Weiz, Austria

That trip to Portugal wasn’t near long enough! I tried to hide from Her Ladyship in this cactus plant, but in spite of the spikes, she dug me out of it and dragged me back to Austria. Foiled again!

I will never admit it to Herself of course, but even though it breaks my heart every time I have to leave the seaside, it is always a pleasure to come home to beautiful Stryia and our hometown of Weiz, tucked into the foothills of the Alps. Whenever we get home from a trip we go out for a stroll around town at the earliest opportunity and reacquaint ourselves with all the familiar sights. The Weizbergkirche, the landmark Baroque church standing proudly on a hill above the town, the main square, the town hall, the old taverns and cafés, ancient towers and modern commercial and industrial buildings. A small but busy town, a blend of old and new. A vibrant example of modern Austria, still firmly rooted in its ancient traditions and culture.

The summer season is well under way, with festivals for all kinds of occasions taking place in all kinds of locations. If you were so inclined, you could party all summer long and still not get around to going to every event on offer. One in particular that caught my eye is the aptly named Sechs in the City, a music festival in Kapfenberg where bands play on six different stages dotted around town.

Her Ladyship and I arrived home just in time to take in our own local annual music festival, going by the rather less sexy title of Altstadtfest, Old Town Festival. The line-up was impressive nonetheless and the locals turned out in their thousands to join in the fun. With no fewer than five stages in different locations around the old town centre and a total of ten different bands performing everything from traditional Irish music to Austropop to Rock to Crossover Austrian Folk Music to – god help us all – Death Metal, there was definitely something for everyone.

No prizes for guessing which band His Lordship made a bee-line for! I was cursing myself for having forgotten to bring my noise-cancelling headphones with me. However, I was surprised myself at how much I enjoyed the Death Metal band, Borzep. Perhaps the deep growling vocals, distorted guitars and blast beat drumming reminded me in a way of wild Atlantic storms. Deafening, but somehow mesmerising.

I also have to admit to being quite star-struck when I got to meet the band members after the show. Underneath all those scary beards, tattoos and piercings, they are a great bunch of guys. And ever since the gig, I just can’t stop humming one of their catchier numbers, ‘I Hate You!’

I might be converted yet…