Nanna and Grandad Blitz the Autobahn: SNOW!!!

So we are off to Austria....Innsbruck specifically. Just an hour and a half from Munich and we are there. Nanna and Aunty Jan were delighted to find out that they have Christmas markets too. After checking in we shot up the Nordkettenbahn...a funicular railway from Innsbruck congress station up to Hungerburg then a transfer to a cable car to Seegrubbe and then another cable car to Hafelekar at 2269 m. To say the views were sensation is an understatement. Nanna and Aunty Jan pose for a shot with a largish icicle before dashing inside to defrost with a hot chocolate and enjoy the views from the inside.

Some seating to soak in the view before hypothermia sets in.

The cable car on its way down from the top station of Hafelekar to Seegrubbe

As the sun sets we returned to our hotel. Absolutely lovely and built in 1390, it has played host to kings and emperors and famous people ranging from Mozart to astronaut John Glenn (and now us!! See if they put us up on the list of previous guests). It is located in the old town area with lots of little alleyways dressed up for the festive season and a good number of xmas market stalls.

What was equally delightful was the appearance of the Krampus. An Austrian / German tradition on the 5th December these critters roam the streets looking for bad children who, depending on the story you read, are either swatted with birch canes or dumped into baskets (like the one in the photo below) and taken back to the cave to be eaten. They are also know to stop into bars and have a little drink cause chasing bad children is thirsty work.

Swaroski crystal have a couple of shops here and also put up this giant crystal tree.

More Krampus. I must a been a bad boy cause the one in the second photo below swatted me. He probably figured I wouldn't fit in the basket.

Heading back into Germany over the mountains we encountered quite a bit of snow. These pics were taken under duress as it was quite cold and the ladies really didn't want to be out in the weather.

And so to the Neuschwanstien castle. The road from the ticket office to the castle was closed to the buses which normally transport people up there because of the icy conditions. Fortunately as we are guests at the hotel we simply drove up past dozens of exhausted tourists who walked the 2km or so up the hill. Checked in then walked the few hundred metres to join our castle tour. Was quite amazing and as photos were not permitted inside you will have to look them up on the internet if you are interested. Aside from the usual royal rooms you would expect from a king he had a fake cave/grotto and conservatory up on level 4!!

Nanna and Aunty Jan admiring the view

The castle and our hotel

Later that night I went out to capture the area while light snow fell. The staff were closing up but said they would be at least another hour so off I went safe in the knowledge I had a key to get back in. Unfortunately they finished quicker than expected and I had some nervous minutes finding which door I had to use to get back in and then wrestling with the lock for a minute or so before it opened. Not exactly life and death stuff I guess but the overnight temp was -9C. Having lived to tell the tale, the results are below