time, we went back into the station. Because of lockdown there are fewer people around but nevertheless the station was decorated for Christrmas season. We took some pictures and then returned home. Outside the wind had grown even stronger and felt really cold. Because of the wind strength I was almost blown away. A person on a bicycle at a pedestrian crossing even fell over because of it. Fortunately some people hepled that person get back up. It is said there exists now a new variant called “omicron”, which is quite uncertain and sounds somewhat eerie. Almost as though the weather too wanted to intimidate us…
Christmas street lights are already illuminated. クリスマスの灯りが点きましたFew people out on the street but food delivery services are a familiar sight. 人影まばらな通りを食事の配達が行き交います
It can be felt that Winter really has arrived. This past Friday when I woke up it was snowing for the first time this season in Vienna. In the morning it was snowing heavily but in the afternoon it diminished and in the evening there was no snow on the street. But since that day every time I wake up I see something white on the opposite roof. Maybe because of the lockdown it is very quiet now and very few people are out on the street. When I took those pictures my hands got really cold and I felt my fingers freeze. I immediately had to put on gloves, which was the first time this season. I felt that Winter had also somehow crept into my body. It seems that only the christmas street lights provide warmth to me…
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