Next Post

Sorry I've been really procrastinating on new posts.  I have pictures to post of Slovakia and Vienna.  Tomorrow, I'm leaving on one of our excursions to several small towns in east Bohemia.  I get back late Sunday night and then I get to study for a midterm I have on Monday.  On Tuesday, I'm headed to Berlin and will be there until the 31st.  Then I have a few days at home before I leave for London on Nov. 6 through the 12th.  Then, we turn right around and head for Krakow on the 14th-16th.  After that, I don't have anything planned until Dec. 5th.  It's sure creeping up on me.  

Innsbruck, Austria

This post is from the same trip as the last one, but that would have been too many pictures on one post.  From Bern, Switzerland, I headed to Innsbruck, Austria.  I arrived in Innsbruck around 9:30 pm, so it was very dark (obviously) and I wasn't really impressed by the train station or area around it.  I had reserved a hostel room that day (or so I thought) but the check-in ended at 10pm.  The hostel's directions weren't very good, either.  At the tram stop, I met a kid from California also looking for the hostel.  An Australian helped us get there.  We got to the check-in just as it was closing, but fortunately were able to get a room.  They only accepted cash and I only had a few euros on me and there were no ATMs nearby.  The Californian had enough euros and I usually carry American money just in case, so I gave him $20 and 5€ and he paid.  I woke up early the next morning to be able to tour Innsbruck and still get on my 11:30 train for Vienna.  Stepping out the door of my hostel, I saw what I had missed in the darkness the night before:  the Alps!  Finally!  It had snowed the night before in the mountains, so they were all covered in white and very photogenic.  Some of the people in the hostel had skis and snowboards.  Innsbruck, after all, is the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics.  

My hostel...and, oh, yeah, the Alps

View from right outside the hostel

I went to the tourist information and said I had 2 hours to explore Innsbruck, what should I do?  The info man replied, "Cancel your train and stay for a week."  Not having that luxury, I walked to Innsbruck's Old Town and wandered through its streets.  I saw Innsbruck's iconic Golden Roof, which dates from the 15th century.  I walked along the river Inn, basically to see more of the mountains.  "Innsbruck" comes from the German word for bridge, "bruck," and the name of the river, "Inn."  

The Golden Roof in the early morning shade

The Inn River and some mountains

Alps!

 

On my way back to the train station, I stopped at the Stadtturm, or "Town Tower."  The viewing area up the stairs is 197 feet over Innsbruck and gives a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding Alps.

The Stadtturm, or "Town Tower"

The Golden Roof as seen from the Stadtturm

Once I got to the train station, I realized how amazing the view was, even from there.  You could see mountains all around.

The Alps, as seen from an Innsbruck train platform

The train ride took me back to Vienna and then I took a bus back "home" to Brno.