Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day.

As an interested party, we from this blog celebrate this beautiful tradition, imported to North America from Central Europe, where it does not exist any more, and we are curious about what do Phil and the others predict for this year: are we going to have an early spring or do we still have to go through six more weeks of winter?

Groundhog Event: Rupertikirtag

Today, September 24th, is the Rupertikirtag, the Patron's Day here in Salzburg. Saint Rupert of Salzburg is the patron and protector of the city and state of Salzburg. Even though I've just read in Wikipedia that Rupert's feast day is March 27th, Salzburg always honors him from September 20th to September 24th. Don't ask me why.



The Rupertikirtag is quite interesting, because schools, banks and public authority have the day off. Unfortunately I don't belong to any of these categories, so I had to go to work. There is a kind of funfair (Dult) in the three squares around the cathedral. The fine weather on Sunday was too big a temptation for the hobby photographer in me. Such venues always provide a thousand details that deserve to be photographed!






I like Rupertikirtag. Barcelona's patrona (a female patron), La Mercè, is celebrated on September 24th as well. And Tarragona's one, Santa Tecla, just one day before. It's not quite the same, but I love the coincidence!

Groundhog Event: Opening of the Salzburg Festival

The Salzburg Festival started on Friday. One of the highlights of the opening celebrations (which are going on this weekend) is the Salzburger Fackeltanz (torch dance): some 100 dancers dance around the Residenzbrunnen fountain with flaming torches.



There is something magical about the figures and shapes the torches trace in the darkness, the baroque fountain and the buildings on Residenzplatz as background.



Five weeks of opera, theatre, VIPs, overpriced cappuccini in coffee houses and roaring members of the Audi on stage fleet driving around like crazy. Welcome to Salzburg in summer!