spring im schaugarten

i am definitely procrastinating my german homework right now, but i figure if it’s talking about my time at the lovely kittenberger erlebnisgarten (botanical garden) in the wachau valley of austria, then that’s kind of german language related!

going to the kittenberger gardens was to be the main point, the highlight of the day trip… and besides the dazzling danube scenery, it was my favorite part of the day. i had been tantalized with talk that kittenberger has a fabulous bio restaurant, called the glas.haus, where they make all of their entrees fresh using herbs and plants from the garden. YES! I’M HUNGRY! while the three other ladies we came with went to go eat their picnic lunch in the garden, i hunkered right down at this lovely restaurant and ordered the bärlauch pesto pasta. bärlauch means bear garlic in german (also called ramsons), and the best north american equivalent would be ramps. as in, that trendy vegetable i read about in the new york times that i’ve always been dying to try. it did not disappoint!

now i’m obsessed with bear garlic and newly inspired to use more creative ingredients in my cooking! 

some of my favorites from our rainy then sunny then rainy again day at the schaugarten…

this one is a great interpretation of me writing on this blog because of how many ding dang flower photos i’ve been posting recently.

the gardens are located in a little valley near schiltern and langenlois, so there’s definitely that pretty austria thing happening all around you.

i may have recently seen the trampoline episode of community…

some lewd gnomes ahead… one of them got murdered.

das ist mein natur bett.

das ist so spring. (if i wrote this whole post in denglish, would anyone mind?) and what is more austrian than this drink, with over 32 different kinds of kräuter? (herbs)

lovely kittenberger gardens is one of those places that you probably wouldn’t find in a guide book but i’m starting to think those off-the-beaten-path kinds of sights are the best ones. i find myself becoming less and less interested in seeing the big ticket, over touristed places lately… anyone with me?

….and this little enclave of blumen remains a great stop on the way to or from vienna. or a destination all by itself if you’re craving more spring in your life. and more spring i shall have, as we’re preparing for a little holiday in the bohemian national forest for easter.

nature: i’m ready for you!