The perfect honeymoon destination – in Austria
A young couple descend from a train at Völs station and take a post bus up the valley. Their destination is the village of Gries im Sellrain in Tyrol, where they will spend a romantic honeymoon. The...
View ArticleA visit to an Islamic school in Vienna
The questions come thick and fast. Then the selfies. I take every opportunity I can to visit schools and universities in Austria. Talking about the UK, Brexit and UK-Austrian relations helps to get...
View Article“Lower Austria” is not “low”
“So,” said my senior visitor. “You are going walking in Lower Austria. I guess that must be pretty flat?” “Er, no,” I said. “Bits of Lower Austria are flatter than bits of some other Austria...
View ArticleEU exit and rights of UK nationals in Austria
I recently appeared on the Austrian TV news show “Zeit im Bild 2”. You can see the video below (in German). It includes an important message on citizens’ rights. The Prime Minister has always made...
View ArticleThe fifth biggest crime in the world
This week the United Kingdom is hosting many world leaders. They are coming to London to make commitments in the fight against the Illegal Wildlife Trade. The Illegal Wildlife Trade, or IWT, is not...
View ArticlePortugal, Britain and Vorarlberg: European Connections
What brings together Portuguese painter Vieira Portuense (1765-1805); Swiss painter Angelika Kauffmann (1741-1807); and English painter Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830)? More than you might think. The...
View ArticleModern Slavery: London and Vienna working together
One year ago at the UN General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Theresa May launched a Call to Action to End Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Tackling the scourge of modern...
View ArticleRecollections of loss – Edmund de Waal in Vienna
It is 1.59 a.m. in Vienna. The city sleeps. But at the Kunsthistorisches Museum a crowd waits in eager anticipation. At precisely 2 a.m., the British artist and writer Edmund de Waal steps forward to...
View ArticleEdmund de Waal unveils his new work at the British Embassy in Vienna (Video)
Famous British writer and artist Edmund de Waal visited Vienna this week. It was a privilege to meet him and to hold in my hand the Hare with Amber Eyes, about which he wrote in his famous best-seller...
View ArticleCitizens’ Rights: my speech in Vienna
As many of you know, The British Embassy in Vienna has been conducting a series of outreach events across Austria over the last two months. The purpose of these events has been to inform British...
View ArticleWhy corruption matters – and what we are doing about it
A corrupt politician in a country far away wears an expensive watch and owns a car costing many times his annual salary. Why should we care? Corruption matters because it undermines the rules-based...
View ArticleA great Henry Moore in Vienna: domes, hills and protective parents
When I lived in Vienna in the 1980s I used to walk to work every day through the Karlsplatz. My path took my past the magnificent Karlskirche, completed in 1737. I also used to admire the beautiful...
View ArticleAwesome Austrian engineering: the Brenner Base Tunnel
Daylight fades as our vehicle enters the shaft. Ahead, a vast tunnel plunges into the mountain, fluorescent wall lights stretching into the haze ahead. Rumbling conveyor belts overhead bring debris...
View ArticleNo Deal Brexit: EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in Austria
In recent days there have been a number of media reports about the implications of a no deal Brexit on the rights of EU citizens in the United Kingdom and the rights of British citizens in the EU. To...
View ArticleUpdate on Citizens’ Rights for British Nationals in Austria
Over the last few days, we have learned more about what the situation will be for British people in Austria in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal. In this blog I want to share with you what...
View ArticleBringing The Third Man home
I am fortunate to live in Vienna in a historic residence. In addition to being used constantly for events by our three missions in the city, the house also has several bedrooms which are used for...
View ArticleShadowing in the FCO: One week in Vienna
Guest blog by Amit Thapar, Senior Policy Advisor, Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) Last autumn I participated in the cross-Whitehall Senior Civil Service shadowing scheme for Grade...
View ArticleIs British education the BeSt? You judge!
Great news: Austria’s largest education fair is coming to Vienna from 7-10 March 2019. BeSt Vienna (the acronym stands for Beruf, Studium, Weiterbildung) will offer a terrific opportunity to find out...
View Article#ViennaMemories #8: The Third Room (and the Third Man)
What is a Third Room? I occasionally consider on this blog objects I acquired during my first diplomatic posting in Vienna in 1984-87. One such is the “Third Room” sign below. I had it made in Vienna...
View ArticleLatest News on Citizens’ Rights for British Nationals in Austria
My blog post of 17 January set out updates on citizens’ rights. This blog looks at where you can find out the latest information, with links where appropriate. Austrian Government Information The...
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