Austrian home away from home

On our way to Slovenia.
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I'm in Graz right now, unlike all the rest of my journal entries that were playing catch up.  Michelle's university has a big computer lab, and I'm probably breaking the rules by spending at least an hour writing and checking stuff online (mainly writing though).  It's been great here.  Michelle is an amazing hostess, and has taken great care of me.  I'm staying at the house she shares with another Austrian girl on the outskirts of Graz, and so far we've kept very busy.  I'm amazed she hasn't had to study more for class.

We found a really big bike...
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We arrived on Saturday evening, and after a bit of a problem with the busses made it back to her house at about 7.  Her roommate, Bianca, is just as cordial as Michelle, and made us a traditional Austrian meal of (and I'll spell it wrong) Kurnoodle.  It's an appricot surrounded by sweat dough and topped with crumbly delicious, sugary stuff.  Sort of like a dutch apple pie in a ball.  I guess the Austrians will eat something sweat for dinner once a week or so.  How are they so skinny?  Beats me.  They also love this dish that consists of bread smothered in bacon fat and small pieces of bacon.  And onions.  Delicious?  Well, whatever gives you a heart attack I guess.

120 kilometer bike ride to Slovenia. Did we make it? Well....

Eating a traditional Austrian meal at a tavern type restaraunt. There's a name for this type of place, but I completely forget it.
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The Austrians also apparently like to eat big and then move (or perhaps move and then eat) so we went for a little hike afterwards, and then came back to the house to watch the US-Italy world cup game.  It was a great game, but I can't believe we got 2 red cards!  Completely unfair.  And then the last minute offsides call on our goal?  We better at least beat Ghanna...

Oh, but what's REALLY worth telling about is what happend yesterday.  Michelle got 10 of her friends together, and we set out to ride our bikes to Slovenia (another former soviet state) which is apparently close to Graz.  Did I mention that it was 60 kilometers 1 way?  Oh yeah.  It was at leat 80 degrees too.  The ride was mostly flat, except for when we got lost and had to go up an enormous hill.  It was a lot of fun, and about half of her friends spoke at least some English, so I had a good time.  We finally stopped about 5 kilometers short of Slovenia (not many people remebered to bring their passport) to eat at a little cafe.  Then we rode another 20+ kilometers back to a public lake and went swimming there.  That felt amazing.  Then, unfortunately, it was another 2 hours of riding back to Michelle's house.  We left at about 7:30 in the morning, and got back just before 8 at night.  It was at least 100 kilometers (probably more like 120) in one day, the longest of my life, and I'm pretty sore.  Sitting is also difficult.  Great memories though.

Well that's all to report.  Sorry that I don't have any pictures yet.  I assure you that they'll be forthcoming sometime this week.  Lots of pictures!  Love you guys,