Exploring Austria: Vienna and Graz!! (and beautiful sunsets)

Hello Friends and Fam!

This is the scene from out of my bedroom window, at around 5pm, when the sunset was making the clouds look like tufts of cotton candy. Pictures never really capture the full pink effect, but it was breathtaking!

Last weekend brought Kristina and I (along with the rest of the Wildkatzen) to Vienna where we were to face the Vienna Post team. The team from Post is the only other Austrian team that also plays in the MEVZA, and historically our team often plays them late in the Austrian playoffs, so there is a pretty intense rivalry going on... After a 4 hour van ride (and the ritualistic stop at an "Old Timer" gas station/ play place/ restaurant/ greenhouse/ what?), we arrived in the small town of Krems (outside Vienna) for pass-around, after which we headed to our cozy romantic-getaway hotel.



That evening's game didn't really go our way, we ended up losing 0-3 in what we hope is our last disappointing loss of the season. Kristina and I did have fun in our cozy hotel however, making full use of the 12 hours in which we were allowed to pass out in the comfy beds.

The next day, our girls faced the Vienna girls in an Austrians-only Cup match at a gym in Vienna instead of Krems. We arrived at the gym around noon for a 2:00 match, so Kristina and I decided to take a tram into downtown to explore a bit before first serve. Awesome amazing find #1: Bagel Shop! Awesome amazing find #2: outdoor market by City Hall, where they serve hot chocolate for chocoholics like me! Awesome amazing find #3: tram back to the gym, which got us back just in time! So, despite the fact that we lost in Vienna, we tried to make the most of it and ended up having a great time!




Tuesday brought us on an adventure to Graz with Matthias, where he had a last exam before winter term break. We walked all around the beautiful city (and hiked up a hill to see a beautiful clock tower), then had an amazing lunch at Subway (yes! There's on in Graz!!) before coming back to Klagenfurt that evening.





We had this weekend off, and it was really refreshing to have no volleyball for a little bit. We head back into the gym tomorrow, and I think we're all excited to play together again. We play the team from Maribor this weekend, and start playing in Austrian playoff matches next weekend!

Hope all is well stateside. I hear there are some crazy snowstorms on the East Coast, I feel for you guys!

Love xoxo

Anna