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Hello From Austria Classical Music Hiking and Summer Tobogganing and Two Delicious Backyard Feasts II
t 9:30 am I went to visit letter to the ambulance employees
Klaudia, one of my best as well as to Klaudia’s father,
friends from high school, to thank him for getting help for
at her parent’s house. Our other his mother. Proof that in this
school mate Doris was already town real celebrity connections
there and it was great to see are just steps away…
both of them again, more than 23
years after we graduated from Right next to the church is the
high school. After the initial so-called “Kräutergarten” (herb
hugs and kisses and how-are-yous garden) that was created by a
we started walking onto the local group of local residents
hill, the Weizberg. Our stroll (including Klaudia’s mom) that
took us through the local features a wide variety of local
cemetery where we admired a very herbs, many of which are used in
famous grave: the last resting the regional cuisine. Then we
place of Aurelia Schwarzenegger, took the romantic stairs down the
Arnold’s mother, who was a hill, a pathway that we had
long-time resident of Weiz. walked many times as children.
Our local stroll took us past our
Klaudia even mentioned that her former high school, where we
father happened to encounter Mrs. discussed fond memories of our
Schwarzenegger at the cemetery a school years.
number of years ago, but she had
collapsed due to a heart attack. One of the highlights of our high
My friend’s father called the school careers were two choir
ambulance which gave her trips to Germany, to our partner
emergency treatment and took her school in Offenburg, where the
to the hospital. She passed away two school choirs jointly
shortly after and Arnold performed classical songs. We
Schwarzenegger sent a thank you most fondly recalled the actual
concert where for the finale both
school choirs appeared together Given this delicious yet
to jointly sing the last song. substantial calory injection, we
Screaming our lungs out among 120 had to do a work-out and decided
singers from two different to do a hike up onto the
countries was an exhilarating Schöckel, at over 1400 m the
experience, and not surprisingly highest local mountain. Around 2
my passions for cross-cultural pm we met up with Doris again and
exchanges were kindled at an all three of us broke out our
early age. Nordic walking poles and we
attacked the mountain from its
After our return to Klaudia’s steepest side. Doris, an
parents Doris left and the rest experienced hiker, led the group
of us started preparing a hearty at a rather hellish pace, and the
meal, and I, by no means gifted two of us clambered behind her.
in the kitchen, donned the apron Some areas were so steep we had
and started cutting and chopping to use our hands to brace
whatever needed to be done. (Good ourselves climbing up between the
thing I was not in charge of any rocks. But our walking sticks
really important tasks…) definitely aided in the ascent
Klaudia’s mom whipped up a and about an hour later we were
delicious meal for 10+ people in rewarded with an astounding 360
next to no time and we soon sat degree view over the Styrian
down in the garden to have some hills and mountains.
Austrian specialties: we savoured
a “Bröselknödelsuppe” (breadcrumb The Schöckel is also referred to
dumplings in a clear beef broth), as the “Grazer Hausberg” or local
stuffed green peppers and mountain of Graz, and we had
delicious mashed potatoes with great views down into the Styrian
caramelized onions. capital and the Mur Valley. To
the south the Austrian and couple of minutes later I was
Slovenian plains were stretching sitting in the steel “buggy of
out, looking east and right saw death”, ready for my hair-raising
the foothills of Eastern and descent down the serpentine
Western Styria, and to the north curves of the course. Actually,
we took in the panorama of the the ride was a lot tamer than I
more imposing mountains of the expected, and I only occasionally
Styrian Alps. We also saw several pulled the brakes, but it was
ramps for hang-gliders, a popular still an very entertaining
activity in this region. experience. I figured if I did it
again I would probably try to go
We walked past some peaceful cows down the course without breaking
that were grazing on the mountain at all.
pastures and reached the summit
area which is the location of the Once the lift had pulled my buggy
upper station of the cable car, back up to the summit plateau we
of a couple of restaurants and a started walking past the
summer tobogganing course. The Stubenberghaus, a large mountain
weather today was brilliant and restaurant and inn, towards the
many serious hikers, mountain summit cross which provides a
bikers and tourists were beautiful view northwards into
congregating at the mountain top. the mountainous area of Upper
We were quite fascinated by the Styria. I have always loved
summer tobogganing and Doris mountains, and to see peak after
suggested that I should try it. peak after peak was just a great
experience. We then started
Well, I have always been a bit of hiking back to the car and our
a daredevil and she did not have trek back down was considerably
to say it twice. She even sprang easier than the torturous climb
for my Euro 2.50 round, and a up. We stopped at Doris’
beautiful country house on the large pan on an open fire. Ewald
way back where we admired her had already been marinating the
recently created garden pond and fish in a special blend of herbs
her new dog. Equipped with some and spices the whole day. Tender
gorgeous ripe Styrian peaches young potatoes were to accompany
from Doris’ family’s farm we the fish, and a solid Styrian
returned to Weiz and I dropped salad with pumpkin seed oil
Klaudia off. rounded out the main course. A
scrumptious raspberry parfait
About an hour later we reunited provided the sweet final note to
when Klaudia, her husband and two our culinary symphony.
children, her parents, her sister
Andrea and her daughters Nina and So despite a bit of rainy weather
Katja arrived at my brother’s yesterday, I had had a fantastic
place. Tonight we would all get couple of days which included
together for a great barbecue, classical music, hiking, a
and my brother Ewald, the reunion with good friends and an
passionate chef, had a few amazing array of gastronomic
special treats waiting for us. delicacies. Now there is only one
Anneliese, my sister-in-law, had more full day left of my trip to
been helping all afternoon with Austria, and tomorrow we will
the preparations. explore one of the medieval
treasures of Styria: the
After some initial chit-chatting Riegersburg, a massive fortress
we started off with a savoury on a basaltic outcrop dating back
vegetable soup, and then my to the 10th century, often
brother started preparing the referred to as the “strongest
main course: 13 whole artic chars fortress of Christianity” because
were waiting to be grilled in a it was never conquered.
About the Author:
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of http://www.travelandtransitions.com, a web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our FREE ebooks about travel.
Published At: www.Isnare.com
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