Monday 22 August 2011

Viennese Escapes
Neusiedl National Park


Early Morning
Illmitzer "Hölle" aerea
of the Neusiedl Lake National Park

Reed-Thatched Cottage
along the reed beds

A Happy Wolly Pig *
enjoying the outdoor life
in the middle of the National Park

A Viennese Melange
at Café-Konditorei Karlo in Illmitz
I always make sure that I stop
for a cup of coffee here -
among the best I ever had!


Photographed
at Neusiedl Lake National Park
in the Illmitz area and at Café Karlo
Illmitz

19 August 2011
Images and Text
© by Merisi

* Woolly Pigs
Mangalitsa (also spelled Mangalitza) Pigs
"Mangalitsa is one of the last
autochthonous pig breeds in Europe.
The hogs have a lot of curly hairs and are
undemanding, which allows keeping
Mangalitsa outdoors throughout the year.
Outdoor keeping contributes essentially
to the sustainable preservation
of the steppe landscape in North Burgenland." Quote from the website
"Traditionelle Lebensmittel"
-> Pannonic Mangalitsa Pig

12 comments:

  1. Whew! I'm glad that was a happy woolly pig! At first I thought it was a dead sheep. But I knew you would never post a photo of a dead sheep on such a lovely blog... still, gave me a start there!

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  2. Thank you for yet another lovely morning, piggy and all!

    xox,
    susan

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  3. I've never seen a woolly pig before :)
    Thank you for your lovely posts about Vienna, a city I can tell you love very much.

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  4. What a peaceful country !

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  5. Marcheline,
    I love them woolly pigs, they are such characters. They remind me of myself, the only difference is that they love to wallow in the dirt while I'd rather wallow in good coffee. ;-)

    susan said so,
    you are welcome! :-)

    Ellee Seymour,
    I encountered my first wolly pig soon after I moved to Vienna, at Prince Eugene's Schloss Hof. They have a special place in my heart ever since.

    Miss Yves,
    it is, indeed!

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  6. Merisi, I also thank you for introducing my eyes to woolly pigs. What wonderful animals they are!

    I also like the look of that melange.

    Thank you for your visit. xo

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  7. potterbarb21 August, 2011

    Merisi,
    thanks for all your wonderful pictures and postings about Vienna, I hope to visit there sometime

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  8. I am partial to "woolly" anything.

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  9. Oh, I am smitten by those pigs!

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  10. Those pigs must be cosy in winter. Speaking of which, your shot of rosehips suggests that autumn is on the way in Vienna - tho it still looks nice and hot.

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  11. Frances,
    dare I say that they also taste good?
    (I usually don't eat pork, but a Mangalitza is an entirely different animal.)
    Oh yes, that coffee tastes even better than it looks! :-)

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  12. Potterbarb,
    you are welcome!
    I hope you will be able to visit soon.

    Tess Kincaid,
    for once, you could even eat it (you'd love it, I'd bet!).
    *evilsmile*

    Vicki Lane,
    as far as I know, they are now also breeding them in the States!

    Linda,
    I have visited those pigs in the winter and they are out there in ice and snow. Their "wool" seems to protect them from both sun and cold.

    The weather right now is a dream: late August heat during the day, beautiful light, cool nights! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.

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