Today is my third day in Austria and my first time in the land of ‘Sound of Music ‘. I’m not actually
based in Salzburg if that’s what you’re thinking. But when I think of Austria, I picture Julie Andrews singing her heart out to picturesque snow-capped Alps. Here I am in Radfeld, a cozy little village with 2188 inhabitants. The air is crisp and the landscape is predominantly mounta
inous. It is covered with forests and woodland.
View from the apartment – Pension Sonhoff, Radfeld.
It is spring now. I see the occasional sun in the afternoon and leap in joy, all excited to step out to enjoy the scenery. But I was warned by Paul not to be fooled by the sunny weather and to put on warm clothes.
The temperature ranges between 7 degrees Celsius – 15 degree Celcius. That’s still on the cold side for me.
On the way to Radfeld from the airport.
Radfeld seems like a farming village. Perfect for mountain biking, hiking or walking along the
scenic footpaths. During summer period, different brass bands from the region perform in the
centre.
Well suited for someone who wants to do absolutely nothing. Perfect for me.
Trains passing by are a common sight from my window.
I walked to Rattenberg which is the closest town from Radfeld. About 10-15minutes walk. Ratenberg is the smallest town in the country with a population of 440. Wonder how they got called a ‘city?’
This is what I found on Wikipedia:
Founded in the 14th century, it was built in the literal shadow of Rat Mountain to protect itself from marauders. The protection, however, comes at a price. Like an estimated 60 other communities nested in the Tyrol region of the Alps, Rattenberg receives little-to-no sunlight during the winter. It is one of the few places at a significant distance from the Arctic Circle that has a time of permanent darkness.
In November 2005, the town announced they were building 30 specialized rotating mirrors called heliostats to reflect sunlight into parts of the town during the winter months. The $2.4 million operation was suggested by Bartenbach Lichtlabor GmbH, a lighting design company. The EU plans to foot half the bill as of November 2005.
Rattenberg is known for its glass making. It has an abundance of crystal glass shops.
Since 1820 the name "Kisslinger" has been standing for tradition and glass refinement. Every day hundreds of guests from Austria and other countries come to watch the best glass finishing in Ratenberg.
Ratenberg has a smaller population and yet seemed more bustling than Radfeld. It is also nick-named, the glass town.
Its architecture is a typical example of a so called Inn-Salzach-Town (multi-storey buildings with oriels and the front facades facing the streets). Some of the buildings date as back as 10th century.
I had a nice walk under the shining sun and blowing wind. Ratenberg is a place of old
traditions; the beginnings of the artful production of glass date back to the 17th century. Europe’s best glass artists moved to Rattenberg.
Yes it is glass!
Happily checked out many stylish gothic buildings and the many interesting; antique pieces, fine woodwork, handmade vintage pieces, artful glass-work, beautiful collection of crystals and wine glasses. Truly a feast for my senses. A famous building in the area today houses Kristall-Glas Kisslinger, the major glass producer in the area. I had the pleasure of watching the artists and craftsmen at work.
Glass blowers in full concentration.
The Tyrolean artists are very skilled in their handwork. It was hard to decide on a single piece of Swarovski jewellery, there were hundreds of them all twinkling at me. Why can’t I have them all (that was my inner greedy monologue) I finally made a choice on a pair of earrings and walked back to Radfeld, while the sun is still shining.
The village characterized by its medieval ambiance.
While walking back saw this cute sign - the arrival of a baby boy.
For dinner we indulged in a hearty western dish. English is not commonly spoken here so you can imagine my challenge when Paul had to translate the menu for me.
I picked a familiar dish, one that never fails to satisfy me, Marinara pasta whilst Paul opted for a slightly unique dish. Can’t recall its name.
We thoroughly enjoyed the meal and brisk walked to the car
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