EXCURSION TO VIENNA
After visiting Trakoscan, Zavizan and Palagruza meteorologists decided to go to Vienna. Why Vienna? Mr. Ronald Eisenwagner, meteorologist, member of CMS (Croatian Meteorological Society), had been delighted with the excursion to Palagruza and wished to be our host in Vienna. On 1st May 2003 24 passengers started their trip to Vienna, which besides all that historical facts (Habsburg's monarchy, Austro-Hungarian....), to Croatian meteorologists means a little bit more: the beginnings of Croatian meteorological service are connected to Vienna.
On the first day we were sightseeing Schoenbrunn castle and walking through the park by the fish-ponds, we enjoyed in watching the imperial coaches, and those who listened really carefully could hear the whispers of Her and He's honesty making the destiny of the great empire (they built up lighthouses on the Adriatic see, and among others the lighthouse on Palagruza was open on 20.09.1875). After that we went sightseeing the city, walked through the center and in the evening went to the Hotel, somewhere in a suburb of Vienna.
May the 2nd was "the meteorological day". On the military airport "Brumowski" Mr. Eisenwagner gave us a talk about Austrian Meteorological Service; we visited a briefing center where we saw some prognostic maps, than we went to hangars where we saw "The first wings of Austria" – helicopters "Black Hawk". After we had heard everything about helicopters we had a good buffet prepared by our hosts in the Officer’s Mess. Than we went to the city again, to Hohe Warte 38 where "The Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics" (ZAMG = Zentralanstalt fur die Meteorologie und Geodynamik) is situated. There we were listening about the history of the Austrian civil meteorological services and also about it's nowadays activities. We visited the main departments and took some photos on the roof of the building. Finally we went to "Heuriger" where it was the first official meeting of the Austrian Meteorological Society (ÖMG) and the Croatian Meteorological Society (HMD) during a little buffet.
On the 3rd day in the morning we went once again to the centre of Vienna where some of us went to shopping while the others took more sightseeing or both at once. After that our driving alongside the charming Danube valley to the monastery of Melk started. The monastery used to be a shelter for hungry and poor people, resting place for imperial family on their travelling through Europe and of course it was a spiritual centre. Even today that baroque monastery is only partly opened for visitors because there are still monks living in it. It is interesting that monastery's library is opened to everyone and anyone can use any book even if it is antique one. One more interesting fact about the library is that the ceiling was never restored but it looks brand new because it was forbidden to use petroleum lamps or candles in the library.... After visiting the monastery and walking through the park around it we set off back to Croatia. It was one more lovely excursion. And we hope there will be more of them in the future!
The exhibition View of sky turned to be one of the best ways of showing the importance of meteorology in history and as well as in our every day life.
Text: Kornelija Špoler Čanić i Dubravka Rasol
