Whereabouts: Drautal

This is not the Sound-of-Music-land, which would be Salzburg.
Still, Carinthia - the province south of Salzburg - is perfect for us, perfect for our needs.

Our friends in Vienna usually raise their eyebrows, whenever we tell them how much we love Carinithia. Our eyes begin to sparkle. Our faces brighten up.
Carinthia is known for its right wing politics, machos and an erosion of the local intelligentsia, fleeing to other parts of the country. Enough with politics. Very thin ice. Especially on warm days like these.

I let the photos speak for themselves. They show why we have to come year after year. It's the combination of large valleys, high mountains and agriculture on a very small scale. And of course: the sunlight:

This is the reason why I became vegan: I don't have this cow grasing in front of my apartment. I would eat her butter without any guilt!

Watching the cow I was wondering: does she eat because she is hungry, or does she eat, because the gras tastes so yummy? Mr Paula thinks she was grasing because she knows next week the warm weather will be history and there will be no green grass for the next weeks.

This piggy did not have green grass in some time. Phew, now this was some mud! The wool was so rough, like a scotch brite in taupe!

A river turns into a lake when people decide to use the energy the river generates. Articifial lakes are akward and still a reservation for a variety of plants and animals.

Oh oh oh, now I WAS slowing down our path along these privet bushes. There is another! And another! I can tell you, I was quite high, surrounded by dewy privet along our way.

At the end of a perfect afternoon I found Japan around the corner. Mittagskogel in Carinthia, faking Mt Fuji.

BTW: yes, there are still tons of snow on the mountain tops. It is a quite diversified environment, this time of the year. What will tomorrow bring? Hiking in the snow on mountain tops or a sunny terrace in the valley, with a cup of coffee and some newspapers? You will be the first to know!

Good night!

xo Paula