Val Thorens

We'd planned ages ago to try to meet up with old mates from Amsterdam in Val Thorens, when they'd be there for a week of skiing and boarding in February - and so we jumped in the van and headed back west.

The Ambers could not have hoped for better snow during their trip! After a month of almost no snow and warm temperatures across the Alps, it bucketed down fresh white stuff ... we couldn't believe what great timing they had. We were super stoked about being able to get out there (and Jen really, really wanted to test her new skis and boots, too).


Arriving in Val Thorens, we realised that we'd been misinformed about the campercar situation - meaning we had to park down the hill at Les Menuires (pronounced "Lez Manures" ...?!). We could easily catch chairs up to Val Thorens each day with a ski ticket combining both resorts, but getting down again in the evenings proved to be not so easy.




The first night we tried to get a taxi, only to find they were both unavailable and really expensive, so settled for Plan B: ski / board back down the hill. There's a pretty straightforward piste running from Val Thorens down to Les Menuires, but when it's midnight, with no moon, you've had a beer (or two) and you're sharing that narrow piste with a snow groomer - it's a little more exciting. The next two nights we sadly left our mates to their apartments, hot showers, social dinners and drinks before the sun had completely set, because ... well, because we're sensible (and a little boring)!

Anyway, we really enjoyed catching up, having a few runs and hanging out during the day with the Ambers crew - and having snow that great, this winter, was just the icing on the cake.

Important!

Do not befriend the bartender if you have things to do and places to go the next day! 

(Even if she is a climber!)

You may appreciate the free drinks at the time, but you will not the next morning.

(On another note, we did have a very random but incredibly fun night out at Conrad Sohm's.)

Munich

We never did get a decent shot of the ooom-pah-pah band - or of the pretzel girl in her dirndl!

All those pesky tourists kept getting in the way.

 Good beer though.

(PS The one on the left is Mark's, the one on the right is Jen's ... Rhona had a lemonde, which was decidedly unphotogenic.)

Bavaria - or, more correctly, Franconia

We cracked and headed north. All that sun, so little snow and ice - lets go find some rock!

Well, we found the rock in the Frankenjura, just north of Nuremberg in Bavaria (well, Franconia really). And it was wet and cold, and extremely unappealing. With so much quality rock around there we're sure we could have found something fun (ie dry) to climb, but we're fair weather climbers - heavy mist and grey skies and temperatures only just above zero don't really work for us, and the shop selling the guidebook is only open on Saturdays. Where had the sun gone?!

Bamberg

But hey, we were in the area famous for having the world's highest concentration of breweries. As well as a number medieval towns and cities to wander around.

We started in Bamberg, home to rauchbier - smoked beer - which comes in a variety of styles, all brewed in this city. We liked the Schlenkerla the best - and it tastes even better from the keg at the brewery itself.

Lunch time, Franconia style.

Bamberg's old town hall.

Then we headed to the tourist trap that is Rothenburg ob der Tauber, sampling their sweet pastries called "Snowballs" - a little dry, but not bad at all when covered in chocolate - and walking around their covered city walls. They've got a great museum of jurisprudence and criminality, showcasing medieval punishments, torture implements and, for the lawyers, the legal regime and process.

And lastly, we popped into Nurenberg and were very well received with a guided tour by Katya, including local beers and food too. It was great to catch up with Katya (big thanks for meeting up with us after your holiday on short notice!). And we also  checked out the fabulous German National Museum and the Documentation Centre at the old Nazi rally grounds, and now feel appropriately cultured and learned (but perhaps a little museum'ed-out!).
 

Katya and Mark

Meat, dumplings, more meat, with gravy. Mmmm!

For now, we're just outside Munich, once again enjoying the hospitality of our friends Rhona and Brett and delaying the decision of "where to next ...?!" for a little longer.

Alpine hiking ... in February?

Great view. Apparently it's still winter.

A lift ticket probably isn't value for money in Kitzbuhl right now. So we decided it would be best to ...

... check out the old town ...

... and some random houses nearby ...

 

.. and head off on a long walk up and down the hill, in the sun. Great spot for a picnic, eh?

Innsbruck, part 3 - Pretty but Dangerous

Don't let the lack of snow on the slopes lull you into a false sense of security!

It's dangerous out there. Better pop into a cafe for that hot drink ...

Innsbruck, part 2 - Pretty but Underwhelmed

Innsbruck, with its views up to the mountains and colourful old buildings, is a lovely place to spend a sunny afternoon. Mark had been there before, but it was all new to Jen.

There was one disappointment, though. Jen got all excited about the prospect of a Golden Roof, but it really wasn't worth the hype. Could it please be renamed the Golden Verandah? The shiney tiles aren't even over an entire building - just a patio on one! Very underwhelmed.