Back in Austria
The YIV is back on! Lush green trees, azure skies, billowing white clouds and a splendid display of bright, happy colored flowers greeted me on the landing in Frankfurt. Far behind me now was the remote frozen lakes, grey skies, muddy roads and chill of the Alaskan spring. Recently behind me were the seemingly unsolvable problems, more recently resolved; at least for the present. The future is still unknowable.
I quickly passed through the ‘Zoll’ or passport counter as my 90 day Schengen Zone banishment was over. I had another 90-day reprieve to travel, visit and generally enjoy life in Europe – I returned to our ‘Year in Vorarlberg’ adventure with Ursula and the cats. A quick four hour train ride from the Airport to Lindau brought this 48-hour travel odyssey (canceled flight in Portland) to an end. Ursula stood at the end of the Bahn platform with flowers and open arms. I’m home, again.
Family Reunion
As any old soldier knows, the first few weeks of family reunion can be a euphorically happy event, filled with trepidation. Extended separations always force development of new coping habits, practices, and skills necessary to overcome the voids their partners routinely filled. When two reunite, this new, independent growth must be carefully nurtured to avoid new relational friction points.
The astute couple expects this, but such knowledge rarely makes it easier. Fortunately (or perhaps not) Ursula and I have been through this many times and handle it well enough because were each stubborn and both have thick skins and skulls. We survive our reunions and continue to build a better life from there.
The Magic of Vorarlberg
I’m constantly enthralled by the foothills of the alps. The dark green jutting precipices are shrouded by misting clouds and rest in the shadows of more massive, distant summits; many still dusted in snow. The valleys in between these peaks are all filled with rushing waters, colored turquoise by the silts of the glaciers high above and beyond. These cascading rivers are lined with walking and hiking trails, all protected by vast healthy forests. The space in between the massive trees, farmed fields, and foothills are speckled with tranquil villages and farming communities with their 800-year-old buildings and churches interlocked in place by cobble-stoned walking streets. These ambling alleys and lanes feature colorful flower markets, aromatic vegetable and bread stands and cafes flush with healthy and happy residents enjoying a coffee or aperitif to further elevate their energetic days. Vorarlberg is a magical place.
The Best of Both Worlds
It’s a blessing to have both Europe and Alaska in one’s life. One bursts with a refined and manicured beauty by hundreds of years of design and intent. The other splays a raw, untainted landscape that time has left to its own devices, unadulterated by the human touch. One offers groomed biking paths and ancient hiking trails leading to impeccably managed ‘Huttas’ offering polite, fastidious service with equally polished and elegant hikers and bikers. The other cultivate the ‘wild west’ of outdoor experiences with rough and tumble people engaging in daunting pursuits to escape the confines of controlled life and to commune with unrefined nature and all of her perils.
In one, the idea of taking along large ‘hand cannon’ for protection is a foreign as the other of finding a delicate wine, warm croissant and pillowed benches and umbrellas in the middle of nowhere. The two are like oil and water, they don’t mix except in the most adventurous of imaginations. The lifestyles are the yin and yang of outdoor experiences. It’s good to have access to both; it’s good to be both Austrian and Alaskan!
The Year in Vorarlberg adventure is back on!
Interesting Links
- Interested in the ‘The YIV is back on! ‘ Blog?, Link here to our Year in Vorarlberg Series
- See our ‘Best of Photos’ from this a adventure and from the Rhein’s Lands
- Care to comment on the Blog or Adventure? Jot down your comments in the form below – thanks
Very cool and so true !