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