Cultural Development
John Abbott once said "Every man's ability may be strengthened or increased by culture." To be completely honest the concept of 'exploring culture' is something that I have at times overlooked and undervalued. However, since joining the Erasmus Programme and arriving in Linz my perception of 'culture' has completely changed. Culture has played a big part in my last week. From singing to skiing, eating wiener-schnitzel to eating haribo, I have had a truly fantastic week filled full of fun, travel and most importantly, culture.
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| A magnificent view of Salzburg... |
As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, my girlfriend Emma had came to spend a week of her Easter holidays here with me in Austria and after all the hype she had heard it was my duty to give her a week to remember! We began our week in the beautiful land of Salzburg, regarded by many as the oldest and most important cultural and spiritual centre in present-day Austria. Here there was no shortage of activities to do. We enjoyed some very interesting walks through the city, with the stark contrast between the new and old town proving fascinating. My personal highlight however had to be the 'Sound of Music' tour, even if I don't like to admit it! A four-hour long tour took us all over the city, through the local mountains and across many different towns and villages. I was even asked to sing a solo version of 'Edelweiss', thankfully no videos were recorded!
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| Pictured with my good friend Mozart! |
Salzburg really is a land with an intensive cultural tradition that extends far into the past. After all, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is this city's most famous son, representing the high point of the classical musical tradition which is still fostered nowadays.
"I pay no attention whatever to anybody's praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings." (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1779)
Emma and I then ventured south for a two-day ski-trip in the town of Hinterstoder. We spent two very enjoyable days on the slopes and the snow proved to be fantastic. Emma concluded her trip with a couple of days here in Linz, which itself holds a lot of culture and has many fun and interesting things to do.
I really was enjoying a week packed full of culture, and there was more to come! On Saturday, our student mentor and good friend Stefan decided to take us on a small road trip, exploring what culture the neighbouring towns and cities had to offer. Our first stop was the unassuming market-town of St Florian, which lies approximately ten miles south-west of Linz. This small town is famous for it's huge and imposing abbey, which is widely regarded as the most impressive in the county. St Florian was a Roman who converted to Christianity but was drowned for his pains. In many Austrian churches he is represented wearing Roman military uniform and dousing flames with a bucket of water.
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| Myself and some friends enjoying the surroundings... |
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| Taking in the view from the castle tower... |
We also had time to visit the city of Freistadt which is known to many as 'the romantic city'. This ancient, medieval town was founded around 1220 and is guarded by the mighty tower of the castle and protected by two town-gates. The well preserved fortifications and the small alleys, squares and courtyards invite you to take a trip to past centuries and this really was an experience.
Culture truly has been the theme of my week. I have been fortunate to travel and see more of what this beautiful country has to offer. I look forward to my next adventure!
Auf Wiedersehen,
James
References:
- Rushton, J., (2006), Mozart, Oxford University Press Inc, New York
- St. Peter, A., (2010) The Greatest Quotes of All Time, Xlibris Corporation, United States of America
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