Pension Menghini Innsbruck

Again it was snowing when we woke up but again it wasn't sticking although it was still on the trees at the Alpine Zoo which we went to in the morning. This was Tara’s choice as usual. Greg's favourite was the brown bear which was lying with its head on its paws on a log, probably contemplating whether it was time to hibernate. My favourite was the lynx which was high up in a tree. By the ...

... amazing to see how close the Golden Roof came to being bombed during World War II by the Nazis. The Austrians had bricked it in to save it and some of these bricks were actually destroyed while the Roof and building were saved.

We then walked up the City Tower which was built in 1440 and had an incredible view over the city and the surrounding mountains. It had stopped snowing by this time and you could see a clear line above ...

... it is the coolest thing they have ever seen. I knew they would love it. They dance around and check out the shower in the communal bathroom. Alex eats peanuts, a whole can. We then need to deal with the outcome of this and their smelly feet. I spray his AXE about 10 times in the cabin...I tell them I may have to sleep in the hall...

They give us free drinks and we each get a drink and there are waters in the room ...

... a different layout to ours...........do you know how many words have "Y" in them and that is one of the letters that is not where it should be! Innsbruck is the prettiest place and like the rest of the trip apart from Amsterdam, it is very hot. We have been around the Altstadt (Old Town) this morning. It is such a maze with lovely buildings and lots of shops. We also walked to a shopping centre and found a new suitcase. Everywhere is within ...

... too.
The rest of the tour took us to Linderhof castle and Neuschwanstein castle. What magical looking places they were. Neuschwanstein is the castle Walt Disney uses the sillohette of at the start of his movies. Anyway, after the trip it was back to Munich for a day or so and then on the plane home.

... months. We did venture in to town once or twice, and made the effort to take the funicular up the mountain where we enjoyed one of our famous picnics overlooking some of the most amazing scenery yet. But mostly, we just hid in our room, eating takeaway ...

... It has beaten by far all our expectations of what we expected to find in Austria. We didn't really know what to expect as we hadn't read up or looked at any information about what it would be like. Our only experience of mountains so far had been traveling from France to Italy, and it had felt very claustrophobic. There was no beauty! But here, in Austria, it is mind blowing. We have never seen anything quite like it. Looking across from our caravan, you can see the ...

... to head to Milan a day early. I'll be staying there for two nights instead of 1 and hopefully I am going to try and get out and see Lake Como the next day. I really don't feel like I've done Austria justice in these two or three blogs, but I will have to tell more about it when I get home. Apologies for the slowness of the pictures. They are coming eventually when I get more time. Take care everyone and goodbye from Austria, see you in Italy (knew I couldn't stay away!).

Another work conference for my parents brought us to Oberammergau for a week. We stayed in the cutest little wooden cottage - like the whole thing ceiling to floor and including flowering window boxes was made out of wood! Totally picturesque like you've read about in Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Aromatic town bakery. Absolutely enchanting.

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!