Innsbruck Diary (5) ...

It has been a busy week, so we decided to stay in Innsbruck this weekend to enjoy its Old City and hike its beautiful trails. Unfortunately we also have a lot of professional work to do, so we spent much of Friday and Saturday at the University.

The highlight of the week was a concert at Schloss Ambras, Innsbruck’s spectacular castle. We dined on the terrace there, then listened to a very talented young pianist named Gary Cooper. He played classical music selections on an eighteenth century piano in a beautiful hall at the castle.

Last Tuesday we hiked from Igls to Patsch, two charming little villages just outside Innsbruck. The views of the Alps were breathtaking.

Friday we did some “urban hiking” from our apartment to the Old City and back. Dinner at the Goldener Adler put them on our recommended list. Especially nice in Innsbruck is the ability to eat outside in shaded cafes while listening to live music played nearby.

Yesterday we visited Hall, a medieval village near Innsbruck noted for its large Old City. At the church, notables of times past are buried in the walls, that is, their skulls are encased in glass with gems for eyes. Spooky.

Hall is also the location of an ancient mint where the Tollar, was made. This is the origin of the word, dollar. We enjoy strolling the old city of Hall and occasionally find church music and sit in on a free concert. Hall also has the best and largest ice cream cones around.

Today we are going to ride a cable car, the Patscherkofelbahn, to higher ground than we have hiked thus far. We will do part of what is called the Zirbenweg. We tried yesterday, but the clouds were too thick and it was raining at the top.

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