Kids on the run

The past weekend hosted the 26th Frauenlauf in the Prater and as part of this traditional event there was also a kids run in Saturdayt whihc marked Jakob's first ever competirion. During the course of last week we did practice a few times with our big boy so he can overcome the challenge of the 200m race. While the weather forecast was somehow mixed we did get support as also Max and Leo did opt for the race and thus we met before lunchtime on Saturday near the Stadionbad to register for the race, collect the starting numbers and goodie bags. Due to the massive run to late registration the start of the races for the more than 1600 kids - each age group had its own race actually - was delayed by some 20 minutes. At 1230 finally the time has come and Jakob & Leo were in the front row of the starting grid.

GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

The two boys were so "hot" to race, that as soon as the barrier was lifted prior to the start of the race they wanted to take off and had to be called back by Markus. Once the race got underway the two friends ran hand-in-hand cheered by hundreds of spectators up and down the Prater Hauptallee and across the finishing line. Outside the finishing area they were welcomed not only by Julia, Kerstin & Markus but also Mimi, Bruno & Max (who at that time still waited for his race) as well as Stefan & Viki. Full of pride they wore their finisher's medals as well and enjoyed their big moment visibly. Jakob was enjoyed it so much, that he would have wanted to race once again, but instead we cheered big time for Max when his race was on and Max was stoically enjoying his race, running his p[ace and finishing bravely. the Sausages and drinks afterwards were not only well deserved but also tasted deliciously.

We did it!

Sunday morning then we took off to the races again as the stage was set for the Frauenlauf whichMoni and Mimi participated over the 5km and Viki, her mom and cousin (they came in 4th in the family team ranking!) over the 10km. With sunshine and good music it was a great day and great event - the more than 31000 women in the race had perfect conditions, lots of supporters and lots of fun. We had another day out and about and if jakob's large baloon would not have flown away a few minutes after we got it it would have been the perfect day. As a little consolation we did get a bundle of smaller baloons instead, but nothing aganst the big one. We got to take better care next time!

Julia, Jakob, Kerstin & Markus

Trip to the Middle Ages

On the long Pentecost weekend the city of Hainburg, close to Vienna and on Markus' daily route to work, turned back time a few centuries and hosted a medieval festival. The old town of the historic city was turned into a medieval market place with traders, jugglers, musicians, hangmen, witches, knights and knaves. We have been looking out for a festival like that for a while and thus made our way Sunday morning towards the middle ages. The weather was perfect  -it was sunny and dry - and to our surprise it did not take very long once we entered the "time machine" for Jakob to warm up to the exciting event. The old market place was already at 1000 pretty busy with people dressed in historic outfit as well as "tourists" like ourselves.

No presents from the knights

Kids hat many different opportunities to experience the middle ages - be it by minting their own coins, constructing a bow, dancing to the sounds of lutes and flutes or by watching knights fight. The lattter part was not only for Jakob the most exciting thing, but the tournament area was the most packed area of the festival at times. Hundreds of people watched 7 knights fight each other with the longsword over several rounds and they did not make any presents to each other but fought really hard. No wonder - the price was a decent handmade longsword. Following the first rounds we of the knight tournament when we we made our way back to the marketplace we bought wooden swords and shields for our little own Don Quijote Jakob and his Sancho Panza Julia. Lunch we had  - very typical - without cutlery but we ate the chicken with our fingers and it was just delicious that way. Later on Jakob got his face painted as tiger before watching the final rounds of the tournament in the afternoon. Once the knights have crowned the winner in their tournament the kids took over the tournament court and "fought" with the newly bought swords.

Jakob watching very concentrated

It was not easy to convince our kids to leave the middle ages again and come back to the future, but once we were all sat in the car both Jakob and Julia were quite soon fast asleep. A sleep, that was badly needed as the day was exhausting. only one evidence was, that Julia did not wake up when we reached home but slept through until Monday morning.

Julia, Jakob, Kerstin & Markus