[Gocamino] More on 2007 pilgrims..... and Vienna

[blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,
Yes, they did have fireworks.... in front of both St. Stephens Cathedral which is the heart of the city and in front of the Rathaus (City Hall) which looks like a Cathedral. I did not see them because I was at Weinerwald (Vienna woods) at a wine tavern drinking weeks-old white wine ("heurigen") with a young couple from Russia, a young couple from Estonia, a middle aged couple from Italy and an Afrikaaner older woman from South Africa who "liberated" herself from her husband and grown children and was traveling around alone, like myself, and having an absolutely grand time.
The center of the city had been closed to traffic for days before New Year's in preparation for the big bash... and they were giving away bottles of champagne ("sekt") in the streets by nine o'clock in the morning!? Yet, I did not see any drunken or obnoxious behavior the type that compelled the authorities in New York City to pass a law absolutely prohibiting any kind of drinking of alcoholic beverages outdoors, at any time!
New Years is a very big thing in Austria and people go around hugging and kissing each other the day before, and after, and giving each other "Gluck" (luck) presents, which consist of a little fat pig (an old German religious observance), a little man with a ladder representing a chimney sweeper all dressed up (in olden times people were very severely punished of their abodes caught fire, which they did if the chimneys were cluttered, therefore the site of a chimney sweep in the street was considered a very good fortune), lady bugs, because they are beautiful, good and calm and four leaf clovers that were cultivated centuries and centuries ago by a nun who gave them away as amulets.? Calling New Year's Sylvester has something to do with Pope Sylvester, who became a saint.... but I do not know the connection.? There were good luck wishes and hugs and kisses and toasts and gifts everywhere all the time..... Maybe the idea works....I just can't think of a greater luck? than being born in Vienna and going on to become a Golden Viennese. 
I had absolutely no idea of the terrific New Year's? celebration here.... and it occurred to me that it might have been, indeed, a wondrous thing if I had known about it and visited Vienna for it when I was young....... and again,.... maybe not.

I would unqualifiedly urge all those who may be able to do so to come to Vienna for New Year's.... (certainly tons of Europeans do so...... it is a heck of a great? party!)

Anyway, the Compostela-awarded 2007 pilgrims in January were 350; in February 666; in March 1,680; in April 8,112; in May 12,898; in June 15,157; in July 20,108; in August 27,140; in September 15,189; in October 9,434; in November 2,496 and in December 796.

Of those you've asked; the 2007 pilgrims from Australia were 785 (730 in 2006); from New Zealand 195 (138 in 2006); from South Africa 262 (222 in 2006); from Japan 327 (282 in 2006) from Israel 64 (42 in 2006); and from Mexico 514 (484 in 2006).

19,207 pilgrims went by bicycle, 364 rode horses, 93,953 walked and 7 went on wheel chairs.

In totals, 104,568 pilgrims were from European countries (55,326 from Spain itself), 7,211 from American countries, 983 from Oceania (?), 946 from Asia and 318 from Africa.

Let me know what other details you would like me to post.

Big hug!

Rosina

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