Blogs from Styria, Austria, Europe - page 18

I can't seem to get my "location" right, but I'm still here in Austria, die Steiermark, Bezirk Voitsberg, and even better, in Koeflach. The "o" in that word there needs two dots over it and sounds like an "ee" sound but with your lips rounded, so that it ultimately sounds like something ridiculously Germanic or scandinavian. I'm still working on the vowels here. Looks like you'll never find out how I got down the mountain in detail, but for those of you who are curious, I used my two legs and sometimes an arm for support. We cut off 3 hours by going down the mountainsides sometimes. And if you slipped, you slipped on some puffy snow so it didn't hurt. The way down was so much easier, but at the last stretch I was so ... read more

Three months here in Köflach, in der Steiermark, in Austria and it's almost set in stone that I will be staying here for an additional academic year. I'm not a student, thank God, for I've finished my studies at UC Santa Cruz this past June. And even though I myself hate studying, I find that I love being in a classroom and being the one to infiltrate my beliefs into the heads of young people (I sound like some sort of propagandist, but for those who know me, they know I am only joking). I have decided to stay because of the unending feeling of belonging here that I receive from all walks of life: from the family who owns the house I live in (who has also taken me in as some sort of daughter, ... read more

I spent 5 weeks in Graz, Austria this past summer. I had never spent so much time in Austria before, and it was rather lovely. Graz is a wonderful little city, over 850 years old it is the capital of the Austrian province of Steiermark (Styria). Its beautifully restored Altstadt (Old City), it is the largest in Europe and all this makes it an architectural treasure. Steiermark has a beautiful and varied landscape ranging from magnificent mountains for hiking to green hillsides and valleys for food and wine production. The long and rich cultural tradition of Graz and Steiermark dates back to the 14th century when Graz was the residence of the Austrian Emperor. That tradition continues today through the Opernhaus (Opera House), Schauspielhaus (Drama Theatre), the excellent concert halls, and an exciting and creative concert ... read more

A new year, a new country, a new experience - how did I get to 28 without ever having crossed a border by car? Especially when I've crossed so many. Well it was completely uneventful, even with my dodgy looking battle scarred passport, we were quickly waved through. Hungary to Austria is now a very different border than the one twenty years ago - the memories are still clear for those living in this region. I was off to go skiing with some of my girlfriends family in the small resort of Lachtal. Nice little privately rented challet all organised by the girlfriends folks, this is travelling at it's laziest - where someone else does all the organising, cooking - my only responsibilities were drying up the dishes, and taking out the rubbish - which actaully ... read more