| My brother and sister-in-law had taken the | | | | securely equipped with our Nordic walking |
| next day off and we were planning an | | | | poles. Several restaurants offer refreshments |
| excursion further afield: our destination was | | | | and hearty Austrian food at the summit area, |
| a mountain peak called Mangart in Slovenia, | | | | and high-speed excitement is provided by the |
| located about a three-hour drive from my home | | | | summer tobogganing track that runs down the |
| town. The beauty of Central Europe is its | | | | mountain, a nice adrenaline kick I just had |
| diversity of landscapes and its small | | | | to experience. |
| distances, and in just a few hours of driving | | | | |
| through the Austrian province of Carinthia we | | | | After our hike back down we stopped off at |
| arrived in Val Canale, an area where Austria, | | | | Doris' house, a beautiful property in the |
| Italy and Slovenia meet. Incidentally this is | | | | countryside, that features a brand new pond |
| also the only area where the Germanic, | | | | and large garden. Doris even equipped us with |
| Romance and Slavic language families come | | | | delicious freshly picked peaches from her |
| together right next to one another. We passed | | | | father's orchards. Klaudia and I headed back |
| by the picturesque Predil Lake and continued | | | | to Weiz and an hour later we met up again for |
| our climb into the high mountains and crossed | | | | a backyard barbeque at my brother's place. |
| the Italian border into Slovenia. | | | | Klaudia's entire family, her sister Andrea |
| | | | with daughters Nina and Katja as well as the |
| But as it can be with the best laid plans of | | | | two grandparents joined us for a delicious |
| mice and men, our hiking trip to the Mangart | | | | dinner that showcased my brother's culinary |
| Mountain was not to be: our car overheated | | | | skills in a multi-course feast. |
| and there was no way we were going to make it | | | | |
| any further. We had to stop, let the car cool | | | | My last full day in Austria had arrived and |
| down and turn around to go back down the | | | | Ewald and Anneliese had planned a special |
| mountain. Fortunately, our disappointment did | | | | outing: an excursion to one of Austria's most |
| not last long since we came up with an | | | | famous fortresses - the Riegersburg. In |
| alternate plan: we took the cable car up to | | | | existence for more than 850 years and located |
| Monte Lussari whose summit area features a | | | | in the border region of the old |
| tiny mountain village with a small pilgrimage | | | | Austro-Hungarian Empire, this impressive |
| church. An absolutely stunning 360 degree | | | | fortification has withstood many attacks from |
| mountain vista opens up from the top of this | | | | the east and was never conquered. It has |
| mountain and we enjoyed a hearty lunch on the | | | | often been referred to as the "strongest |
| balcony of a rustic restaurant, taking in the | | | | fortification of Christianity", having |
| phenomenal Alpine panorama. | | | | successfully defended repeated attacks by |
| | | | Turks and Magyars. |
| On our way home we stopped in the town of | | | | |
| Tarvisio, a border town that has benefited | | | | With its numerous fortified gates, its unique |
| for a long time from the traffic between | | | | location on an extinct volcanic cone, its |
| Austria, Slovenia and Italy. We stopped at | | | | extensive defensive walls, wooden drawbridges |
| the market, my brother picked up a few | | | | and moats, the Riegersburg is an authentic |
| Italian delicatessen and we enjoyed our | | | | medieval fortress that has seen architectural |
| stroll through town. After our return in the | | | | additions from the Renaissance and Baroque |
| late afternoon I embarked on a little local | | | | eras. An exhibition in the fortress explains |
| excursion and drove to the Teichalm - | | | | the historic era of the 16th and 17th century |
| Sommeralm area close to my home town. | | | | and sheds light on feudalism as well as two |
| | | | fascinating female characters who inhabited |
| This region is now marketed as the | | | | this fortress more than four centuries ago: |
| "Almenland', which literally means "Alpine | | | | Baroness von Galler and the "flower witch" |
| meadow country". The Tourism Region Sommeralm | | | | Katharina Paldauf. |
| -Teichalm represents the largest contiguous | | | | |
| high-altitude alpine meadow area in Europe. | | | | Our East Styrian tour continued through |
| It features a lake, many hiking trails, ski | | | | volcano country with a drive to Schloss |
| lifts and phenomenal views into the | | | | Kapfenstein, another medieval fortress that |
| surrounding countryside. In addition, the | | | | has been expanded into a castle and today |
| area is used as grazing pastures for hundreds | | | | holds an upscale restaurant and hotel. This |
| of Alpine oxen, animals whose tender and | | | | castle is also located on the extinct cone of |
| tasty meat is prized highly by chefs and | | | | a former volcano. We enjoyed a tasty lunch in |
| restaurant owners throughout the entire area. | | | | the outdoor patio of the castle, against the |
| | | | gorgeous backdrop of the distant Carinthian |
| Poor weather returned on Friday, so I spent a | | | | and Slovenian Mountains. |
| quiet day making visits to acquaintances and | | | | |
| doing errands. The highlight of the day was a | | | | My last evening in Austria was capped off |
| classical concert organized by the local Weiz | | | | with a visit to our friends Luis and |
| Lions Club: a charity concert and fundraiser | | | | Isabella, and all five of us enjoyed the late |
| that featured musicians and an orchestra from | | | | evening sun in their beautiful backyard. Luis |
| AIMS, the American Institute of Musical | | | | even took me on a little motor scooter |
| Studies, a Graz-based organization that | | | | adventure around town. Back at Ewald's place |
| offers intense summer vocal, piano and music | | | | we spent a few more hours reminiscing until I |
| programs to international students, most of | | | | had to pack my bags for my departure to the |
| whom come from the United States. | | | | airport in Vienna Monday morning. |
| | | | |
| We listened to pieces by Mozart, Strauss and | | | | These nine days have been one of the most |
| Verdi and were thoroughly impressed by the | | | | wonderful travel experiences in my life. They |
| young sopranos, tenors and musicians who put | | | | were greatly enhanced by my connections with |
| on an outstanding performance. The event even | | | | family and friends, but in addition, my eyes |
| raised 15,000 Euros for the local charity. I | | | | were truly opened to travel opportunities in |
| interviewed several of the young music | | | | my birth region of Austria. |
| students after the concert and they were | | | | |
| thoroughly enjoying their international | | | | Styria, with its medieval cities, imposing |
| exchange program and sure to return home with | | | | churches, monasteries and fortresses offers a |
| memories of a lifetime. | | | | great variety of destinations to history and |
| | | | architecture lovers. Music, visual and |
| Finally, the sun had returned and my second | | | | performing arts are ever present, even in |
| last day in Austria was going to be gorgeous. | | | | small communities. Outdoor lovers will find a |
| My second photo safari through my home town | | | | whole smorgasbord of activities, from hiking |
| resulted in several encounters with | | | | to mountain biking, skiing, horseback riding, |
| acquaintances whom I had not seen for more | | | | mountaineering, hang-gliding, river rafting |
| than 20 years. Old memories were stirred up | | | | and many other varied pastimes. |
| even more when I connected with my school | | | | |
| friends Klaudia and Doris. During our walk up | | | | The diverse landscapes featuring fertile |
| to the local Weizberg we also had a celebrity | | | | plains, rolling hills full of orchards and |
| connection: Arnold Schwarzenegger's mother, | | | | vineyards, high Alpine peaks and meadows, |
| father and brother are buried in the Weiz | | | | pristine rivers and scenic lakes enchant at |
| cemetery. His parents lived in this town for | | | | every corner. And food, wine and beer lovers |
| many years, and his father was a local police | | | | will definitely enjoy the diverse culinary |
| officer. | | | | offerings. In addition, Styria offers |
| | | | affordable prices and great value to |
| Of course we reminisced about our high school | | | | international travelers. I realized my birth |
| adventures and after a scrumptious garden | | | | region is right up there at the top of any |
| lunch we went to go hiking on the nearby | | | | destinations I have visited in the last few |
| Schöckel mountain. The Schöckel is the | | | | years. |
| largest mountain in the region around Weiz | | | | |
| and provides a phenomenal 360 degree panorama | | | | This trip truly opened my eyes to the |
| over the entire region. Southerly views | | | | astounding beauty and variety of the area |
| extend into the Slovenian and Hungarian | | | | where I was born, and even though Styria |
| plains, and northerly vistas feature the high | | | | might not be as well known as other regions |
| Alpine peaks of Northern Styria. To the east | | | | of Austria, my nine days back home were far |
| and to the west the scenic Styrian hill | | | | too short and I already have a whole list of |
| country opens up. The three of us climbed up | | | | things to do and see next time I am over in |
| the steepest portion of the mountain, | | | | the old country. |