Austria Again

So there are some days in life where I think " I don't deserve any of this.  I did not actively do anything in my life to have the opportunities that I have right now."  And today is one of those days. 

I spent three short days in Bad Gastein,  Austria, but the things I did while there are things that some people can only dream of.  My hosts were incredibly busy because January is high tourist season in the Gasteinertal valley, and they have their own practice which cares for sick and injured tourists. And believe you me, when you have drunk Brits skiing in the Alps, there is no shortage of sick and injured human beings.  So because my hosts were at work all day long, I mostly took things easy, but had the opportunity to do some cool thangs. 

DAY 1:  I went to  the Felsentherme, a natural thermal spa.  Aside from being an incredibly relaxing afternoon filled with several different saunas, steam rooms and thermal pools, being in this environment got me a-thinkin'.  This is something I experienced and I believe wrote about several years ago, but the phenomenon never ceases to amaze me.  That is, I live in a country where women must cover as much of their bare skin, and sometimes even their hair, to avoid verbal harassment and an unending stare from men on the street.  Even in "high class" places like the gym that I pay $80/month to go to, men absolutely cannot help but staring at women working out in the mixed gender area.  Even in the womens-only locker room of the gym, it is clearly posted that nudity is not allowed. This is something that I have come to accept, and therefore, am sure to wear the "appropriate" wear for wherever I go.

  But at the Felsentherme, things are quite different.  It is of course a place where people swim, so swimming suits are worn. No problem.  But the locker room there is mixed gender.  They do have changing rooms, but its not uncommon to see a boob or ball here or there.  But then, when you enter the sauna area, there is a sign with a picture of a swimming suit... with a big X through it. So being of the mindset "When in Rome..." I shed my swimming suit so that I could enjoy the varied saunas.  And sure, some eyes wander, and once when I was in a sauna relaxing with my eyes closed, I opened them to catch a man across from me quick avert his glance (which, by the way, makes it even more obvious that you were looking).  But on the whole, most people mind their own business and after catching a glance at someone's privates, move on their merry way to the next sauna without batting an eye.   

  How can two societies be so incredibly different? In Jordan I wear pants and a long sleeve shirt and men at worst pull their cars over thinking I'm a prostitute or at best hoop and holler out of their car windows. (Good one guys...women are really attracted to those who express themselves best in grunts and shouts)   But in Austria, I walk around naked amongst dozens of other people and no one manages to even to raise an eyebrow.   Women in Jordan aren't even comfortable dealing with nudity in a women's only locker room.  It's human body for heaven's sake! If "God" created a human body a certain way, why would "he" also mandate that people cover the whole dang thing from head to toe.  While I not an avid nudist nor pious nun, I just can't understand the mindset that just one patch of showing skin can be sexually suggestive.  If you get so aroused by a low cut shirt or a lower-leg baring skirt that you can’t handle yourself, then sorry, that’s your problem. Let me just end this internal dialogue by saying that I would love to bring a Jordanian to the  Felsentherm simply to see them keel over because of either a heart attack or spontaneous orgasm.  

DAY 2:  I went cross country skiing.  No insightful thoughts bubbling up because of this one.  It simply felt great and the scenery was beautiful.  I had not been cross-country skiing for 6 years, but I picked up where I left off and did two loops at the base of mountain for about 1.5 hours.  

DAY 3:  I went downhill skiing in Sportgastein, another area of the Gasteinertal valley.  And with the help and training of my hosts, I skied down an Alp. Twice. I will spare you an overly detailed description of the landscape, but let's just say that there were several times that I stop and wipe the tears from my cheeks before they froze on my face.  These were not tears of happiness or sadness, but rather the kind of tears that fall when you look at something, and have a hard time imagining anything more glorious than what you're looking at, and then because of this mental frustration, your brain is not sure what emotion to feel, so instead just produces tears.  You kna whadday mean?

So in the last month of my life, I have been so fortunate to see the world in so many ways.   After feeling like there was no good in the world when I was stuck in a classroom experiencing more failure than success for 2 years, this was both figuratively and literally a breath of fresh air.

While I understand that this could be considered bragging, you, the reader, have the choice to read this or not.  Make that choice now.  And in the meantime, if I may...

In the last month, I have:

-seen the Pyramids

-walked into a Pyramid tomb

-sat on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea 

-explored Petra

-bobbed  in the Dead Sea

-ridden a camel

-driven the entire length of Jordan

-snorkeled in the Red Sea 

-seen the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights standing in one spot  in Jordan

-drank Spanish wine

-eaten Spanish tapas

-seen the Roman Aqueducts 

-drank Belgian beer

-eaten Belgian chocolates 

-drank Glüwein in Germany

-drank beer and ate a pretzel in a park in Munich

-skiied in the Alps

And this is not to mention the fact that I have done the majority of these things with incredible people who are all in some way a huge part of who I am.  Thus, the phrase, " I don't deserve any of this."  BUT, at the same time, I am incredibly thankful for it all.