I cant imagine that you might experience any trouble when you check in at a hotel as a man and leave it as a woman. It really isn't necessary to look for a special trans-friendly hotel. And you surely will only get a smile, when you walk in a shop as a man and show interest in fancy women's clothes. However offering persuasive female performances in the street will not only make your life more relaxed, as you know but also, at least in some districts, safer. It is quite safe to cross-dress in Austria although some Austrians will immediately show inteest in your beauty so beware particularly of groups of drunken men.

Austria doesn't have even one special Trangender Pub. The gay-scene offers bars which I can recommend for TG people, but others - even if they let drags in - are really not worth spending more than ten minutes of time in. The same is valid for the Frauencafe, a woman's bar, where men are not allowed to enter. For a complete list of LGBT pubs visit WWW.RAINBOW.ORG at or pick up one of the free city-guides that you will find in all gay pubs. The pubs I have lsited below will offer you a friendly welcome.

If you want to meet transgender-people inform yourself about the topical meetings and events of TRANS-X, the Viennese group, or of one of the groups in the larger towns. We do not only meet for make-up-workshops, discussions and parties but also for mountain tours and bathing. All transgender groups are open and many of us speak English. Like other Austrians we are open hearted and it should be easy to find another TG-person to spend an evening with. All information is available through www.transgender.at. Just give a "hello I'm coming" in the chat or mailing list before arriving.

However the best time to visit Vienna would be the 28th June, when the large RAINBOW PARADE takes place and the 14th July, at the commemoration day for 320 years of terror against transgender.

If your main interest is to spend an exciting erotic evening in Vienna, you have to visit the LE SWING on a Tuesday. That day is dedicated to men and TG, so you will meet a lot of transvestites as well as warmly interested men. The darker rooms on the backside offer small rooms with beds, which invite for immediate sexual plays.

Vienna has an interesting fetish scene where transgenders are warmly welcomed. The Sado-Maso pub SMART CAFE offers a very familiar atmosphere where you will easily get in contact with others. From time to time there are also lesbian play parties. Which are open for 'all women' including transgender-women. For more information and to make sure that you dont drop in on an eveing where only leather-gays are invited. www.smartcafe.at

If you prefer a traditional atmosphere, classical dancing and beautiful costumes you have to visit one of Austrians Gay-Lesbian Ball Events. Most famous is the LIFE BALL, which takes place in the Viennese town hall. But it is almost impossible to get a ticket for that event. But dont miss the ROSENBALL or the RAINBOW BALL, which takes place in a historical palace in a very traditional manner where you can experience the 18th century, with the small exception that a Gay-Lesbian-Transgender audience surrounds you. In Graz you must visit the famous TUNTENBALL. Central TG website WWW.TRANGENDER.AT

Eva's Listings

Graz

SELF-HELP GROUPS

TRANSGENDER MEETING
Each 2nd Sunday of themonth at 19.00 at the sbz (Gartengasse 20) and each 4th Wednesday at 21.00 at the Traminer Weinstube at the edge Jakminiplatz - Klosterwiesgasse 2 For more information and contacts visit www.graz.transgender.at or michaela www.members.tripod.de/rouxli/michaela.html, michaela@transgender.at

GOING OUT

TRAMINER WEINSTUBE
A TG-friendly wine house Discotheque Q, after midnight on Firday and Saturday. There are a lot of freaky people (punks, fetish, goths and transgender). Tuesday to Saturday 23.00-0.600 at Luthergasee 4.

BLACK FANTASIE
A new club for fetish, bdsm and transgender. Griesgasse 38. Tuesday-Thursday 18.00-24.00 Friday and Saturday 20.00-01.00. www.blackfantasie.at

YAMAMOTO
A nice sushi-bar. Prokopgasse 4. Tuesday to Sunday.

Linz

SELF-HELP GROUPS

TRANSGENDER MEETING
Each 1st Monday and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 19.00. Coffee Corner, Bethlehemstr. 30.4020 Linz, Contact: Alexandra (sandyts@gmx.at) or Nadja (nadja_tg@hotmail.com).

GOING OUT

COFFEE CORNER
Bethlehemstr 30, 4020 Linz. Monday to Saturday, opens at 19.00. Tel: 0732/77 08 62

GASTHAUS BRATWURSTGLOCKERI
TG Friendly restaurant, Angerholzweg 38, 4030 Linz. Tel: 0732/34 20 24

STONEWALL
Rainestr. 22, 4020 Linz. Bar each day from 20.00 h. Disco on Friday and Saturday at 23.00, beware of Turkish gay-bashing gangs hanging around the entrance area - especially on weekends! www.stonewall.at Tel: 0732/60 04 38

MY WAY
Goethestrasse 51, 4020 Linz, daily from 19.00. www.myway.at Tel: 0732/65 27 60

NACHTSCHICHT
TG Friendly discotheque. Im Backerfeld 1, 4060 Leonding, Wednesday to Sunday from 21.00

Salzburg

SELF HELP GROUPS

TRANSGENDER MEETING
Each 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 20.00, HOSI Saluzburg. Office at Mueliner Hauptstrasse 11, 5020 Salzburg Contact: Dani - dany@transgender.at

Vienna

SELF HELP GROUPS

TRANSX - TRANSGENDER - UNION
Meetings each first Monday and third Wednesday of the month at 20.00. Rosa-Lila-Villa, 1060 Vienna. Linke Wienzeile 102 (next U4-Station Pilgramgasse). Club on the 1st floor - http://transx.transgender.at

LBGT - BARS AND PUB VENUES

WILLENDORF
Excellent mixed-gay-lesbian restaurants, 18.00-2.00, Rosa-Lila-Villa, 1060 Vienna, Linke Wienzeile 102, (next U4-Station Pilgramgasse).

CAFE BERG
Coffee shop and restaurant 10.00 - 1.00 Berggasse 8, 1090 Vienna.

CAFE SAVOY
Traditional Viennese Coffee Shop. Monday to Saturday. Linke Wienzeile 36, 1060 Vienna (next to U4 Station Kettenbrueckengasse).

CAFE X BAR
Gay pub, daily from 16.00 Mariahilferstrasse 45, Raimundpassage, 1060 Vienna (next to U4 Station Kettenbrueckengasse).

LIVING ROOM
Gay restaurant 18.00 - 4.00 except Sunday 1050 Vienna, Franzensgasse 18.

FRAUENCAFE
Women - lesbian pub. Tuesday - Saturday 18.30 - 2.00. Lange Gasse 11, 1080 Vienna

DANCE VENUES

NACHTSCHICHT
TG Friendly discotheque, where you usually will meet some of us on Fridays. Wagramerstr. 69, 1220 Vienna. Monday to Saturday from 21.00

U4, HEAVEN
Mixed gay disco. Every Thursday night from 22.00. Schoenbrunnerstrasse 22, 1120 Vienna. U4 underground station Meidling

WHY NOT
Mixed gay disco. Friday and Saturday, best to visit on Saturday http://wwwwhy-not.at, Tiefer Graben 22, 1010 Vienna.

FETISH / TRANS VENUES

LESWING
Transvestites and Gay night on Tuesdays. Changing and make-up rooms are available. Hannovergasse 5, 1200 Vienna.

SMART - CAFE
Viennese sadmasochistic and fetish cafe. Tuesday to Saturday evening. Koestlergasse 9, 10660 Vienna. Each 1st Saturday of the month. SMart Extreme Party with dress code. http://www.smartcafe.at

PERVS @ PARADISE
A fetish event each 2nd Saturday 22.00 (lo:sch), Fuenfhausgasse 1, 1150, Vienna. Dress Code: Fetish/SM/TV.

SM-SUNDAY BRUNCH
Each second Sunday from 12.00 at Cafe Benno, 1090 Bienna. Alserstrasse 67. www.bdsm.at/embm.