Mariazell: Friede seit mit dir

I would first like to apologize for my absence.  After many vociferous scoldings from Mother, I have returned to recount the many adventures that have occurred since I last spoke with you.

First, on Friday (20th)  we went to Mariazell, the little town near the hostel.  The city was built as a sight for pilgrims devoted to Mary.  There are several legends surrounding the founding of the town and the church, all having to do with a small lime-wood statue of Mary helping someone and them building a shrine to her.  Since then, it has grown into the Basilica which attracts thousands of Catholic Pilgrams, many by foot from Vienna.  So the Basilica there is kind of a big deal.  It was built in three stages: Romanesque, Baroque, and Rococo, each for some significant moment in Austrian history that the monarch of the time attributed to Mary, such as conquering the Turks.

After a tour of the church (where there was a funeral going on, making it very awkward to be a tourist) and the surrounding area, we walked around the city and indulged in the two things the town is most famous for: gingerbread and Schnapps.  They were both excellent!  We then had a glass of wine while looking at the Alps, and the church.  It was a grand time all together.

That night, we had an Austrian evening of polkas and dances performed by men in lederhosen accompanied by a very old man on the accordion named Hans, a clarinetist, and a euphonium player.  My friend and I were kind of obsessed with Hans, and attempted several pictures with him.  I was finally successful at the end of the night and after my Austrian friend did some translating.

The next day, we went to a lake about 30 minutes away.  It was full of men in Speedos and little naked children.  While the lake was very beautiful, the water was freezing and despite my initial reluctance, I was convinced to take the plunge.  It was surprisingly refreshing!  We hung out there for a while, talking and enjoying the lake.  The night was filled with much fun, laughs, and zip lines.

The next morning three of us trekked down to church at the Basilica at eight in the morning.  While I could only understand a word here or there, the experience was well worth the early rise.  It was great to hear them all sing church songs from memory and without any accompaniment.  We tried to find the Mass parts in the missal, but alas we were unsuccessful and had to resort to saying everything very quietly in English.  Luckily, the teacher that drove us there told us how to say peace be with you: "Friede seit mit dir."

And thus our days in the hills had come to an end and we drove down to Vienna, anxious to see the city that would be our home for the next four months.

The Hunt for the Missing Towel

I have arrived in Vienna safely and in one piece carrying my huge Toblerone (an homage to Friends).

Everything here is clean and on-time which satisfies the OCD inside of me.  The hostel I stayed at was great and actually housed a bunch of IES people.  One of my roommates, whose name I can't pronounce, was from Japan and we got along as well as two people who can't speak the same language can.  Hütteldorf, the town where we stayed, is great and comes with mini churches, nuns in full habits, and hills that are impossibly difficult to climb with a fifty pound suitcase and backpack.

That night, my friend (who happened to be staying at the hostel as well) and I met our other friend and her parents for a delicious meal of wiener schnitzel and traditional sparkling wine.  It was a great time and the company made us all the more excited for the next four months.  After discussing the many shenanigans that will inevitably ensue, we returned to the hostel and crashed.

Being the space that I am, I forgot to bring a towel on this expedition and so had to find other alternatives.  The first time I took a shower I used a combination of air-drying and a T-shirt.   And for the second shower  my roommate was kind enough to give me a towel (although it was about the size of a handtowel, it was better than the last shower.  So on Thursday (the 19th) before we had to be to the station, I decided to walk around Hütteldorf in search of a towel.  After asking many people and taking many wrong turns, I perfected the phrase for "Where can I buy a towel" and finally found one.

After lounging around the station, playing cards and buying really cheap fruit from the lady in the subway, we all met up and took a bus to Mariazel, a tiny town in the Styrian Alps known for its pilgrimage worthy basilica, snapps, and gingerbread.  The drive up was serenaded with the soundtrack to the Sound of Music, which made the Alps all the more beautiful (Thank you Julie Andrews).  Upon arrival, a bunch of us climbed up to this church on the top of the hill and enjoyed great views of the city and the surrounding Alps.

Unfortunately we couldn't go in, but from the large crack in the door, it looked beautiful.  We then had the traditional orientation things and now I am off to bed in preparation for an early morning and a day full of fun in the Alps.

The Journey Begins

After much packing and sorting I am finally ready to embark on my great adventure.  For my last day in America I decided to do things I couldn't do in Europe.  For example, I ate Reuben sandwiches with the fam, watched some Friends, had a delicious peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwich for dessert, and forked our pastor's lawn with a special message from all of the college kids (and Molly and Erin).  It was a great way to end the summer.

In about an hour, I get to spend one and a half days traveling from Denver to Vienna with a few stops along the way.  Pretty soon those hills will be alive with the sound of Ian and the lonely goatherd won't be the only one yodeling.  So long, farewell, and see you on the other side!