A Manmade Island on the Mur

Today is a wonderful day and I can't remember when I felt so good. I woke up refreshed, sleeping a little late in this hotel bed, with the sun streaming in and the river Mur rushing by next to me. I went down to the Tribeka Cafe and Rosterei, a small chain of three cafes in Graz where they have a menu similar to what we have at the GoNOMAD Cafe. I had a latte with the thickest, creamiest most wonderful foam I've ever had, as I sat in the sun and watched a beautiful Austrian couple and enjoy their drinks. I asked the manager what made their latte so, well better, and he pointed to the machine, a huge white monster. That and the Austrian milk from the mountains.

After the latte and a bagel with buffalo mozz, tomatoes, greens and pesto, I took off for a long walk along the river. The bike and walking path was paved, then became gravel, and I went a long way, passing families with strollers, bikers, and people sitting by the river reading newspapers.

In the middle of the river Mur here is a manmade island, created for the 2003 Cultural Capital of Europe year, but never taken away, since the city fell in love with their island in the river. It is used as a bridge to cross and also there is a nightclub and restaurant inside, it is pictured here.

I thought as I walked in the shady trail and listened to music on my Ipod that Austria is full of funny surprises and feels like a place that is well run, well planned out, and prosperous. There is a statue of a gold plated Madonna in the city, for the 2003 year the city built a glass-enclosed elevator so tourists can take a ride and get eye to eye--just for one minute--with the statue. That's so Austrian, so typical of this place, I love it.