On the trail of the loathsome pine.

On the trail of the loathsome pine.

They do love their wood in Austria,  houses, graves and tram terminals all made from the coniferous crop. Catching a tram, or more accurately the RIGHT tram, is something of a challenge for us today. As we walk through the stunning village with the majestic alps, a backdrop to the postcard scenery, past the immaculately kept graveyard and water hole, guarded by a statue that looks like its desperate for a pee, we find ourselves boarding the tram going in the opposite direction. We are rewarded with some more stunning views at Nockhofweg Muttereralmbahn, which is easy for me to say.  

Eventually we make the right tram into Innsbruck and head directly to the market for a midday beer and some food before looking at the beautiful town and it's shops. There is an element of "this is how it used to be" pretty much summed up in my view by a shop that sells combs and brushes. More ornate drinking fountains respected by locals and tourists alike make me realise how we've let things slip back in the UK. If this was Chatham they'd be used as toilets for smack heads. 

As a lad, I saved up what felt like several thousand Bazooka Joe Bubble Gum wrappers to receive a marginally exciting pen knife. Whilst I cherished this tool and it's one blade and a bottle opener, when ever I used it, I would still be thinking of its superior cousin. Well, I dream no more, I am now the very proud owner of a Swiss Army Knife. 

We head back to the market which has a huge outside bar that is set in sand and adorned with deck chairs, where we drink cocktails whilst looking up at the peaks. The barman asks how we travelled to Austria, by car we replied, it took us 14 hours. "You don't drive a German car then" he quipped. Ahh hearty Austrian humour.

After mush scratching of heads we suss out getting the right tram back and freshen up for an evening meal. In the village candles have been lit on the graves in the churchyard, this might be the career change I'm looking for. 

We eat in a pine-clad restaurant and squeeze our orders in 10 minutes before the kitchen shuts. Along with more stuffed animals, there is at the bar a real cowboy, who sits there smoking and drinking whiskey. Another career choice maybe..... 

When the food arrives it is outstanding, one of the best vegetarian meals I've ever had. 

We make our way back past the church which now has bats flying around it and since the bar at the hotel shuts at 10, we go back to Dean & Alli's room to try out some of the alcohol we purchased in Innsbruck. Alli had chosen a white chocolate liqueur which was a huge hit and Sue had some local schnapps. I on the other hand, had something called "A Taste Of Austria" that was 80%. I felt like my mouth was skiing down a piste in a thunderstorm. 

The hotel is clean and efficient and the staff are polite, but this really is a place for the "early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and dull" brigade. I do feel like we are the Sex Pistols performing on Blue Peter. So upon hearing a polite knock on the wall of Dean & Alli's room at 10:45 we head back to our own room and prepare for an early assault on breakfast.