Summer Vacation 2019 - Part 3 - Innsbruck and Salzburg

Innsbruck

August 13 - 15

Nobody raves about Innsbruck. It's convenience to the Dolomites, our main focus, was the sole reason Daryl, Troy and I found ourselves in this unflashy city for two nights. But with its delightful setting in an emerald valley sliced by the River Inn, and overlooked by the splendid Austrian Alps our time here was pretty enjoyable. A heavy downpour on our arrival prevented us from absorbing the city's midsummer evening atmosphere so we compensated by treating ourselves to an evening of fine dining. Internet research led us to Sitzwohl Restaurant where we were pampered by stellar service and cuisine to delight the epicure. Notably, an exquisite chanterelle risotto for the main course. I found out later that it was a one Michelin Starred restaurant.

We awoke to a sunny morning. Perfect for exploring the Old Town on a self-guided walking tour. We headed first to the Botanical Gardens just a few minutes away from our Airbnb. The many majestic trees, like the Catalpa, were impressive.

Innsbruck lies in a valley surrounded by the Austrian Alps. From a bridge - the River Inn, tall, neo-Gothic architecture

We headed to the river, admired its size, the bridges, and the neo-gothic buildings lining its banks, then crossed over to an uninteresting neighborhood. We looped back to the old town across a pedestrian bridge and arrived at the market hall. Outside there were lively cafes and inside rows of stalls displayed summer produce, cheeses, olives, breads and other tempting stuff. So of course we gathered lunch supplies and marched back toward our Airbnb. En route through the Aldstadt I noticed a food truck displaying large mounds of healthy chanterelles. Two men were churning out risotto and crépes heaped with these earthy fungi and a long line of customers waited patiently. Naturally I had to grab a scoop of these cherished wild mushrooms which I could easily sauté at the Airbnb. What a feast our midday meal turned out to be!

The Nordkette Mountain Range reached by funicular and ski lift

Though Innsbruck is a city with a distinct urban vibe, escaping into the mountains from the center takes just minutes. A funicular zipped us up to a ski lift station and from there we hopped into a cable car which deposited us high above the city in the Austrian Alps. We had an invigorating walk up a trail and drank in stupendous mountain and valley views the whole time. An easy downhill trek returned us to town. This was our introduction to a week in the mountains.

Salzburg, Austria

After a week of hiking in the mountains we returned to an Austrian city. This time to the more exalted place of Mozart's birth (a fact drummed into the visitor at every opportunity).

They won't let you forget that Mozart was born in this city

Positive experiences characterized our time in Salzburg.

First there was our Airbnb on the third floor of a charming historic building. Owned by generations dating back a few centuries, the luxurious interior depicted the family's history. They had been antiques dealers and art collectors and relics provided character and fine touches to the very spacious and comfortable apartment.

Stepping out of the building we found ourselves in the heart of the Old Town. The annual Salzburg Music Festival was in full swing, creating a buzz all over the city.

Our first meal was a hit. The Green Garden, a tiny restaurant with pleasant outdoor seating, served inventive vegetarian global cuisine! Loved my tacos stuffed with flavorful vegetables. The local white wine we sampled was really good too. Unfortunately we didn't succeed in replicating tasty dinners the following two nights.


On a self-guided walking tour of the city the next day we meandered through cobbled lanes that led us to the main squares. After taking in the Baroque architecture of significant buildings we headed to the river and strolled along the bank. We then entered a forest, and then uphill to the Museum of Modern Art for views. Further up we reached the Hohensalzburg Fortress that watches over the city from a hilltop. We gazed at the panorama below, impressed again at the city's beauty derived from its location as well as its architecture. 

Salzburg's picturesque setting

Our self-guided tour continued the next day across the river to the commercial heart of the modern town. We did a lot of stair climbing to high points for different perspectives of the city. However, a sudden storm aborted our plans. We took shelter under the stone arches of a historic building and when the storm abated we crossed the vibrant Mirabelle Gardens to return to the Old Town.

Lucky to find shelter from that torrential downpour!

Mirabelle Gardens

On a visit to Salzburg you cannot and should not avoid Mozart Chocolate balls. Each day we sampled them from different retailers. They were all divine though we were told the authentic ones made with pistachio paste rather than marzipan were superior.

The highlight of our 3 day Salzburg visit was undoubtedly an evening at the concert hall. It had been a dream of mine to attend this prestigious music festival which attracts the world's top classical artists and symphonies. Though we were unable to get tickets for the opera Salomé, we were lucky to get tickets for Mahler's Symphony 5 conducted by Daniel Barenboim. 

At the Salzburg Festival Concert Hall

The tickets were a splurge. We joined the rich and elite for an evening of pure pleasure. Every second of this sublime symphony was joyful. An evening to treasure forever.

Salzburg is one of those cities I'd love to return to again and again.

Epilogue

Our return flight to London after three days in Salzburg was out of Munich in the evening. An efficient train ride zipped us to the Bavarian capital. We stored our luggage at the station and planned to spend the day ambling around the Aldstadt, taking in the major sights. But an oppressive heatwave narrowed our options down to a leisurely Sunday lunch. That's how we ended up at Prinz Myshkin, a top vegetarian restaurant with an international, especially Asian, slant. Crespelle al Forno (stuffed buckwheat crepes), baked zucchini blossoms, and a vegan burger worked well to distract us from the heat. We managed to catch Munich's monuments on our amble back to the station.

Mariensäule Marienplatz in Munich

In London the highlight would have to be Hamilton. Yes, we actually got to see this famous musical. So it wasn't the Broadway production, but the London cast was stellar. And the newly restored Victoria Palace Theatre was such a luxurious venue. Air-conditioned too, thank god(!) since London was brutally hot that day.

Our last evening of vacation was utterly beautiful. On the upstairs balcony of The Queens in Primrose Hill we caught up with  Gil, Tasha and Cormac over IPA and yummy share plates. At sunset we sauntered over to the park to take in London's skyline, a breathtaking view.

London skyline from Primrose Hill Park at sunset

With the air so balmy, and the company so delightful, there could not have been a better way to end a vacation.

Munich - July 2014

During the three and a half hour train journey from Heidelberg to Munich my mind kept wandering back to my first Munich visit twenty years ago. I was filled with anticipation. Would the sites look just as they appeared in my memory? Resurrecting images imprinted in my mind from that first, incredibly interesting trip, it was the glockenspiel that first popped up. I remembered standing on tippy toes in a thick crowd to watch this world famous clock doing its spiel. Next, hazy images of the green onion domed towers of the Frauenkirche came up. More clearly, I could picture the bustle around the Chinese Tower in the English Tea Garden. It was the 4th of July and a van load of people rode around singing American patriotic songs. After scarfing down a slice of pizza I remembered strolling down to the Eisbach and resting on the shady bank, along with lots of others seeking shelter from a punishing sun. Across the bank was Munich's clothing optional beach, and nudists were sprawled on blankets, completely indifferent to the world around them. A young German man next to me made conversation. He was most impressed that I came from Santa Barbara and wondered if we spent all our free time lying on the beach. A copper skinned, attractive Egyptian woman joined in on our conversation. What a pleasant afternoon it had been. What an unforgettable four day visit it had turned out to be.
Twenty years ago. When I was single and lived on a tight budget.
I couldn't afford to stay in a Munich hotel then, so I camped at the Thalkirchen Campgrounds. And it was sheer luck that had made this possible. Without a tent and sleeping bag they didn't want to give me a site. I tried to convince them I'd be fine sleeping on my sheet in the open air. But in Germany rules could not be broken. Then, fate intervened, teaching me that when you traveled low to the ground amazing things happened. This was when you were more likely to encounter kind strangers who touched your life in unforgettable ways. It was such a stranger, a German Namibian, who appeared out of the blue (actually, he worked at that campground) and loaned me a tent and camping equipment, making it be possible for me to enjoy a few days in Munich.

Now, twenty years later, as we rode the U-Bahn to our apartment, I hoped it would be as luxurious as the website description. And it was - gleaming tiles, granite surfaces, a stylish bathroom, comfortable bed. In a word - contemporary.

Adding to our joy was the discovery that the neighborhood was as trendy as you could hope for. It was a Saturday afternoon when we arrived. Summer at its best, and the streets were bustling. I felt immensely happy to be here. All around us there were lots of lively cafés, international restaurants, bars, bakeries, supermarkets, and wine shops. Finding it impossible to ignore the irresistible cakes on display at one of the busy cafés, we grabbed an outside table and placed our order.

Strong cappuccino and moist, dark chocolate cake filled with fresh blackberries, combined with oodles of summer ambience - how could you not fall madly in love with this city? Sharing such a divine experience in the company of locals who were hanging out, having a good time with friends/partners/family should definitely be number one in a rule book on how to enjoy a visit to Munich.

Armed with Rick Steves' guidebook, we wandered over to Marienplatz to start his "walking tour". A festive atmosphere pervaded the city. Throngs of people - tourists and locals - were out and about. At Marienplatz we stood in front of the extremely ornate neo- gothic New Townhouse - one of the very few buildings that survived the bombing of WWII. It was almost 5:00 and the glockenspiel was about to "joust". A huge crowd practically smothered us. However, it was definitely worth it. We watched all four parts of the spiel - a wedding procession, the joust, cooper's dance, and finally a rooster crowing.
Looking around at the other grand buildings of the square, it was hard to imagine that they were all rebuilt after 1945. Unlike other German cities, in Munich bombed buildings were rebuilt to resemble the originals.

Right at the top of the New Townhouse is the Munchner  Kindl -a mini monk with outstretched arms, with a book in one hand. This is the symbol of Munich.

Discovering Munich is such a treat because there are so many beautiful surprises awaiting you. As we strolled through the pedestrian heart we arrived at the Viktualienmarkt. This is a daily market with many produce stands as well as other specialty foods like cheeses, olives, baked goods, wines, etc.

Wandering along bustling pedestrianized Sendlingerstrasse you come across an eye catching baroque building. It's the Assam Church, built by the Assam brothers who were architects. They built this as an advertisement for their skills.

 We had researched vegetarian restaurants before our Munich arrival and made reservations at Prinz Myschkin. According to one website this was Germany's top vegetarian restaurant. Cookies Cream in Berlin was number 2. After our unbelievably great experience at Cookies Cream, we had super high expectations for Prinz Myshkin. But, almost as soon as we were seated I suspected it wouldn't match the quality of the trio of Berlin vegetarian restaurants we had sampled. First of all, it was huge and so was the menu. The menu, while interesting with quite an international range, was the same year round, which meant a lack of emphasis on seasonal stuff. But the interior certainly was elegant, with a contemporary ambience, heightened by art pieces with bold colors. The dishes we sampled were disappointing after Berlin's vegetarian cuisine scene which featured immense creativity and skillful seasoning and presentation. Oh well! Most interesting to me was to observe how the locals lingered over their meals and seemed to thoroughly enjoy hanging out with their companions. Long after all the tables were cleared, the restaurant was still practically full. People sipped digestives or espresso and engaged in chatter as if they were in their living rooms. What a contrast to our restaurant meals which tend to be hurried.

From our apartment it was just a few minutes walk to the Isar River. From the bridge, looking back in the direction of our apartment, you see the towers of a nearby church and lots of green shrubbery and low trees lining the banks. Along the bank on the opposite side there are green spaces and a cycle lane that follows the river for many miles. Quite amazing to be in a major city, but escape to peaceful nature so easily. To enter the Altstadt from here we walked past the Deutsche Museum which is on an island in the river. Then we came to the Isartor, one of four old gates through which you enter the old town. Quite charming. I really loved the human scale of Munich.

We spent a pleasant Sunday at Munich's top 3 art museums - the Alte Pinakothek, the Neue Pinakothek, and the Pinakothek der Moderne. The Alte Pinakthek was undergoing renovations so much of it was closed. The first painting we saw was  Hieronymous Bosch's Last Judgement (1506 - 1508) which set the stage for a dream-like day. Like when you go to a movie and the opening scenes are so intoxicating you sit back and prepare for a most entertaining 90 minutes. Gazing at Last Judgement it  was impossible to believe that this rather contemporary, abstract piece was from medieval times. I realize this is not a good photo, but the point was to preserve this very special moment. We journeyed through Europe's great art from the 14th to the 20th centuries, and became familiar with the works of famous German artists. Starting with the Old Masters we followed the transition from medieval to modern art. Afterwards A good selection of works by the expressionists, Max Beckman and Paul Klee, boosted my art education. There was a special exhibit of works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner which I appreciated being exposed to.

At each museum, after dutifully taking in the works of Dutch, Flemish, and German artists, we were always rewarded at the end by a few "crowd pleasers" - the French Impressionists, van Gogh, the Surrealists, Picasso, Kandinsky, etc.

The famous Hofbrauhaus with its huge beer halls was ridiculously loud and crowded. We wandered around looking for a suitable spot out of the 5000 seats with every intention to do what every tourist in Munich was supposed to do. But when we realized the smallest sized beer we could get was a liter, we had the perfect excuse to escape the rowdiness and seek out a more peaceful beer garden. Leaving the Hofbrauhaus we entered the Platzl, Munich's medieval heart. This whole area was flattened in the 2nd World War. I reminded myself of that fact as we walked past the bustling cafés and restaurants.

We ended up having our beer at the Viktualienmarkt. Local breweries take turns to sell here, at this market, and a board advertises which ones are available. Didn't make any difference to us. All the Bavarian beer I'd had was fantastic, and so was this.











I climbed up the 306 steps to the spire of St. Peter's Church and was rewarded by terrific views of Munich. It was interesting to see the Bavarian Alps which were surprisingly so close to the city.

The Residenz was the Wittelsbachs downtown palace.

Outside the grand buildings there are beautiful formal gardens which you enter through an arcade. Along the walls of the arcade are murals which tell the history of Bavaria from 1155 to 1688. I spent quite an entertaining morning examining these murals and then wandering around the gardens.

I didn't go inside the Residenz which houses a pretty good museum. Just looking at the grand building and grounds from the outside was quite impressive. What did not come as a surprise to me was that this palace was modeled after the Medici's Pitti Palace in Florence (so was the palace at the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris).

We spent our last hours in Munich at the English Tea Gardens. My experience this time, though utterly pleasant, was very different to 20 years ago. This time I saw a different part of the Eisbach where youngsters were honing their surfing skills. The area around the Chinese Tower was pretty sedate. We found a bench in the shade with a great view of the lake. A perfect place - peaceful and lovely - to catch up on some reading ... Then, a while later we wandered up to the Seehaus restaurant for dinner. The setting was quite special with lake views and the greenery of the park. The menu was special too. I had chanterelle dumplings in a white sauce and Daryl had a plate of grilled vegetables. Bavarian beer went down perfectly with this fine meal. The sun was low in the sky and it was time to say good-bye to Munich. We had to board a night flight to London.