 |
| From the top of the Hafelekar Mountain. What a view! |
But talking of time and its passing really isn’t going to
get anybody anywhere so let me continue on in sharing the activities that
Jessica and I found ourselves busying ourselves with. We began our explorations with our Innsbruck card on
Saturday early in the morning. My
Uncle Toni took us to the Innsbrucker Nordkettenbahnen, which is a cable car that brings you up to the very
top of the Hafelekar Mountain. The Nordkettenbahnen was just a five minute walk down the road from my Uncle’s house and is
actually one of the several lifts and cable cars around valley that host
amazing views of the Alps and lifts seasoned skiers up to the best slopes in
the world come winter time. But we were there solely for the wonderful view the ride afforded us, and by
no means was it a disappointment.
We actually transferred to two different cable cars that finally took us
to the top of the mountain, where we got an amazing view of the city and the
surrounding Alps, not to mention the frigid cold temperatures and piles of
snow. But who’s to complain when
I’ve been listening to Christmas music for the past 2 weeks?
 |
| Just chillin' |
After taking the lift we walked over to the tram also right
by my Uncles house that takes you to across the Inn River and into Innsbruck. But there’s a stop on the way that
drops you right off at Innsbruck’s Alpine Zoo or Alpenzoo, so we decided to check it out first. Honestly, I’m not a fan of zoos but
this one really impressed me.
First of all, I loved how it stuck to the Alpine theme, which is a
habitat obviously true to the majority of Austria. We were able to see everything from brown bears and beavers
to wild boars and bison. Of course,
you can’t forget the petting zoo complete with sheep, goats and chickens at the
end of the tour that seems to always bring out the little kid in me. I really loved the few hours we spent
there though because it also afforded us a peaceful walk along the tree-lined
paths that were accented with the colors of the changing leaves and crisp fall
air. And to be in the company of
young families with children that sprtized past me every few moments, it just
put that extra sparkle in my day that couldn’t have been completed in any other
way.
 |
| Old Town, with the famous Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) |
After the Alpenzoo we
made our way into town, admiring our surroundings and taking in everything from
the colors and sounds to the perfectly clear mountain air. Our wandering brought us to the center
of town, where we explored both Old Town and New Town, sections of the city
with wide meandering streets lined with shops covered in windows showing off
all the newest merchandise.
Oftentimes we found ourselves trying out pastries and freshly baked
treats from nearby bakeries, with our noses unexpectedly guiding us. I’d say that much of our time was
unfortunately spent trying out treats at local bakeries or trying out some
authentic Austrian food at the local restaurants but I just can’t say that this
mistake was exactly unfortunate.
There was nothing unfortunate about the fact that finally after two
months I was able to try pastries that weren’t dried out or bread that wasn’t
flavorless. Oh man, that sounds a
little harsh… but I don’t know… I’m not going to lie. Italy is famous for their pastas, not their pastries.
 |
| Pasteries in Austria... and how they smell so good! |
When we weren’t guided around town by the wonderful smells
that lingered at just about every street corner we either were shopping around
at some local stores or just observing the locals go about their everyday
business. I loved seeing everybody
all bundled up and comfy and cozy against the cool and frigid weather. And more than that, I loved the general
style of dress. I knew Europeans
are known to dress nicer than Americans, but I didn’t exactly know how much the
style differs from country to country.
It was refreshing to see people dressed nicely in a different way than
you see in Italy. Instead of high
top tennis shoes, tight jeans, and name brand sweaters and shirts, people were
instead wearing plaids, pea coats, and fancy hats. I guess the style was overall more modern, traditional, and
quite a bit more modest. Honestly
I was drawn in a lot more… and can I mention how much I absolutely adored every single person that walked by that was dressed
in their traditional Austrian attire? Several of the men especially, young and
old, were wearing their traditional folkware, or Lederhosen, which are knee
length trousers worn with rustic shoes and wool socks. Most people wouldn’t agree that this is
something you would want wear to turn heads… so I must be the exception. I just
couldn’t stop looking- they were just so darn cute!
I had to go along with it so I ended up purchasing a boiled
wool coat, a popular piece of attire in Austria, and several of which I have
seen at my Oma’s house back in Sun Valley. It was perfectly comfy, wonderfully warm and I was excited
to wear something so representative of my family’s heritage. I ended up talking to the lady for
quite some time too who sold me the sweater, which helped me come to the
conclusion that people here are so much more open to conversation and
friendlier overall. At the end of
our conversation she even sent me with a big bag of chocolates free of charge,
which would have otherwise been 5 Euro. This lady though was only one of the several people
that welcomed Jessica and I to Austria with warm smiles and friendly
conversations. It was something
different to get used to because people in Italy overall seem to keep to
themselves and don’t really smile as much… as weird as it sounds. Though they did speak a lot more
English in Austria, I definitely could still point it out as a drastic social
difference between the two countries.
 |
| The famous entrance of Swarovski |
On Sunday Jessica and I decided to visit the Swarovski
Kristallwelten, a location dedicated to
Swarovski, a famous brand that sells Crystals worldwide. I have even used
several of their products when I make jewelry at home, so I was definitely
really excited to see where it all came from. Though I was expecting a museum like atmosphere, I was
pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be everything but that. I guess I’ll first sum it up with the
phrase on the front of the brochure: “Moments of wonder. For just a moment, believe in
magic.” And I’m glad to report,
the day was filled with several moments where in fact I not only believed in
magic, but felt it as I passed through all the exotic and quirky displays
throughout the tour.
The first one was most intriguing, called the Mechanical
Theatre, by Jim Whitings. When
you first walk in you hear an odd symphony of music with sounds of clinking and
suddenly you see blouses on hangers whiz by on the ceiling. Then in a sequence of events, there is
a mechanical woman that begins walking the circumference of the center of the
room with a man in the center with his body parts being vicariously
separated. Then in the corner of
the room a table starts to spin with two men laughing and the wall adjacent to
them begins a show with three pairs of legs with suit bottoms and belts doing
weird movements with their legs to the music. I just kind of stood and watched it all… slightly in awe,
and slightly confused. The whole
room in the pamphlet was considered a “bizarre fashion show” and it said the
experience was supposed to pose a simple question: “just how mechanic is real
life?” Not sure if that’s exactly
what I was pondering as I watched the odd sequence of events unfold before me,
but as it goes, it was interesting nonetheless.
 |
| A couple wanders through the Ice Passage |
From there I went through several rooms that each told their
own story in the various arrays of interesting sculptures and light
displays. One stop was the Crystal
dome which was like stepping into a gigantic crystal with reflections that
refracted off 595 mirrors that surrounded above, below, and around you. It was cool to see all the light change
to your movement and was definitely a different experience in an of
itself. One of my favorites
though was the Ice Passage that was a hallway lined with clear glass full of
crystals. But the cool part was
the floor was that it was sensitive to your movement. With every footstep you would hear an eerie crackling and
clinking sound as the floor lit up with a trail of crystals that follow your
every footstep. I again was
transformed into a little kid as I ran back and forth and just watched the
interesting display of crystals form behind me. It did make me miss my little sisters a lot, as I would have
loved to see their reaction running through the this hallway dedicated to the
“wonder of illusion.”
Though walking through the galleries, crystal forests, and
rooms dedicated to puzzles and the collisions of nature and technology, I’d
have to say, my favorite moments were spent just observing the landscape and my
surroundings when I sat and wrote at a little park that sprawls out a few acres
behind the gallery location. It is
called the Giant’s Park and was complete with a sweet little playground, a
labyrinth hedge, small waterfalls, and fields of grass that sprawled out into
the surrounding hillsides. I’ll
share a few words that I scribbled down as I observed my surroundings, I
suppose it might spice up the image a little bit more.
 |
| View of the park from where I sat |
I could literally just stand here forever and watch the
world go by. The colors, the
smiles, the children. The smell of
fall lingering in the air.
Families everywhere- laughing, playing, taking pictures. And the grass, so green, so
never-ending, and rolling into the hills, the mountains so close to they sky
they can almost taste the clouds on their snow capped tongues. Then the cackling of the leaves, the
trickling of the nearby water, and mothers lulling by with strollers, with the
slight breeze sending an occasional chill in the air. Then there is the feeling of fall in the air, the sounds of
crunching leaves, and the footsteps pondering movement against the winding cobblestone
paths. There is a playground as
bold and colorful as the scenery surrounding with children bundled in their
winter attire. Mittens, cotton
scarves, goose down coats. Luckily
the sun peeks through just enough and has yet to set. The day has not yet escaped us.
If you find the skyline with your eyes, immediately you
will catch a painting in the sky.
Pastels, colors so bold and so natural you almost begin to think you’ve
once seen the world form black and white.
Scattered between and yonder the hillsides tucked against the
mountainsides you will find chestnut colored rooftops, a stark contrast against
the white walls that encase what I suppose would be a comfortable and cozy
home. And if possible, you can
look even closer. There are sheep,
woolen warm, reminding me of the paintings from my grandfather. They wonder the hillsides and in
complete contentment, they graze, fond of their home and free of the need to
ever escape and explore the only world they’ll ever know. Soon their master calls them in and I
see one by one, them sauntering back for perhaps their evening meal.
 |
| Another section of the park at Swarovski |
For a moment, I almost thought I was there with them,
until my eyes find a scattering of donkeys following the fence lines. I almost reached down to grab them a
snack, only finding a stone rock below me. But just before I am disappointed in the realization of my
location, children run by, little pockets of innocence against this world that
I’ve learned can so easily be cruel.
But hardly do they know as they sprinkle their footsteps against the
meadow, chasing the moments as they come.
Their laughter blends into the fall air, their language accenting their
laughter and the occasional sparkle in their mother’s eyes.
I never want to leave this beautiful country that after
so long I’d never had the privilege to meet. The smiles, the slow pace, the open and inviting skies. The towering mountains that make you
feel like you’re at home before you enter it. And the way that something inside you tells you to never
leave, no matter the fact that the corner of your train ticket to return home
ashamedly peeks out of your coat pocket.
Nevermind that, nevermind reality.
And nevermind that awkward feeling that feels almost like pain the
moment you feel that this place could have so easily been stolen from your
complete consciousness. Nevermind
it all, because you are here now, and nothing can steal away that moment. That small moment that sparkles against
the collage of moments that we so label as this journey, these adventures, and
this sequence of events we so easily and simply call life.
 |
| View of the city from the Stadturm |
Monday was Jessica and I’s last day in Austria… and
obviously, you can gather I wasn’t exactly excited about the fact (as I sit
here crossing my fingers that some day soon I will visit again in the company
of my mother and sister). Anyhow,
our last day began with a healthy and hardy breakfast prepared by my Aunt and
Uncle full of whole gain oats and fruit which once again started our day with a
good foot forward. My Uncle walked
us into town once again where he took us to the information center so we could
get our ticket to climb the Stadtturm,
or Clock tower. The Tower was
actually a 15th century tower that was used to house a prison and
today it used to offer people a wonderful 360 degree view of the surrounding
city. It sort of reminded me of
the Duomo in Florence, but obviously the tower wasn’t as tall, and as far as
numbers go, it had about ½ as many steps to get to the top. But nonetheless it was quite wonderful,
and I loved seeing the colors of the houses and surroundings buildings that
almost glistened in the sunlight.
To put the colors into words, I’d have to describe them as rich and
oceanic, somewhat spring like, and for the abstract terminology: delightful. Almost like toned down birthday colors,
earthlike, from turquoise and orange cream to sea foam and coral pink. It was
refreshing change of scenery when compared to the more solemn and earth toned
colors of Italy. I just loved how the colors themselves so easily brought the
surroundings mountains to life, and how they made the already ice blue water of
the Inn River look even moreso crisp and frigid. Moments like these made me wish I could whip out some
pastels and a paintbrush, despite my somewhat lacking talent in the art department.
 |
| Fried potatoes, spinach and egg! Yummy! |
Scattered between the days occurrences we frequented several
restaurants and bakeries. My Uncle
treated us to a small hut behind the house a little ways up the mountain where
Jessica tried Knödeln (one of my favorite dishes from my grandmother, basically
dumplings) and I had some schnitzel (another of my favorites, breaded and fried
chicken) with a side of potatoes and a salad. It was so wonderful for the first time in what seemed like
forever to sit down and eat some food with some real substance. I can see why Italy gets its name for food
but there’s something so hardy and sustaining about the Austrian cuisine. There’s meat and potatoes and
vegetables… and the best part of all… you can eat it all from the convenience
of one plate! It was nice looking
at the menu not having to pick through every option, because frankly,
everything looked so delicious. I
didn’t have to worry about ordering a dish with some eerie squid or octopus
legs, anchovies, or capers. Trust
me, it was a nice relief.
 |
| Neighbors of my mom's family in Innsbruck |
 |
| Front view of my moms old house (in the center) |
He right away invited us inside and I watched and listened
to their conversations in German and they rekindled old memories which brought
about many warm smiles and laughter.
They were a friendly older couple and I could tell they were some of the
happiest people I had ever met.
From the way his turquoise sweater was halfway unbuttoned to his modest
smile, and the way his wife folded her hands softly in her lap, I knew this was
a different kind of happiness that many people have forgotten how live, if
indeed they have known it to ever exist.
From ½ way finished crossword puzzles to family photos adorning the
walls, I once again began to fit a few pieces of the puzzle together. Some pieces about happiness, the
meaning of life, the importance of family, and the strength of love and its
potential to last two people forever.
From there, we fit in one last stop before we had to drive
back to Innsbruck to catch our train at 1:30 pm. We stopped in Rattenberg, one of the oldest towns in Austria
with almost every building either dedicated to glass making or glass selling,
if not both. Each shop window was
full of beautiful glass structures, from Christmas ornaments and glass flowers
to flower vases and delicate plates.
Some shops even had entire rooms dedicated to Christmas, with festive
music, decorated trees and beautiful glass ornaments of every color hanging on
each wall. The few minutes we had
there rushed by and I so bad wished I had time to spare but a train to catch
is, alas, a train to catch. So we
made our way through town admiring what we could with again the spark of hope
and the inkling of a promise that I’d once again return here soon.
 |
| Danke Uncle Toni, Aunt Gucki, and cousin Nino! |
Overall, I loved my time in Innsbruck and I once again want
to thank my Uncle Toni, Aunt Gucki, and Cousin Nino for letting us stay with
them in their home. It was more
than wonderful to be able to stay with my family, and it was nice to once again
enjoy the simple things, like gathering around the table and snacking on oven
roasted chestnuts. You can come up
with a list of tourist attractions and things to do, but no matter what, its
always moments like these that top the rest of them. Though I’d have to say this was one of the best weeks thus
far in my study abroad experience, it was hard having that feeling of
homesickness that followed. I guess seeing Austria for the first time after
hearing about it sense I was little was just so beautiful of an experience, it
was hard to do it without my mom beside me. But luckily, life is painted with a plethora of
opportunities to conquer your dreams, and so it be my dream to return, so it
be. And though my mom might not
say it right away, her eyes sparkle every time she tells you of her childhood
in Austria, and as a person with a world of dreams, I know this one is
especially one that wont’ go unrealized, especially for someone as special to
me as my mother.
So, your turn.
Ponder this for a moment, you have the time.
…
What’s your dream?
and more than that, what are you going to do to help you
reach it? And last but not least,
how?
Well, goodluck. J All for now. Auf Wiedersehen!
No comments:
Post a Comment