The summer after my first year of grad school I went to Europe with my friend Kristin (Kre). She had been to one country on the continent each of the previous 3 summers, loved and was planning to go back again. I had never been, but it was on my list. We decided to take a trip together. We went with a group that had others similar ages to us from all over the world (some of whom we still keep in touch with!) and had so much fun. It was the adventure of a lifetime and everything I had hoped a summer in Europe would be. To this day, I still think about it and it remains one of the best trips I’ve ever taken.

Austria was a country on our route. One of 12. We spent time in Kirchdorf in Tirol which was charming, quiet and quaint. A nice respite and escape from all the cities we had been in prior. I couldn’t get over the rolling green hills. Or how cute all of the buildings were. They looked straight out of a story book with their heavy timber accents, steep pitched roofs and large overhangs. Every one adorned with flower boxes filled with every color you can imagine. That is until an insane storm rolled through one night and dropped hail the size of golf balls? Tennis balls? I don’t know, but they were huge and it was crazy. Caused a lot of damage and knocked out our power, too 😑

We also visited Mauthausen which was home to one of the worst concentration camps during the second world war. Such an eerie place. I’m getting chills just thinking about it as I sit here and write. It was filled with other tourists, but quieter than if no one was there at all. The energy was dark and heavy. And I felt sick much of the time. It’s one thing to read, hear or learn about something. Especially somewhere far off. It’s another to walk in the place that it happened.

I’d love to go back to Austria to see Vienna at Christmastime. I’d also be open to Salzburg; I love The Sound of Music. Maybe my mom will do that with me. Would be especially fun with her.