Sunday, April 29: South Steirerland

Sunday before church: walked around the vineyard and surrounding area early in morning--so cool--hills, vineyards, interesting buildings, 
sunrise over the mountains 

church,

Some of the people at church wore traditional Austrian clothing (trachten). It was much more common in Austria than in Germany.  After church Luis took me to see a bell ringing nearby--it took 4 people to ring the bell. We also walked past some Roman ruins. 

 

After mittagessen of Wienerschnitzel, we all went to Maribar in Slovenia, an old city (first mentioned as a castle in the 1100s and a city in the 1200s) known for its very old grapevine among other things.The grapevine of Žametovka is about 450 years old^.

The oldest grapevine in the world

 

Then on the way back a walk through woods back to Slovenia to an overlook tower--
the border was marked by a high fence through which a door which had been created to make room for the path.

Then to Groebachers for coffee--a really good homemade cake,

a walk down to the party for the May Day festival--the highlight being the firetruck.

And finally supper....