Laughs in translation

„Radio Salzburg wünscht Gute Fahrt“.You can hear it day in day out on the radio and see it at petrol stations…and for many an English-speaking visitor it produces a chuckle. But although this little language joke soon wears thin, there are plenty of others to raise a smile.

Gráinne, visiting from Ireland loved this shop name which is so nearly descriptive of the quality of clothing to be found inside.



No flash in the pan!



Sophie, An Australian visitor roared: “Spark Arse” when she saw our bank, the Sparkasse (Spar = save and Kasse = bank and together pronounced Spar-kasser). We’d never thought of that one and can’t take this sober institution quite so seriously any more.

Some place names attract visitors like the ones on this map. The places are disappointing – no t-shirts or postcards, it seems all the excitement takes place behind closed doors.

Then there is Schitter the nearby butcher and Dick the local electrician whose van has DICK in huge letters on the back. I don’t think his name is Richard.

However, in Gasteinertal, the next valley, the local blacksmith and electrician are classics:

What fun it would it be to drive one of these vans around London?