A rainy start today so got to the Hauptbahnhof and mooched around before going for a coffee in the station bar,this was about 10-30am and obviously I had stumbled into Innsbruck’s version of Wetherspoons.Plenty of folk in there looked & sounded like they were a good few pints in…these were all weather beaten men of the mountains.All men of a vintage best described as chronically decrepit.Thought I had walked into an Appalachian theme park with cow bells replacing banjos.The coffee was good though.Damn good…mind you I could be pulling an all nighter there if I don’t get digs sorted on the 13th!
Walking round Innsbruck and it can be easy to forget you’re in the Tyrol.Office block,shopping centre,Georgian schloss,office block,oh look a huge fuck off mountain! It’s a wee bit disconcerting at times…the city seems pretty well off.I mean they have a building with a gold roof and nobody has been up and stripped it.Imagine that in Wolverhampton?
There’s a fair few international tour groups knocking about too.Where I’m currently having a drink( by the gold roof ) they’re relaying the cobble stones with a fella cutting them as they go.Noisy & dusty as hell and it’s good fun watching the tour guides in a losing battle with the stone grinder…
I love maps,will gladly spend hours perusing them even one’s of places I know like Wolverhampton and I get a bit of a thrill entering a hotel and they have one of those tear off ones at reception and yet I don’t think I have ever looked at one.Must have about 25 of them at home.It’s an odd thing and no mistake…
This place has a very young clientele.There’s a university over the road but I doubt it’s a hall of residence or anything like that.Must be a coincidence.Does seem quite a sporty motif going on,mostly cycling,hang gliding that kind of stuff…
Oh I can feel my first laundry date coming up soon.Checked out the local ones and the nearest is just over the river Inn about 5 mins walk away…I am not in desperate need especially as we haven’t had many hot days so things are not too stinky just yet.Most of my t-shirts pass the very scientific sniff test but much like public toilets it’s best to use them when the opportunity arises…
It’s pissing down.I’m a bit knackered from walking all day,the hotel bar is quiet and the beer’s about €4 a pop so I may as well stop here…
Went into the Altstadt today and it’s pretty good.Most of them are tourist traps naturally and sometimes come over as pretty cheap & nasty but Innsbruck’s is quite classy.They have loads of tiny independent shops and cafe bars.I did see a Starbucks & Maccy D’s but they were hidden away and their signage was discrete,dare I say even subtle.Well played Innsbruck…
Laters Alligators…
3 comments:
Enjoying the blog mate, looking forward to more. Hope your enjoying the trip.
Thanks.Having a great time,off to your favourite neck of the woods on Friday…starting off in Vicenza then Bologna,La Spezia & Genoa.
I love Genoa in particular, all good cities to visit though.
Post a Comment