Enchanting Austria! - The Austrian Life Adaptations.

While other countries do battle, 

You lucky Austria, you wed! 

The Austrian legacy of behavioural and social rituals, of sophistication and etiquette, of right-wing ideology and upper-class fascination, has its roots in the middle-age where Austrian ruling family ( Habsburg) sought coalitions principally through marriage instead of war. a policy which had the added benefit of gaining territory through marital inheritance. This practice was described by Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus' quote: Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria, nube! – "Let others wage war. You, happy Austria, marry!

And this is the first impression when you step into the picturesque, enchanting Austria- peaceful, respectful and courteous but proud of their inheritance and nationality. The subjective feeling of well-being proclaimed by locals and tourists alike in Austria has been repeatedly attested to by leading international studies and city rankings, which have made Austria one of the most liveable countries in the world. 

Having travelled to Austria, covering Vienna, Salzburg, Hallstatt, Innsbruck and Graz, let me tell you some amusing yet hilarious Austrian life adaptations. Here are my 25 Austrian nitwits.

1. 7 pm means 6.55 pm.

Austrians are suckers for punctuality and that is reflected in their long strides, in their public transport timings and even on ‘first dates’. So if you need to board an Austrian train or a bus or meet an Austrian you should arrive 5 minutes early which is considered a norm and not an obligation. You have been warned!

P.S.- Throughout Austria, there is a clock tower every 200 meters. Now do you trust me how big Austrians are on time!

2. Smokers' Paradise.

Even diehard smokers, when arriving in Austria, are in for a shock at the clouds of blue haze filling bars, restaurants and street side. Even Austria’s General Hospital has a ‘Tabak’ selling cigarettes right at the entrance. The legal age of smoking being 16 years, by 17, smoking amateurs become smoking lovers. So if you want to master smoke rings, Austria is your circus. Smokes are cheap and conveniently available. 

P.S.- Austria's OCD with cleanliness and cigarette fascination has given birth to innovative public ashtrays. 

3. When you have it, flaunt it. Nudity is accepted.

Beating the Germans, the Austrians are the new world champions in nudism and naturism. Strict habits of hiking, being outdoors and super-human strength to digest and process metric tonnes of pork and potatoes have made Austrians extremely healthy. And don’t blink an eye in flaunting their well sculpted essentials. Topless sun baking is the norm at all public swimming spots, be it beside the Danube, at a public pool or at a local swim spot. 

P.S.- Be prepared of going to an Austrian sauna and baring it all infront of 40 odd humans including the opposite sex.

4. Moo - Moo. Dairy

The rural tradition of farming and loving their cows has culminated into rich dairy culture in Austria comprising of exotic varieties of cheese, milk, butter, buttermilk, cream, creamy spreads, creamy sauces, mayonnaise etc. So profound is their love of Dairy that they have invented a drink made from leftover ‘cheese juice’ called Latella. 

P.S.- Try the exotic dairy only if you have a strong heart. 

5. Daily Kaffe & Kuchen. 

Austria’s laid-back aristocracy is depicted in its mid afternoon coffee and cake break. Any and every day around 3 pm is Kaffe & Kuchen time. Sit at an outdoor spot, get yourself a coffee and slice of Cake – Sacher Torte, Apfel, Marillen, Shokolade, whichever and then sit and enjoy 20 minutes of pure bliss. 

P.S.- Coffee must always come with a glass of water on the side. Because coffee is not a substitute of thirst. It is to be savoured like a God’s drink. 

6. Water is pious for Austrians.

Water in Austria is high-quality tap water straight from the Alps and is not just pure but also ‘delicious’. Many of the Churches in Prague and Hungary transport-in Austrian water for religious ceremonies. Having said that, tap water is classified as prickelnd, mild & ohne. However, ordering tap water is generally considered rude in Austria. To spare the hassle, order still mineral water ('Mineralwasser ohne Kohlensäure').

P.S.- Public water fountains are ample and free. 

7. Sunday is taken seriously. 

All shops, including Tabaks and grocery points, are closed on Sundays. Sunday is traditionally a ‘family day’ used to socialise, indulge in long lunches, laze around and participate in outdoor recreation. Also Sunday is a strict 'wash your car' day.

P.S.- Plan your itinerary taking ‘Sunday shutdown’ into consideration. 

8. Austrians' OCD with cleanliness. 

Austria is an OCD dream of cleanliness. Cleanliness is imperative. You will notice diners cleaning the leftover morsels after dining. No joke but you will find Austrians on their way to work stopping by to clean a spot which is considered ‘unkept’ as per Austrian standards. 

P.S.- Make sure on your travel to Austria you abide by the clean and tidy bug of Austria to escape the sting of honest (brutal) Austrians. 

9. Greetings and salutations in Austria 

Austria has a very strong formal culture and expect the same from the travellers. Greetings are considered necessary and avoiding them is labelled offensive. If you walk past someone on the street its extremely rude to not say ‘Servus’ or ‘Gruß Gott’ in greeting. And whilst you leave, greeting of ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ is used as a substitute of ‘Good Day’.

P.S.- Use the greeting especially when entering or leaving a lift. English translations of 'Hello' and 'Goodbye' are also accommodated. 

10. Where are you from? 

For Austrians it is a rewarding game to correctly guess about your nationality. They take pride in their knowledge of demographies, accents and habits. So don’t be offended if you are greeted with a 15 minute game of ‘Guess, where I am from?’ while striking a conversation with an Austrian. 

P.S.- Be sporting and interesting. 

11. Vienna Waltz is a myth. 

The books might tell you of the highly measured Vienna Waltz but one night at a local club will tell you how Austrians are more into dance-style of 'Macarena' than that of waltz. Clapping, hopping, jumping, flapping hands and cheering along with lyrics is Austrian free-spirit of dancing.

P.S.- When they say ‘dance like no one is watching’, they might have taken inspiration from Austria. 

12. VAT reimbursement 

Not many a times do you enjoy the ‘benefits’ of not owning a EU/UK/USA Passport. But in Austria….! If you are a non-EU citizen, you will get the value added tax re-imbursed at your departure (typically at an airport). Considering that VAT is an impressive 20 percent in Austria, even medium priced souvenirs count. 

P.S.- Make sure all your shopping is backed by bills. Take advantage of the VAT reimbursements and be rich to come to Austria again. 

13. Stop at Red!

Discipline and traffic rules are crucial to the Austrian life. Even at late in the night you will find pedestrians waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green and then cross the road. It is precisely for this reason that the average driving speed in Austria is 100 km/hour. 

P.S.- Understand the traffic rules and road signs. There are different markings for pedestrians, motor vehicles and bicycles. 

14. The romance and culture of bicycles. 

Austria’s bike culture is impressive: bike lobbies, urban bike agencies, many cycling events. Whilst many of the Austrians resort to bicycles for their commute, as a traveller, there are a number of spectacular, developed and mostly paved cycling trails and cycling tours. Some of them being Vorarlberg Trail and Lake Constance Loop, Tauernradweg along the Salzach and Saalach River, Salzkammergut Lake District Tour, Danube Bike Trail from Passau to Vienna (or on to Hainburg),Velo Veritas - a vintage bike tour, Mozart bike tour, Alpe Adria bike trail etc.

P.S. - Renting bicycles is far more economical than using the public transport. 

15. A Church at every turn. 

The Austrian society is strongly influenced by a baroque, Catholic tradition. There is literally a church or a Catholic Kirche at every turn. There will be a time when you will say it out loud, ‘Ah! Another Church’.

P.S.- But you will not complain because of the sheer beauty of the Churches. They are all breathtaking. 

16. Get spoilt with high-quality, fresh food. 

The quality of food in Austria is excellent and the supermarkets and grocery shops tend to stock an abundance of local, organic and seasonal foods. The refined, fresh and pure taste of the food is a treat. The regional specialities - like pumpkin seed oil and Käferbohnen are a must try.

P.S.- Atleast one visit to the Farmer’s market is a must. Organic foods are not only common, but also low priced. 

17. Get fit and hike. 

The natural beauty of Austria gives rise to pronounced outdoors culture- Mountaineering, skiing, rock climbing, camping,  just strolling. You will find the locals climbing pretty much any hill-resembling thing pointing out of the landscape.

P.S.- The landscape, pollution-free atmosphere and the caffeine kick will incite anyone to hike. 

18. Austrian idea of 'hanging out'.

Austrians love strolling. And with Alps in the backyard, flora on the sidelines and Danube on the frontend, who can blame them! Don’t be surprised if being invited to ‘hang-out’ with an Austrian, you end up walking miles. 

P.S.- You will love it and will never complain. Spring is literally at you feet. 

19. Prost! Drinking in Austria. 

Drinking has its own ceremonial protocol in Austria, in which eye-contact and and saying ‘Prost’ to each person plays a central role. Austria's excellent wine, spirits and beer are the pride of local restaurateurs. After a meal Schnaps, Austria's favourite digestive drink, is consumed. This is not a drink for the faint-hearted. The rule is to drink it in a single mouthful and, with most varieties containing around 40% alcohol.

P.S.- If you feel like showing off, you can also say ‘Zum Wohl’ or ‘Prosit’ - which means ‘to your health’ while clicking glasses. 

20. Midnight Hunger Pangs.

Though, Austria is not a country which boasts of unnerving night life, it has avenues for hearty snacks after a long night of revelry. The inner city streets of Austria are peppered with Würstelstände, the equivalent of the kebab house. These food stalls specialise in serving a wide range of sausages and staying open until dawn.

P.S.- The later the hour, the more eccentric the stall's clientele. 

21. Austrian dining rituals. 

Austrians take their food seriously and this dedication shows in their gastronomic rituals. A typical Austrian meal can be a long running affair, as there are normally at least three courses and no rush to leave after the last bite. It is common to languish at the table and enjoy a drink before relinquishing it to the next party.

P.S.- When having a meal as a group, it is polite to wish one another ‘Guten Appetit’ or ‘Mahlzeit’.

22. Imperial Overflow.

Splendid imperial buildings, the medieval narrow streets and the baroque squares that shape the country's image are imperative part of Austria. A 360 degree view of Austria will show you buildings with new-classical architecture. Literally, every building has a history, every building is a masterpiece.

P.S.- All the offices and working places are hidden inside the imperial architecture. 

23. Do, Re Mi everywhere!

Music is a tradition that Austrians uphold and continue with great enthusiasm. No other country can claim such an impressive history of major composers who either come from or made their mark in Austria. Throughout Austria you will find composers with varied talents in music, sometimes even creating music from water, from pressured air and even creating their own instruments. 

P.S.- Align your travel to Austria with the music festivals like Castle Grafenegg Music Festival, Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, Salzburg Festival etc.

24. Classical Fashion Sense of Austria

Classic cuts, nothing too zany, nothing too colourful and not a lot of risky choices - Austria’s fashion sense is classical and borderline boring. However, with the upcoming fashion weeks, Austria has inspired a number of fashion innovation but to clean cuts they limit. 

P.S.- Rent a Dirndl/Lederhosen (traditional dress of Austria) and enter a pub in aristocracy.  

25. Sit, breathe, admire! 

The Austrian lifestyle is of welcoming each day as a new day. They are far away from the mad rush. In the middle of the afternoon on a Monday, it is frequent to spot people sitting in a cafe sipping Aperol or enjoying their cake and coffee. Offices close by 5.30 pm and holidays are often and even sometimes include Friday to give an extended weekend. Gratitude for life is so high in Austrian lifestyle that cribbing, complaining, stressing and mourning is considered a sin.

P.S.- Once you travel to Austria, you would want to live here forever.