Days 62-64 - Innsbruck and the City of No Vacancy

I awoke early for a 7 am train ride from Vienna to Innsbruck.  By the time I made it there and got settled in the hostel it was about 1 pm.  The plan was to leave the next morning so all of the sightseeing had to be condensed into one day.

The highlight of Innsbruck (aside from the view) was the Bergisel, an Olympic ski jump.  It is located on the face of a large mountain and I walked to it since I had no knowledge of the public transit system.

The beginning of the path

The view on the walk to the Bergisel

Sounding like a panting dog with asthma, I bought a ticket and took a tram to the top of the jump.

The Bergisel, from the jump platform

The view from the top

The pictures really don't do the ski jump justice.  It is extremely steep and the height alone was enough for me to cross Olympian off of my list of possible careers.  Surprisingly it is open year-round since water is used to slicken the surface when there is no snow.  Another interesting fact is that the pope has actually held mass in the stadium.

After spending a few minutes up top it was time to descend.  This time I walked down next to the jump and the all of the way down the hill.  The rest of the day was spent wandering around Innsbruck.  Here are some highlights.

The church/cemetery near my hostel

Wheelchair ramp

The Golden Roof

In the evening I met an Irish dude in the hostel and we checked out some of the nightlife.  It's a fun town and I definitely recommend a visit.

Thursday was comprised of train rides. Eight hours to be exact.  The only thing I have to show for the day is this picture of a giant helping of Wiener Schnitzel.

In due time I made it to Rome and set my alarm for 3:30 am (first pitch of the Giants game).  Tired but happy with the win I set out for the airport in the morning. Melissa and I found each other and headed toward the city center to find lodging.  I only mention this because we were completely unable to find a room.  With a U2 concert and other events the rooms were booked everywhere.  The final straw was when a hotel manager told us 200 people had asked him for a room that day and he had turned them all away. He suggested leaving the city and that is exactly what we did.  This post is coming from Naples, only a few hours by train from Rome. Melissa flies out of Rome so we will have a a chance to check it out on the backend.

We arrived here with time to walk part of the city.  Below are a couple pictures from the walk around the city.  

For dinner we went to the place Amnesty International recognizes as the place Calzone was invented.  After a delicious meal it was time to head back to the hostel and call it a night.

Of course I had to be up early again for the Giants game.  If you talk to me don't bring last night's game ever again.

Today the plan is to see the rest of the city and then take a day trip to Pompeii tomorrow.


Scott