Klaus Solden

... it. It was pretty scary to think that they do the jumping in summer when they wet the slope and land on fake grass. In winter, there is at least 30 cm of hardened snow. It actually looked scarier from the bottom than the top. The stadium is also used for concerts in summer and the pope has also held a mass there.

By time we headed home, the rain had started and had set in for the night.

... I had wished that I would be able to get them home in one piece.

We walked down to the Triumphal Arch which was erected in 1765 on the occasion of the wedding of the later Emperor Leopold but his father died during the celebrations so one side depicts happiness while the other is sad. After walking through a modern shopping centre, we walked back to the hotel via a park where the kids happily played until Greg and I were getting too cold.

... a large room and then walked into the old town to have dinner at a restaurant that had Austrian food. The prices seem quite reasonable after Switzerland, but that might be because they are in Euros. I had a goulash which was quite nice but salty. Again German is the language used but most people speak English so we haven't had any problems. It was very cold as we walked home and Tara kept saying, I hope it snows tomorrow (it certainly felt cold enough).

... right along the water. I must have been running slow - I was running along the path humming to the Eurythmics, and staring at the mountains in the distance when a little boy whizzed by me on a Unicycle. I'm not sure - but I can't imagine you can go fast on one of those things. I must have been humming loudly, because the little boy passed me, and turned his head fully around and ...

It was uptime pretty early to get on the road and do the circuit we had planned. We headed down to our first full breakfast of eggs and bacon and a yummy croisant and booked accomodation in Innsbruck (just out at Zirl to be exact) and hit the road by 9am.
We were heading out to GrossGlockner pass...and going to scenic way we were in by 10.30 (28 Euros!) to drive the pass that was in the National Pass ...

... br>then takes the winter off to ski and watch his kids while his wife teaches. HOW
DO I GET A JOB LIKE THIS?

After the hike, the bus dropped us off in
town and since it was still relatively early I decided to take the gondola that
goes from the middle of the city up to the top of one of the ski resorts. The
summit (around 10,000 feet) had a nice bar where I had a beer while looking
down at the city. I noticed tons of ...

... row. Its strange because there is no privacy and NO campfires! But the sites are nice and we are in the off season so its easy to find a spot away from others if we want a little privacy!

We went to a nice Austrian restaurant right next to the campsite and OMG it was delicious. One of the best meals we have had yet! I of course had weiner schnitzel and chris had a yummy meat sumthing or other! Hehe!

Innsbruck, Austrian Alps, Austria ktchris

... probably look even better in the daylight.

We went back to our very nice hotel. Normally we would not pick a place like this but when my parents took a room the guy at reception offered us a very good deal so we could stay in the same hotel. We told him we would think about it and went down the street to another hotel, and it was 20 euros cheaper but at least 40 euros dodgier. So we went back and I got my mom to ask if he would take another 10 euros of the price (I am ...

... surrounded by very tall mountains. They have had the Olympics there in the past. The Aldstadt (old town) is pretty cool. The streets are so narrow between the buildings, so it is all a pedestrian zone. Each street in this area would not accomodate more than one lane. We drove through the Alps and stopped at Mittenwald. This is an old village that ...

Sadly, I dont remember much about Austria. Too bad because I have read so much about it lately as the music and art centre of Europe in the 1700s, I'd love to check that out.
I asked my dad recently if we had been there before. He said, 'oh yes, many times, we loved it'. Hmm, what a pity. I suppose it still counts because the images of scenery must be in my mind somewhere... curse this short memory of mine!