We’re in with the inn crowd. Ignorance comes to fore again. Innsbruck is in the Inn Valley and means bridge over the [river] Inn. Which is extremely high from the snow melt: last couple of days they’ve been on flood alert as it topped 6m.
We’ve spent most of the day in the AlltStadt, restored since WW2 bombing. Very old, pretty and hot, with some concrete brutalism on the outskirts. You can see how cities act as heat sinks. And money shifters given the range of expensive shops.
Maximilian 1 did a good job, the story goes, including leading to the Hapsburg dynasty. He certainly spawned some fancy building. I had to look to see what we were up to in the early 1500s (James IV and Henry VI, with John Knox not even warming up his tonsils).
First grumpy/rude waiter if entire trip: didn’t we know it’s customary in Austria to pay for table tap water? And to wait for him to give the bill rather than leave the right money? Tip stayed in pocket. Hope his leather hosen shrinks in the wash.
Austria is a strange mix of Germanic efficiency and Highland laid back. Mo apparent rush. Shame they are the ashtray of Europe and still allow smoking in bars/cafes: one of the coalition deals in 2018.
Our room has no air conditioning (so very eco friendly and something that uses too much energy) : clothes dry well after we work out how to use the launderette.
Lovely city, cycle friendly (not too many cf Copenhagen) and easy to navigate.
Travelling reflections 