To Austria with Love - Piz in Europe

Some of the things that I already treasure are the bike paths.  I can access the whole city in under 20 minutes of riding my bike (thanks mikey) and its really a fun place to ride.  I can cruise the salzach river and hang out on the bridges and just observe all the little bits of action that are occurring like a whirlwind around me.  Just the other day I witnessed a biker goof up, hit a wall under a bridge and crack her head open, many people helped and as she bled all over the bike path I was happy that I was wearing my helmet because it could have been me.  Another time I was in town and a wicked dark storm cloud rolled in and as I pedaled through the narrow cobbled alleyways surrounding the castle plants and tables were just blowing by due to the winds intensity.  People always give me weird looks, I think because they know that I am an American or at least someone from outside of town.  

Another thing about Europe in general is that although they may show angst against America and all that we stand for (whatever that is) it seems that the EU just tries to emulate what we have got in our own backyard.  Every year more countries are accepted into the EU and the borders keep falling.  The once communist countries are changing however slowly and becoming westernized.  The once cheap prices and unique cultures still exist but slowly become assimilated by the wests dominance.  I think that it would have been cool to be exploring Europe and the eastern block countries just 5 or 6 years ago when things were very different.  Now there are no more border checkpoints where if they wanted to explore you or your vehicle they could and did.  No more is having to carry three or four different currencies for every different country.  Switzerland is a holdout as is England and I believe that neither of those two countries have any plan of joining the EU.   I think that most people are cool with the changes but there are still people who fear change and have angst against it in general.  I apparently don’t really have a problem with it since I seem to always be changing my focus, friends and home.  

Who knows how long this will last?  When will I become dissatisfied and decide to move on?  All I have to say is that I have a lot to do here before that day comes. 

Thanks for listening to my ramblings and guess what… its time to go ROCK CLIMBING!!! 

piz:  )