Celebrating Maschgara (after figuring out what it is)

Standing in front of the local grocery store, the automatic door wouldn't open. "Closed for Maschgara starting at 1 p.m." I assumed it was some sort store celebration until I tried the other grocery store: closed visited other shops and they were all closed.

Clothing shop on the marketplace, as seen in reflection:

From A. Reiter in Austria

Then I saw this near the market square--the Tamsweg Band (complete with a few local students:

I spent a few minutes watching the band and the Maschgara with a small crowd, then I headed home, eager to figure out what was going on (I felt too weird asking one of the costume-clad folks). After doing some research, it appears that Maschgara is related to Fasching, and comes from the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, whereby the slaves could dress and act like their masters for that time. Maschgara are the folks in costume, who march around and do various things (play music, parade, etc.)
Just another day in Tamsweg. ;)

UPDATE 19-1: A colleague informed me last night in the bar (the very same one pictured in the last photo) that this Maschgara is not only related to Fasching, but also to a 250-year-old brotherhood in Tamsweg (which currently has 800 members). The brotherhood started as a guild of craftsmen who weren't part of any other guilds and wanted the same benefits, and has endured to this day. Now, most native Tamswegers and any men who have lived in Tamsweg for more than 20 years can join. Of course, only men can join.

On this night, though, the brotherhood parade through the streets, dressed up (Maschgara) and can go to any business that is open and ask for free things. This is why all the stores, except the bars, were closed. They do sing or do speeches, but mostly they just get free beer.

SOPA/PIPA will not stop piracy

Tamsweg in Winter

Although it isn't snowy (but for a few fluffy flurries) in Salzburg, Tamsweg is blanketed and beautiful.

From A. Reiter in Austria

Scotland Photos

Here are my photos from Scotland Hogmanay 2011--when George gets his downloaded, I hope to share a few more as he captured some moments I didn't get.

A Comprehensive Guide to the Protocoll for Walking the Narrow Sidewalks of Tamsweg (first volume, fully revised)

The streets and sidewalks of Tamsweg were not designed with traffic--be it automobile or foot--in mind. This means walking here shouldn't be undertaken under the influence of narcotics, stimulants, true love, or sugar. It is a task that requires one's full attention. Haphazard Tumblr browsing or cloud-gazing are verboten on the bustling streets of this Lungau village.

Admittedly, the streets aren't bustling. But drivers are very much in a hurry, pumping their small cars to high speeds down each short strip of road, only to hit the breaks and round the corners, beginning the process again. Unlike in the US, pedestrians must actually be accountable for where they walk on the act of corporeal locomotion.

In winter, with the snow piling higher, treading the slivers of sidewalk proves a treacherous task. In addition to this, despite the icy trenches and pockmarked mounds now covering the cement, the rules of protocol for walking haven't changed--when walking a narrow pathway and approaching someone who appears elderly or infirm, or anyone of respectable/intimidating demeanor (this of course excludes anyone appearing under the age of 18), the most polite thing to do is to stop, turn, and hug one's entire body up against the building as the person passes by. Going up onto ones tip toes is also an acceptable gesture of extra goodwill and friendly sidewalk fellowship.Umbrellas should be lifted, shop bags pressed awkwardly against the wall, but dogs can move as they please. The path cleared, one may continue on one's way to buy sticks of salami or refillable ink pens, etc. 

Of course, this normal protocol becomes impossible in wintertime: One more often hop and skips over lumps of ice and snow than walks when traveling about the city. In the case of a narrow sidewalk, since a mound of snow now covers the spot where a building-hugging, polite passer-by would stand, this poor soul must gingerly leap over the no-man's-land of the gutter into the street to make way for Oma, who is the VIP of the Tamsweg sidewalk system.

Hopping into the street naturally means hopping into the territory of high-speed vehicles, who, also unlike in the US, luckily seem to pay quite a bit of attention to the actions of pedestrians. Agility and nimbleness are prized qualities of a Tamswegian inhabitant, as after passing or being passed, one must then leap back to the safety of the sidewalk to continue.

This being said, one mustn't forget that all these rules are thrown out in the case of a couple walking together, whereby the two should always walk side by side in an unannounced, but potentially deadly, game of chicken. Beware--the resolve of the Tamswegian couple to walk side by side is challenged at one's own risk.

Christmas Blues and Scotland Adventures

"Striking out on your own is an essential part of growing up." I can't decide whether this is sage wisdom or just good rhetoric. I have realized that I had to journey afar in pursuit of my dreams if I wanted to actualize them--I've worked hard to perfect my language, immerse myself in German and Austrian culture, and use my skills as an editor, scholar, and teacher in the US and abroad.

But during any extended stay away, Christmas has always been a time for me to return home and enjoy the company of my loving parents. It's a time to tell all the little stories that don't get shared through e-mails, to hug and not let go, and to catch up on future plans/goals, etc. Additionally, in an environment that is secure, stable, and familiar, I can ground myself emotionally.

This Christmas, I decided to stay in Austria. Although I still don't regret this decision, as George and I still had a nice time and it afforded me time for an adventure in Scotland (see below), it hurt to be away from family at the one time I always return home.

It seems most folks agree. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, family togetherness came up again and again as the main theme of modern Christmas. While Christians should not forget the spiritual reason to celebrate this holiday, being with family seems a requisite for most everyone, regardless of creed.

I'm not sure how future holidays will turn out, but I like it that way. I'm sure there will be others I won't get to spend with my parents, so this experience will hopefully help me deal with it. This year, at least, the blues were cured by a trip to Scotland right after Christmas. We stayed for 11 days and accomplished our two goals: to check out George's ancestral lands (near the area of Kilmarnock) and to collect any more information about his ancestors we could find and coordinate with human resources in the area.

Of course, we also celebrated Hogmanay (Scottish New Year's celebration), which allowed us to experience bagpipers playing classic rock hits and drinking in public:

Some highlights from the trip include:
*driving on the left side of the road with only one near-death experience to spice up our lives
*visiting the National Museum in Edinburgh and viewing artifacts from Britain's ancient past, including incredibly ornate brooches that aren't too different from the highland garb I see today and some stones with the ancient Ogham script carved into them
*waking up to wildly whipping wind at the window, which ended up being a huge storm that ripped up asphalt, tore down trees, and caused travel havoc in Strathclyde
*eating Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties more times than I'd like to mention :)
*doing a free walking tour in Edinburgh with a man in character, who startled some passersby who commented that they thought he was drunk
*snacking on shortbread and ginger wine with some very kind people from the East Ayrshire Historical Society in Kilmarnock
*examining old tombstones in many different old churchyards for any sign of any of George's ancestors
*visiting "Hemphill" and other ancient sites (Dumbarton Rock, Stirling Castle, site of Norwegian attack in Largs, Battleground of Bannockburn), except the Antonine Wall, which eluded us (despite an hour of driving around with guidance from two maps and the GPS)
*watching Neil Oliver's special "History of Ancient Britain" (all episodes available on YouTube!) and seeing things in it we had seen the day before
*watching crazy British TV shows, like "The Cube," "Perfection," and "Come Dine with Me." Favorite was probably "A Place in the Sun: Home or Away" where two real estate agents showed prospective buyers different homes either in Britain or abroad, and the buyer had to decide at the end which they wanted to buy.
*listening to George master his impression of Alan Rickman

Pictures to come