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