Innsbruck, Austria

We didn't expect to love Austria as much as we did. Innsbruck was such a pleasant surprise. We knew it would be beautiful, since it was in the Alps, and all of the surrounding areas in Germany and Switzerland are great. But, it exceeded our expectations.

The 2 hour train ride from Munich to Innsbruck was a scenic trip, as we rode through Bavaria and into the Austrian Alps. The mountains we passed outside got larger and larger. We had our noses to the window so much, that we nearly missed our stop.

Innsbruck lies in a valley in the middle of these beautiful mountains. I took this pic at the top of the Stadtturm (City Tower).
The Old Town of Innsbruck is straight out of a fairy tale book. It is the type of town that Disney would model a fake town after, only this is the real deal. The buildings are colorful and ornate, and the streets and alleys are cobblestone.
We stayed at Hotel Innsbruck, which was right on the Inn river. Check out the amazing view of the little Old Town street from our window!
Chad went into work mode when we arrived. And he did have his share of work ahead of him, as, in addition to his presentation, he was trying to firm up the details of his future job, and consequently determine where we will be moving after we leave Rotterdam. You know, no pressure, no big deal...

It was sort of fun to explore the city on my own. I haven't really had a chance to do this much before. I had to overcome my touristy-photo-guilt to pull out my camera at a cafe to take this picture of my breakfast, because it was just too cute. I love how they sprinkled the cocoa powder in the shape of a sunshine. And, the croissant was filled with nuts, sugar and cinnamon. It was so good, I thought about having it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This beautiful cathedral, St. Jacob's, is in the heart of Old Town. The detailed paintings on the ceiling were amazing.
I also saw the Schloss Ambross Castle, and the Hofburg Imperial Palace. The Castle sits up on a hillside and overlooks the city. It's not quite the picturesque castle, with all of the gilding and turrets, but it definitely has it's fair share of history.

And gorgeous inside

Being smack in the middle of the Alps has it's advantages. The water is so pure, that they have public drinking fountains all throughout the city. Not the processed water fountains, like you'd find in a shopping mall, but true city fountains that people fill up their bottles with or lean over to drink from. (and, yes, I already had some pink juice in my bottle before I took this pic)

The cityscape along the Inn river is beautiful with colorful buildings and a gorgeous mountain backdrop. I stole Chad away from his meetings long enough to document our presence here together.
I have to say that Innsbruck has made it way up the list of my favorite cities. It is such a cool city that still has so much history and culture.

Now, just another little train ride back up to Munich, and a flight across the pond to Pittsburgh, and our 5 week trip continues (and I'm already tired of the clothes in my suitcase!).

- S

*Full set of pictures from Austria are on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kanickmoses/sets/72157626879566719/with/5852114779/