Austrian Folk 51
who go to the party out of courtesy, then leave at 10:00 pm
and turn around and call the police. Figure that one out!
You might find your neighbours openly nosy. They seem
to know everything that goes on in most of the neighbouring
households, and if they are walking by a house, will blatantly
stare into the windows without a hint of pretense.
Remember that Sunday is acknowledged as a quiet family
day. So don’t go disturbing your neighbour by mowing the
lawn, working on the car or doing carpentry work. All of this
should be done on Saturday or on weekdays during the day.
The Cell Phone
If at times the Austrian way appears old-fashioned and
anachronistic, the cell phone or Handy revolutionised the
Austrian way of life. From moms pushing baby carriages, to
people walking their dogs, horseback riders, Fiaker (horse-
drawn carriage) drivers, businessmen at lunch and the public
transportation rider, everyone is carrying one. Austria has
one of the highest densities of mobile phone users in all
of Europe.
Farming Community
Much of Austria is made up of mountains, beautiful lush
forests, and, most importantly, farmland. The farms produce
