SNOW , SNOW AND MORE SNOW…..WHAT A DRIVE BORMIO TO INNSBRUCK December 20

We awoke to a beautiful scenery of snow everywhere…on the roofs of the buildings , a white dusting to the ground, as we walked out onto our little balcony, and viewed the landscape…certainly, everywhere on the road.
The snow was such a beautiful sight to see and much wanted by the township of Bormio for their World Cup in skiing which is due to start in a week’s time……and we thought what an amazing place to be..so pretty. Bormio had weather condition of minus two….yes just a trifle cold as we packed the car up and headed out of town.

The concept of prettiness certainly was changed a little as we began our trek to Innsbruck.
Our route took us up the Fascagno pass over to Lisigno and then to the La Drossa tunnel which took us into Switzerland.

However, Snow conditions meant that the road naturally was icy and covered with snow and this proved an interesting ride for a number of hours.
Snowflakes falling, rising higher and higher, cars overtaking us…on bends ( mad mad mad Italian drivers) and as we drove around hair pin bends rising higher, the wheels starting to slip…, me clutching the seat harder without indicating to Marc I was nervous ..looking out the window taking photos of our driving conditions while sending up a lot of prayers to keep us safe,….and eventually Marc considered placing the snow chains on the car. It was interesting to note that the other cars coming towards us down the pass did not have chains….but we were not prepared to take any more further risks.
Snow still falling softly, Marc kneeling in the wet slushy snow on the side of the road trying to put unfamiliar snow chains on an unfamiliar car,….proved a challenge, but once on, we travelled forward. For me, I have never been in a car with snow chains and they are very very noisy, clunking all the way, but I did not mind the noise one bit as I felt much safer climbing the ascent ready for the tunnel to take us into Switzerland.

The conditions were interesting, fog, snow ice, the car still slipped a little on one corner, even with the chains on ( made us think what would have happened if we had not had them on at all,) and the photos I took, when we look back on them tonight, no wonder Marc is tired and tense!!!
However, the road conditions opened up and we made out way to the three km long tunnel, paid our 25.00 aud payment for using the tunnel and ventured into Switzerland.

Of course we needed a much needed break so stopped at a little cafe…..and ordered coffees…complete with full cream milk…very fatty. But at least we had morning tea in Switzerland. The payment was in Swiss franks,,,,but they still took euros. Switzerland is still independent of the Euro zone….they have their own money and have never converted to euros .
We did not stay in Switzerland very long, just enough to say we had been there…driving to Zernez … Then heading towards Martina…but then made our way into Austria stopping at Landeck. Landeck is located in the Tyrolean Oberland in the west of the state at an elevation of about 820 m. The famous Landeck Castle towers above the city of Landeck, which features about 8,000 inhabitants. This castle, which is also illustrated on the emblem of the municipality, used to be the court of the Counts of Tyrol. Today, however, it is one of the most important cultural meeting places, where concerts and exhibitions take place. We thought we would visit the castle as we were there.

Of course, we had to find public amenities first but do you think it was easy. We followed the signs ..nice big brown signs, but then the signs disappeared along with the toilets……we asked someone and they pointed towards a garage building….but we could not see anything, so armed with full bladders we returned to the car and headed up the hill towards the castle.
Of course we did not drive, we walked, and it was high and hard. Red faced and breathing heavily, in our coats and scarves and hats we arrived upon the castle totally out of breath….but made our way into the museum.

Of course the first stop was the amenities.

Landeck castle and museum were interesting in that the museum tried to tell the story of the various people of the western Tirol, not emphasising the politics and the wars but concentrating on what it was like for the people. A harsh country with minimal arable land. Where cold winters and not having enough to eat were common. Where for two hundred years the poor families would send their oldest children off each spring to over the mountains for up to 240km to be ‘sold’ into virtual slavey until autumn when the children would then return for the winter. The children were not paid. Only given room and board in return for working long hours and saving their families the expense of feeding them for part of each year. Some had good masters. Some didn’t. Despite political discussions against the practice, because the underlying social problems were not being addressed, the Zweben (?) children yearly migration continued for 2 centuries.

The castle also had a clockwork driven large diorama nativity scene built over 100yrs ago. Very appropriate since we very close to Switzerland with its reputation for clockwork and cuckoo clocks. Difficult to capture the whole effect in a photograph.

The climb up the tower did not give us much a view but helped us burn a few calories.

Next stop was Innsbruck. Austrian autobahns are very civilised compared to Italian autostrades. Speed limits lower, wider lanes and drivers obeying the road rules. What a contrast.

Innsbruck tourist information difficult to find but we managed to get a hotel close to the old city.

Another contrast here with Italy. Although Austrians more likely to speak English than the Italians, overall impression is not one of cheeriness but of stark efficiency. Not as friendly but efficient.

The old city of Innsbruck was crowded with the Christmas markets with stalls selling everything from crafts to food and drink. The latter stalls getting a lot of business, particularly in selling gluwien (warm mulled wine). Only belatedly did we work out that you paid a deposit on the cup and could reclaim the deposit when you returned the cup or keep the cup to re-use or have as a souvenir. We shared a meal of Tyrollean glostl and gluwien and felt we had enough to eat for the evening until …

… we found a treat made in Bavaria called (translated) snowballs. These are balls of gingerbread with different fillings coated in sugar or chocolate. They are the size of a softball (large fist) and difficult to eat on your own. Definitely scrumptious.
Oh I so enjoyed them- I thought of Margie and our times having donuts for dinner,,,this was one of those moments……Marc took a photo to send to her.
We did not only eat and drink. We also found some Christmas gifts for those back at home. We mainly just absorbed the atmosphere of the old town with the crowds, the decorations, the fairy tale figurines on various building ledges, the street theatres set up for the children with story-telling, singing and acting. All felt very magical and, despite the crowds, safe.