“Es zieht” (“There’s a draft.”)

It’s a perfect November Sunday in Vienna–gentle blue sky, temperatures just above freezing, but “es zieht” (there’s a draft). It was only a year or two ago that I learned the difference between “it’s windy” and “es zieht”. If you say it’s windy, that implies that you can see the effects of the wind. Tree branches are tossed, paper is blown about, and so on. When “es zieht” you feel the wind (and, boy, does it go right through you), but you don’t see it. Before I came to Vienna, I had never heard of having a draft outdoors, but now I know one when I see–sorry, feel–one.