Graz Week Two

GRAZ AUSTRIA

WEEK TWO

Tuesday 23 May.

We did a second walk highlighting the contrast between historic and modern Graz. We started at the Hauptplaz and walked to Franziskanerviertel, once the age-quarter for butcher shops which are still found in this area.

Apart from the Clock Tower, the most definitive landmark on the Graz skyline is probably the tower of the Franziskanerviertel church. It belongs to the oldest monastery in the city, founded in 1239. 

Glenn and I opened a door which led into the cloisters of the abbey which surrounded a small garden - an oasis of calm and beauty. Another door surprisingly led into the back of the altar of magnificent Jacobean chapel. The stained-glass windows soaring above were stunning. While we were there, the organist began playing and we sat and let the beautiful music wrap around us.

 

 We crossed the Hauptbrucke and walked along to the spectacular, new landmark of the city, the Kunsthaus, a striking avant-garde contrast to the traditional architecture.

 

 

 

 

After some research on the location, we topped up the depleted supply of coffee at Nespresso. Then we  went to Kaiser-Joseph-market for supplies for dinner where we were seduced by bratwurst sausages, horseradish, pumpkin-seed oil, and green and white asparagus shoots as thick as a man's thumb. Eric cooked a delicious dinner with our purchases.

 Wednesday 24 May.

 

Libby and Eric went off to the Eggenberg Schloss and had a wonderful day exploring the upper floors which were very impressive. 

Glenn and I, now into our fifth week away, had a day at home just catching up and relaxing. 

In the evening we went to an excellent portrait exhibition with Herta and her friend at the Joanneum Museum which was housed in a very impressive building. The long introduction in German was a bit difficult but the art work terrific. We spent most of the time looking at modern works and did a quick flit by the earlier portraits of mainly Stryian notables. The most interesting was one of Richard's grandfather (below) who was a civic leader.

 

  

 

  The image on the top left shows me taking a photo of the art work which changed with every new viewer. Very creative I thought. The work bottom left is called ' Chef d'Village'! Haha.

 

We returned home to a delicious roast chicken legs dinner prepared by Libby.

 Friday 26 May 

We drove the back roads to Reigersburg, an 850 year old castle which looms over the landscape from the cliff of a volcanic rock and provides a panoramic view of the vineyards of South-eastern Styria. The inclined elevator takes up to 25 passengers 100 metres to the top in 90 seconds.

 

The castle houses museums devoted to women and witches with graphic illustrations of those who fell victim to the Styrian witch hunts that took place from 1673-1675. Women were accused of "bad weather sorcery", failure of crops and almost any other problem of the day. They endured such inhuman   treatment as burning at the stake, The Iron Maiden and the rack. 

 

Other exhibitions of weapons and armour were interesting and this blacksmith was happy in his work! The moat protecting the castle housed a family of happy pigs, oblivious to the hardship endured by men who dug the moat by hand in Medieval times.

 

 

Next stop was the famous chocolate factory which was on our way so we stopped to wander the aisles of delicious and expensive treats. Zotter focuses on variety and innovation and produces 100%organic and fair trade quality chocolates. Unfortunately, the box we bought for Herta melted in the car in the hot sun so Richard ate them with a spoon!

 

 

Herta was visiting her mother in Furnitz, (voted the prettiest floral village in Stryia) and we arranged to meet her there for lunch. We ate bacon and eggs and topped off with the biggest ice-creams we've ever eaten. The gardens there were very pretty. After lunch we entered the church where Herta was baptised, made her first Communion and was married.

 

Saturday 27 May

We went shopping for a bag for Glenn at the Sunshine bargain store and then had an Italian lunch near the abbey church, explored the tunnels under the castle and  coincidentally met lib and Eric on same tram heading home. 

 

As we walked through the city we had noticed small projects being erected and today we saw one of the finished products; a pop-up seat near the river!

Again we saw bug houses like the first one in the Floence University Botanical Garden. They are obviously a popular idea, and a good project for the grandchildren!

 

 Glenn cooked a dinner of soy chicken wings.

 

Sunday 28 May.

Today we had a final, traditional Stryian breakfast with  Herta and Richard and son Mickey. The table was laden with cold meats and cheeses, dried fruit, breads and jam and tea and coffee..... a small feast set in their stunning apartment perched above the treetops.

Well fortified, we set off on a beautiful forest walk to Mariatrost.There were many people of all ages using the forest track for walking, bike-riding and bird-watching, and dining I the lovely restaurants that dotted the area. We walked about 5 kms to the stunning church set high above the surrounding area.

 

 

 Monday 29 May 

We went for a walk through the Landlord area of the city to the market and past a glass making shop which attracted Libby and I, so we went in and booked a class for the following day. We loved the beads on display and decided we'd like to indulge in a class. 

Tuesday 30 May

Each of us had a very patient teacher as promised, who took us through the process step by step. Firstly, an explanation of the properties of the Murano glass sticks and then safety instructions and demonstration of the use of the gas burner and the forming of a bead.

The beads are made on a metal rod which is heated and then held in one hand and continually turned in the 'warm' zone at a distance from the 'hot zone'. Meanwhile, the other hand controls the melting of the white glass stick in the 'hot zone' until it is molten and can be put onto the turning metal rod. This process is repeated until the ball of the bead reaches the required diameter.

Then the layers of colour are applied using much finer glass sticks, which are melted and added in dots until the desired result is achieved.

 

The intense, continuous, concentration that was required to keep both hands working on different tasks (without burning ourselves or allowing the bead to dribble off the metal rod), was exhausting but the results were really satisfying and we came away with beautiful earrings as planned, as well as an additional piece where we tried a different decorative twist on our bead.

After our class we met the boys for an Asian lunch, ate ice-cream and felt very satisfied with ourselves. I love to learn something new!

Later that day, Herta and Richard popped down to say goodbye before leaving for a concert in Vienna. We had a drink and some nibbles and thanked them for their exceptional hospitality and great company. We will see them again in September when they will stay with us while visiting their daughter and family in Killarney Vale.