City Dog, Country Dog

It's been far too long since I shared Pan's romps and travels with his eager readers (who regularly remind me that it's been far too long). As the snow started to melt last spring, we spent more and more time outdoors. Finally, the weather is turning cool again and I'm back at the computer. Pan's travels are mostly over for the season, too, so it seems the perfect time to catch up.

Towards the end of March, Austria enjoyed an early burst of spring and we took a quick weekend trip a few hours south-west of Vienna to Graz. Although far smaller, Graz had a liveliness and energy that Vienna often lacks. We never quite managed to explain this, and it could have been the first warm weather that had us energized. Still, something about it felt more fresh and engaged. The old city center rivals Vienna's for charm, but many more shops, galleries, and restaurants seemed new and flourishing.

The weather not only showed Graz in a good light, but also made for an easy trip with Pan. As far as I can remember, this was our first real city-break with the pup. We stayed at a hotel right in town, and almost all of his exercise was on the lead. (Our hotel did have a nice garden which, since it wasn't quite that warm, Pan got to run around in a bit.)Being a good city dog has its rewards: Mike got his first ice cream of the season and shared the last bites with a very intent Pan.
Later in the day we climbed to the top of the Schlossberg, or castle hill, where the remains of the city's fortifications remain, along with an impressive clock tower. Also impressive are the many, many stairs that climb up a rocky face to reach the top from the center of town. The view is well-worth it.
Pan was less impressed.Unfortunately, going down the slopes and stairs can be more tricky than coming up. I took a nasty spill along the way, which left Pan frequently looking back over his shoulder to check on me. Nothing was broken, but there were some colorful bruises and a painful scrape on the top of my foot.

Sunday we explored some of the countryside around Graz. At the recommendation of our Friday evening waiter, we visited a wine shop in the heart of Sud-Steirermark, one of the lesser-known wine regions in Austria, which produces some well-balanced wines that don't get the international recognition that the Wachau has received. Pan and I mainly stayed outside (numerous breakable bottles not being a good place for wagging tails) where he got to know his namesake: a certain mischievous god, also known for his love of wine.The computer is piling up with edited photos, so more posts to come soon--I promise!