Some of our friends ask us about everyday life here in Austria...these are a few of my unofficial observations.
FIRST: DRIVING
There are no free right turns allowed on red lights ever.
The traffic lights are green, then go to blinking green, then to yellow and then to red. From red, they go to both red and yellow, and then green.
Also speed limits are difficult to get used to and remember all the time. Some speed limit signs are posted, but not all the time. City residential limits are usually 30 kpm or 18 mph. Regular city streets are 50 or 60 kph or 31-38 mph. Between cities either 70 or 100 kph or 45-62. The freeway is 100 kph in town and 130 kph out of town or 62-81 mph. The mission speed limit is 120 kph or 75 mph.
The confusing part is when it is not posted and you just need to know what it is. You can also get a speeding ticket and not know about it until the police send it to you.
Which has happened to us. Of course it could have been when the Elders borrowed our car for a day. They do not just pull you over and give you your ticket.
SECOND: SHOPPING
Grocery stores do not provide free bags, you can buy one or bring yours from home, as most people do, no one ever bags your groceries and there is always a line of people behind you that seem to be in a hurry.
Grocery shopping is always an adventure. There are 8-10 different kinds of flour and all in little 1 Kilo (about 2 lbs) bags.
Some things come in tubes:
You buy eggs in quantities of 6 or 10 or 15, no dozen eggs.
The grocery stores sell other products besides groceries and they seem randomly displayed. You have a row of frozen foods next to a row of luggage or clothes or other unrelated items and then another row of normal grocery items and the pattern repeats itself throughout the stores for the most part. It seems to change every time you go to any store. Interesting, but inconvenient for us grocery only shoppers.
THIRD: MOVIES
The price of a movie ticket is based on how long the movie is.
Up to 109 minutes is the starting point, and then it goes up depending on the length of the movie. For example to see The Hobbit in 3D, a very long movie, would have cost 19 euros or about $25 each. We did not go!
FOURTH: LANGUAGE
We do get frustrated that certain words are different in Germany than Austria.
The first time we went shopping and looking for yeast. In Germany it is "Hefe". We did not find it. Then someone told us to look for "Germ", which is yeast.
Then there is some confusion about just plain hot dogs. In Germany they are called "Wieners" and in Austria they are called "Frankfurters".
The list is never ending and we continually learn new Austrian wording.
Well, that's all for now,
Elder Didenhover
ps:
These are just a few selections of the best chocolate ever. They come in all sizes as you
can see. We had heard that the post office will not allow you to mail chocolate because
it is considered grocery supplies. Please! This is not common groceries! What craziness
is this?!
FIRST: DRIVING
There are no free right turns allowed on red lights ever.
 |
| Stop means stop. No free rights. That would be going. |
The traffic lights are green, then go to blinking green, then to yellow and then to red. From red, they go to both red and yellow, and then green.
 |
| Simple, right? |
Also speed limits are difficult to get used to and remember all the time. Some speed limit signs are posted, but not all the time. City residential limits are usually 30 kpm or 18 mph. Regular city streets are 50 or 60 kph or 31-38 mph. Between cities either 70 or 100 kph or 45-62. The freeway is 100 kph in town and 130 kph out of town or 62-81 mph. The mission speed limit is 120 kph or 75 mph.
 |
| German border crossing sign showing 50 km/h (31 mph) limit in built-up areas, 100 km/h (62 mph) in rural areas, but only an advisory 130 km/h (81 mph) limit for the Autobahn (From Wikipedia) |
The confusing part is when it is not posted and you just need to know what it is. You can also get a speeding ticket and not know about it until the police send it to you.
 |
| Surprise... |
Which has happened to us. Of course it could have been when the Elders borrowed our car for a day. They do not just pull you over and give you your ticket.
SECOND: SHOPPING
Grocery stores do not provide free bags, you can buy one or bring yours from home, as most people do, no one ever bags your groceries and there is always a line of people behind you that seem to be in a hurry.
 |
| "Did you bring a bag? If not we will be happy to sell you one." |
Grocery shopping is always an adventure. There are 8-10 different kinds of flour and all in little 1 Kilo (about 2 lbs) bags.
Some things come in tubes:
 |
| From left to right: tomato paste, barbeque mustard , mayonnaise , mustard |
You buy eggs in quantities of 6 or 10 or 15, no dozen eggs.
The grocery stores sell other products besides groceries and they seem randomly displayed. You have a row of frozen foods next to a row of luggage or clothes or other unrelated items and then another row of normal grocery items and the pattern repeats itself throughout the stores for the most part. It seems to change every time you go to any store. Interesting, but inconvenient for us grocery only shoppers.
THIRD: MOVIES
The price of a movie ticket is based on how long the movie is.
 |
| "Can we see a movie??" "Well, let's just check and see how long it is." |
Up to 109 minutes is the starting point, and then it goes up depending on the length of the movie. For example to see The Hobbit in 3D, a very long movie, would have cost 19 euros or about $25 each. We did not go!
FOURTH: LANGUAGE
We do get frustrated that certain words are different in Germany than Austria.
The first time we went shopping and looking for yeast. In Germany it is "Hefe". We did not find it. Then someone told us to look for "Germ", which is yeast.
Then there is some confusion about just plain hot dogs. In Germany they are called "Wieners" and in Austria they are called "Frankfurters".
 |
| We must be in Austria... |
The list is never ending and we continually learn new Austrian wording.
Well, that's all for now,
Elder Didenhover
ps:
These are just a few selections of the best chocolate ever. They come in all sizes as you
can see. We had heard that the post office will not allow you to mail chocolate because
it is considered grocery supplies. Please! This is not common groceries! What craziness
is this?!
 |
| So now, our family and friends can understand why we aren't mailing chocolate back home! It is against the law... |
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