Shoot the Chutes!

From Chute Collection  I

Chute Collection I

From Chute Collection II

"The artist in me cries out for design."

Robert Frost

Bob Dylan - In A Basement Black as Coal

After living in Vienna for almost 8 years, it still fascinates me that there are always reminders of just how different this city is from Sydney. Of course it is older, but the reminders are often the most simplest of things as they never existed, or at least not in the same form, Downunder. This was generally due to different living conditions, environment, culture or building codes.  Many times I have small moments of enlightenment or discovery that can lead me on the path to a small, or sometimes a big, adventure of discovery.

Recently, doing a welcome favour for my ex-flatmates, I wandered between my apartment and theirs, with my iPhone in hand and the necessary culinary items to make two feline “friends” extremely satisfied. The setting, for both apartments, is the area of Gersthof, which is located in the 18^th district of city. Gersthof has a colourful history, which is another story, and is an area where a large percentage of the dwellings and apartment blocks date back to the last quarter of the 19^th century. Lovely ornate buildings with relief decorations, tiling, mosaics, friezes, of ornamented doors, ironwork, dotted with statues here & there and mostly always painted in a variety of subtle aged building colours typical to Austrian towns and villages.

Turning the Page. Closing the Book.

* Photo Credit Below

“There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page or just closing the book.” 

 Unknown

The Beatles - Paperpack Writer

I know this post is for a totally different situation than alluded to in the above quote; however I have decided to adopt it for this piece. Most people are aware I do prefer a real printed book with those lovely crunchy pages. Some people also know I am now the owner of an iPhone. The dragged and kicking owner I may add. I hate mobile phones of any type by the way, but stuck with it for contact purposes in this modern age.

Anyway before I digress, let’s return to the subject at hand. There are books these days that are just not available in print, coming only in electronic book format – the eBOOK. I hear the gasps of horror and even the sighs of, even the astonished wonder. Nothing wrong about that, unless of course you don’t have the right tools to be able to read electronic books.