Steve, you continue to impress me...with being everywhere...involved in policy discussions covering a wide range of foreign policy topics...bringing together an impressive array of expertise and opinions. Your activities are immensely important in providing information to, hopefully, channel the United States, and indeed the World, in a direction that is much different than we have seen in the last 7.5 years.

Incidentally, I have just returned to Michigan from 3 weeks in Hungary (my parents were born there long ago). While there, I happened to catch Steve Sackur's HARDtalk (on BBC World News) interview of Mahmoud Abbas at Lake Como. I was impressed with the comprehensiveness and fairness of Abbas’ views. He is not being bullied by the U.S, talked about seriously pursuing a 'just' peace deal with Israel, places Hamas' considerations as being very important in any settlement, and really is working for the good of the Palestinian people. I saw a human side of Abbas that I have not seen portrayed over here.

Anyway, enjoy yourself. I love to get away and enjoy the change of culture in Europe.

Talk about riled and unpresidential. McCain whispers "horseshit" when Obama calls him on his prime minister of Spain gaffe:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/horseshit.html

Have a safe trip, Steve. Stay away from those Dacquoise and Sacher Tortes, they're fattening. And if you have time, stop at Demel and send chocolates to all your loyal Washington Note readers, you'll make alot of friends. If that is a little too expensive, buy some for yourself and enjoy them with some Viennese coffee. Then describe every bite to us in great detail. That will be fun too!

On a sadder note, Paul Newman died. What a wonderful human being he was. So unlike his Hollywood brethren. His company, "Newman's Own" donated $175 million to charity and he never made a penny on it.

He said the proudest accomplishment of his life (after marrying his talented wife)was making Nixon's enemies list.

Paul Newman was one of the good guys!

Steve,

Glad you're leaving-- a ForPol expert like you should really get
away more.

While you're out in stuffy Vienna, try to get over to Budapest. It's
only 3 hours away by train, and a fantastic city. I lived there for
two years, and while I enjoyed trips to Vienna, Bp is the more
dynamic and exciting place. I'm sure you could organize a
gathering of the city's IR elite and students, and I'm sure they'd
love to hear from you!

I'm sure your schedule will allow for such a diversion...

All the best.

i

Thanks Ivan -- I've never been to Salzburg. Any thoughts on
interesting stuff there? Also, I do need to get to Budapest.

Thanks to WigWag and PeterG too -- and so sorry to hear about
Paul Newman. What a truly great man.

As ever, steve

Salzburg has a world famous Bach Music Festival every October. I have never been there but I have heard recorded music from the Festival. It is supposed to be great! Everyone who goes to Salzburg thinks about Mozart (who lived there as a young man) but during the baroque period Bach was loved in Salzburg.

Salzburg is all about the music and the Christmas markets which are supposed to be great, great, great. But you will be there too early for that.

Steve...you will have a blast in Salzburg and virtually anywhere in the Salzkammergut. I went there as an eighteen-year-old Mozart freak, and I've never been the same since.

Steve,

-Walk through the Aldstadt (Old Town.)

-Go up to the castle above Salzburg and tour.

-After you get back to the bottom, see the Dom (Cathedral).

-Head to St. Peter's Cemetery.

-Cross the river and head to Mirabella Gardens.

-St. Peter's Skiftkeller is a great place for dinner.

Salzburg in 6 easy steps.

Steve:
In Salzburg, don't miss the Mozart Geburtshaus-- always
packed with tourists, but if you love Mozart it's an eerie feeling
to stand in the room in which he was born.
In Vienna, be sure to get to the Kunsthistoriches Museum, if only
to see the room full of Breughels. And the equally big
Naturhistorisches Mueum across the square has the Venus of
Willendorf, along with much, much else. The Stephansdom is
essential, of course, as is the Secession building, for the 90-foot
frieze by Klimt. Finally. Figlmuller used to be famous for having
the best schnitzel on the planet, but it's been a long time since I
was in Vienna and thus can't vouch for it.
Lastly, if you're a fan of "The Third Man", go out to the Prater
amusement park and go for a ride on the Riesenrad, the huge
ferris wheel. It still looks the same as when Orson Welles and
Joseph Cotten shot their famous "cuckoo clock" scene on it.
Don't listen to those who say that Vienna is stuffy. Granted, it's
not Paris, but it's still so deliciously... Viennese. Unfortunately, if
you do all of this stuff you won't have much time left for
conferencing...

Sorry to go off the tourism recommendations, but I read in the newspaper today that the far right just made very large gains in this weekend's Austrian elections.

This from Reuters:

One-third of Austrians vote for extreme right in parliamentary elections

By Reuters

"The far right surged to almost a third of the vote in Austria's parliamentary election on Sunday, complicating prospects for the biggest mainstream party, the Social Democrats, to forge a stable governing coalition."

Steve, I hope that when you return from your trip you can explain why so many Austrians just can't seem to get over their fascination with facism.

Two hundred years ago, Austria was at the center of the European enlightenment.

What happened?