| After just a gorgeous day on the Alpine peaks at the | | | | after and Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a thank you |
| Austrian / Italian / Slovenian border, the weather gods | | | | letter to the ambulance employees as well as to |
| were not as kind yesterday. It rained and drizzled | | | | Klaudia’s father, to thank him for getting help for his |
| pretty much the whole day and I spent a relaxing day | | | | mother. Proof that in this town real celebrity |
| in my home town, visiting with friends and doing | | | | connections are just steps away… |
| errands. The big excitement was reserved for the | | | | We continued our stroll to the imposing baroque |
| evening: a live concert at the Kunsthaus Weiz, a | | | | Weizbergkirche. Right next to the church is the |
| recently constructed multi-purpose performance | | | | so-called “Kräutergarten” (herb garden) that |
| venue. My sister-in-law Anneliese and I got ready for | | | | was created by a group of local residents (including |
| an evening of classical music that would feature | | | | Klaudia’s mom) that features a wide variety of |
| works by Mozart, Strauss and Verdi. | | | | local herbs, many of which are used in the regional |
| Just before 7:30 pm we strolled into the concert hall | | | | cuisine. Then we took the romantic stairs down the hill, |
| and were just able to find two separate seats in a | | | | a pathway that we had walked many times as |
| packed venue. Many local dignitaries were present, | | | | children. Our local stroll took us past our former high |
| and this was an important event in Weiz’ social | | | | school, where we discussed fond memories of our |
| calendar. The concert was organized by the Weiz | | | | school years. |
| Lions Club as a fundraising event and the concert | | | | One of the highlights of our high school careers were |
| featured the AIMS Festival Orchestra and Soloists. | | | | two choir trips to Germany, to our partner school in |
| AIMS stands for “American Institute of Musical | | | | Offenburg, where the two school choirs jointly |
| Studies”, a Graz-based organization that offers | | | | performed classical songs. We most fondly recalled |
| six-week long programs in Vocal Lessons, Opera and | | | | the actual concert where for the finale both school |
| Lieder Coaching, Master Classes, Foreign Language | | | | choirs appeared together to jointly sing the last song. |
| Diction, Conversational German and career-related | | | | Screaming our lungs out among 120 singers from two |
| courses for professional musicians, pianists and singers. | | | | different countries was an exhilarating experience, and |
| Twelve young sopranos, two mezzo-sopranos, two | | | | not surprisingly my passions for cross-cultural |
| baritones and six tenors performed pieces from | | | | exchanges were kindled at an early age. |
| Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”, Johann | | | | After our return to Klaudia’s parents Doris left and |
| Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” and Giuseppe | | | | the rest of us started preparing a hearty meal, and I, |
| Verdi’s “La Traviata”. The music that these | | | | by no means gifted in the kitchen, donned the apron |
| young artists produced was indeed magical and we | | | | and started cutting and chopping whatever needed to |
| marveled at the talent of the singers, none of whom | | | | be done. (Good thing I was not in charge of any really |
| seemed to be much older than 25 years of age. The | | | | important tasks…) Klaudia’s mom whipped up a |
| emcee, Andrea Huber, an American of Swiss heritage, | | | | delicious meal for 10+ people in next to no time and |
| took us through the evening. Andrea herself is a highly | | | | we soon sat down in the garden to have some |
| respected soprano who is now based in Germany | | | | Austrian specialties: we savoured a |
| and also teaches for AIMS. | | | | “Bröselknödelsuppe” (breadcrumb dumplings |
| The orchestra was directed by Edoardo Müller, a | | | | in a clear beef broth), stuffed green peppers and |
| renowned conductor who has conducted in many of | | | | delicious mashed potatoes with caramelized onions. |
| pre-eminent opera and concert houses around the | | | | Given this delicious yet substantial calory injection, we |
| world, including those of Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Munich | | | | had to do a work-out and decided to do a hike up |
| as well as Tokyo and Santiago de Chile. His North | | | | onto the Schöckel, at over 1400 m the highest local |
| American assignments include the New York City | | | | mountain. Around 2 pm we met up with Doris again |
| Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Dallas Opera, | | | | and all three of us broke out our Nordic walking poles |
| the Seattle Opera and the San Francisco Opera. Most | | | | and we attacked the mountain from its steepest side. |
| of the musicians in the orchestra were also in their | | | | Doris, an experienced hiker, led the group at a rather |
| early twenties. | | | | hellish pace, and the two of us clambered behind her. |
| The beauty of this music deeply touched me, and in | | | | Some areas were so steep we had to use our hands |
| addition I was elated by the notion that all these | | | | to brace ourselves climbing up between the rocks. But |
| international music students, most of whom hailed from | | | | our walking sticks definitely aided in the ascent and |
| the United States, came together in Europe to hone | | | | about an hour later we were rewarded with an |
| their craft and pursue their passion. As I found out by | | | | astounding 360 degree view over the Styrian hills and |
| talking to some of the AIMS performers after the | | | | mountains. |
| concert, the AIMS program not only provides a great | | | | The Schöckel is also referred to as the “Grazer |
| opportunity for elite musical training, but also a | | | | Hausberg” or local mountain of Graz, and we had |
| cross-cultural experience that will create memories of | | | | great views down into the Styrian capital and the Mur |
| a lifetime. In my conversations with five or six of the | | | | Valley. To the south the Austrian and Slovenian plains |
| AIMS students I found out that they come from places | | | | were stretching out, looking east and right saw the |
| such as Boston, California, Rochester and even as far | | | | foothills of Eastern and Western Styria, and to the |
| away as China. They all confirmed that they were | | | | north we took in the panorama of the more imposing |
| extremely well-received in Graz and that they were | | | | mountains of the Styrian Alps. We also saw several |
| having the time of their life, hoping that this European | | | | ramps for hang-gliders, a popular activity in this region. |
| experience will kick-start their careers in classical | | | | We walked past some peaceful cows that were |
| music. | | | | grazing on the mountain pastures and reached the |
| In total the concert had raised 15,000 Euros for local | | | | summit area which is the location of the upper station |
| needy families, and the event was a resounding | | | | of the cable car, of a couple of restaurants and a |
| fundraising success. I even ran into one of my old high | | | | summer tobogganing course. The weather today was |
| school teachers, a sports and geography teacher, who | | | | brilliant and many serious hikers, mountain bikers and |
| was extremely popular with the students. I had not | | | | tourists were congregating at the mountain top. We |
| seen him for close to 30 years, but recognized him | | | | were quite fascinated by the summer tobogganing and |
| immediately. He still had the same bright smile as he did | | | | Doris suggested that I should try it. |
| three decades ago, and although I had to jog his | | | | Well, I have always been a bit of a daredevil and she |
| memory a bit, his face lit up when he started | | | | did not have to say it twice. She even sprang for my |
| remembering our class. Anneliese and I left the concert | | | | Euro 2.50 round, and a couple of minutes later I was |
| on a high and celebrated the experience with a night | | | | sitting in the steel “buggy of death”, ready for |
| cap in a local café called Weberhaus. I mused that a | | | | my hair-raising descent down the serpentine curves of |
| small town like Weiz, with a population of less than | | | | the course. Actually, the ride was a lot tamer than I |
| 10,000, would offer such high caliber programming | | | | expected, and I only occasionally pulled the brakes, but |
| whose quality was truly at an international level. | | | | it was still an very entertaining experience. I figured if I |
| So after an evening of high culture, a more physical | | | | did it again I would probably try to go down the course |
| and culinary program was on the menu today. I started | | | | without breaking at all. |
| the day off with another photo safari through my | | | | Once the lift had pulled my buggy back up to the |
| home town of Weiz, and explored the Taborkirche, | | | | summit plateau we started walking past the |
| which is dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury. The | | | | Stubenberghaus, a large mountain restaurant and inn, |
| Romanesque church was first mentioned in a | | | | towards the summit cross which provides a beautiful |
| document in 1188 and expanded in the late 1300s with | | | | view northwards into the mountainous area of Upper |
| a Gothic altar area. | | | | Styria. I have always loved mountains, and to see |
| Until the late 1600s imposing walls and watchtowers | | | | peak after peak after peak was just a great |
| were surrounding the church, giving it a defensive | | | | experience. We then started hiking back to the car |
| character and making it possible for the local population | | | | and our trek back down was considerably easier than |
| to find safety within the complex, which was | | | | the torturous climb up. We stopped at Doris’ |
| particularly important during the Turkish invasions during | | | | beautiful country house on the way back where we |
| the 1500s. The church yard features several | | | | admired her recently created garden pond and her |
| gravestones from the Roman era, indicating that this | | | | new dog. Equipped with some gorgeous ripe Styrian |
| area was actively settled more than 2,000 years ago | | | | peaches from Doris’ family’s farm we returned |
| although much older pre-historic remains were found in | | | | to Weiz and I dropped Klaudia off. |
| the surrounding regions as well. The so-called Celtic | | | | About an hour later we reunited when Klaudia, her |
| Village on the nearby Kulm Mountain is the first outdoor | | | | husband and two children, her parents, her sister |
| pre-history museum in the province of Styria and | | | | Andrea and her daughters Nina and Katja arrived at |
| illustrates that this area has been inhabited since | | | | my brother’s place. Tonight we would all get |
| pre-historic times. | | | | together for a great barbecue, and my brother Ewald, |
| During a stroll through the Main Square of Weiz I ran | | | | the passionate chef, had a few special treats waiting |
| across two old acquaintances, my neighbours’ | | | | for us. Anneliese, my sister-in-law, had been helping all |
| mother, who I had not seen for at least 20 years and | | | | afternoon with the preparations. |
| a friend from my former volleyball team who I had not | | | | After some initial chit-chatting we started off with a |
| seen for more than two decades as well. It’s now | | | | savoury vegetable soup, and then my brother started |
| almost 21 years that I have been living in Toronto, but it | | | | preparing the main course: 13 whole artic chars were |
| was great to see these familiar faces again and to | | | | waiting to be grilled in a large pan on an open fire. |
| reconnect after such a long time. | | | | Ewald had already been marinating the fish in a special |
| At 9:30 am I went to visit Klaudia, one of my best | | | | blend of herbs and spices the whole day. Tender |
| friends from high school, at her parent’s house. Our | | | | young potatoes were to accompany the fish, and a |
| other school mate Doris was already there and it was | | | | solid Styrian salad with pumpkin seed oil rounded out |
| great to see both of them again, more than 23 years | | | | the main course. A scrumptious raspberry parfait |
| after we graduated from high school. After the initial | | | | provided the sweet final note to our culinary |
| hugs and kisses and how-are-yous we started walking | | | | symphony. |
| onto the local hill, the Weizberg. Our stroll took us | | | | So despite a bit of rainy weather yesterday, I had had |
| through the local cemetery where we admired a very | | | | a fantastic couple of days which included classical |
| famous grave: the last resting place of Aurelia | | | | music, hiking, a reunion with good friends and an |
| Schwarzenegger, Arnold’s mother, who was a | | | | amazing array of gastronomic delicacies. Now there is |
| long-time resident of Weiz. | | | | only one more full day left of my trip to Austria, and |
| Klaudia even mentioned that her father happened to | | | | tomorrow we will explore one of the medieval |
| encounter Mrs. Schwarzenegger at the cemetery a | | | | treasures of Styria: the Riegersburg, a massive |
| number of years ago, but she had collapsed due to a | | | | fortress on a basaltic outcrop dating back to the 10th |
| heart attack. My friend’s father called the | | | | century, often referred to as the “strongest |
| ambulance which gave her emergency treatment and | | | | fortress of Christianity” because it was never |
| took her to the hospital. She passed away shortly | | | | conquered. |