Day 3

We began the day detouring to a bakery my wife read about that employed retirees who also baked traditional recipes. This almost wasn’t possible but we decided to skip Salzburg on Day 3 since we got a late start and had to be in Gaming, Austria by 6 pm. Along the way however my wife began researching other towns for us to visit, and we found Wels, which led to another intimate experience. We started at the church, which was known for beautiful stained glass windows. From here we walked around the town square looking for lunch, and just outside the gates of the entrance, we found a traditional Austrian restaurant called Haiderstubn that seemed to be in someone’s backyard, as well as first floor of their home. The lady working was very kind in letting our daughter play with their dog, and the food and service was great. My wife ordered a paprika chicken which she enjoyed, and I ordered a beef dish with spaetzle which was also unique and tasty.

We found a local garden of a castle and ate some more gelato of sorts around the fountain. After this our daughter went to play on the playground and we met a nice Bosnian woman and her daughter. They were immigrants to the area, and the mother shared that they had been struggling fitting in away from home. It was a beautiful moment as her daughter came out of her shell for the short time to play with our daughter, despite some barriers. In some respects it was a bit sad to leave, but I hope they both share the memory. The Bosnian girl shared some of her treats with my daughter, and my daughter got her to go to the playground and run around.

We wrapped up the trip with one of the biggest motivations for our travels, our friend Father Matt Russick T.O.R. Father Matt has become a special person in our lives. We met him after a Mass one day, when we couldn’t make it to our normal parish on time. He immediately made the Franciscan connection with our daughters name, to his charism. From there he took me up on a visit to our home for coffee and since then we keep connected. When he was abruptly sent back to Austria, a place he spent many years, we said we would seriously consider visiting him one day. That day came, and for me personally, I enjoy when I can fulfill these types of promises with anyone, it’s a way of sharing I authentically think of everyone and I try to stay connected, always at the minimum in prayer and God willing in person.

Upon our arrival Father Matt showed us around the Steubenville abroad campus that he ministers to. He shared some background about the property they were on and the work they do. I was especially moved when he showed me their small Eastern Catholic (Ruthenian) chapel on the premise. I felt connected immediately since I had some special holy cards I brought that had been to the tomb of a Slovakian saint affiliated with this culture. I was sure to leave this small surprise for the next time they gathered. In addition there was an icon of St. Therese of Lisieux on the wall. You rarely see her in Eastern/Orthodox traditions, thus why this was a big deal for me. It was a gentle reminder, with St Miriam Teresa that one day my calling might lead me to the Ruthenian Catholic Church in honor of my Slavic roots, and my birthday being on the feast of Blessed Miriam Teresa. I also trust her intercession with my vocation, since she was a multi-ritual Catholic like myself. She was Eastern Catholic, but since there were no religious groups in her tradition, she joined the religious sisters that ran the college she attended in New Jersey.

The beer well of Gaming, Austria stocked with locally produced beer at the Kartause

The next highlight to the trip, was the beer well…..yep! the beer well. Beer is big in the German/Austrian culture, especially in Gaming, where the resturaunt named Kartause on campus produces their own beer. My graphic designer at Rob C designs attended this campus for a semester 16 years ago and requested I bring 1 Dunkel for him….I had to get a 6 pack to share an additional one with him, and at least one other friend. I say all this, because along the tour of the area, Father Matt brought us to the beer well. It’s literally a self serve well that you hand crank the tray of drinks up, beer, water and other non alcholic beverages. These a bike/hiking path that this rests on, and the place seems to be a bit of a destination for a simple outdoor experience. It kind of reminded me of where I used to live outside of Edmonton.

The night ended with dinner at the resturaunt, which again were some great traditional plates, along with service from our Hungarian waiter, who was very accommodating during our experience. This included helping me to get a bottle of vinegar made with the local beer. We went to our room which had a bit of a skylight window I was able to open and see one of the clearest skies for stars that I have seen in a while. It was a peaceful and restful night and the cool mountain air made it relaxing. Here’s the photo album.

Day 3 Germany/Austria