Innsbruck site seeing

I bought my Austrian hat, it was the easiest to find, as it is more like a tourist item, sold on every street corner. It cost $19 is green felt with a white feather. At a later stage, finances allowing I will get more of the decorations to add on to it.

We went to the Court Palace of the Hapsburgs. It is in the center of the old town, large with domes on the corners, and surrounded by a courtyard. It is about 4 stories high and decorated on the outside with yellow and gold. Maria Theresa (Mother of Maria Antoinette - of "let them eat cake" fame) married Leopold and lived here. The arch in the center of town commemorates their engagement. We saw the giant's hall where there are large family portraits including of Maria, with her head still intact. There was a pale blue and gold dining room with a long table and a chandelier hanging over it. Very elegant. There was also a blue, pink and yellow room, card room breakfast room and bed room. The style is called Rococo - which means colored walls with images in relief plaster/marble, and very ornate.These rooms are still used by the head of state when he is in town. Imagine moving into a museum. My main interest was to see the childhood home of the lady who grew up to be the Queen of France.

Back at the hostel we went over what we had spent and still needed to spend. We decided that, as work is illegal for us here ( because Austria is not in the EEC) it would be better to go the 3 hours to Germany and look for work there. We could have connected up with the friend of a friend in Austria who could have wangled us a job, but it would have been risky as not legal. We met people who have worked in Germany and found jobs within hours, as there we can walk right into the employment beuro and ask for a job. We left our postal address as Innsbruck, to give letters a chance to catch up, so they don't end up following us all over Europe.

Photo by Joseph Fung