The GDR. A socialist state where the word freedom had no place, opposition members were deliberately persecuted and dictatorship was the order of the day. Not an easy place for a child. Anja remembers: "We grew up very differently in the GDR, there weren't so many options when it came to a much-desired vacation destination away from the border and the Berlin Wall. Hotels were hard to come by, there wasn't much choice." That's why the family mostly went to the countryside, where nature and freedom lived. An escape from everyday life for Anja. "Simply being an uncomplicated child, without being forced into any kind of mold, that's what shaped me."
Carinthian mountains instead of the Caribbean
"When we weren't parents yet, Caribbean vacations were on the agenda. But flying away with baby carriages and all the trimmings seemed too much of a hassle. Friends gave us the tip of the Hochalmblick sports farm in a side valley of the Lieser-Malta valley in Carinthia and what can I say: we've been returning every year since our first visit, this year for the eleventh time." It is the mighty mountain peaks such as the Ankogel as well as the peace, serenity, openness and hospitality that the family has come to know and love: "You experience the warmth of the people at every hut you hike to." Anja's children - now 14 and 17 years old - have grown up partly in the south of Austria.
Summit happiness and salvation
The beautifully situated farm is enthroned in the middle of the Carinthian mountains high above the fog line. From A(lmgaudi) to Z(irbenzimmer), Anja's family will find everything here that makes Farm holidays special: comfortable rooms and apartments, the finest cuisine with regional products and the surrounding mountain peaks as a natural fitness program. And if you don't want to go up the mountain, you can enjoy the pool, pony rides, wellness or excursions in the surrounding area.
When the vacation begins in the car
For Anja, the vacation begins when the whole family gathers at the car at half past two in the morning: "I know exactly what to expect, so the car ride is part of it for me. Although we've been on vacation in Carinthia so often, we always discover something new. The mountains and their picturesque lakes are fascinating - especially Lake Weissensee. The water always reminds me of the Caribbean, crystal clear, turquoise blue." A perfect place for Anja to unwind and where you can shop locally: "I pay a lot of attention to quality when shopping, both on vacation and in everyday life, I prefer smaller stores, not the big supermarket chains, and I've never ordered anything via Amazon." It is the attitude towards regionality that she has learned to live with since she was a child, but which is becoming increasingly visible in many people as a result of the pandemic. "A rethink has happened. It's important to know where the products I eat come from and how much work and effort goes into them."
Let your soul dangle
The informal atmosphere, the warm hospitality of the Striedinger host family and the location high above the fog line on the sunny plateau are things that invite everyone to relax and enjoy themselves: "For us, there is nothing better, I can't really say any more about it. It is - as it is - perfect all round."
Sabine Ertl
www.gedankenschmiede.at, 45 Article(s)
