In Teddieland

My next Maiden pilgrimage, not long ago,
Led to Austria's mountains, all covered in snow
I had been invited by a friend from this board
And a call for vacation I've rarely ignored

After some hours my journey thus ends
Where CSPT2 lives, not far from Bregenz
In beautiful Mellendale, enchanting it lies
High up in the mountains, not far from the skies

Vorarlberg in winter is a treat for the eye
The snow sparkling white and piled up oh so high
An eiderdown blanket, quite soothing it seems
Is covering the landscape, which lies as in dreams
Black, skeletal trees they loom out in the cold
And dark, rugged mountains hold secrets untold
This magical scenery is home to a bear
The most Maiden-related of all bears, I swear

His name, you might know it, is Teddie indeed
I was quite excited to finally meet
The sweet little bugger who just like old Ed
Can be mummy or phantom, clairvoyant or dead
As you can see here, Ted did clearly enjoy
For once to be only a normal plush-boy

For more pictures of Teddie check out this thread
The most visited thread in the Corner I bet.

From Mellendale valley I made a short trip
To the castle of Vaduz, which lies on the tip
Of a hill, a location quite picturesque
It's not open for visits, but romanesque
Are the walls of this fortress with latches of red
So from the outside, we took a picture instead

Apart from collector's stamps, the country does not
At least to my knowledge offer tourists a lot
So we drove 'gain back home and the very next day
I saw an informative author display

The works and the life of Franz Michael Felder
A beautiful mind and a passionate heart are
The weapons he used in his fight to help free
The poor of his region of rich tyranny
He asked: "Can't you see, they are grinding us down
They are taking our land", and his fight gained reknown
An inspiring exhibit it was, for you see
Like the Clansman he seemed, with a need to be free

Other sights in Vorarlberg were a cool museum
To smell and to touch, with the nature as theme
On his quest for fire, this caveman looks cold
Meanwhile these wolves appear strong, fierce and bold

In Dornbirn a house was all painted in blood
(Not merely red colour, it's blood, I kid you not!)
And this Castle of Shadow was spooky as well
Very gothic this region, that much I can tell

The Schattenburg

Of all the high mountains, the tall Kanisfluh
Is most Maidenesque: Acacia Mountainview
A wonderful poem by CSPT2
In post 318, is sure worth reading through
As I said, mount Kanisfluh inspired it
And so here you have it, all snow-covered grit:

The last days the snowfall was heavy indeed
It piled up oh so high, at least seven feet!

A pity the days passed so quickly and then
I had to depart and drive homewards again
But I truly and honestly did enjoy
My great vacation with Teddie and the boy (ehm, I mean CS, of course)

Me, Teddie and CS

An Up the Irons to Austria
And see ya in Uster in June
When to the tune of a loud guitar
And Bruce's sweet voice I will swoon .... ... well, it rhymed