Last day and home

We had a wonderful last day: our friends from Munich picked us up, took us to Chiemsee for a walk, lunch at a family owner brewery/biergarten, a survey of maypoles in various villages and then to their home to relax before taking us to the airport at an unreasonably early time the next morning. Perfect way to wind down after the seminar. Uneventful flight home, and now we're just trying to dig out from all the stuff that accumulates when you're gone for a month.

Last post for this trip....

Salzburg

The work finished at midday, so free afternoon. We felt lazy, so had a nap, then another stroll around the lake and a swim. In the evening, they had a short of grand finale: Prosecco on the terrace, a piano concert (classical, and very good), followed by a "banquet" which wasn't actually as good as our regular meals.

Now need some time to think about the content, but don't need time to know I have some super new friends, both at SJSU and elsewhere.

Salzburg

Another full day of sessions, but a bunch of us went to a biergarten after dinner to relax and just hangout. Delightful! It wasn't so hot today anyway, and a thunderstorm further freshened the air. This time we were smarter and only got a half liter each!

Salzburg

Another full day of sessions, but lovely walk around the lake after dinner.

Salzburg

Free afternoon! Tried for a bike ride, but though there are many great bike paths, they are usually shared with pedestrians, and for some reason everyone expects you to have control of your bike. We decided we didn't, so after a couple passed along a canal near the Schloss, we opted to return the bikes and walked into the old town and spent a pleasant afternoon just wandering around.

Salzburg

Cooled off--yeah! Whole day in sessions...

Salzburg

Busy day with the seminar. Sessions are interesting, but gorgeous as the Schloss is, it's not air conditioned and the tennis are continuing to be in the mid-90s and humid. We did have a long enough break to visit the big swim center more-or-less next door for a refreshing break.

After dinner, we had a very interesting talk from a team of conservators (a professor and 4 students), who are here inventorying, evaluating and making recommendations regarding conserving everything from the building itself, including the rather amazing stucco work, to art works to archival materials.

Trip to Königsee

Spent the day with our friends from Munich, who drove to Salzburg, picked us up and took us to spend a lovely day at and on the lake. It was another super-hot day, so it was nice to be on this gorgeous lake. It's almost like a fjord, with very steep walls and no access to much of it except by boat. We also tried some traditional foods to eat in a Bavarian beer garden: a kind of cheese called obazda, and a platter of various meats and cheeses (and shredded horseradish).

Salzburg and around

Started out with a walking tour of Salzburg (audio guide, so our own pace). Very interesting, but so hot it was a bit hard to pay attention. Lunch started with a brioche from the oldest bakery in Salzburg, darting from the 12th century. Followed that up with sausages from a street food truck.

Home for a short nap, then to Hohenwerfen, a quite spectacular medieval fortress. Unfortunately we only got to see part of the "birds of prey" flight demo, but what we saw was terrific. There were some rather hokey but gun anyway demos of tours of fighting (swords, knives, dueling pistols, etc.) Then a tour of the whole place from the dungeons to the clock tower. Nice walk down through the forest (we're smart enough to take the funicular up!).

Dinner at a gasthof/biergarten near home. Austria has apparently adopted gulash, and has many varieties, so we decided to try fiakergulasch. It turned out to be a beef stew with a fried egg, hot dog, gherkin and some kind of giant dumpling. It was good, but rather heavy. Fortunately, our serving dish was a green salad with chanterelles and pieces of smoked fish. Plus beer, of course, but only a half liter each. Very pleasant and necessary walk home along the river.

Salzburg plus a stop on the way

Finally got ourselves out of Innsbruck (too much fun talking to our hostess) and headed for the Silberbergwerk, on the way to Salzburg. It's a mine, originally for Iron, 3000 year ago and for cooper and silver in the middle ages. Very interesting tour (and the cold air deep in the mountain felt great).

Then on to Salzburg. Our host suggested a traditional beer garden for dinner, and of course, beer. You buy a coupon, then pick a ceramic stein, wash it in a fountain to make sure the stein is cold and hand it to the guy who is filling them directly it from wooden kegs. Yum, but we were persuaded by our host that we should get a full liter each. Neither of us could could finish! We're such cheap drunks. Then lovely walk partway home along the river (bus the rest of the way--the car stayed safely parked at home.

Last day in Innsbruck

It was too darn hot (mid 90's). Went to the Alpenzoo where the animals had better sense than we did-- they were mostly tucked away in caves or trees, sleeping. Not sure why the bear was roaming around, but it's fur looked wet and there were some waterfalls in his area. If I were him, I'd be sitting in the waterfall! Still, it's a very nice zoo with large, natural habitat enclosures. Finally, we followed the animals' example and headed for a nap ourselves.

Dinner: Italian for a break from so much heavy duty meat. Pizza and a lovely, big salad.

More Innsbruck

Started out with more museums,  and by the time we finished, it was too late to go to the zoo. Given temps on the 90's plus aching feet, clearly a nap was necessary. Eventually, made it out for dinner: pot roast with horseradish/green apple sauce,  potatoes, and veggies. Also a salad, and of course, beer.