Anyone who can still see beauty never grows old.

Austrian proverb

Austria is idyllic. The towns are lined with elegant buildings and domed cathedrals, palaces and gardens. The parks are full of flowers and children. The countryside is green and rolling, with cozy farms and villages.  There is an abundance of both ice cream shops and cafes.

After a few days in beautiful Vienna, we volunteered to work alongside a family of nomadic shepherds during their sheering season, which was a very strange thing for us to do. It resulted in quite a few interesting stories and some self-reflection on Why do we do these things?? From there we went to volunteer at a falconry in a town called Riegersburg, which has the unusual and unforgettable distinction of being a walled castle on a cliff-side. Our last stop in Austria was to Graz, which quickly became one of our favorite cities. Artsy, friendly, and filled with charming parks, it provided several days of peace, comfort, and good food.