Memories: Favorite Childhood Summer Vacation

I was and still am lucky to have a dad who was born in Austria.  Growing up, my father's company would give him and our family "home leave" every other year.  Home leave was time off about four weeks to go back to Austria.  So, we would spend about a month in Europe - mostly in Austria to visit with my grandparents.

I love Austria and always have.  Most likely because of spending so much time there when I was little.  I loved spending time with my grandparents - who I couldn't communicate with too well because I didn't speak German and they didn't speak English too well.  Regardless, I loved being with them and my family there.

Often, we would hop into the car or onto the train and head out of Vienna, where they lived (and where my parents currently live).  We would head up into the mountains for hiking or to one of the many lakes for boating and fishing.  Wherever we went the air was guaranteed to be fresh, the water either in the lake or flowing down the mountain from the snow melting was guaranteed to be cold and the food was guaranteed to be amazing.

These three main reasons were some of the deciding factor for me to push for Mark and I to get married in Austria and they came through!

When I was little, I really loved my stuffed dog, Doggie (who I still have).  I would take him everywhere with me.  I would put him in my backpack with his head sticking out so he could see where he was going.  There are pictures of me hiking in the Alps at age 4/5 without my shirt on with my backpack on my back and Doggie's head sticking out.  I still remember it!  I have a photo that I'll share one day if I can figure out how to scan it.

The food was amazing.  I fell in love with Orange Fanta (summer was the only time we were allowed to drink sodas), Austrian soup (goulash and rindsuppe - a beef broth with various fillings like noodles, etc.), wiener schnitzel, etc.  I adored the ice cream and the little wafer cookies served with them.  I honestly could eat Austrian food all the time.  I love it so much.

I also love being outdoors in the Austrian Alps.  The air, the sun, the hiking and other adventures.  My dad grew up doing all of those same outdoor activities and I am so glad that he introduced those to us.  My love for hiking in the Alps came from him and will always be because of him.

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I'm incredibly fortunate to have the childhood vacations that I did.  When we got a little older, we rented sailboats and sailed on the Adriatic Sea and in the Mediterranean.  As much as I love those sailing memories, the memories of hiking with my parents, siblings and grandparents in the Austrian Alps hold a VERY special place in my heart.  I can't wait to take my own children to Austria during the summer and show them what I did growing up.

What is your favorite childhood summer vacation memory?