The first of the two lakes I visited in Europe was in Styria, Austria. Grüner See (which literally translates to Green Lake) is actually a park that turns into a lake in the summer. Surrounded by forests and the Hochschwab Mountains, Grüner See is the result of the glistening snow from the mountains melting and finding their way to the park in spring.
When snow melts, it produces the clearest waters. Amusingly, though, Grüner See boasts of emerald-green water. This is due to the grass and vegetation beneath the lake, as well as its surrounding greenery.
We went there from Graz in September before finding our way to our weekend destination: a family cabin on top of a hill, built by Moritz’ grandfather himself.
It was a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the lake. It was enjoyable because we were surrounded by towering trees and such a lovely view of the mountains. We were told we could swim in the lake, and that led me to wearing just a one-piece as a top, some jeans, and a comfy cardigan. When we got there it was colder than we expected, which meant that the lake wouldn’t be swim-friendly and that I would have to endure the cold the entire time we were there. Honestly, I didn’t mind – nothing could spoil the fact that I was surrounded by nature.
We reached the clearing eventually, and lo and behold, Grüner See.
We decided to go for a walk around the lake and then back to our car. Halfway through, I realized I lost the sleeveless top that I brought along the way. Instead of going around the lake, we decided to just retrace our steps in the hopes of finding my top, but not until after we explored the place and took more photos for keeps.
We did find my top on our way back to the parking lot, hanging on one of the trees along the pathway! This is not the first time I lost something somewhere in Europe and still ended up finding it (which is amazing!), but I know that I should be more mindful of my things and shouldn’t push my luck too much lol
We went back to the road refreshed by the majestic views of Grüner See. When we reached the cabin, we were welcomed by a view of the forest, illuminated by the golden hour sun. It was an amazing sight to see, and a great way to welcome the weekend.
Alyssa Paula 