mariluna.musings

About a week ago, I boarded a plane in San Francisco with two suitcases and my backpack. My destination was nearly thirty hours away via two planes and two trains but I couldn’t have been more excited. The morning hiccup of leaving behind my purse with all of my cash and credit cards did not phase me much. I had my boarding passes and my passport and  I was on my way to my love and a new adventure.

I recently relocated to Upper Austria. My long distance boyfriend and I decided it was time to stop being long distance and I took a bit of a leap to the city  of Linz. Though my first week in Austria is not yet complete I have gone hiking climbing and “successfully” drove a manual car for the first time; I managed to get it to third gear once! So far, the first five of my eighty-five day stay here have been wonderful. His apartment is located in the outskirts of the city. We live next to a lovely park and less than a five-minute walk to a metro stop. Though we are farther from the city center there is a pizza parlor, an ice-cream(they just call it ice here) shop  within a 5 minute walk and a rock climbing gym and a pool hall all within a 15 minute bike ride (10 minutes if you are very motivated).

One thing is for sure, I will definitely be in better shape after my stay here with Herbert. Mind you, I had been climbing regularly and worked in a physical therapy office where working out was a daily part of the job. In preparation for my stay, Herbert purchased a second bike that I could use. I have biked four out of the last five days and have come to appreciate how easy it is to do so in this city.

Coming from Davis, California (the city where the bike Hall of Fame is located) I thought I had it good for biking infrastructure but it was nothing compared to how easy it is to travel by bike here in Linz. Every main road has an elevated bike lane resembling a sidewalk but obviously meant for cyclists. Underground byways allow for easy movement under main highways and apartments are constructed with bike storage in mind. Herbert and I park our bike every night in the apartment basement which has a bike ramp for easy access. After commuting an hour four days a week for the last two years it is so nice to rely more on my own two feet to get around.

This is my very first post ever! Already so much has happened that I don’t know what to share. From finding cilantro(herb used in Mexican cuisine) in an Asian food market  to accidentally powdering Herbert’s french toast with baking powder, moving to a country with a different language and culture is certainly full of surprises good and bad.

I hope I can keep up with everything happening and also share a little bit of Austria that I have come to know. Thanks for reading!