Innsbruck

The view that never gets old.

Griaß eich!

We've been two weeks in Innsbruck now, and the other day I managed to walk from where we were staying to Christi's work (!!) without getting lost! Seriously, this is a big accomplishment for me.

While I've been learning to navigate, Christi went out and got a job! She's now a server at Cafe Katzung, one of the top cafes in Innsbruck, right on the main square in the Old City. This cafe is one of the establishments on the square, the fact that Christi is working there is pretty cool, and the fact that it was actually the first resume she handed out is even cooler! According to her, the work is hard, stressful, and tiring, as one would expect in a busy cafe in the tourist area, but I'm sure she'll be a pro in no time. This is a really big step for us, for a few reasons: a) Christi's already great German gets to be stretched in a work setting, b) we will have an income rather than just whittling away at our travel fund, and c) Christi having a job to support us is a one of my visa requirements, so then I can get a job too! We're feeling confident about the visa process, and are really only awaiting one more important piece of documentation to arrive from Canada before everything can be submitted.

From Tripadvisor.de 

Down the mountain to Innsbruck, with Serles in the background.

Plenty of options.

In the meantime, I'm studying German, doing errands, and going on long hikes in the hills around the city. Without a car, I'm doing hikes that start from the edges of the city, which puts me in this interesting zone where I'm never more than an hour away from a hütte, or alm (the more common name here in Tirol). The closest equivalent in Canada for these would be a backcountry lodge, if backcountry lodges all served delicious food and the local past time was hiking up for lunch or even for coffee.

The rebuilt Umbrüggler Alm, recently opened after the old one was wiped out by an avalanche. Note the aerodynamic (cryodynamic? avadynamic? nubiladynamic?) roofline.

The alm culture here is the most interesting aspect of it all, and the fact that it is actually the local past time. At Umbrüggler Alm, maybe 45 min hike from a city bus stop, we saw moms having coffee, seniors getting early lunch on a day hike, and a suspiciously large group of freezer repairmen enjoying an extended coffee break. Undoubtedly a call from an alm is a is not a undesirable one... Most alms are run by a family, and owned by the city or an outdoors club. The Hüttewirte, hut hosts, will cook food, serve schnapps, and all seem to know many of their customers, warmly greeting everyone else.  A lot of greeting goes on, and there are an invisible set of rules that I'm trying to get a hold of. A greeting for those entering the hut, a greeting when you enter the hut yourself, a saying for leaving a shared table where the others are still eating, and all these sayings vary depending on the number and relative age of the recipient/s. There is forgiveness when my Canadian accent becomes evident, but its worth the effort because this mountain community is so special.  The food in the alms is something special as well, lots of big bowls of soup with knödel, hot sauerkraut with bacon, herbal teas, house-made pinecone schnapps, proper mountain food. Many alms have a specialty item that they are known for, however if you are not already aware, the only way to find out is to listen to what others are ordering and hope it doesn't include the weapons grade stinky mountain cheese Graukäse.

Not every alm is ultra modern like Umbrüggler, most are quite traditional and appear to be fairly old. The other day I found myself in Ansler Alm on the south side of the city, a tiny little spot with three packed tables under dim lights, sheepskins on the benches, a roaring fire, old climbing and farming implements hanging from the walls (also what looked like a wooden witch), and a Hüttewirt with such a strong Tiroler accent I had to have my table mates translate into normal German for me. Everywhere you go, there is some tradition which the locals clearly treasure, and I feel so fortunate to have encountered it in my first days here in Innsbruck.

Hafelekar Stub'n

The near future for us hopefully includes moving into our own apartment, more work (for Christi), more hiking (for me), getting to know the city better, and hopefully advances in the visa process. Leaves are turning colour here, the snow is moving down the mountains every day, warm coats and scarves abound, winter is on its way.

-Harry

Snow on Serles.