I am panicking about going to Austria now in a mad undirected way. I have a whole day in London on Friday but I keep thinking of crucial things and then hysterically forgetting what they were instantly but knowing dimly that there had been something....... I am afraid of getting to the airport, Gatwick, miles away, so late that I can't sit with my son on the plane and having to eat the 'hot meal' squidged between two strangers. I also thought that although not 'fat' I am then again not unbelievably thin and would look like a fool on the slopes. My daughter pointed out, 'You are going to AUSTRIA where they are pretty much German - the fattest people in Europe'. True.

I can't speak German at all which is very relaxing as I will have to make nil effort. I have, however, learnt one word which I am burning into my brain. It is 'Beuschel'. This is to ensure that under no circumstances do I order it in a restaurant by accident. Under 'Specialities of the Tyrol' is mentioned 'Beuschel - a lung and heart ragout'. Unfortunately we are a hundred years too late for the 'Tyrolean eagle with dumplings' which was once a standard. You would have thought that the amount of meat on an eagle would not have been worth the perilous climb to the eyrie. All food seems to come with dumplings so it is lucky that I have abandoned Dr. A.......s.
- posted by Iris @ 2/04/2004 11:29:00 PM comment