Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year from Vienna!

Pigs, chimney sweeps, ladybugs, horseshoes, four-leaf clovers and many other Austrian and international symbols of good luck are everywhere in Vienna this New Year's Eve. Shaped out of marzipan, cake, fondant, clay, fabric, or just about any other material and sold in huts, bakeries and confectionaries all around town, shoppers are piling lucky charms in baskets to distribute to friends, family, acquaintances and strangers.











More than 700,000 people—babies to the elderly—sing, dance, eat, drink and otherwise celebrate New Year’s Eve in Vienna’s enormous street party. Stages are set up all around the first district and entertainment is non-stop. In years past it seemed that all of Italy was here; we would hear more Italian than German spoken.




And this is a lucky dog...riding in style!


Happy New Year, everyone! May 2010 bring you good health, happiness, luck and thoughts and may civilization advance in the highest sense of the word.


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