February 8: Austria - Part Two

Our Austrian tale picks up at the Höldrichsmühle, my home away from home for a few weeks. Located in Hinterbrül outside of Vienna, the hotel was across from a bus stop that would take me to the U-Bahn – their train system. I became incredibly adept at navigating Vienna and the surrounding area on my own.

Hoeldrichsmuehle Hotel

Vienna itself was stunning. Architecturally I was blown away. I took many pictures of different buildings only to learn they were used for general office work and such. They didn’t impress me less for their utilitarian usage. I also learned that as stunning as a building might be, as years pass the photo of a building alone doesn’t touch the heart as much as one with someone you know standing in front of it. The photos of the buildings remind me that I was alone there in seeing them. There was no one to take a photo. We hadn’t subscribed to selfies in that era.

I stopped into a pub one day (with a sign telling me it’d opened in 1447) and drank beers with a handful of saucy older gentlemen in tweed suits with little hats atop their heads. They didn't speak English and I could only swear in German. It worked out. I ate schnitzel. I don’t really care for schnitzel. I drank more beer.

I toured Seegrotte, which is the largest underground lake in Europe.

Explore Seegrotte

During WWII, aircrafts were built underground in the caves. Something I found extremely interesting on the tour was that the guide said there had been over 2,000 workers in the caves. When I asked about them, it turned out they were prisoners from Mauthausen Concentration Camp, as well as POW’s. Toward the end of the war, the Germans destroyed the factory to prevent it from falling into Allied hands. When I asked what became of the prisoners, the guide was matter of fact. They were killed. He pointed to a small plaque on the wall. By way of comparison, there is quite an ornate shrine to St. Barbara, patron saint of miners. The shrine is called out on the tour. I had to ask about the workers to be directed to the plaque, which notes there were prisoners and POWs but not that they were killed there. The cave tour included a boat ride and was incredibly fascinating, but I will tell you that after I heard about those deaths, I could not wait to come to the surface and breathe free air again. It hurt my heart.

I learned how to order my coffee in the café, “Wiener Melange, bitte.” By my third day, I was greeting the hotel staff with “morgen” rather than “guten morgen.” I was meshing in the small ways that mean you are assimilating. I went into countless churches and museums, soaking in the rich history of the place. I became an expert at their mass transit methods.

Most people in Austria don’t (or wouldn’t) speak English with me. They were not warm people overall. The men in the bar were fun. The tow truck driver succumbed to the ridiculousness of Lenny Kravitz singing American Woman while he sat in a truck with one. A nun on a bus was kind to me once – teaching me to pronounce Höldrichsmühle properly as the bus driver had gotten angry with me when he couldn’t understand my final destination. I remember this because there were so few moments of kindness there.

I drove the (repaired) company car along the autobahn to Salzburg. I stopped at several points along the way and twirled in the Alps like Maria Von Trapp. I visited Hohensalzburg Castle, which was constructed beginning in 1077. I'm not sure why I look so giggly at the top of the Castle. Must have been drinking beer...

My very favorite memory is of attending Verdi’s Rigoletto at the State Opera House. Everyone was formally dressed and every seat was filled. I admire a culture that embraces the arts. The acoustics were stunning. We were in a box with a perfect view of the stage. It was a total Pretty Woman moment. My very first formal opera. I fell in love.

I wish I could re-experience Austria (and Europe in general). I loved so many moments I had there, but would share them with someone to better experience them. I'd also bring along a digital camera. Wow - my photos were poor quality. 

Maybe someday my path will lead me back to where the hills are alive... Today I've got a 10 year-old with a water park addiction that tends to guide our vacations. And I’m perfectly fine with that. 

Verdi - Bella figlia dell'amore