Tyrollean morning

The afternoon train back over the alps is old and warm (this is a week ago now - delayed posting). We share car with a Mexican professor on her way to summer school, and it’s our first time getting to know a fellow traveler. First up on the Italian side.

Then down on the north side of the Brenner pass. The landscape is both majestic and familiar. The main difference to the childhood mountains is that these are much higher. But because we are so much further south, the vegetation is similar. Just the shape of the spruce is different. These are more pointy on top, and their skirt shorter below.

We arrive in the tiny city Kufstein late in the evening. The hotel is small, family run with care. The breakfast in the morning is huge, with sausage from meat hunted by the hotel people themselves, apfelstrudel and mixed nuts in honey. We eat enough to equal out all the mornings we eat backpack-crushed cookies as our morning meal.

Kufstein has one big attraction, and it literally hovers over the city. A medieval fortress high up on a cliff.

One can take a little steep lift, but I prefer the stairs.

We spend most time in the round structure at the very top. It was used as a prison for mostly political prisoners. Theorigne in the time of the French Revolution…

… and in the mid 19th century among many other revolutionary Hungarians, the activists Blanka Telaki and Klara Lövey.  Kept not only high up in a tower cell, but even far away from home and possible support.

There are several different museums tucked into the complex. One has of Stone Age findings from caves in the area, and animals I can’t completely believe are real.

It’s a short stay in Austria, but the kids desire for Winer-schnitzel is covered, while we adults eat knödel a little more skeptical, before we leave Austria and Tyrol after less than 15 hours. We travel fast, but are so focust on each place it feels like time stands still.