Things I miss...

I often get the question: "What do you miss about Austria the most?" My typical answer is, "My friends and family and Austrian chocolate." But there are a few other things I miss - and here are two that I've been thinking about lately:

1) Well-marked hiking trails. On my recent hiking adventures, I've followed trails that suddenly ended; I didn't know where I was heading when several trails were marked with the same color; and without a map, I wasn't sure if I'd find the way back to my car.

But check out the picture. This is what signage in Austria looks like. The signs tell you where every trail leads, how long it will take you to get there. Biking trails are marked differently than hiking trails. Sometimes they have winter-hiking trails noted as well (those that are good for snow-shoeing and those type of things). So who needs a map? Everything you need to know is noted on the signs. And I love the feeling of accomplishment when you climb a peak and you get there faster than the time listed on the sign.

2) I miss swimming WITHOUT a lifeguard on duty and outside a tiny, roped-off area.
Recently, I've been trying to find a place where you can go swimming around here. Driving to the ocean is just a little too far from here. That's something I can do on the weekend but not after work.
I managed to find a state park that had a tiny little pond where you could go swimming - surprisingly even without a lifeguard on duty - but the pond was so tiny that the water was way too warm and it also wasn't very kind and looked kinda dirty. Not exactly the swimming I'm used to from growing up at the Lake of Constance (see picture).

Today, I found a lake where you can go swimming. It's a decent size, the water was somewhat refreshing (I guess nothing other than the ocean is going to be truly refreshing on these hot summer days), but of course there is a lifeguard on duty and swimming is only allowed in this tiny, roped-off area. It was way better than the little pond, but you still feel so limited and fenced in.

*Sigh*

Yes, those are some of the things I miss.