1st Weekend Filled with Old Friends

It turned out to be absolute fate that my class would have its first year reunion the first whole weekend I’m here.  And how nice it was to see them all again!  Everyone’s gone on to do such amazing things but they all seem the same as when I left a few years ago.  It’s such a wonderful feeling having 25+ friends in a whole different country.  And what friends they are!

 

Klemens, Magdalena, and Martina were there waiting for me at the train station just as Caro had arranged for me.  Klemens drove up the narrow streets that criss-crossed up the mountains and I got so excited just thinking about how beautiful it would all look the next morning!  We got to our hut in the mountains at about 10:30 that night after asking for directions like 3 times, and over 20 of us were able to make it for the Klassentreffen.  The hut was adorable and just perfect for all of us; I felt right asleep that night, all snug as a bug and knowing where I was and who I was with.  :-)  I was excited for the next morning, too, but I woke up to this:

Fortunately, the second morning I woke up to THIS!

Now that’s the Austria I know and love!  :-)  Except for the hour or so when I took this shot, it rained most the rest of the time I was there, but that was alright as we kept the stove fueled nonstop and there were a lot of us cramped in the little dining room. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, what a lovely time it was, and what a great chance to brush up on my German and Styrian dialect! :-)  After helping to clean up a bit, I was dropped back off at the train station but decided that since the weather was holding up and I was in the mood, I would walk around my lovely second hometown of Graz!  Climbing up to the Uhrturm was all the energy I had for this visit, and I refueled once I got back down with some fruity icecream.  Because it was mostly overcast, I didn’t bother taking that many pictures because I’ve taken them all before, but the flowers are still in bloom in the garden, which made this shot exceptionally beautiful:

 

And so, that was my first weekend, and I already have plans for the next few to come!