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