Lobau - The Danube's Wetlands in Vienna

Once a month my friend Brigitte and I take a longer walk on Saturday mornings.

Last week we hiked for 5 hours through the wetlands of the Danube, the Lobau, a protected area in the Nationalpark Donauauen.

Enjoy the peaceful landscape and imagine that we
never
left the citiy limits of Vienna!

We crossed an old arm of the Danube on a bridge called Josefsteg, built by the Austrian Army, the Bundesheer, in 2001.

We enjoyed the intensive green colours and took pictures in the cherry grove.

Guess what D'Ora did?

Exactly!

She watched the changing patterns of the shadows cast on the water by the mallards in the reeds!

Today's flowers - Pink Cherry Trees

Finally, the cherry trees at the Donauinsel are blooming!
I visited the Cherry grove this morning again.

My dog D'Ora not only enjoyed to explore old tree trunks,

but also helped me find flowers for you!

Green-winged Orchid
(Kleines Knabenkraut)

Enjoy flowers all around the world!

A doggy walk along the Danube

Last Sunday I took a walk at the Donauinsel,

the artificial island which divides the river Danube into two basins and thus protects Vienna from the floods caused by Europe's second largest river Danube.

In the distance you can see Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg,
the most famous hills of the Vienna Woods within city boundaries.


The hills make a nice background for the fishing boat and the two friends enjoying a Sunday morning chat on the water!

Yippee! My dog enjoys to explore the coves where dogs are allowed to play freely!

Ah! The exciting smells of water, stones, grass and animals!

I'm looking for the Japanese Cherry Grove and nearly miss it.
After walking back for two miles, there is a sign:

The Cherry Grove!
Japan gave Vienna 1000 cherry trees as a present for Austria's 1000 years celebration (1996).
The trees were planted in 2002 and are still rather small!

It's still too cold for the blossoms, they are still closed!

Unfortunately this year's cherry festival was cancelled because of rain.

We walk back to the riverside. A canoe silently paddles upstream.

Soon we notice that we are back in the city again.

Millennium Tower is our point of departure.
It makes a nice contrast to the natural environment we have enjoyed for the past two hours.

Click on the picture below for more watery views:

Cherry blossoms still asleep

Last Wednesday, my friend Brigitte and I visited the Japanese garden("Kirschenhain") at the Donauinsel.

A pastel sunset behind Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg.

And 1000 Japanese cherry trees waiting for the spring sun to open up their buds!

Too bad,

Vienna's 9th cherry tree festival was cancelled because of rainy weather!

Follow this link to see pictures from last year's cherry tree festival!

桜の森

「キルシェンハイン - 桜の森」は2002年春、ドナウインゼル１８キロメートル地点に、ウィーン森林局と芸術家グループ to the woodsによって創られました。
この公園は、ニーダーオーストリア州 シュレムスで採取された花崗岩100体と1996年オーストリア建国1000年を記念して日本から寄贈された1000本桜のうち最後の150本から成り、 ドナウ川とその周辺の野原や木立と調和した憩いの空間となっています。
桜の森の完成と1000本桜が全て植え終わった記念として2002年4月30日に最初の「桜の森祭り」が行われ、その後毎年桜の季節に開催されています。
桜の森の成長にともない、自然との関わり、訪れる人々の交流もますます深まっていくことでしょう。 この成長型アート空間は、伝統的な日本庭園に新風を吹き込むものです。

Easter Eggs à la Christine

Dear friends,

I saw many delicious Easter dishes when I visited your blogs!
But look,
This is what we had as starters for our Easter meal:
Eggs à la Christine, embedded in green beans :-)
And we dispatched the chocolate Easter bunnies as a dessert!