The Walking Tour

The past weekend I walked a lot.
Well, not the whole weekend, just Saturday.

Mikal and I decided to meet up and see where the day would take us. We had a few ideas, but the first stop was Billa (a grocery store) because we were quite hungry. This was actually a serious point of discussion. You see, we are both trying to be very careful with our spending, so we wanted to choose the best way that would insure saving the most cents. We thought, for a few seconds, about just going to a bakery or something for a snack, but we reasoned, correctly I believe, that getting food for now and later would be better. We bought a fresh loaf of bread, deli meat, bananas, Almdudler -which is a ginger-ale like drink native to Austria- and chocolate chip cookies (American style). Plus I restocked my chocolate store, which is becoming a biweekly occurrence.

We ate sitting down on this little path with weeping willow trees all along the sides; it was so pretty. It also happened to be, in my opinion, a perfect fall day. The air was crisp, it was sort of sunny but sort of cloudy too, there was a hint of mist in the air but no actual precipitation. And you didn't need a coat. Ahh, it was great. After we were satisfied enough for the first time around, we just started walking around. Eventually we found the forest and took a route that I have run before. As we entered, we saw signs with florescent borders, but we weren't sure what they said. Good thing I (usually)always carry my dictionary with me. It said rescue dogs. Cool. There was some sort of training going on for the K9 unit, so we heard barking periodically as we walked. Cool. I really do love this forest. It has all sorts of ascents and descents as well as clearings and smaller less traveled paths as well. But one of the neatest and most appreciated things about it is the benches. Okay, don't get too excited; they're not exquisitely designed or embellished benches. They are just normal wooden benches with green steel legs and arm rests. I just like the fact that they are there. For when I decide to use them for reading, journaling, taking photographs from, or for thinking or praying or just for being. I don't know...they're just nice. I have yet to pass by anybody sitting on one yet, but when I do, I know I'm going to smile at them.

Whilst in the forest, we decided to take a journey to Sonnberg, a little village about three miles from Hollabrunn. One of our friends lives there, and he happens to have an apple tree in his yard. Mikal had gone there to pick apples once before, and had the idea to do so again since baking was an option for something to do later. Apples naturally need to be included in any baking venture since...'tis the season :)
After stopping by our respective houses and swapping handbags for backpacks, we headed out for our hour long journey, or so we estimated. En route to the village, we passed lots of fields, some already plowed and some still planted. Mikal stopped at one, thought it was potatoes, bent down to check but came back with an inconclusive result. After more walking, we came again to a plowed field. I glanced down, and there were a lot of rocks that quite keenly resembled potatoes. I bent down, picked one up, and sure enough, they were potatoes! Mikal had been right about the other field too. There were also a few different types of wildflowers that I'd never seen before; those kept my attention. We finally made it to Sonnberg; with our few little stops to pick flowers and play in the dirt, it did take us an hour to get to the edge of the tiny town. There were also a couple apple trees along the rode into the town; we tried to climb them but were unsuccessful. The limbs were a little too high and the bark too slippery. Bummer. But not too despair, for there was a whole tree waiting for us! There were a lot of apples already on the ground as well, which made things very easy for us. Since we were baking with them, it was okay if they were less than perfect. Our host offered us tea after we filled our bag with apples, which we gladly accepted. Then he drove us back to Mikal's. Lovely.

We finally made it!!

The apple trees we tried to climb were a little ways back on this road...on the right.

Awh, Sonnberg, you are cute :)

We planned on making apple bars, so we started washing the apples and getting everything ready. Then Mikal realized we didn't have any eggs. Here we go again...another three quarter of a mile walk to a food store and back. It was worth it though as we got a couple other things to supplement or supper, which were delicious compliments. The apple bars didn't turn out exactly as planned, but they were far from inedible!! We enjoyed them once they were finished, along with some white wine. We made spritzers as well, but to spruce them up a bit we added Holunderblutensaft (elderflower syrup) to them. Oh my word, They was so good! It was then time for a movie, and The Patriot was decided on, after which we both felt proud to be American along with a mild disliking for the British. That's saying something for me, since I love the Brits! We watched a couple episodes of Friends to end the night on a light note, which was good.

Then on Sunday, we celebrated Elena's birthday with both sets of grandparents. It was a lovely time! We enjoyed a delicious lunch and cake prepared by Andi and Elisabeth. Naturally, Elena was beyond excited: She got her "favorite wish," a Nintendo DS, along with other very nice things. She came into my room later in the evening and was showing the the Nintendo...prrrrrreetttty cool. I had no idea it had a camera!!?!/? But I guess what electronic/battery operated device doesn't have a camera on it these days?
Then even later, I got to add two more familiar faces from home to the ones I've gotten to see here from Austria! Thanks, Katie and Emily!

Alas, friend and family time = lovely weekend :)