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.