The Holy Week …

VOCABULARY

With Easter just around the corner, this is a time to start looking forward to spring and enjoy the celebrations leading up to this very special time of the year. It is a time when we can feel more positive about the future, as spring springs back in all her glory and we can enjoy walking through one of the many immaculately-kept parks, here in Salzburg. Last week, I watched the experienced gardeners, in Mirabell Park, carefully planting the daffodils and crocuses. While I was watching the gardeners going about their work, I saw three weddings taking place in the historical Mirabell Palace. This amazing palace and gardens is a listed cultural heritage monument, and it is hardly surprising that many Austrians, and tourists alike, choose the Marble Hall in Mirabell Palace as a location for their registry office wedding.

Salzburg has so much to offer at Easter time and the exclusive and artistically brilliant Salzburg Easter festival, is no exception. It was founded by Herbert von Karajan, in 1967, as a means of extending the traditional Salzburg Summer Festival. I am really looking forward to seeing Puccini’s Tosca, directed by Christian Thielemann. However, I truly hope that the hundreds of people in the audience, who feel the need to cough at every single interval, have got over their colds by now.

There are many traditional Easter markets where you can buy everything to fill your Easter basket. Starting today, 24 March, you can visit the traditional market at Salzburg’s Open Air "Freilichtmuseum". It sells beautifully painted eggs, delicious Easter ham, butter, cheese and bread straight from the farms. The farm women serve "Pofesen" (slices of toast dipped in batter and then fried) to celebrate the end of Lent. You can also watch handicraft demonstrations including cross-stitch embroidery, the decorating of wax candles or pottery making on a potter’s wheel. The Easter egg hunt for children is planned for Easter Sunday where they also promise a visit from the Easter Bunny.

On Palm Sunday, I always enjoy going to the city to watch families, many of whom are wearing the traditional Austrian dress, flock into the Cathedral to have their palm bushes blessed. According to Catholic belief, this will protect their homes from misfortune and keep away evil spirits. Later, when they are placed in the fields, the palm bush will protect the crops or the family from thunderstorms and disease.

Last year, I made my own palm bush as this is something that I had wanted to do for ages. I thought that it couldn’t be too difficult to tie a few twigs together but I was surprised at how much work goes into making them. A friend of mine showed me how to tie bunches of holly leaves, willows and cedar twigs together and we added seven herbs and a variety of other things. My palm bush didn’t look as good as my friend’s, but I was quite proud of it. Needless to say, this year I bought one. I also bought some pussy willows a few weeks ago and the painted eggs have already been hanging on them for three weeks – just to get my money’s worth.

If you have been fasting for Lent, it comes to an end next Thursday. However, we shouldn't start enjoying the delicacies beforeEaster Sunday. What could be more enjoyable than sitting with your family or friends and enjoying the special Easter ham with horseradish sauce and colourfully painted eggs, all served on an embroidered linen tablecloth? Unlike Christmas, there is no present buying as such and children are very happy if the Easter Bunny brings them Easter eggs next weekend. Weather permitting, an Easter egg hunt is just great for adults and children. Keep your fingers crossed. in all her glory – in all ihrer Pracht immaculately kept – makellos gepflegt daffodils – Märzenbecher listed – denkmalgeschützt hardly surprising – kaum überraschend alike – gleichermaßen registry office – Standesamt no exception – keine Ausnahme to extend – verlängern the audience – das Publikum to cough – husten break – Pause basket – Korb strait from – direkt von batter – Backteig Lent – Fastenzeit handicraft – Handwerk cross-stitch embroidery – Kreuzstickerei potter’s wheel – Töpferscheibe Easter egg hunt – Ostereiersuchen to flock into – hineinströmen to have sth. blessed – etw. segnen lassen according to – laut belief – Glaube misfortune – Unglück for ages – seit langem to tie twigs – Zweige binden bunches – Bündel holly – Stechpalme willows – Weiden cedar twigs – Zedernzweige proud – stolz pussy willow – Palmkatzerl to get my money’s worth – etw. für mein Geld bekommen delicacies – Köstlichkeiten horseradish sauce – Krensauce as such – im eigentlichen Sinn to keep one’s fingers crossed – die Daumen halten