At the end of September 2016 my friend Rosavita had another show of her ceramic tree masks in a little park adjoining the St. Andrä Church in Graz. It's a pretty old church. Some artists from Graz have been invited over the years to decorate it in a contemporary style as a kind of Kontrapunkt to the baroque interior. Apart from regular church service, the church is being used for art shows and performances.

Unfortunately I couldn’t go to the opening and I missed a spectacular performance by RosaVita. I managed, however, a visit and I had a chance to take the following photos.

The approach to the church is rather profane. It is a migrant area and the as the church community is also active in migration work. When I saw the faces of trees the first time [without my camera] it was a sunny day. People were picnicking in the park and some of the seven masks looked a bit forlorn. I had a feeling, they were telling me: "It's okay that we are here but - please - when can we go home again.

The next time, however, when I took those pictures, the weather was dismal, with a soft light rain coming down. Now the sun mask was brightening the day and all the other masks looked serene. The altar table in the middle is also covered with mirrors, giving it a rather transcendental touch.

The place was empty. I had it all to myself and I had the leisure to make a number of interesting discoveries. In one corner of the park I discovered a show garden or rather what was left of it. A bit untidy but full of surprises, like these artichokes.

Actually, it is a perm culture garden with raised beds. It must have been nice to look at during the summer month. Now, however, it has a kind of enchanted feeling. I wonder, if theses strawberries will still make it to maturity.

The rose and the white knight! Who would want to comment ;-)

This tree masks looks rather skeptical. Perhaps the tree suffers from indigestion. I nice hot tea from the leaves and the flowers of the mallow might help.

A modest lady with fan and the Holy Virgin Mary in all her baroque splendor.

The crucifixion, another stele at the church wall, protected by a mask that looks quite valiant.

The steles fixed in the church walls are a bit worn down. Still they are impressive in the diffuse late morning light. What intrigues me, whenever I see those ancient tabloids is how much they may have seen and how little they can tell. Maybe it is rather considerate of them that they don’t.

My friend Roswitha from Graz to whom I owe choosing Paros for my winter quarters introduced me to another lady who has been living in Paros for many years. She is originally from Karlsruhe, Germany, but Paros is the center of her live. I didn’t really get to know her in 2014 but this time now we have built up a nice contact. She has lived in different location on Paros but her favorite place where she lives now is Alyki, a fishing village in the south of Paros near the regional airport.

Going to Aliki from Marmara by bus is quite a way but my bonus is that I can stay in a flat owned by Helena which is empty at the moment. She rents it out in summer but stays presently at the house of a Greek friend living in Athens at the moment which apparently is right on the beach in a very beautiful location. That means I can stay overnight when I visit Helena and the distance is no problem. It is a nice flat [part of a house] in a quiet area with a big terrace facing south.

The area is popular with a number of other expats living on the island and it is a custom that one of them, a guy from Ireland, is giving a pre Xmas concert every year for his friends at a nice restaurant called Aqua Marine. Being invited by Helena I am delighted to participate. Hoping to hear something Irish I am a little disappointed because the program consist of old pop songs but it is fun anyway and I meet some very nice people. Helena has reserved a table for us and I meet her friend Barbara, a lady from Switzerland and a Polish couple Marek and Margarita. The lady in the middle is Helena, a spiritual healer and retired teacher of Hawaiian dance [among other talents].

Alyki doesn’t strike me as old place, like my villages, but it does have a number of nice places as you can see. Like this picture book Beach Café at the harbor front.

Lovely garden! Plenty of palm trees looking rather healthy. [In other places on Paros there are some problems with bugs killing palm trees. Possibly due to a lack of water during winter.] Or what about this restaurant advertises the Alps?

Towards the end of my stay I get to know the place where Helena lives right now. It takes about an hour’s walk along a very beautiful rocky coastline, interspersed with some nice sandy beaches.

The ground is rocky and arid but there is still enough soil and moisture for this very beautiful plant life.

Helena is flying a turquoise flag for me to let me know that I have arrived at the right place. It is very beautiful. The house is spacious. It was built as a summer House some 50 years ago and has since been renovated to make it fit for occupation during the winter month.

Aside from being fed a lovely vegetarian lunch I spend a nice time just watching the view and the changing of the light while Helena took her evening swim at the beach in front of the house. What a place. Even Helena’s dog Ronja shows full contentment.

Another discovery of the hidden highlights of Paros I owe to Christine and her friend Alex. It is a church with a mountain spring and a big cloister high up in a mountain valley.

Christine [on the right] was my neighbor when I lived up north in 2014. She lives on an off on the island in the house of her deceased mother who fell in love with Paros and with a Greek some forty years ago. The other halve of the year she lives in Giessen, Germany. Alex [on the left] is from Serbia. She has been living on Paros for a very long time, speaks Greek fluently and is the partner of John. John is the nice guy from England, who fixed an old bicycle and loaned it to me.

It is quite obvious: Monks and the work and often hard labor they did during the centuries are an important pillar of our culture [agri- and otherwise]. And they did discover the perfect places to live which is more or less equivalent to the presence of water and a fact of remoteness to make it secure in times of war and strife. Down in the little gorge there is still some water but the main spring is dry, a reason why the place is no longer permanently inhabited.

The second place is Aghios Georgios a big monastery and church way up a steep dirt road. It is nice to be a friend of Christine because she owns an old car. What’s even nicer is the fact that there is no road too steep or too rough that she wouldn’t attempt to drive it.

I don’t know the names or the varieties of the trees but I am sure that some of them exist only in this place. Here too, there are no more monks but there is a caretaker which shows one around during opening hours and although the buildings are not in a very good shape, the land is still farmed and taken care of.

There is a whole bunch of peacocks, there are pigs in an open stye below the monastery and there is a nice watch dog. Alex is a member of a “society for the care and protection of animals” which is taking care of stray cats [sterilizing them so they don’t get rampant] and especially of maltreated dogs. Cats are mostly treated well by the people of Paros but dogs are not treated well. I wonder, if there is some mythological reason.

The pictures of these old buildings will be the last for a while. Being built more or less at the same time long ago they remind me of the old house in Marmara where I have been living now for 7 month. It is also a reminder to come back one day to Paros. The contents of the next Blog Post are still open. But I am pretty sure there will be more. So stay in touch!

Near Kostos which is another mountain village lives a Greek named Pandelis Zumis. He took over the Katikia, the old farm house of his grandfather, farming his land and living in the old way. I discovered his place two year ago during my first stay on Paros on a hike across the island. I really I like him and what he is doing. I visit him frequently and the visits are always a pleasure. I enjoy his hospitality and buy his wines and other agricultural products which he sells for a living. Therefore - this is another mélange stretching from visits in 2014 to the most recent one with Benedikt.

Kostos is a small and very quiet place with only one pub and a dozen of churches. But I like the Platia, the main square, which at this time is still flying the Easter decorations.

From Kostos it is about a 30 minutes’ walk to the house of Pandelis. He does a bit of advertising as you can see but the amount of visitors is limited. He says, he doesn’t want it any other way. People who like his products and what he is doing will find him anyway.

The interior of the house is quite amazing. In the present form it is about 150 years old but part of the dwelling is much older. It’s a bit of a museum with a good atmosphere because it is really lived in. It’s full of musical instruments, all played by Pandelis with the amazing fact that he started to learn them only 10 years ago. The room in the middle is the winter quarter as it boasts a wood burning stove. Here some of Pandelis wrought iron work is on display. Among other things he also taught himself the black smith’s craft.

In winter it is a rather lonely place but winter is the time of most of the agricultural work and chores when he spends most of the day in the surrounding fields anyway. But in summer it’s lively. It is best to come in the evening when some of the neighbors also might show up. Then it is a time for drinking and talking and playing music.

Those cute kids are from one of the neighbors. They really had fun while the rest of us socialized. Their father is the man in the upper right hand picture. The impressive tree in the middle is a mulberry tree. Very delicious fruit but you have to eat them right from the tree.

The Katikia boasts a very impressive vegetable garden. It is spread out all around the house with individual vegetables growing in the proper places where they have a perfect environment [sun, wind, shade, moisture]. The white flower on the left belongs to a bottle gourd plant. In the middle is an old variety of artichoke. To the right are some tomato plants. It is a local variety which - aside from the early growing stage - does not need any water. The little half moon shaped indentations are made for the morning dew to collect. Two years ago I was not very successful with my vegetable garden project in the North of Paros. Looking at and seeing the garden of Pandelis I realize why.

The rest of the garden is also full of treasures and surprises, like the edging of this ancient well. There used to be water in any places but nowadays most wells higher up have dried out. It’s due to the decreasing rainfall but also because of the tourists which use incredible amounts of water along the coast during the summer month. This has led to a tremendous lowering of the ground water levels. Spread out over the garden are a number of interesting rocks which Pandelis has collected and shaped sometimes [like the sculpture on the right].

In spite of my frequent visits I still discover things which are new to me or new to the particular season. Like a beautiful old floor tile, an old cooking place [where Pandelis bakes a delicious wheat and barley bread] or fragrant bunches of dried oregano.

Unless I can enlist somebody with a car I take the bus to Kostos and walk back to Marmara. It’s a trail Pandelis has shown me, a shortcut compared to the main road. He told me he has taken this trail twice a week for quite some time to visit his music teacher which used to live in Marmara. It is a really nice walk during spring time.

There are meadows full of bee hives [Paros has excellent honeys] one or the other inevitable romantic little church and old bridges. The one on the right looked doubtful to me from the distance as to its solidity. When I crossed it, it turned out that it is also traversed by lorries [!]. On the left of it [not shown] is a big garbage dump well hidden in the landscape!

Due to this dump the rest of the way is not so nice to the eye. At least not with regard to the mutilated slopes of the valley around me! My remedy is to focus on plant and animal life. Onto the white and pink rockroses, yellow prickly gorse, delicate mountain lilies and a proud billy goat.

This post comprises a visit to Prodromos, the third village of the Marmara trinity, and a walk from there to Lefkes along the Byzantine Road. I take this walk in spring and again later when my son Benedikt is visiting. So it is a kind of mélange.

Prodromos is also in walking distance from Marmara. It’s also very nice but a little different being not on a hill side like the other villages. It boasts a nice Kafeneion, a small general store and a traditional Taverna where the serve wild rabbit and Greek salad using their own home made cheese.

The dominant color on Paros is blue. Most of the Church domes are blue and almost all of the doors and windows of the white walled houses with a rare red or green in between. But this house which I found in Prodromos is definitely the ultimate in blue.

It’s Easter time right now with the bells of many churches ringing from morning till evening. Apparently it’s not like in the Catholic Church where the bells fly away to Rome during Easter to return only with the resurrection of Christ. Maybe it is because Rome for the Orthodox is Constantinople and that not a place nowadays where to send any bells.

But walking through the narrow streets of Prodromos I come across this amazing Easter decorations. It demonstrates trust - all of it out on the street with no one to protect or watch it – and it is made with loving care.

After Prodromos I have to walk for about one kilometer to reach the beginning of the Old Byzantine Highway. It was built many centuries ago to connect Parikia on the Western shore with Piso Livadi, a major port in these days on the Eastern side.

Those street builders must have done an incredible job. It is said that two oxcarts could move and pass each other on this great highway. Part of it has deteriorated over time but the remains are still impressive. And it is spring time and many shrubs are flowering in these otherwise rather arid parts of the island.

Here now there is a bit of mélange and with the help of Benedikt I can also be “in the picture”. When I walk this road with him, the weather is very fine and clear after some heavy rains. You can see it in the skies and the clouds. I like this picture sequence. On the left because it shows the distinct shape of Kefalo my “Hausberg”, my local mountain and ahead it shows Lefkes the destination of the walk.

Flowers everywhere! On the right there is a famous medicinal plant of the Mediterranean, a rose of the Cistus family, called rockrose in English. If you believe all the claims being made it’s a remedy for almost everything. I have used it for making tea and it produces a nice hot beverage for a hot day. The flower on the right is also a lovely plant. It’s a kind of thistle but without thorns on the stems and just some spikes around the blossom.

The distance from Prodromos to Lefkes is only some 4 km but at my present speed it takes me about an hour and a half. The road crosses to small ridges and traverses a fertile valley and a river bed on an ancient bridge. With enough rain it must be quite a river but rain is becoming rather scarce on Paros.

There is no sign of the river but judging from the lush grass, the olive orchards and the number of impressive cypress trees there must be a lot of water deeper down.

After crossing the second ridge there is a clear view of Lefkes, nestled in a valley below Pantes Mountain, the highest peak on Paros. You cannot miss it because it holds all the antennas for modern communication. It’s a shame in many ways but who I am to complain with my Smartphone and my mobile internet access. But – at least – I can hide them on the pictures I am taking.

In the middle of Lefkes, among some very old houses, there is a nice Platia, the main square in every Greek village or town, usually with a big tree and a nice place to rest where Benedikt I and I enjoy some Greek coffee. On my first visit everything was still closed here, but now, three weeks later with Benedikt the town is full of Easter tourists.

Lefkes is famous for its Snapdragon flowers. They grow everywhere between cracks I the rocks in the most impossible places. They are one of my [many] favorite plants. Another one is this flowering cactus. It reminds me of the beautiful garden of my friend Barbara in San Diego.

Another of the nice places in Lefkes is this small Café-Restaurant on the square in front of the big church [no picture because I think it’s rather unattractive compared to the many impressive old churches of Paros]. Almost everything served in that little Restaurant is home made. The owner lives next door with his mother who makes incredible cakes and jams. She is also a flower lady. The cactus I mentioned above grows there [corner left hand picture]. The nicely designed wooden door is from another house on the same square. It’s a very unusual style for Paros. I suspect some foreigners but the place does not seem to be lived in when I am there.

Walking thru the streets of Lefkes I discover this friendly alien. A Cicada which one normally only hears later in the year, during summer, when there is mating time. It can make quite some noise one would expect when looking at that cute creature.

At the end of the day we visit Piso Livadi, the other destination of the Byzantine Road. I used to be the naval port in the old days of the Venetians and is now a small fishing village. There is a ferry which goes from here across the straight to Naxos in summer. I hope I can take it while I am on Paros. Next door to Piso Livadi is Logara Beach, a very nice stretch of golden sand with peaceful place at the end to relax with a cold Frappe.

On his last day, Benedikt ventured on a little hike up to both Kefalos and Anti Kefalos. It took him a couple of hours what would take me a whole day. Anyway - he took this nice panorama shot from Ayos Antonios Monastery on Kefalo. It is a nice view of my village trinity, Marpissa, Marmara and Prodromos. It reflects a great rural harmony to me.

Naoussa is the second big city on Paros. It has a big port and a high share of tourism during the summer month. It’s a bit more fancy and high end than the capital Parikia. The bay of Naoussa is also a perfect place for starting on a sailing turn.

A very prominent landmark is the Panagia, the main church of Naoussa, named after Virgin Mary. Naoussa is quite familiar for me as I spent the winter and spring of 2014 in this area of Paros.

There are two ports: The old one and the new one. The new one is rather busy with lots of Cafes and Tavernas. I prefer the old one which is quaint and quiet. The pub in the middle is one of the oldest in Naoussa, frequented mostly by locals.

The big restaurants are mainly at the seafront while inside in the narrow passages there nice shops – like the one in the middle which sells curious - and some nice places to relax, like the Music Café on the right. It is run by natives which have studied at the Music Conservatory in Athens and for which it is difficult nowadays to find jobs. Quite often there is very good life music in the evenings.

On a hill opposite from the big church there is a number of nice old hotels and pensions with a very nice view over the bay of Naoussa. Contrary to the village where I am now living Naoussa is full of live in summer but rather dead in winter when two thirds of all the businesses are closed.

Aside from being a familiar place for me, the reason for going there is my friend Christine, my neighbor from my last stay and the fact that I could organize a bicycle. Just look at the beauty in the middle. John, a guy from England who came to Paros sometime in the eighties, fixed it up for me. Naoussa does have some fancier foodstuffs [like organic oat flakes and genuine Italian Mortadella] and is more or less flat country to ride the bike. So it is more convenient to go there as compared to go to Parikia over the hills. To the right and left are some nostalgic shots from the area where I have lived before.

This sequence shows more nostalgic shots and a creation of mine, embellishing the house where I used to live. They are shutters made of scrap wood which I found in the Apotiki, the Greek word for a kind of box room. It feels a little said looking at them. The Belgian owners of the house which decided not to rent it out any longer are not taking care of it. Much of what I have planted during my last stay is all dried up and even some very old and very beautiful rose bushes have died. But alas, life is for moving on and not for clinging.

Parikia is the capital of Paros and the big ferry port connecting the island to Athens and Piraeus and to all the other Cycladic islands.

During the winter month Blue Star Ferries is the only carrier serving Paros but in summer there is about half a dozen. A cruise ship is rather a rare sight. A big one couldn’t enter the port but this is a small one and looks rather cute. I don’t know if I would ever go on a cruise but this ship might make a difference. It’s more on my scale.

Parikia has a very nice little farmers market on the waterfront at the edge of a little park. It’s fun to be able to find the major staple vegetables all year round. And it’s all local. and incredible cheap. It takes never more than a few Euros to fill my rucksack.

I like to stroll around in the narrow streets. As there are only a few buses a day during the winter month, I normally have plenty of time to do it. On the left you can see the Café Micro, meaning small, a hangout for foreigners which is closes down after Christmas. On the right there is a famous pastry shop deserving the name Patisserie and luckily it is open all year.

The old town is the biggest on the island and there is even a section called ancient town with the remnants of a Frankish fortress in the middle. These pictures could also be taken in other villages on the island, except that in Parikia everything is a little bigger. The passages are wider and there are some Palace like buildings.

Browsing the narrow streets, I am always happy when I discover some small things, like the well preserved well on the left, the leftover Xmas decoration in the middle and the big fat tomcat on the right.

Or the old man enjoying the morning sun, the Begonias, flowers which I never really liked until living during winter in Greece, and these beautiful filled Camellias in front of one of the Palaces I have mentioned before.

One of the sights in Parikia is the Panagia Ekatontapiliani, meaning the church and cloister with the hundred doors. Some people, who have counted them, did find however that there are only 99 doors. The legends says, the one hundredth door will be found only, when Constantinople is again the center of orthodox Christianity.

I don't know if Mr. Erdogan of Turkey will cherish this idea one day but it’s a very nice place to visit and walk around. Being next door to the archeological museum there is also lots of old stuff around, mainly from the Hellenic period of ancient history.

Here are some more impressions from Marmara before I switch to Marpissa where I go to every few days checking for mail and doing some of my shopping.

On the picture to the left there is an old windmill which someone has renovated to live in. It’s right in the center of Marmara, next to the bus station and a famous Souvlaki den. Windmills are all over the place as Paros is famous for its grain [wheat, rye and barley], but most of them are crumbling. The quaint monastery is on the way to the beach. It’s a somewhat different style.

Now, we are in Marpissa. It’s a kind of center of the three villages with a big church on top of the hill. Being located on the main road it’s more modern than Marmara but the old part is very nice.

Here too flowers and flowering shrubs are everywhere. The nice thing is that the season never stops. There is always something in full bloom.

I am told that there is a famous pink house in Marpissa, belonging to an English lady. After searching for a while I find it. It’s rather unusual. The dominant color is blue, with a rare green or turquoise. Unfortunately the lady is not at home. She probably is on Christmas holidays. There are signs that she rents out rooms in summer. It also looks like a nice place to live, but I stick to my “castle”.

I am trying to be restrictive with my photos but there is so much to see and look and marvel at. The cupola of the church in the middle is also kind of unusual. Very often these roofs are painted blue.

On the way back from a bicycle trip to Naoussa up North I come across this celestial spectacle [picture in the middle]. I was prepared to get wet because if it rains here in winter it can happen rather quickly. But it is just a cloud show with a peculiar lighting. Back home I can later watch the evening clouds above Anti Kefalos, a familiar highlight at dusk.

The next impressions are taken during another bicycle trip, going north but along the cost. Last time I lived in Paros I met Tessi, a lady from Munich. She is a retired lawyer, painter and house builder. She told me that she was building a new house in Isterni. Passing thru this village I think this might be the house she built as it strikes me as rather special. But it is closed up for winter. There are some wild beaches around there. Maybe not very good for swimming but nice to look at.

Riding my bike thru the countryside I come to a solitary tree. It’s one of the famous Phoenician juniper trees, also called mastic. Unlike other juniper trees, the berries are poisonous but part of the tree is used for making chewing gum.

The next set of pictures is from another expedition. It’s a trip around the bottom of Kefalos. It is amazing how many different types of scenery can be found in such a small area. I pass the foothill of the volcano with – as it looks like – more extinct craters. It looks rather barren but the sheep seem to be happy. The grayish-green area in the cliff is Fango, a kind of medicinal mud used for therapeutically treatments in Spas.

Between the rocks of solidified lava I find places like in the Alps. A miniature alpine garden on Paros!

The next excursion is dedicated to the brother – or rather the sister - of Kefalos. It is Anti Kefalos, my guard on the left. The peak is only at some 600 hundred feet but here there are no roads or trails to ascend. It’s rough going through the scrubland, the Maquis. There are incredible rock formations at the top. They look like petrified man or beasts. A friend of mine claims that Anti Kefalos was a place of worship in the times of matriarchy. I have no trouble believing it.

Anyway! Below me I watch some fishermen drawing in their nets. Apparently the catch is good.

And between all these barren parts there is some green. It looks a bit like mother earth to me, with Asia on the left and the Americas on the right. It just takes some imagination.

One may not gather it from these pictures but Christmas time is round the corner. It is not a big festivity in Greece. Easter is much more important. Some houses have a kind of American touch in their decorations but my next door neighbors adorn their passage very nicely and with loving care. The poinsettia trees are amazing and the churches are open.

The Village of Marmara on Paros Island is my winter destination for 2015 and 2016. I will stay there until the end of May 2016. I found it thru a fried of a friend. The owners live in Barcelona and the house is empty in winter. Perfect for me!

Marmara is in a different area related to the place where I stayed in 2014. It’s in the Southeast, right opposite of the Island of Naxos, in a very fertile agricultural area nestled in between two extinct volcanoes – Kefalos and Anti Kefalos. The house I am living in is very old. Apparently it was built some 500 years ago during the times when Paros was a Venetian colony. It’s built like a fortress with thick walls and lots of nooks and recesses which are walled off now. They used to be passageways connecting all the houses of the village in case of the frequent attacks of pirates. It is difficult to take photos of, being locked in between other old houses. The front door is in a narrow lane in the back but I have two terraces facing East with the morning sun and incredible views.

It is newly renovated and simply furnished with some nice old stuff in between. The owners have four kids which seem to like to build little model sailing boats. I really like the painting in the middle.
It has been done, I am told, by a painter friend from Athens, depicting all the different peoples and nationalities populating mainland Greece and the Islands.

It is nice, living in an old village. Having lived myself as a kid in a house, the foundations of which were built in the 12th century, I feel quite at home. I have to walk thru the passage of my neighbors whenever I come or go. There are three generations living in that house and sometimes the old folks are sitting outside smoking their cigarettes. I also love the tree next to the church which I often pass. It’s actually two trees or rather one tree “married” to an old Bougainvillea.

There are some special places in the narrow alleys which are definitely occupied by plant lovers. There are some incredible arrangements. The picture in the middle is a Bonsai water melon. It’s no bigger than 3 cm across and grows from a crack in the wall where a seed must have landed. Quite amazing.

When I look out of my window or sit on the upper terrace, I see my two volcanoes and Naxos. It’s really a kind of television. Every morning a new program! The morning ferry on the way from Naxos harbor en route to Santorin or – when on rare occasions it is really cold – the snowcapped peaks of Naxos.

All my neighbors are farmer. They are very diligent doing most of their work still by hand. Sometimes, however, they do get some donkey power to help them plough there potato patch. It’d nice to watch them doing their different jobs according to the season. And being a Southern country, there is always something to be planted and to watch growing. Right below my terrace – not visible - is the chicken coop. Sometimes I get eggs from next door. What a treat! A quality I have not tasted since my childhood days.

By a walk of 20 minutes I can reach the beach at Volos. It’s a little bay between the two volcanoes, Kefalos and Anti Kefalos. Locals tell me that in the old days Anti Kafalos was called Di Kefalos, meaning twin. There is also some information that the sea has been lower way back, i.e. that there was a land bridge between Paros and Naxos. It must have been a lovely valley between the two islands.

I do like my volcanoes. They feel like two friends keeping watch over the fertile valley in between. They are quite prominent and can be seen as a distinct landmark from far away.

The trail up to Ayios Antonios, the monastery on top of Kefalos is steep but lovely. There is also a road winding around Kefalos but this access is the nicer one. Prior to the monastery there was a Venetian fortress on this place. The spot offers a commanding view over the Eastern half of Paros and the water straight between the islands.

Looking back down from an old chapel at the foot of the monastery, I have a beautiful view of Marpissa on the left and Marmara on the right. The little township is actually a trinity consisting of Marpissa [with the post office and the supermarket], Marmara [with the dentist and the drug store] and Prodromos on the main road.

Below the monastery there are some old trees. They look like eucalyptus and remind me strongly of Australia. A number of branches are cut off [or fell down in a storm] and I like the tumble of colors, so I had to take pictures before the leaves will die off.

Accept on the day of Saint Anthony, the monastery is closed. Like many other monasteries there aren’t any monks left to keep it running. The yard and the outside area is accessible and make for a nice place to have a picnic. Looking down towards the South I can see village and the harbor of Piso Livadi. In summer it is quite touristy and there is a ferry boat running across to Naxos.

On the way down I take the road. It is not as steep as the trail and is less strenuous for my worn out left knee. But there are also treasures to be found and documented. Thistles are amazing plants.

On the way down the view – now to the North - shows the fertility and the agricultural diversity. They valley used to be a swamp before being drained and there is still more moisture in the ground as in other places. Close to the beach the swamp still exists and is a bird and wildlife refuge. Due to the lack of rain [there hasn’t been any the last 6 weeks] they also need artificial irrigation.

Finishing the turn around Kefalos and before I reach the valley bottom again, I enjoy another lovely view of “my” village. And - between the rocks of lava there is an abundance of immortelles.

In winter there are less ferry from Piraeus to Paros and the one in the early morning doesn’t connect with the arrival of my plane. I have to stop over in Athens. Before leaving Austria I learn that a 48 hour ferry strike is scheduled to start the day of my arrival. Luckily I can book a very nice hotel called Attalos right in the center and near Plaka, the old town.

My hotel is located near Monastiraki Metro station, a traffic hub with lines going to the airport as well as to Piraeus harbor. It’s a very lifely place because it is the entrance to the Plaka, to the Flea Market and the roads leading up to the Acropolis.

My room in the Attalos hotel is on the top floor with an incredible view over Athens and the Acropolis. It also boasts a restaurant at the very top from where I can take those pictures while sipping a cold Mythos beer.

On the first day I can only look at these ancient ruins due to arriving rather late. On the second day, however, I take an evening stroll thru the Plaka and up to the Acropolis. I walk up to the famous Odeon of Herodes Atticus, said to be the birthplace of the antic Greek drama. On the way I meet a nice Frenchman, playing lovely Baroque music on his various recorders. He stands there every evening earning good money part of which he spends to feed the numerous stray cats. I think they are kind of holy on the hill of the Acropolis. I saw them being fed in many other places.

On the way back, the light and the skies are getting quite unreal. It’s like “Alpenglühen” in the mountains when the setting sun is tinting the peaks red. Looking down on the city I realize that Athens is the only metropolis I know that has no high-rises.

I also explore the Plaka which surrounds the hill. It’s touristy but in a very low keyed way [might be different in summer]. Narrow streets, nice Tavernas and street music! It’s a bit rundown but in a rather charming way. Like many old towns in Italy. Still functional but keeping the character alive that has been built up during the centuries.

On my last morning, there is this incredible cloud show in front of my hotel balcony. The heavens above Athens! With cloud formations changing by the minute.

After breakfast I explore the region toward Sytagma, a famous square where the National Assembly is located. Ermou Street connects Monastiraki with Syntagma. It is a shopping lane and pedestrian area with all the brands which make me wonder in what country exactly I have landed the shops being interchangeable. But there are still some regional distinctions like this restaurant or the local organ grinder.

And churches everywhere. I have not been in any other country with so many churches as there are in Greece. It is a distinct national characteristic. But the church in these pictures did strike me as something different. It had a different feel to it. Upon entering I found out that it was the major Russian church of Athens. It’s funny, I grew up in the Russian zone in Austria after the war and though I never learned language, I can recognize it immediately. There also was a bunch of Russian kids playing hide and seek inside the church. I liked that. One wouldn’t expect it looking at the rather austere and daunting outside.

Now I am a little cheating. These pictures are from a later visit to Athens but they fit in quite well. Again, I stay at Attalos hotel. It’s Saturday afternoon and the market is still at a full swing. It’s five minutes’ walk from the hotel up along Athina Street and another reason why I like this area. The indoor market in the old building sells fish, meat and dry goods. I buy some excellent Pastrami from a local farmer whose products are protected by this Icon where the devil seems to be under control.

But the real pleasure is the outdoor market with fruit and vegetables. The prices are quite amazing. Three Kilos of tangerines for 1 Euro is not bad. When I ask the owner who looks a little skeptical at my camera if it is ok to take photos, he says yes, but only if he is allowed to kiss me. I agree and I get a kiss on each cheek which is quite normal among men in Greece. I take it as a distinction.

This post covers the last month in Graz. It is a medley of another tourist stroll thru Graz and some other activities.

Looking at these pictures of the old town of Graz, I do have to confess that it is a nice place, notwithstanding the fact that it has often such a provincial feel to it when I have been abroad.
Like, for example, the Franziskaner Square, named after the neighboring cloister and church.
And – I have to admit it – it is the first time I have been inside.

This now is a hot spot: Sack Straße with Kastner & Öhler, the most renowned department store of Graz [like Harrods in London]. Farther down, the Palais Attems is one of the splendid old buildings of Graz [picture left and right]. It is pretty rundown and I know it well, because it holds the ticket office of Styriarte an excellent festival of old music.

On the left in this row is a famous bakery. It doesn’t only boast this amazing front. They sell good stuff. When I was still in the organic wholesale business, I had the honor to supply them every week with organic margarine. And the coffee is excellent. The middle shows the Mehlplatz [Flour Square] and on the right is a building which houses the famous Glockenspiel [chimes] with archaic figures rotating at the top whenever the hour is striking.

Here, left and right are old buildings bordering the main square of Graz and in the middle there is Färberplatz [Dyers Square] another prominent square. When I am contemplating these names I often wonder what it was like when these old professions were actually occupying these squares which inherited their names.

And this is the end of Graz. Indian summer has arrived and colors are everywhere.[In German it’s actually called Altweibersommer which many people translate as “old woman’s summer”. This is, however, a misinterpretation. In the old days the term Weib didn't mean woman. Weiben were the spider webs which glisten in autumn mornings because of dew drops that have collected over night.]

A change of setting: - Before I started travelling in 2014, I have been a regular member of an informal group practicing NVC [nonviolent communication] in Graz. It is an open group, meeting every Monday from October to June except during the time of school holidays. Everybody is welcome, provided they have some basic knowledge in NVC, have at least a serious interest and/or are recommended by a regular. There is also a slight fee covering cost of room and beverages.
While travelling, I could attend only sporadically. But when I learned that – for the first time ever – there will be a little celebration after practicing at the fall opening session, I managed to attend. I am very fond of Irmgard and Hubert, the teachers, and I have ties of friendship to some of the other participants. Attendance varies between 5 and 15 people.

There is plenty of information on NVC, both in print and the internet and I will outline here only a few of the basics.

Nonviolent Communication holds that most conflicts between individuals or groups arise from miscommunication about their human needs. It supposes that all human behavior stems from attempts to meet those needs. Needs are never in conflict. Rather, conflict arises when strategies for meeting needs clash. The focus lies on three aspects of communication: self-empathy (defined as a deep and compassionate awareness of one's own inner experience), empathy (understanding and sharing an emotion expressed by another), and honest self-expression (defined as expressing oneself authentically in a way that is likely to inspire compassion in others.
The practitioners are invited to choose a communication problem they have recently grappled with, to focus attention on the following four components and afterwards to evaluate and share what they have found in small groups:

• Observation: the facts (what we are seeing, hearing, or touching) as distinct from our evaluation of meaning and significance.
• Feelings: emotions or sensations, free of thought and story. These are to be distinguished from thoughts (e.g., "I feel I didn't get a fair deal") and from words colloquially used as feelings but which convey what we think we are (e.g., "inadequate"), how we think others are evaluating us (e.g., "unimportant"), or what we think others are doing to us (e.g., "misunderstood", "ignored"). Feelings are said to reflect whether we are experiencing our needs as met or unmet.
• Needs: universal human needs, as distinct from particular strategies for meeting needs. It is posited that "Everything we do is in service of our needs.]
• Request: request for a specific action, free of demand. Requests are distinguished from demands in that one is open to hearing a response of "no" without this triggering an attempt to force the matter.

Today - after discussing our results and experiences - we are switching to the informal part[y]. There is food and drink and time too chat. The blond lady in the very center of the picture in the middle is Irmgard who started the whole thing. The lady in orange on the right hand picture is a dear friend and a professional story teller.

A participant of the group whom I had not met before turned out to be a musician. He had prepared music to play for us and so we had a very nice chill out with Prosecco and Mendelssohn. It is an evening to remember.
My gain from the exposure to NVC is not only getting to know some very nice people. It is also a personal advance in the art of empathy and the challenge of suspending judgment.

A new change of setting: All the time during my stay in Graz I was busy finding a new place to stay in Greece for the coming winter. The place I had rented before was no longer available. I had some offers on the mainland of Greece but my mind was set on Paros. Finally, another opportunity arose. With the help of Roswitha and Christos in Graz and there family ties I am offered to take care of an old house in Marmara. It’s another part of the island but I am looking forward to this new chance.

I will leave in the beginning of November and I can arrange with Gabi to be driven to the airport in Vienna which is a great help. So, I spend the last days of October with Gabi in Markt Harmannsdorf. Fall has unraveled its paint box in Eastern Styria and we enjoy it by taking some walks.

Close by to where Gabi lives is Riegersburg, a very impressive castle-fortress which neither the Turks nor Napoleon could take or conquer. It is visible from miles around and dominates the panorama whenever one reaches the top of a hill.

It is a chilly All Saint Day, but we do find a spot to enjoy the last rays of the evening sun and the spectacular scenery. For me it is the last “chance” for feeling really chilly for a while but I think I will handle that quite well.

A trip to Venice is always on my wish list – especially in a year of the biannual Biennale Art Festival.
I am lucky and there is an opening for a few days in one of the flats which are managed by my old-time friends in Vienna. Gabi is invited and so off we go.

We can stay in a nice flat at Palazzo Analdi in the Salizada San Pantalone. It is not on Canale Grande but it does have a small private quay for Gondolas. Moreover it’s just a 10 minute walk from the train station Santa Lucia and from the bus station at Piazzale Roma. The flat is one floor below the “belle etage” but it is quite comfortable and we enjoy our opulent breakfasts in the living room.

Being in Venice to me means being a lot on the water of the Laguna. I just have to top up my Venice Card which makes it affordable as I only have to pay the price of the locals. We have luck with the weather and the rides on the Vaporetto are fun. The picture in the middle is actually taken “on shore”, sitting in one of my favorite Cafes on Zattere Quay opposite of Guideca Island.

Next morning is church day. I am not a churchgoer but being in Venice without visiting some would be a shame. The first one is Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari on Campo dei Frari. I know it well because on the campo there is another flat which my friends rent out. It is actually a Basilica and famous for the Assunta [the assumption of Mary], a painting by Tiziano. Taking pictures is strictly forbidden, but with keen eyes you might detect it at the end of the middle nave. It is quite an impressive church, the size of which is difficult to realize because it is rather closed in.

One of my great favorites is the next one. The Chiesa San Giacomo dall’ Orio is not easy to find and doesn’t look much from the outside. But the feeling and the energy inside is incredible. It’s also one of the oldest churches of Venice which are still standing. Only few of them have their original timber structure under the roof. In most old churches they have been destroyed by fire. The crucifix in the middle is also quite famous, being created by Bellini. And the impressive pillar of green marble is – as it is claimed – a present to the Venetians by Constantinople. To me, most impressive is the serenity and timeless atmosphere of the place.

The square outside, the Campo San Giacomo dell’ Orio is another treasure of Venice. I could sit there among the locals and the kinds playing ball for hours. There are occasional tourists because the church is in the travel guides but most of the time it is tranquil and very relaxing. Hard to imagine that less than 10 minutes walking distance the “trails” to Rialto and san Marco are clogged with people.

After being “inland” for a time, we are back on the water. I think I will never tire of travelling by vaporreto. I remember being in Venice when my sons were small kids and we had this deal. Halve a day looking at things and have a day riding on the waves. Today we are en route to the Island of San Servolo. It is also one of the Geheimtipps [insider tip]. It is situates half way between San Marco and the Lido but not on a main route. You have to be well informed to find the place from where the boat is leaving once every hour.

In the old days San Servolo used to be an asylum for the handicapped which the Venetians wanted to be out of the way. It was closed in the 20th century and was vacant for many years. However, it was revitalized and houses now a small international university. The nice thing about the Biennale, the art exhibit, is the fact that it has spread out over the years. When it started some 100 years ago, it was more or less designed for the great colonial powers which built their own pavilions at the Giardini.
Nowadays every country wants to be present. The result being that during the Biennale many interesting places in Venice are open, or even renovated for this occasion, which normally are closed.
They are housing the “Eventi Collaterali”! This year Cuba, Syria and some independent artists are exhibiting on San Servolo. But we are also going there because it is such a nice and layback place.

Cuba was no knockout but Syria was interesting. Simple objects, but with a strong message. Amazing to think that people in Syria still have the stamina to produce art. We had fun strolling thru the sculpture gardens and enjoying the park.

The next day was art day. One of these places which are only open for the art exhibit is the Palazzo Falier. The back entrance is hard to find [as it was only for the domestic servants] but the front and the interior is quite spectacular. It is one of the most prominent palazzo on the Canale Grande whit a very nice view. It must have been nice sitting there, drinking your Ristretto and watching the traffic on the Canale. ;-)

The reason for visiting this place was not only the splendor of the palazzo. For both Gabi and I the painter Sean Scully is one of our favorites. Of course, he has exhibited in the main venues of Biennale before, but never with such a broad selection. Visiting the Biennale for quite a long time I have noticed over the years that who is chosen to exhibit in the Giardini or the Arsenale is becoming more and more a matter of political rather than art.

My reaction – and the reaction of quite some people I know – is to spend more times with visiting the Eventi Colaterali. Anyway Scully for me was worth it to find the back entrance of this fine palazzo.

Another venue off the beaten track – also it is in the vicinity of Rialto – is the Palazzo Bembo. Not so spectacular as the Falier but it always houses interesting artwork. It was bought or rented by some Dutch art foundation and exhibits now all year round.

The next stop was Palazzo Fortuny, a very dark and hidden place. The owner was a fervent admirer when it was still inhabited. But it is also open all year and they have interesting shows. Unfortunately they were very strict about not taking pictures. But the place is located in another quite area near the Teatro Felice, the Venice opera house, and we had a nice walk.

On the way back we stopped at Rialto. Not the bridge but near the market, where there is a nice square with the famous one-handed clock and where there are also some nice restaurants. Especially near the back on the edge of the Canale Grande. Passing the square we watched a street artist producing incredibly bid soap bubbles and with some luck I was able to catch this incredible picture.

Last not least we made it to the heart of the Biennale or rather the second heart. With the Gardini being not able to house new pavilions the Arsenale was renovate as the second major venue. It used to be the ship yard for the Venetian navy and it is a nice location for artwork, especially when it is voluminous. We restricted ourselves to the Arsenale, because both major venues take normally a full day due to being so extensive.

Having only three days at our disposal, we had to skip one. It was a good decision based on my experience that the Arsenale does not always show great art but it is always funny and often original.
Just look at the Chinese dragon and the Nordic angel airships.

Or the Gateway to . . . The funny sculptures in the middle were from some Arab state and the guy on the left is from a Baltic state. On the way back we passed another interesting church located at the tail fin of Venezia, but it was closed. If you look at Venice from above it has the shape of a fish: The area around the Port and the Railway Station being the head and the Southern tip toward the Lido being the tail. Arrivederci Venezia!

In September I receive an invitation from Rosavita, an old friend of Gabi and me. She is an artist and the show is called “Faces of Trees”.

She lives in a house with a beautiful garden which she has inherited from her grandmother. I know the place quite well. Many years ago when my son Nikolaus was a teenager he used to go there once a week for drawing and pottery lessons and I used to drop him there or pick him up.

It used to be a special place even then, Rosavita being a very creative lady, but – WOW – what a development in the years gone by! I haven’t been there for many years and it really has turned into a place of magic. At the show there were too many people around for taking pictures which do live up to the art objects of the show and the many treasures hidden in this place. Therefore I arranged a special visit to browse with the camera thru the garden and the show.

It is not a big place but there are many different trees. They were planted when Rosavita was young and she has watched them growing to maturity, getting very fond of them. The love and admiration for those trees gave her the idea to make individual clay masks, trying to capture the soul and the spirit of these trees. The result is quite amazing. It happened to me and other visitors of the show that we missed some of the faces because they blend so well with the trees they were made for.

Walking thru the garden at my leisure I had time to discover numerous of the other manifestations which populate the place. There is a surprise at every turn. I wouldn’t shock me, to see the fairies dancing in the twilight of the morning.

As I haven’t written down the name of the trees when taking the pictures, now, when writing these lines, I can’t recognize them all by seeing only their trunks and barks. But I can name a few which will come later, but I think the names are not important anyway.

And here comes the lady of the house just looking, how I am doing. And I can only bow my head in admiration and say: “Thank You, for letting me document the splendor of your garden. Well done Rosavita!”

Here is a tree I can recognize. The one in the middle is a hornbeam. But aren’t the “faces” incredible. So simple and yet so different in their expressions and the mood they are anifesting.

More treasures of the garden, which demand no further comments.

Here now we have a cherry tree on the left and an apple tree on the right. The face in the middle, I think, is the queen of the place. It’s the genius loci of the house and garden. At the opening of the show, there was a little performance enacted by Rosavita, in which this face had a prominent part.

Here, the scene in the middle does not depict a work of art. It just shows that - sometimes – there are children around. But – who ever arranged it – had a good feeling for effect.

The tree on the left might be a pear tree, the one in the middle is definitely a walnut tree and the one on the right is one of my favorites. Some of the faces were sold during the show and I do hope that all of them will find the places where they belong.

August and September is a very good time of the year to go mushroom hunting. I no longer have a car and therefore I depend on friendly and mushroom loving people to accompany me. The following post is the summary of two such occasions. Early in September Gabi and her friend Sherana, both keen on mushroom, drive us to an area in Upper Styria at the slope of Greim Peak, a place where Porcini Mushrooms [edible boletus] normally grow in abundance. I know this area quite well because way back I rented a cabin in these mountains in the late Sixties and early Seventies of the last century.

Being the king of mushrooms [aside from Truffles], places where Boletus grow are normally family secrets passed on from parents to their children on their death bed. We start out into the forest on a sunny afternoon full of hope or, in other words, my companions depend on my assurance that there will be Boletus in the part of the forest which I am taking them. However, the last weeks have been very dry and plenty of moisture in the ground is one of the preconditions for finding mushrooms. We did find some – but only Chanterelle – which also make for a delicious dish. But for Boletus the forest floor was too dry.

To sooth our disappointment we follow the road to the end to a small mountain inn which is the starting point for climbing Greim Peak. The summit is at 8000 feet which means a climb of 2 to 3 hours with the last 30 minutes being rather steep and there is no trace of water along the trail. I have been there many times and we settle for a nice lunch at the terrace of the place with Edelweiss conveniently being grown in a flower box.

Instead of challenging the summit, we are taking a nice walk along the mountain side. After all, we are on a hunting spree and not on a mountain challenge. All in all it is a lovely afternoon.

On our way back to Graz we stop for a coffee in Oberwölz, the oldest town in Austria. It’s actually the size of a village but it did receive its municipal charter as early as the 12th Century by the bishop of Salzburg. Proof of its former importance is an old cathedral which one wouldn’t expect in a small place like that. It makes me realize again that in the old days Austria has been cultivated mostly by monks coming from Bavaria and Franconia. Anyway, it’s a quaint place to walk around on a sunny late afternoon.

The second mushroom hunting expedition I a attempting alone. Gabi is in Sweden, visiting Benedikt. I am taking care of her flat and her cats and I have her car at my disposal. A chance not to miss! This time, my destination is an hour’s drive from Graz in the mountain range to the West. We also discovered it many years ago by accident, when on a rainy vacation with the children. The place is called Schrottgraben, a narrow and hidden valley below the Gaberl mountain pass. Aside from two marble quarries, there is nothing very interesting in this valley and there are rarely other mushroom hunters in this place. There is however always an abundance of water.

There are a number of old houses along the way. But – if at all – they are only inhabited in the summer month. Stretching from South East towards North West, the valley does not get any sun during winter. Higher up there are some mountain farms but they are falling apart or rented to weekenders. Aside from the quarries, only the forests are still managed with occasional cattle on the meadows.

It is a peaceful place and rewarding place, not only because of the mushrooms. Nice places to just sit and look around, rare plants and aesthetic surprises like this reflection on a little pond in one of the marble quarries. I have shown it to people and they thought it was a painting.

And YES, there are mushrooms: Because the valley kind of locks in moisture, there is almost always something. It’s mainly a place for Chanterelle but I did find Boletus too. I had to cut them before taking this picture because they were growing among blueberry bushes. Another edible species is the Parasol mushroom on the right. It tastes quite good but it has to be prepared close to harvesting it. Sometimes it is confused with the rather deadly Green Death Cap, but in my opinion one has to be rather inexperience to mistake them.

It has been a real treat to find this place. Sometime I am a little sad that it is only rarely possible to visit it. But then – maybe – the being rare makes it so special.

Around my birthday in Mid-August it is a long standing tradition to spend a few days in the High Mountains. One of my favorite places is the Habach Tal in the Hohe Tauern National Park. This large protected area comprises Austria’s highest mountains, ranging from 11 – 12 500 Feet.

To get to the Enzian Hütte at an altitude of some 5000 Feet, one either has to take a 2 hour hike along the Habach Creek or take the Emerald Taxi. This is not a fantasy name. High up in the valley there is the only Emerald mine in Europe which is still in operation. Being late in the afternoon, we decide to take the Taxi. The Lodge is quite a nice place – as you can see – with a nice restaurant and floor heating in the spacious bathroom.

Next morning we start on our first tour. I have been there a number of times and there are many favorite places to visit. One is an old Sennhütte, a place where fresh cheeses are made [to be tastes by the hiker en route.] Unfortunately the old people working the place have died recently and the dairy is closed at present. The creek on the left is the Habach and the peak at the end of the valley above the glacier is the Schwarzkopf.

One of these favorite places is this mountain maple. It is the last big tree along the trail to the higher regions. It is hollowed out but the tree is still strong and healthy. I really love this tree. It’s a very special feeling to be inside.

To be wrapped inside this tree gives a sense of great protection and security. Also, one feels very close and connected to the universe. I can stay inside for a long time and forget about what’s around me.

I have spent many hours in this place. Both inside and around that tree. I call it my alpine garden; especially in spring [which at this altitudes means end of June], when the alpine flora is in full bloom. Due to my knee problem I don’t feel fit for a longer hike. I stay behind while Gabi decides to ascend to the Thüringer Hütte, altitude about 8000 Feet.

The next stretch of the blog is - unfortunately - without photos. Due to an unknown error the data has been damaged. Sorry about it. Towards the end the blog will be illustrated again. ;-)

I have done this hike before. It’s a steep and shorter climb up and a much flatter but longer one downhill. The Thüringer Hütte, a mountain hut with a possibility to stay overnight is the starting point for a tour to the Groß Venediger [High Venetian Peak]. A funny name perhaps for a mountain in the Austrian Alps. But, as history tells us, some hundred year back mineralogist and treasure hunters from the Veneto came across the mountains at this precise spot because of the emeralds of the Habach Valley.

While Gabi is walking up to Thüringer Hütte, I am sitting in the shade of my tree. When Gabi is back and after a hearty dinner, we took an evening walk to the Edelweiss Hütte. It’s another place to stay a little farther into the valley. Right next to it there is the ending of a landslide which came down the mountain some ten years ago from the spot where the emerald mine is located. Among the rocks and the debris it is possible with some luck to find some small emeralds. Therefore, Edelweiss Lodge is where the emerald hunters reside. They have a nice little shop where one can buy minerals. This lodge has less comfort but it is quite a unique place to stay.

Next morning, having drawn energy from my tree, I am fit again. We hike to another favorite of mine - the Wildenkar Alm. It is a small hut on the west side of the valley at an altitude of about 6000 feet. One can only hike it in summer, when the creeks have less water, because one has to cross a few and there are no bridges. Due to the Emerald Taxi, the main valley of Habach Tal is frequented by tourist. It’s mostly people coming for the day and between 10 am and 5 pm it can be quite busy. But off the beaten track we are practically alone. Along the hike today we might meet – if any – a farmer going up to the Alm to look after his cattle or his goats. Aside from that we have the alpine meadows and the mountain all for ourselves.

After walking along thundering waterfalls and crossing a number of creeks we arrive at Wildenkar Alm. It is a very nice place to rest, picnic, enjoy the views, and just lie in the sun. I even feel like taking a little nap.

However – up in the mountains, weather conditions do change rapidly. Black clouds are gathering in the Southwest and we decide on walking back. We are hardly on the way downhill again, when it starts raining. It is just light rain and no thunderstorm so it is still fun being around. Farther down the trail meanders thru an enchanting forest where we are protected. As often in y experience, when we are back at the Enzian Hütte, the rain has stopped again.

The next day is for relaxation; just walking along the major trail in the valley, sitting by the creek, which is close to becoming a river, and enjoying the views. There a number of places to enlighten the hiker and the tourist. Like the place in the middle, a dead tree stump with holes drilled thru. Each of these little tunnels gives a view of one of the surrounding mountain peaks. In my case it is the very prominent Schwarzkopf [Black Head Peak], rising to about 11 000 feet.

The weather being fine again – it actually did rain all night – we are having a lot of fun.

Later on the weather changes again. There is lots of moisture in the air on the ground. It’s a perfect environment for a black mountain salamander. After having studied it, we take him away from the road to save him from an unintentional encounter with the Emerald Express.

The next day is the time for us to leave again and with the morning mist hiding the valley head we start our way down. Walking downhill is actually more difficult for me than walking uphill, but way thru the gorge I have to do on foot. It is a very nice trail down to the parking lot where Gabi’s car is waiting. Along the way there are some stations with valuable information as to the Geology of the valley and other interesting facts.
At one place you can listen to a local legend. If you press a button, you can hear “Die Sage von der Fazenwand”, powered by a solar panel. It tells the story of an old woman [statue] and some wicked herdsman living in a log cabin high up in the mountains which were leading a very ungodly life. The woman asked them to stop their evil doings, but they wouldn’t stop and treated the old woman rather badly. So she got very angry and there came a tremendous thunderstorm and both there cabin and the mountain side where it stood came crashing down. At this place there is now a perpendicular crag called Fazenwand.

Farther down the valley gets narrow and turns into a gorge. Water is everywhere. Being in these mountains it is sometimes very difficult for me to imagine that there more and more places in world where water is becoming a rarity. Inside the gorge there is always moisture because of the mist, created by the creek. Because of this mist, there are some rare lichens like the yellow ones at the side of the cliff.
The end of this day - which actually was my birthday – is crowned by a nice dinner which –
unfortunately is not being documented.

The contents of the following post are a brief summary of my stay in Graz from mid July until mid September. The rest of my stay until End of October will follow later.

The flight from NY brings me to Munich via London from where I board a train to Graz. Here I am picked up by Gabi, my ex-wife and mother of our 2 sons. She lives in Markt Hartmannsdorf, a quaint little village in Eastern Styria.

It's a perfect place to resettle back in Austria. Most of the days I am alone, as Gabi is taking a trip with her choir to Northern Italy to sing - among other places - in a Cathedral in Padua.

Having no flat of my one at the moment and not planning to have one for a while, some of my furniture is parked in this place. Gabi has a use for it and otherwise it would be sitting in the cellar of my old place in Graz. So it is close to coming home in a way.

I spend some very relaxing days here, enjoying the beautiful garden and the tranquil surroundings.

Back in Graz I can use the flat of a dear friend again - in a Street called Mozartgasse [what a place for a music loving Austrian] - which is a great support for me. I like the place [no pictures] and I like Maya, the cat [see picture farther below] which I am going to take care while being in Graz. Evelyn [picture in the middle], another dear friend, surprises me with a welcome picnic in the garden of Eggenberg Castle. We are having a good time with sandwiches, cakes and Prosecco.

Having some problems with my left knee, I am using the opportunity of the very good health care situation in Styria to see some specialists. One of them is practicing in a town called Deutschlandsberg. I wonder if my friend Barbara in San Diego will remember the place.

It is nice to be back in Graz. At the same time it is strange sometimes, like wondering "and now, what is coming next"? The trip around the world has been a big idea and a great fulfillment. Now, there is some emptiness. I decide to look at Graz as if it was the first time and I am just a traveler. I visit the Stadtpark, the Municipal Gardens, with the Styrian Panther, the Heraldic animal of Styria on the left and dear Maya, my cat, to contrast it on the right.

Usually one sees the major attractions in the city one lives when friends come to visit. Acting as a visitor, I have my first closer exposure with the Burg, the old castle which is now the home of the Styrian government.

Also, it is the first time that I have been inside the old gothic Cathedral which dates back to the 15th century. It's a shame in a way but I rather enjoy it.

A thing one cannot miss being in Graz is the famous Uhr turm [clock tower]. It sits on the Schlossberg, a hill in the middle of the city which once boasted a big fortress. It has been destroyed after the Napoleonic Wars since it could not be captured during battle. The tower dominates the city and the hill is a green oasis and a very nice place to walk around.

If a walk down from the Schlossberg, I do it thru Sporgasse [picture on left], one of the narrow shopping streets in the Old Town. There are some trendy shops, small restaurants and lots of nice old buildings. It ends at the Main Square with the town hall [no picture] and leads to Herrengasse [picture on right] which is the main shopping drag.

To be continued in a later post.