learning & planting & bound for Italy!

As promised, I will begin by sharing a photo I took when I arrived at Ruth's place on Monday.  Here, my friends, is the view from her backyard garden...

The view from Ruth's garden, Gries im Pinzgrau, Austria

In talking to a dear friend on the phone today, I was told I sounded "all zenned out".  Can you blame me? :)

Today, self-care abounded.  Ruth, Carmit, and Amihai  (two guests here from Israel) went to Salzburg for the day, and so I had this beautiful space entirely to myself, and only my two feet for travelling on. I went for a long walk up "Ruth's Alp" this morning, and took in more of the glorious view that surrounds me here.  The day has also featured more time at the piano (which I discovered is a Bösendorfer, for the music folks reading this!!!!!!), with my journal, and getting caught up with emails and a few phone calls.  Most importantly though, has been a little planting ritual.  I have shared with some of you my now yearly tradition (this is year two) of taking time to write down things I wish to release from my life, and then burning these pieces of paper, and then writing down things I wish to affirm and invite into my life, and then "planting" these in the ground  (with credits and hugs to Deb and Christine for introducing me to this and sharing this experience with me in the past xo).  Having burnt a bunch of stuff back in July at home, I brought my "seeds" for planting along with me on this trip.  These invitations and affirmations have found a home under an apple tree in Ruth's garden - I loved the image of a well-tended garden and fruit tree, where deliberate cultivation leads to new life and fruit.  I figure the view can't hurt either.

Yesterday, I had the absolute pleasure of getting to know Carmit and Amihai well - first, in sharing a lively and fascinating conversation over breakfast about their experiences with mandatory military service in Israel (which both of them have completed); I was reminded how privileged and sheltered, relatively speaking, my life has been, and how much naivety still exists within me.  I learned so much from them in this conversation, and was really challenged in my own thinking, reminded that there are further grey areas than I know. 

From the breakfast table, we headed to Hohe Tauern National Park in their rental car: http://www.hohetauern.at/en.html.  I was so grateful for this trek, and to be able to share it with such lovely and friendly people. Before I left home, I had read about this park and was determined to visit. Not super accessible via public transportation, connecting with Ruth was the first step, as her home is about 30 minutes from the border of this beautiful area.  Still without a plan as to how I was actually going to travel through the area, in yet another beautiful serendipitous moment, I learned on Monday night that Carmit and Amihai were already planning on making this trip on Tuesday, and were more than happy for me to come along for the ride.  Sooo wonderful!  The park features many glorious views of snowy mountain peaks, including the highest point in the park, Grossglockner Mountain at 3798m, glaciers, and a fabulously treacherous winding road with signs that periodically ask, "Brakes ok?"  The trip up the mountains was beautiful and the skies were clear, affording an incredible view of our surroundings:

With Carmit at Hohe Tauern National Park

If not, it's way too late...Hohe Tauern National Park

Fog and the famous Pasterze Glacier

Indeed! At the point where the road reaches its highest elevation, there is a tunnel through a mountain - on this other side is the most frequented area in the park, the Grossglockner and the large Pasterze glacier. When we exited this tunnel we drove into intense fog, which didn't break at all on this other side of the mountain. To your left, you will see our view of this likely most stunning vantage point.  A member of the park staff informed us that there was no chance that the clouds would break during the day, and so we turned around and headed back down the mountain, stopping at a restaurant for knödel (dumpling) soup once we had a view again!



Ruth had highly recommended that we do some hiking at a waterfall in Krimml, so we headed there next (about an hour west of Ruth's village). We had time to walk up the first two "tiers" of Austria's largest waterfall: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krimmler_Wasserf%C3%A4lle.  After the serenity and majesty of the Alps, I welcomed this contrast; standing at the very base of the falls, getting completely soaked by their spray, I was reminded of the power within these surroundings.We were greeted back at Ruth's with a traditional Austrian meal of small dumplings with local cheese, salad, and a freshly baked cake covered in blackberries from the garden.

I have been so well taken of during this 3 night stay in Gries. The scenery, company, exquisite and healthy organic food, piano, access to technology...Ruth even approached me about an hour ago to ask if she could include any clothes of mine in a load of laundry she was doing. I am overflowing with gratitude - and to think that I discovered this little spot completely by "accident"!

I leave you with a few photos from Salz, as well as one more from Ruth's backyard. I have been so grateful for the serenity of this little village and a slower-pace of life for a few days. Tomorrow, the train will take me to Venice, where I may have to more deliberately cultivate a slower pace, should I wish for it. Or perhaps I will be ready to take this city on full force. 

I don't think there is any internet access at my hostel, and I have read that the internet cafes in Venice are incredibly expensive. The next blog update may have to wait until I have affordable access to internet once again, or until I learn how to summarize and write quickly, whichever comes first. ;) Thus far I think I have been fairly successfully in navigating a balance between budgeting (i.e. buying bread and smothering it in the organic President's Choice p.b. I brought from home) while also living life to its fullest (i.e. nockerl the size ofmy head), experiencing each unique culture and making sure I do the things I have dreamed of.  I may just blow the budget on a gondola ride in the next couple of days... :)

Italy bound, with love...

Fräulein Maria's Bike Tour, Salzburg

Salzburg Dome Cathedral

Hohensalzburg Fortress, from a different mountain...

Eating Nockerl in Salzburg

Chilling in Ruth's garden again...