An Ordinary College Student Takes on a 37-Day Solo Trip Around the World; Day 25 - Semmering and Graz, Austria

[Spectacular View] The World Heritage Semmering Railway and the 'Spaceship' City of Graz

Parting ways with my travel companions, I head out for a scenic hike at a World Heritage site with my giant backpack. I explore Austria's mountain railway and the city of Graz, where a 'spaceship' seems to float.

Farewell to my travel companions, and the last morning in Vienna

Day 25 of the trip. I woke up around 7:30 AM and had breakfast at the hostel.
I prepared for departure while chatting in broken English with Ceri, the Frenchman in the bed next to mine.

After checking out, Kakeru-san, whom I met yesterday, came to see me off at the elevator.
Just last night, he made me feel so warm inside, thinking, 'Japanese people are really great.' It was a short encounter, but I expressed my heartfelt gratitude and left the city of Vienna.
(By the way, I looked for the Vienna-exclusive bag at the IKEA near the hotel, but unfortunately, it was sold out...)

A 40-minute hellish climb with a giant backpack

I took the ICE from Vienna Central Station, transferring once, for about an hour and a half. I got off at Semmering Station to see the scenery of the World Heritage 'Semmering Railway,' which is even depicted on Austrian banknotes.

My destination was the '20-Schilling-Blick' viewpoint.
This was the biggest challenge of the day.A full-scale 40-minute mountain climb with a giant backpack on my back had begun.

The path was unpaved, with endless steep slopes. The sun was painfully strong, and there were almost no people around.
'Am I really on the right path?' 'What if a bear appears...?'
The heavy load dug into my shoulders, and I felt like giving up many times due to anxiety and fatigue.

A breathtaking World Heritage site encountered after the penance

After 40 minutes of gasping for air, the viewpoint appeared as the view opened up.
The scenery I saw from there was truly spectacular.

A beautiful arched bridge (Semmering Viaduct) and tunnels weave through the deep green valley. The winding tracks spreading out below were proof of the world's first true mountain railway.

The mirrored box placed at the viewpoint looked like an art piece reflecting this magnificent scenery, and I was able to take the best 'Instagrammable' photos.
I enjoyed the view while munching on bread I bought on the way, and then it took me another 40 minutes to return to the station.

The old city of Graz and the 'spaceship' floating in the city

Another hour and a half by train from Semmering, I arrived in Graz, my accommodation for the day.
I left my luggage at the hotel and went out to explore the city by tram.

First, I went to 'Eggenberg Palace' in the suburbs. It was a mysterious building designed based on cosmic philosophy, featuring '365 windows' and '24 rooms.'

Returning to the center, there was a beautiful city hall that looked like a smaller version of the square in Brussels. However, standing out in that old townscape was the **'Kunsthaus Graz (Art Museum)'**.

A building that looks like a blue, undulating spaceship that suddenly appears in the old townscape. Like the artificial island called 'Murinsel' floating in the river, I felt it was a very avant-garde city that might be controversial in terms of landscape.

I picked up dinner at a supermarket and quietly ended the day at the hotel.