Why a picture of a pink rabbit? To shock you all into giving us a comment! Comments are a bit thin on the ground and we are questioning whether we should liven up the posts a bit (or even stop them). Luckily, just when you need it, we found a man in the road dressed as a pink rabbit. Bit warm in 30 degrees heat but hey who are we to judge?
We have had a bit of a random last week to be honest. First of all there was an invitation to a “stick bread” (steckerlbrot) evening at our host’s brother, Peter’s, house in the village. It involved arming yourself with a long oversized kebab skewer and loading it with a sausage along the length of the blade (or two if you are just showing off!) Once you have cooked the sausage over the raging fire of logs you wrap it in bread dough and bake until brown. Serve with salad and lashings of beer. The evening was rounded off with Peter giving us a full length karaoke version of Hotel California in broken English. Strange but true.
A few days later we joined our hosts, Eva and Othmar, for lunch with their friends Franz and Christa. Jon helped prepared some beans in the garden and the whole meal was like a Christmas dinner with stuffed chickens, roast potatoes and a typical Austrian sweet dessert dish which is like deep fried pastry, cooled and then dusted in icing sugar.
After lunch the 6 of us decided to walk the 3km to Groß Sankt Florian to watch our hosts’ daughters in their first match of the football season. It was a warm walk and we thought we must be severely dehydrated or had one too many schnapps at lunch because we say a pink rabbit on the horizon. He was carrying a tray of goodies and was accompanied by a group of men. There was schnapps, Hawaiian necklaces, ducks, sweets etc on his tray. There were two names printed on his back “Fleishi” and “Claudia”. The literal translation of Fleishi even I could cope with being “Meaty”. The nickname suited this bearded rabbit unless of course he was Claudia but I expect she was the lucky lady who bagged this rabbit. We ended up with a squeaky rubber duck and Hawaiian necklace which came in useful to support the footballers. After a hot walk a drink was needed. After a white wine spritzer (no flasks of coffee at this sort of venue thank you!) and a shandy made with Fanta at half time I felt I was beginning to get a little cooler but…….
Do my eyes deceive me? Fleishi was now on the pitch taking a penalty. The group of stags had obviously decided that the ladies football match was where they needed to be, especially as they had a bar. Unfortunately he missed his penalty, it was probably the fluffy pink slippers he was wearing and the distraction of a condom that both his long pink ears were now squeezed into. Fortunately the players were professional types not distracted by these antics and a hard fought game ended up 0-0 but our ladies usually get beaten by this side so they were well pleased. Maybe Fleishi should be their mascot?
Before starting this post I had lined up my final photo to bid a fond farewell to Austria but then it all got blown out of the water by a trip into the mountains today. Othmar and Eva are on holiday this week so they offered to take us to the mountains nearest to the highest peak in Styria. The mountain we walked on was Weinebene.
In the winter is it used for skiing and it did look strange to see all the ski lifts and avalanche breaks without any snow.
It was a very hot day again (around 35 degrees) but with the breeze and due to the height (around 1700m) it was a little cooler and pleasant to walk if you were in the breeze. We walked for around two hours and then stopped at one of the many little hütte. These are little lodges that are amazing. First of all they have an amazing view, they sell wine beer, schnapps and a whole range of food from soup to full blown meals.
We had Goulash which was so good. The views were amazing, accompanied by the clanking of the cow bells and it makes it even more of a wrench to leave this beautiful country and the friendly, warm-hearted people.
It will be great to see family and friends on our return but it is with heavy hearts that we now pack our little bags and say farewell to Europe after our unforgettable three months. The experience has been beyond anything we could have wished for and the final picture reflects how happy and healthy we feel. In fact we are, on top of the world!
Look out for our next post from stage 2 of our travels and PLEASE SEND US A COMMENT. Can be good bad or indifferent just let us know you are there!
August 2015
JWalking 
Sounds like you have had a fab experience, and made great memories, now for part two 😀 Xxx
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Hi Jo & Jon
I am loving your travel blog, it sounds amazing. You seem to have met some lovely people who I’m sure will be friends for life. So pleased you enjoyed the wedding, sounded so laid back, poignant and very memorable. I wish you well on your next adventure and look forward to hearing your news and alcohol related tales xx
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I’m still here and reading every blog! 🙂 xx
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You’re so supportive Caroline. Might be our biggest fan x
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Hotel bloody California! Is there nowhere you can go to escape that dreadful song? I bet the Austrian karaoke version is a vast improvement! And meat on a stick Jon, meat on a stick! A culinary treat that is sadly missing from the our repertoire in England. Keep up the blog. It may be disheartening not getting the feedback your efforts deserve but I’m thoroughly enjoying it and marvelling at both of your undiscovered talents as travel writers!
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So lovely to read your blogs and see pictures of sunshine (and you too obviously!). You might need to get out your winter knickers (John) and maybe some sort of hat for when you are back. Can’t wait to see you xx
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Great to see you briefly last week. Loving the comments but please stop mentioning Jon’s knickers – it makes him blush. Jx
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I’m still enjoying reading your blogs, and have been sending the links to people too! I’m sure you are sad to be leaving, but you can’t start stage 2 without finishing stage 1! xx
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Can’t believe the time has gone so quick! just one small plea: Please don’t stop your blog. I love to check at lunch and see all the beautiful views and be nosey how you are doing!
All the best for stage 2. xx
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Stage 2 underway….. blog is under construction but days out seem to be getting in the way! Hang on in there. Say hi to all MKC friends. Jx
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Well hello to both of you from all of us. It looks as though you are having a fantastic time. I love Austria having skied there a number of times. Jackie and I have often said it would be nice to visit a ski resort when the snow has melted, looking at the pictures I really think we must do it one day. I remember eating copious amounts of Goulash soup following a hard mornings skiing followed by a couple of beers of course. Keep up with the blogs, I always read them as soon as i get the notification that a new one is ready. I cant believe how much you have done in such a short time.Take care and enjoy the next stage of the big adventure. Love to both form us all x
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Would definitely recommend Austria in the summer. The walking is great and the lodges a welcome rest place for a glass of some chilled local brew as opposed to the mulled wine or hot chocolate required in the skiing season. Trying to put together a new blog post but days out keep getting in the way!! Countdown to your holiday is definitely on now….. enjoy. Love to all J & J x
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What an amazing time you have had in Europe. Both looking so fit and relaxed. Now you are on the way to another adventure ; where we are sure you will receive a warm welcome.
Keep up with the blog it makes us feel happy knowing what a good time you are having.
Love to you both, Mum and Alan
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Warm welcome was awaiting us. Enjoying Perth and the mix of colonial and more modern aspects of the city. Let the exploring being…..wish you were here!
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Hey Joanna & Jon,
I just got the link to your blog from Eva yesterday!
It’s soo lovely to read every story – although I like THIS one the most 😉
Have a nice time in Australia!
xx Sandra
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Hi Sandra,
So great to hear from you. Thanks for reading our soppy stories. We had a fabulous time in Austria which was really down to all of the people that we met, like you! Thanks for making us so welcome, we loved every moment.
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Hi Sandra,
How’s things with the Resch family? Hope you’re all doing okay and looking forward to a great summer. Wish we could be in Vochera this year again, loved staying there last year so much. Say hi to everyone and keep in touch.
Jon and Jo x
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hey 🙂 just realised that you commented on that post, haven’t been on here for a year now I think -oops
The Resch family is still very fine, they’re all well 🙂 how are you?
x Sandra
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Ha no problem. We’re great thanks still travelling but this year around the UK. We’re housesitting and voluteering at the moment. What are you up to?
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