After flying to Vienna we took a train to Wels, two hours west near Steinbach, our destination. My dear friend Horst still lived in the family home and property there and it is a beautiful village nestled in the northern edge of the Alps. At Horst's property are meadows, forests, and a stream running in front of the house. The mountains rise behind and the summits can be reached after a two hour vigorous hike. I looked forward to all of it as well as seeing old friends. In Austria things are clean, well kept, and beautiful. One can not go to Austria and not fall in love with the place. The Alps are stunning. After a cloudy, misty and cool first day it looked like going up Mittagstein would be out of the question the next day. But lo and behold a spectacular day awaited us. Brandy and Autumn our school colleagues that we cajoled into coming to Steinbach with us were breathing hard, winded, and asking how much further. I told them we had done well. We were ten percent of the way up the mountain. On and on we went as the day kept getting better. Finally the ridge was in sight. We were graced with views that one cannot replicate with pictures.
We reached the summit and took and break as we basked in the sunshine and perfect weather. It was truly a moment that makes one feel lucky to be alive.
Not only were we hiking up mountains in Austria but we were invited to share music making in the family home of Sepp, Horst's good friend. There we were treated to Austrian hospitality at it's finest. Coffee, pastries, and folk music made by his family and relatives. This happens on a weekly basis and more. They play wonderful "sessions". Beautiful music and great companionship. Look below to see photos of our session. Guitar, zither, accordion.
Horst on bottom, Sepp on left, Johannes Johanna on top picture.
After a trip a few kilometers away in the morning at the Almsee we were off to Poland to visit with Donna's cousins and relatives. The Almsee again must be seeing in person in it's splendor but these pictures must suffice.
We above all thank Horst. An amazing man who has designed and built a new addition to his house (taking the old hayloft and building a workshop and music room in addition to a guest room).He also was the perfect host making everyone feel welcome and took care of our every need. Bravo Horst. You are the best!
So many more pictures could be posted. Perhaps I will make an Austrian album on Facebook but we press on to Poland. Poland... a country I had never been to and one I had a mental image of being "Eastern block, poor and rough around the edges". I couldn't have been more wrong. Poland with the number two economy in the EU (European Union) behind Germany is a thriving, modern country. With an updated infrastructure one feels it is a vibrant country with a strong economy. A big surprise to myself considering the state of the world economic state of affairs. We were met by Darush in his Mercedes SUV. Wish I could afford one of those.....He had a busy day of meetings which he cancelled in order to take us for a tour of "sites" near Krakow. First a trip to
Auschwitz-Birkenau.
We didn't spend enough time there. Very sobering, sad, and horrifying. I have over the years pondered how this could possibly happen in a "civilized world". After visiting Dachau in 1978 I was first introduced to the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. Since then I have read many books and my personal antenna was alert regarding the Holocaust. It is happening today in places around the world as I write these notes. Things have changed in Poland and Europe but sadly elsewhere in the world horrors continue. The "museum" helps to keep memories alive. Forces one to be awake and sensitive, humble. Helps engage one to think about what they can do to help. Darush's grandmother risked her life to bring food to the edge of the camp to give to prisoners. It meant a lot to him to show us this site. We then continued on...... next the Linert cemetery. There we saw the grave of Donna's grandfather's brother who died in battle in the second world war. Later we went to two famous Catholic shrines. Pope John Paul II's birthplace and the church of the Black Madonna, a pilgrimage that many Poles and others continue to take every year. Every day of the week hundreds come to see the Black Madonna. We were there on a rainy night. It was cold and wet and there were hundreds there filing in and praying. Devout people. In August many walk for two weeks to get to the church.
Darush and Donna in Wadowice
We ended our day going back to Darus's house to have dinner with his family. They prepared a huge fabulous Polish meal. His mother and father (who at 71 is one of the leading theatre critics in the country and still teaches at the university), his wife and two sons. Great people all. Poland and Austria will be seen again. For a longer visit.
Finally back to our Ibis hotel. That in itself was a wonder. It felt straight out of Ikea but I found out that it is a French hotel chain. Completely modern and unique compared to hotels back home. I loved it.
So... after a night train from Krakow to Vienna which was fun (other than waking up every half hour in anticipation of customs officials barking out..Passports! and then in the morning being told they don't do that anymore as it is the EU. Back when I travelled abroad in my twenties in the late 70's that is exactly what happened. Lights put on, and PASSPORTS barked out loudly in the middle of the night whenever a border was crossed), we flew home. Home.... to Cairo. Our home away from home. Back to the hub hub, noise, smells, traffic, rubble, smiling people, throbbing pulse of a city that races along in spite of piles of contradictions. It is our home now but we are also guests. School begins again. Work continues at AIS West. Till next time....
