I don’t know if it’s the pure alpine tap water, the long train rides through the storybook scenery of the Rhine Valley and the snowy Alps, the afternoons spent lingering over a foamy coffee or a towering whipped-cream-topped hot chocolate with a slice of elegant cake that oozes decadence but isn’t too rich, the grandeur of imperialist architecture in Vienna, the pastel colored houses lining the narrow cobblestone medieval streets of Innsbruck, the locals’ after-work beer hall in Salzburg, the soul stirring opera music, or the warm, affable people, but my recent trip to Austria has left me rejuvenated, refreshed and renewed.
Back in London, walking along the drab, gray, post-WWII brick council houses, I am beaming with energy and excitement, still intoxicated by my Alpine Austrian experience.
Classes have started again and I couldn't feel more focused, more enlivened by my subject, and more sure that I'm doing the right thing for me. Last term I felt a bit lost, not sure what this whole world that I've thrown myself into is about. But this trip to Austria really refocused me. I certainly don't have everything figured out, but this trip reminded me of what is so easy to lose sight of: that life is about the journey and its wonderful imponderabilities. The attention and care put into the swirling foam of a cappuccino; the pride of the eager postman in Graz who spent 10 minutes showing me all the beautiful postage stamps Austria has for the United States; the friendly and overly helpful man at our B&B in Salzburg who wanted to make sure we liked the color of our room; the casual sit on a park bench to soak up the warm rays of the sun and take in the world; the simplicity of a perfectly made, flawless cake, the opportunity to experience unfamiliar places and people through travel and food with the person you love, opening your eyes to yourself and the world around you.
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