A Sunny Klettersteige

Ever since returning from Rome I've been struggling against a tough chest/head cold. I've spent a fair amount of time in bed or in front of a movie with a cup of tea and a box of tissues (pretty weak sauce huh). I so rarely become ill that I barely know what do to with myself in recovery.

When Tuesday came around, having already planned a klettersteige trip, I braved the outdoors in hope that some exercise might improve my health. Staying indoors all day drives me crazy and I build energy then don't really sleep.
Klettersteige is half rock climbing, half something you'd more expect while mountaineering. There is a cable anchored into the rocks--the separation between anchors varies from probably about 5 to 20 feet--and the idea is to climb the rock, assisted by the cable, while clipped into the cable to ensure that your maximum fall is only to the previous anchor. There are two carabiner clips because you must unclip to maneuver around each anchor (having two clips allow you to always have one securely hooked while you move the other). My Austrian friend Matthias chose a climb near his village. It is small by klettersteige standards, only about 350 vertical feet. It was a sunny day and given my recovering health the climb proved perfectly sized. Traditional rock climbing and this sort of cable climbing are very popular in Europe. Klettersteige is versatile and can range from a tough hike to sheer vertical. I guess that some trails include aspects of all degrees and difficulties. Tuesday we saw a fairly sheer wall.

There is a small degree of danger involved in this sport that can be minimalized with the right equipment (which we had). A klettersteige fall would be similar to falling while rock climbing, however, you would fall all the way to the anchor below. Depending on the distance you are above the anchor determines the danger. A 20 foot fall, which would have been about the maximum fall possible on my climb, would jar you pretty well when you stopped abruptly at the anchor. Most of the time, though, the anchors are within 6-10 feet of each other. Unlike traditional climbing, you can always hang on to the cable, or slide down it like a rope if necessary (this makes falling far less probable).

After the climb, we had dinner at Mattias's place before I came home and cleaned up for bed. I think a little warm sun can always do the body good.

Rome

This week I spent three full days in Rome. I would consider Rome one of the true birth cities of our Western Civilization. I would also call Rome a filthy place (but not quite along the lines of Mexico). It is a mix of modern, medieval and exceptionally ancient.
The picture above is one of Rome's newest sources of pride. Admittedly, I did not take this picture becuase of massive scaffolding covering over half of the building for a restoration/cleaning project (credit Wikipedia for this pic, the rest are mine).
People motor past millennia old structures at dangerously high speeds without even a glance. Buses, cars, crotch rockets, and scooters fight desperately to save 30 seconds. We walked past a bus/SUV accident just moments after the bus rammed into one of the few rigs in Europe that could handle the impact. Motorcycles and scooters don't seem to have rules - staying within lanes is for the meek, high speed passing/life-risking is for the Romans.

Not too surprisingly, most of the ancient ruins are related to some sort of religion. There are temple mounts nearly everywhere. When outside the most touristy part of downtown Rome it is easy to find modern buildings that are using 1st century colonnades as part of their foundation.
Actually, the ancient Romans had an amphitheatre that seated well over 10,000 people that is now a converted apartment building. It piggy-backed on the arches and columns built in the year 13BC. It is common in Rome to read an information kiosk that talks about people throughout history plundering sites for sake of easy-access building supplies.
Perhaps the most outstanding part of Rome is the historical influence, exceptional buildings, and priceless art owned by the Catholic Church. Picture above is Rafael's 16x25 foot painting, The School of Athens, below is Michaelangelo's unbelievable sculpture, Pietà.
Rome is dotted with frequent basilicas, or cross-shaped churches. I'd assume these churches average a seating capacity of less than 200, average a Sunday attendance of less than 10, and average the size of a high school gymnasium -- each filled with golden objects, sculptures, and classic art. The financial abuse by the Catholic Church is clearly displayed by the wealth at the Vatican City. Every room in the Vatican is covered in art, every roof is decorated with value that likely outprices a normal house (below is one such roof). It took me over 2 hours to quickly browse their museum, which is climaxed with a pass through the Sistine Chapel.
I took the trip with a guy from Knoxville, TN named Andy. His sister lives near here and gave him my number when he was travelling through. I spent a bit more money this week than I would have liked but in all it was a great trip filled with plenty of sights, a crazy story, and impressions to last most people a lifetime.

Find Yourself – February 5, 2008

Evening entertainment during my week is often slow; most everyone that I know in Austria has family obligations. Every so many days I reward myself by watching a movie. The pick this night needed to be something light, I was tired. Selection is always limited and comedies are few – oh, Cars, I’ve heard it’s good.

In a surprisingly entertaining and wholesome flick, a famous young racecar gets stuck in a hopelessly dead town along Route 66. Through a week of trials he finds not only happiness but also brings a new life to everyone and everything around him.

Shockingly analogous to life, we can try as hard as we want to seek our gain yet never find true happiness. I think that pure joy comes from fraternity with God and that only comes when you’re really walking with Him, every moment, every day, wherever He leads.

Now, many people would love to take God with them and really walk with Him, but I’m quite sure that the God of the universe does not want to grace the thrones we set up for Him in the government of our lives. I think He’d rather have us wholly submit to His throne, His government, and His plans.

Take a rare few moments in my life, I’ve never been lost. I’m not always certain of where I’ll be along the journey, but I have ideas and directions towards which I’ve spent years charting and crafting paths while enjoying a rather limitless existence. I am, however, in a very reflective place from which I know time, God, and self will retool my life and plans. How great of change? I doubt very great on the surface, but I’m guessing that I’m likely due for a quality tune inside.

Brad Paisley sings a song during the credits of Cars that sums the movie in a few shells.

When you find yourself in some far off place
And it causes you to rethink some things
You start to sense that slowly you’re becoming someone else
And then you find yourself

When you make new friends in a brand new town
And you start to think about settling down
The things that would have been lost on you
Are now clear as a bell
And you find yourself, yeah that’s when you find yourself

Where you go through life so sure of where you’re headed
And you wind up lost and it’s the best thing that could have happened
Cause sometimes when you lose your way it’s really just as well
Because you find yourself, yeah that’s when you find yourself

When you meet the one, that you‘ve been waiting for
And she’s everything that you want and more
You look at her and you finally start to live for someone else
And then you find yourself, that’s when you find yourself

Cause sometimes when you lose your way, it’s really just as well
Because you find yourself, yeah, that’s when you find yourself

Working through my time in the desert (as in the movie I use the desert here as a pretty sweet and unbelievable place) I am not lost. But I am still thinking, rethinking. I really do hope that I can become someone else. Do I want to lose the old me? Absolutely not. Do I want to move to Route 66 and date some hot girl? Well, I’ll say no to the Route 66 part of that one. But do I want to take my time and really seek God’s will? Do I want to find where He wants me to be and then work towards getting there and getting settled down? Absolutely yes, or auf Deutsch, passt.

There is a joy in following God that cannot be explained. There is a joy in seeking His face. There is a joy in being exactly within His grips knowing that you are secure and that He will never let you go. Knowing exactly where I am heading will get me nowhere if I should not go there. Headstrong and navigating by starlight is a certain recipe for success, but as I’ve recognized before, what I do will be measured by a standard far higher than I can mark.

This week I’m looking to really enjoy my time in this desert. I’d like to drive the windy route and see what everyone else is missing. I feel that I’ve made strides: to seek God, to be held accountable, to enjoy and immerse myself with my surroundings, to enjoy daylight, and to track goals. I’m also working on a travel schedule, which I find surprisingly daunting in light of balancing ideas versus budget.

The Hüttentaxi

Saturday evening (9 days ago) on my return from Venice, I received a phone call from a guy named Andy. He's from Tennessee and is visiting Europe for 3 weeks. His sister married a German and now lives in the region and she gave him my number so we could hang out. I figured it would be fun--and was loaned a car--to show Andy my world.

Ironically, except for one trip to the Bahnhof (train station) I never needed the car because Andy was dying to see the Matterhorn and decided to leave immediately and then come back for more Austria an two weeks. Fortunately for me, when I told the car's owner that Andy had already left he said to enjoy the car anyway as he did not need it until Thursday. Enjoy it I have.

Wednesday I drove about 30 kilometers to a ski resort, Bad Kleinkircheim. It's about time that I started visiting larger ski areas. The town boasts a decent sized ski area and a monster sized Roman Spa. Being a bigger fan of clothes than most (and since my skiing is already paid for) I opted to spend the day enjoying what little bit of soft snow was left before a week of forecasted beautiful blue sky.

Unlike most U.S. ski areas Europe has lodges and restaurants dotting the slopes. While visiting the highest lodge I decided to hike up for some pictures (the peak was probably some 300 vertical feet above me). As I took my skis off to start the hike I saw a snow cat (or snow plow) loading some people into the back, which was modified into an open air taxi. I didn't know how much it would cost but I hopped on up. The driver asked for 2 Euros so I popped a coin out of my pocket in that amount and we were off. I felt lazy, but I decided the other day that I'm going to experience more and a snow cat ride for 3 USD isn't something that I'll do often.

Halfway up to the peak we turned left and began a trek up and down some fairly steep stuff. It is funny because the taxi seating is benches in an enclosed area, and all of us passengers were sliding back and forth into each other as the cat switched up and down hills. We turned down a final area and stopped at a little restaurant, that's when I realized that the snow cat was owned by the restaurant. I snapped a few pictures and went inside for a soda. I needed something to drink anyways.

About half an hour later the big taxi returned and ferried us across the snow back up to our skis. I kind of wish I had been hungry so I could have tasted whether or not it's ever worth returning there. Either way, it was fun, and quite a memorable ride.
This Friday is my friend Mike Greenhoe's birthday and he's training to Austria from Germany, where he is invovled in missions. His weekend stay should be a continuation of many good times that started when I lived in Germany. The picture above is just before his birthday 3 years ago. Alles gute!

Oh right, Venice

My new cell phone, a gift from some Austrian friends, sang with a new text message, "Hy jonathan! how are u? we'll pic u up tomorrow at 7:30am! take some money with u! lots of blessings, jasmin" Let's see, it was Friday the 1st, what could be going on that early the next day? Another song, "Don't forget your passport." Oh yeah, I remembered, the day after my arrival here somebody offered to take me to Venice with them for the big carnival, I'd already even paid. It's amazing what you forget when you act in a jetlagged state.

Each year in Venice an absurd amount of people gather and dress up in crazy costumes and put on masks - nearly everybody has a mask. There are bands marching through the tiny streets and tourists flashing pictures in every direction.

We traveled by bus and had around 7 or 8 hours actually in Venice. Instead of the common drive into Venice via the causeway we bussed to a small port and took a boat directly to St. Mark's Square. The place was hopping busy, there was hardly room for the annoying birds that infest that historic courtyard.

We enjoyed some authentic Italian pizza from some allyside cafe before meandering nearly all of Venice in search of nothing. Most of my time was spent people watching and trying to communicate with my hosts.

I went with three girls, two Austrians and an Argentinean. Jasmin had spent one year in Argentina and her friend is now returning the visit (miss Argentina and the other Austrian girl spoke no English). It was an interesting day of Spanish, Corinthian German and broken English. Frankly, it was good for me to be stuck with a poor translator, it forces me to really focus on the German.

In all, it was a very enjoyable day. We did not get home until nearly 2:00am. Though I'd been to Venice before I think that I'm still quite intrigued by Italy. It is a place that you can visit repeatedly and find new things, especially when they throw a carnival.

As a note, during lunch I couldn't help but notice the restaurant filled with touring visitors, many wearing Nikes and speaking English. It inspired me because on a trip as long as mine I feel as if I need to pace myself, but really I don't. The journey is much of the reason I'm here and there are many little things I can do along my way to really enjoy the gift of time that I have here.

With my plans temporarily derailed by a lack of precipitation (still less than 20 inches of snow on any mountain in the region) I can only laugh because it does ring true that a bad day skiing, or even a bad weathered vacation, is better than a good day at work. It's my inclination, too, that given the length of my stay here, I should outlast any ill weather.

Bad Snow and Bad Sleep

It's a lazy Friday morning and at 10:30am I've yet to make way into the kitchen and feed myself. It's been a week full of lazy mornings, not really by choice though.

Sunday afternoon I was again invited over to a church members' house for lunch. It was exceptionally windy and after eating we went to a nearby field and flew those cool kites that you see at the coast, you know, the kind with two strings that you can steer. It was a fun experience, though they are not always that easy to control.

The wind storm continued with enough strength to blow a lot of the decent snow off of my mountain, as well as damaging some part of the upper gondola lodge. The company was forced to close the mountain until this coming Sunday. I've not been able to ski all week here in town. I've been looking into the bus system and figuring out how to ski at other resorts (larger ones). Both of these pictures were taken at the peak of what snow we've had here. According to the locals they can scarce remember a year where the valley floor in the above picture was not covered in snow as well.

Capping a lazy week, I've found myself in a rare position, awake at night. While I am still going to bed at a decent hour I've seen the clock flip past 2:00am probably 10 nights consecutive. Getting up early has been difficult and sleeping in leaves me with a feeling of wasting away precious time. It's really an odd situation.