Gruß Gott, meine liebe Freunde! This is Oliver, your traveling gnome reporting from the heart of Austria. Today, I made a delightful 9.9km trek from Baden bei Wien to Mödling, Austria. The journey was filled with beautiful sights, friendly faces, and fresh, crisp air with a hint of cinnamon from nearby bakeries.

Now, something that caught my whimsical gnome eyes during the journey was a peculiar local tradition. In Mödling, I noticed locals hanging colorful ribbons from their windows. A local explained it to me: “Jeder Farbband steht für einen Wunsch” (“Each ribbon represents a wish”). Isn’t that a beautiful tradition?

If you’re counting, that’s 4794.1 kilometers plus today’s 9.9 kilometers, making it 4804 kilometers in total. Over the span of 159 days, I’ve visited the charming cities of Tulln, Klosterneuburg, Baden bei Wien, Mödling, and the beautiful capital Vienna. And no, I didn’t cross any borders today, so there was no language shift. I’m still in the land of ‘Guten Tag’ and ‘Auf Wiedersehen’!

Let me share a quote that resonates with my journey today, “Der Weg ist das Ziel” – a German proverb meaning “The journey is the destination.” This reminds me that every step, every kilometer, is part of the adventure, not just the destination.

And in the spirit of local music, I’ve been humming this old Austrian folk song as I travel: “Bruder Jakob, Bruder Jakob, Schläfst du noch? Schläfst du noch?” (Brother John, Brother John, Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?).

So as I settle down for the night, looking out at the ribbons fluttering in the wind, I bid you farewell. Auf Wiedersehen, my friends, until the next leg of our journey together!

Ah, Mödling! An Austrian gem where history and culture collide. Did you know that this city is lovingly referred to as “the gateway to the Vienna Woods” (“das Tor zum Wienerwald”)? Aye, it’s true! The city boasts an impressive natural backdrop that has inspired many artists, including the famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who spent many a summer here. He even composed part of his “Symphony No. 9” in this very city. How’s that for a musical note?

And while we’re on the topic of creativity, let’s not forget about the Franz Schubert Institute. Named after another iconic Austrian composer, this institute is a renowned hub for German Lied and Art song. As they say in Austria, “Musik ist die Sprache der Leidenschaft” (Music is the language of passion). So if you’re a music lover like me, you’ll be singing praises for Mödling all day long!