After just a gorgeous day on the Alpine peaks at the Austrian / Italian / Slovenian border, the weather gods were not as kind yesterday. It rained and drizzled pretty much the whole day and I spent a relaxing day in my home town, visiting with friends and doing errands.

Having recovered from my action-packed day yesterday which included a photo safari of my home town, some extreme hiking and subsequent culinary feasting (to counteract any potential weight loss), my final day in Austria had arrived and it was also going to be an exciting one.

Finally, after the rather rainy day yesterday I opened my curtains to an absolutely gorgeous day today. The lush green Alpine foothills and mountains surrounding Weiz were competing with the brilliant blue sky to catch my attention and naturally I had to get out on the road and explore.

Inspired from my cave adventure yesterday, I met my friends Andrea and Herbert early this morning to go on a hike through the Raabklamm (Raab River Gorge), which is surrounded by limestone mountains that hold more than 700 caves, including the famous Katerloch and the Grasshöhle, two publicly accessible caves and major tourist attractions in the Weiz area.

Finally, after the rather rainy day yesterday I opened my curtains to an absolutely gorgeous day today. The lush green Alpine foothills and mountains surrounding Weiz were competing with the brilliant blue sky to catch my attention and naturally I had to get out on the road and explore.

After yesterday's exciting outing to Graz we were planning an even bigger outing today: an excursion to the so-called "Drei-Länderecke", an area where Austria, Italy and Slovenia come together. So we left early in the morning to drive from my home province of Styria along the A2 Highway to the Austrian province of Carinthia.

I continued my drive into the centre of Graz and parked my vehicle in the underground garage next to the Graz Opera - at more than 20 Euros not exactly an inexpensive way to see the city, but affordable parking is difficult to find in downtown Graz. My first stop was the Graz Opera House, a neo-baroque building that was opened in 1899 and damaged during an air strike in World War II.

The Hofburg Palace, one of Viennese palaces, is surely the most impressive. The dynasty of Habsburg resided there for six centuries and every generation had its own contribution in the building extension. The first emperor who lived in Hofburg was Rudolf I (1279 r), and the last - Charles I (1918 r.).

The Innere Stadt literally means "internal city " in other words "the city in the city". The district is situated between Leopoldstadt (the North East), Landstrasse (the East), Wieden and Mariahilf (the South), Neubau and Josefstadt (the West) and Alsergrund (the North).

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was one of the most controversial architects in history. He was called "the king of five skins " (It was taken from his theory, that every man possesses five skins: natural skin, clothes house, social environment and planet). He maniacally postulated the protection of environment. So on one of the meetings he even prepared a meal of nettles that caused stomach inflammation the long standing treatment. He died in 2000.

A brilliant blue sky and beaming sunshine woke me up on Tuesday and I embarked on my first photo tour of my home town. I checked out the imposing baroque pilgrimage church called Weizbergkirche in my home town, and visited Schloss Thannhausen, a Renaissance castle that is still used for concerts and special events.

Weiz is a district capital with a population of about 9000 people, and it is located about 25 km from the Graz, Austria’s second largest city. It always amazes me that when I ask North Americans about Austria they all seem to know Vienna and Salzburg, and some of them have heard of Innsbruck, but very few people have actually heard of Graz, even though with a population of about 250,000 people it is Austria’s second largest urban centre.

Situated at the heart of the Tyroler Mountains, Innsbruck sits at an important junction between Germany and Italy.

Innsbruck, located in the centre of the Tirol region in Austria, is a mountain lover’s paradise. The Tirol region is surrounded by huge mountain ranges in three directions, and whether you love winter sports or summer hiking, you’re sure to be satisfied with the choices available.

Vienna has long been renowned as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, with good reason. The architecture is magnificent, there are abundant gardens, and it’s a pedestrian’s paradise. Getting out on foot with a good map is the best way to view its charms.

The enchantment of old Europe at its finest, Austria is one of those countries people rave about after visiting the European Continent. Austria is known for its superb cuisine as well as its rich heritage in the arts, architecture, wine making and its breathtaking countryside. No trip to Austria is complete without visits to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck and the Danube valley.