Warming up in snowy Slovakia

It’s minus six today in Piestany, and few people are out on the snow packed pavements. The town’s “fashion” shops are so plentiful that proprietors are competing for custom; wriggling their garments of the day over mismatched mannequins–who are then manhandled outside to be headless, hapless greeters. One’s jacketed nonchalantly in understated beige. Steps away, a … More Warming up in snowy Slovakia

Midge and Mozart: musical notes for our wintry mini-break.

OK….what links Mozart, Schubert, Strauss…and Midge Ure? Answer: our next destination. Midge, as part of Ultravox, memorably sang about this beautiful city. The other three, along with Beethoven, lived there. Its rich, classical music heritage is, we’ve heard, just a part of what’s earned Vienna the unofficial title of Europe’s cultural capital. Add to that … More Midge and Mozart: musical notes for our wintry mini-break.