It is May in Austria, which means May Poles are dotting the countryside. Notice how tall this May Pole is! Apparently these poles are quite a tradition. Erected on the first of May, the poles are actually guarded for the first few days to keep people from stealing them, because if they are stolen then the former owner MUST pay the thief and get the pole back. It is also a tradition to put boxes at the top of the pole containing money and food to entice the more adventurous. My teacher remembers how he and other young boys and men would try to climb the poles to retrieve the boxes. Sometimes the owners would cover the pole in oil to make climbing more difficult. I wonder how many people still participate in this game?