Winter in Styria 2

Next stop Altaussee. We had relaxed a bit, and now we were ready for some new adventures.

Frankly speaking I really don´t know why everybody is crazy about Altaussee. There is no real town centre, the inhabitants are actually quite bigheaded, and the houses on the sides of the streets are like everywhere else in the area. Only the fact that Klaus Maria Brandauer is living here maybe makes the difference for people. Superstars can´t be wrong, right?

But we always go down to the lake, and the lake is lovely. Even though it also was frozen this time, but we had expected that after Ödensee.

There is a nice trail around the lake, which was nice and quiet this time of the year, because hardly any tourists are residing here right now. The kiddos definately enjoyed that they could dash up and down!

On our way back we passed the little graveyard of Altaussee. In Switzerland - and you know that I am not stupidely fond of Switzerland and everything that can or cannot be done there, I think that each country has its own advantages - but still, in Switzerland dogs are allowed in graveyards, which is not the case in Austria. In Switzerland they need to be leashed, but that´s it. When I am gone and buried: Please come with your dogs and see me at my little place, whatever the attendants say. Dogs love their people, and they have a concept of "death", and I definately do not understand why dogs are not allowed at the burial places of their loved ones. Full stop.

And then of course there was this lonely golden Christmas ball being left in the snow, adding to the strange and somehow haunted atmosphere....

This is the church of Altaussee. Inside quite simple, nothing Barock or Renaissance in case you are looking for that, just some quiet stone-wall church, adding perfectly to the small, quiet graveyard.

Then we went to the Seevilla, one of the best hotels in Altaussee located right at the other side of the lake. They are rearranging everything there right now, so no rooms available, but still I can recommend the place. http://www.seevilla.at/ We stopped there to take some photos of the lake, and you can see, that here Spring is also not very far. Parts of the lake are not frozen anymore...

The lake definately is beautiful at that time of year. It is quiet and peaceful.

Great day with lots of impressions of nature´s beauty! Now it was definately time to relax and sleep.....

Winter in Styria 1

It has been quite a while since we were here the last time - life and its sometimes being a bit too serious prevented us from going. But actually we never go a lot in Winter, because the Grimming area is a wintersport area and none of us is too fond of wintersports. Stefan is a brillian skier, but does not go anymore because the ski slopes have turned more into war zones than recreation areas, and I finished my skiing career after some bad slumps after which I did not express any great wish to find myself in hospital. Cross-country skiing is boring, ice skating is cold....well, go figure.

But last weekend we definately felt the urge to go and see what was going on ... and we found ourselves in a lot of snow. Even though around Vienna there is not the tiniest bit (and has not been almost all Winter) in Styria they are almost drowning in snow. In real lots of snow.

I mean MASSIVE lots.

We were in excellent mood! The sun was shining, and life was good again! We wanted to go everywhere in one day, so we started early with our favorite walking trail around the Ödensee. Problem: There was no Ödensee. Instead of blue, or okay, black water there was a white plain with nothing on it. And one half of our usual trail is turned into a cross-country slope for the Winter, which is no good when you walk because the sportspeople develop some speed and you never know if they are able to brake in time.

So we went the other way around, basically walking on meters of snow that glittered in the sunlight.

Me and the kiddos felt a little bit like the Royal family being followed by paparazzi. Stefan has got a new camera - need I say more?

But meanwhile Indy had his very own special problems....

He definately needed that stick, no matter if it came with a tree or two!! You have to imagine this whole scene with lots of growling, yelps and claws scratching on wood fervently.

But thanks Gods beloved and wonderful Daddy solved the problem, which was the beginning of some fun game. Fun for Indy. For Daddy I am not so sure...

But immediately another horrible problem occured. It consisted of: a narrow bridge, 1,5 meters snow to cross on, a huge stick and mom and sis already on the other side.

"Da-a-ad?"

But being hillariously brave and being driven by the crucial fact that mom and sis were on the other side without him, Indy managed. I bet the snow was close to collapsing and he could hear that, and this was the reason why he crossed sohesitantly. Usually he is the first one to venture out. I am glad I do not have dog´s ears, otherwise I would not have crossed probably.

But Spring is not too far away anymore! The little creek that is feeding the Ödensee is without ice, and the snow at the banks is already melting. And in the woods you could already hear the chirping of little birds, the hammering of a woodpecker and the sun was warm on the skin.

And little Dessa had a brilliant time! She did not care about melting snow, ice that could break, sticks that came with trees - she just dashed about! Her fur is so thick that she always enjoys it when there is lots of cool snow.

The message here is clear. "Come on, let´s go in, let´s eat!" But unfortunately Stefan and me had had too much for breakfast....

And now it was time for some break. Too much fun can really wear a dog down...