Good Moring All

On the road again 

We are now crossing another border in to Austria, this is the toll booth and Mom stopped thinking they wanted to ask or see something, but the officer looked very bored and just waived us ahead

We definitely need to update Alice (GPS) because she took us through winding streets and little villages to get to the camp we asked for. It was probably much prettier than the highway but took a lot longer

After settling in and having a bite to eat we took the bus from our camp to Graz which is Austria’s second-largest city - and one of its hidden secrets. This historic city in the southern region of Styria has plenty to flaunt, and one of the most impressive things about Graz is its architecture. Indeed, the atmospheric Medieval center of the city, the largest in Europe, abounds in architectural marvels and opulent historic buildings evoking the grandeur and glory of Austria’s Imperial past.

Rathaus (Town Hall) – the history of this stunning Late Historicist-Old German-style edifice, completed in 1893, reflects how Graz has prospered over the centuries.

In the middle of this square were a lot of food carts and there was yummy food dropped everywhere but Mom didn't let me stop and eat. As a matter of fact, she was getting a little irritated to see all the trash people had left behind, 

The town hall was financed through a tax on wine. There are short corner towers on either side of the front of the four-level building. In the middle, the tall center tower has a dome and spire. Niches on the neoclassical facade hold statues of Austrians, emperors, and figures representing art, science, trade, and industry

The historic center was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999 due to the harmonious co-existence of typical buildings from different epochs and in different architectural styles. Situated in a cultural borderland between Central Europe, Italy, and the Balkan States, Graz absorbed various influences from the neighboring regions and thus received its exceptional townscape. Today the historic center consists of over 1,000 buildings, their age ranging from Gothic to contemporary 

Gemaltes Haus (Painted House) – one of the most popular Instagram-worthy spots in Graz; the colorful frescoes depict the hierarchy of Greco-Roman gods

The Painted House is first mentioned in 1360. In this house, the Dukes of Styria would give their subjects land for a fee and otherwise carry out their public business

Landhaus (Country House) – an excellent example of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, with several courtyards surrounded by elegant arches.

The Graz Art Museum was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark and is the weirdest building we have ever seen. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporary art from the 1960s onwards. 

Here's another strange building, The Murinsel, which is an artificial floating "island" in the middle of the Mur River and links the two banks on both sides. At night the blue navigation lights that surround the structure light up. This landmark of Graz was designed by New York City artist Vito Acconci on the occasion of Graz becoming the 2003 European Capital of Culture.

Described by the artist as "A bowl that morphs into a dome that morphs into a bowl…Mur Island is in the form of a giant sea shell and measures 47 m (154 ft) in length. Two footbridges connect it with both banks of the Mur. The center of the platform forms an amphitheater. Below a twisted round dome, there is a café and a playground. We walked through it but the cafe was closed.

We found a different place to sit for a minute and Mom ordered an iced coffee and a brownie. The brownie looked good but tasted horrible according to Mom. I didn't get a taste, but I'm sure I would have liked it. (Mom claims chocolate would make me sick)

After a short break, we continued on to The Schlossberg, at 473 meters (1,552 ft) above sea level, is a tree-clad hill, and the site of a fortress. The hill is now a public park and enjoys extensive views of the city. It is the site of several entertainment venues, cafés, and restaurants.

Noway is Mom going to make it up all those stairs I thought, luckily there was an elevator and now I had to wear that stupid muzzle again. (Mom is very impressed that I don't protest much)

As we were getting into the elevator we noticed there was a slide coming down, and Mom looked at it in horror. We don't have to come down in that, are we? It was a spiral tube and you had to sit in something looking like a half of a sleeping bag. ...............Over my dead body, she said and I'm quite happy about that.

The fortification of the Schlossberg goes back to at least the 10th century. In the mid-16th century, a 400 m (1,300 ft) long fortress was constructed by architects from the north of Italy. There are records of a cable-hauled lift being in use between 1528 and 1595 to move construction materials for the fortifications. The castle was never conquered, but it was largely demolished by Napoleonic forces under the Treaty of Schönbrunn of 1809. The clock tower (the Uhrturm) and bell tower (the Glockenturm) were spared after the people of Graz paid a ransom for their preservation.

The view from up here was very impressive, and when finished looking we took the elevator down. puuh

this is the Lueggerhouse which was built in the early 16th century and rebuilt in the Baroque style at the end of the 17th. The tracks on the streets and all the viring for the cablecars kind of spoils the view a little 

Here's a true antique 

This city is beautiful but it could use a good scrubbing from so much graffiti and pee. I find every street corner and stairway full of interesting messages and wanted to "read" it all, but Mom hated it so all I got was a quick whiff here and there. I'm taught to never ever leave any messages behind on buildings, and I never do, so we always have to find a green spot for me when I have to go.

The Florida flamingos found a use here too

Many street musicians brighten up the place and Mom always have a coin for them 

we sat down on a bench to rest and listen for a while

and this lady came and joined us. At first, she ignored us and didn't look all that happy, so I decided to change that 

, and with my charm that quickly changed.

I gave her lots of kisses while Mom with her louse German and the lady with her lousy English had a conversation

Too bad they don't know our dog's universal language ............or not

There was this gorgeous pink house across the street, and the lady claimed that's where Napoleon was born. Must be a different Napoleon because the one we know of was born in Corsica

Entrance of the Styrian Armoury (German: Landeszeughaus), the world's largest historic armory holding approximately 32, 000 pieces of weaponry, tools, suits of armor for battle, and ones for parades.

During World War II, the entire contents were moved to safety in three castles in remote parts of Styria, and no losses were recorded. After the end of the war, the objects were brought back into the undamaged original building

There was so much to see so many statues in every building truly a very interesting day but I for one was quite happy when Mom decided to take the bus back to Lucy

The weather is great and soon we will drive off to the next city VIENNA 

Mom has great expectations about that city but if I had a choice I would go back to that national park 

All is great 

kisses Henry 

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