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Wow, the fortress looks great lit up at night.
I don’t like flammkuchen either, but that one looks particularly insipid. Glad you’re exploring different places, I’m taking notes 👍 |
FLAMMCHÜECHE/Tarte Flambée (just called Flam in Alsace) cosists of
1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting ½ tsp salt 1 Tbsp olive oil 100 mL water ⅔ cup crème fraîche or sour cream (14% M.F.) Scant ⅛ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp black pepper 1-2 medium red or white onion, thinly sliced 1 cup tightly packed thick cut bacon, cubed AND NOTHING ELSE The recipe of Kustein is a real horror! |
Thanks for hanging around Adelaidean, I'll be wrapping this up in the next day or two.
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neckervd - well, it tasted slightly better than it looked if that's any consolation;)
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Oct 16 -
It was time to check out the Kaiser Lift (free with Kufsteinerland Card), which takes one up to the Kaiser Mountains (Kaisergebirge), located in the eastern part of the Austrian state of Tyrol (open until Nov 3). The Wilder Kaiser massif roughly stretches from St. Johann i. T. to Kufstein, with the four villages of Ellmau, Going, Scheffau and Söll on its southern foothills. Opposite the Wilder Kaiser lie the gentle, grassy hills of the Kitzbühel Alps. They are home to the region’s ski resort, the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental, which you can access from any of the four villages in the valley. Source: https://www.wilderkaiser.info/en/wilder-kaiser.html https://www.tyrol.tl/en/highlights/n...ser-mountains/ https://www.kufstein.com/en/kaiserlift-kufstein.html As so often happens when I research details of where we’ve been, I find many reasons to return, such as visiting the villages mentioned above. We walked across the street to the bus station and took bus 1 to the Ebbs Kaisertal stop, a ride of about nine minutes. From there we walked the ~12 minutes to the Kaiser Lift station and took it up. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e81c52ece9.jpg Kaiser Lift https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47e287dad4.jpg Kaiser Lift And what a ride it was; probably my favorite chairlift ever, and there have been many. Thirty minutes of absolute peace as we were transported through a sea of autumn color, 700 meters above Kufstein. We’d considered getting off at Duxer Alm to hike (the middle station), but had a change of heart when we realized all the hikes from there were steep uphill climbs, and we just weren’t feeling it today. So once at the middle station, we got off and then boarded the second lift to the top station, Brentenjoch. Our Plan B had been to hike from Weinberghaus to Aschenbrenner, but the steep moss-covered rocky descent convinced us to bail early. We'd planned to backtrack, which meant hiking back up that steep moss-covered trail; we didn’t have our hiking sticks, and just couldn't get into it. So, we settled for an alfresco lunch at Weinberghaus instead. Here we shared an order of Kasespatzle with salad and Topfenkuche (€35 with drinks, and very good). The place got busier and busier, the staff running their tails off. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...28ba688f4f.jpg Views from top station Brentenjoch https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ca215e7f3d.jpg Approach to Weinberghaus https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...890ebac6eb.jpg Views from near Weinberghaus https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8c762cb7aa.jpg Views from trail from Weinberghaus to Aschenbrenner https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...31c8134a80.jpg Lunch with a view https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e8c5aaecdf.jpg Kasespatzle https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d71c16e29c.jpg Weinberghaus https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0e2ae714e9.jpg Topfenkuche https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...945bf8be2c.jpg Weinberghaus https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6117dab36.jpg Weinberghaus https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f3c0ff6784.jpg Weinberghaus We eventually took the Kaiser Lift back down, me gathering the courage to take out my phone for a few photos (always afraid I'm going to drop it to its death). Several chairs were occupied by empty dog crates heading up to transport furry friends to the bottom. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...41fcda2ffb.jpg Return on the Kaiser Lift https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8e381e1a46.jpg Return on the Kaiser Lift We returned to the apartment via bus 2, changed into lighter weight clothing, and then went back across the street to the train station to take the train to Brixlegg. When planning this trip I thought I’d discovered that Stegmann, the company that makes my favorite wool clog, was located in Kufstein. I’d asked at the tourist office, but was met with a blank stare. I’d also looked in several stores, but didn’t find any. Every time I Googled Stegmann while in Austria, I was taken to a Geisswein website, so I thought maybe Geissswein had bought Stegmann. I was in the market for a new pair of wool clogs, so once we learned that there was a Geisswein outlet store in nearby Brixlegg and that it was mere steps from the Brixlegg train station, we figured, what the heck, let’s go check it out. The train to Brexlegg took about 25 minutes and cost €12.80 each way. There’s a retail shop and an outlet located right next to each other, unfortunately neither one had what I was looking for, so it was a fool’s errand, but you don’t know until you go. So it was back to Kufstein an hour later on the next train, where we revisited Promenade Genuss Am Fluss for a Lilet wild berry and limoncello on their terrace overlooking the Inn River (€14). https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...51dff2204d.jpg Lilet wild berry on the river Later that night we wandered around looking for dinner, ending up at Jay's Haus, hoping for some spicy Asian food, but being disappointed once again. My Thai tofu curry was truly awful, the big chunks of tofu gross, the sauce bland and gloopy. Bill ate his Thai chicken curry like he’d not eaten for a week, so maybe it was just me, although he said his was bland as well, €38 with drinks. What is it about Austria and bland food? https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...514a853105.jpg Ugh https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c3adb26aad.jpg Kufstein We'd gone from summer to winter and back to summer again. To be continued… |
Coming up for air on renovations to the 117 year old Farmhouse we bought and loving this partial trip down Memory Lane. Tirol will always be our favorite place in Austria. We spent 10 days in the Ötztal on one summer holiday; gorgeous views, incredible hiking, and delicious food. And cows!
We ate at Jaipur once, too! The food was definitely Austrian "spicy," which is to say, not-at-all-spicy. Kufstein is, I think, a bit overrated. I admire your public transportation spirit. We were always happy to have the vehicle at our disposal when we traveled. (Different situation, I know.) "As long as you don't go to Austria expecting incredible food, you'll be okay." I disagree. It's all about managing expectations. 🤣 |
I stayed in Ellmau once - it was a nice little village. I visited Kufstein from there for the castle.
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Nice to see you here fourfortravel - next time I'll have to pick your brains about food before we go:)
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Oct 17 -
Our experience with buses in Italy and Austria has been that their onboard digital displays often don't work, forcing clueless tourists like ourselves to follow along with a phone GPS, or just guess when to get off the bus. Today we did both, taking bus 4036 to Ebbs, situated at the foot of the Zahmer Kaiser Mountains; 475 meters above sea level, making it the lowest village anywhere in Tyrol. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3d87293cef.jpg We managed to undershoot our intended stop, so then had to walk to the correct stop, adding yet more mileage to an already long walking day. Once we found what we were looking for - Ebbs Cathedral, we explored the church and the grounds. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a431af4684.jpg Ebbs Cathedral cemetery https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bf960de36f.jpg Ebbs Cathedral cemetery https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0a47a7a976.jpg Ebbs Cathedral https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...060ec16f4c.jpg Ebbs Cathedral https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dc306b2582.jpg Ebbs Cathedral Afterwards we set out on the St. Nikolaus Rundweg, a path that led us through farmland, meadows and forest, and up to St. Nikolaus chapel with a 360 degree view of the Inn Valley. The walk is advertised as 8.7 km, but we somehow managed more. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0002647c6b.jpg Walking St. Nikolaus Rundweg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f2e72bf9c8.jpg Walking St. Nikolaus Rundweg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7f480d1b29.jpg St. Nikolaus https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ecfecb7980.jpg Walking St. Nikolaus Rundweg For the first time in over a month, I could have used the sun jacket I’d packed; but no, I’d left it back in the apartment, not expecting the day to be quite so warm and sunny (75F), not to mention humid. There was a bit of everything on this walk, but it was a tad boring, especially towards the end, a long, flat, exposed section on asphalt and gravel. We got our steps in though, seven miles worth. As luck would have it, the walk led us near a guest house, Landgasthof Ledererwirt, so we called in mid-way through the walk for lunch on their terrace. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bbc6aedec4.jpg Landgasthof Ledererwirt The gentleman who waited on us was friendly, offering to help us with the menu, then seeming impressed when we could read most of it; but he was probably just being nice. Bill chose the beef with spätzle, €15. Against my better judgment, I chose the spinach dumplings, seduced by the brown butter sauce, tomatoes and parmesan, €11.50. Both meals were bland and boring (€32.50 with a generous glass of wine each). https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ac6f963974.jpg Beef with spätzle https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aa9f2fb7a8.jpg Spinach dumplings, brown butter sauce, tomatoes and parmesan The Bill and Mel verdict is in, the food in Austria in general, and Kufstein in particular, is damn dull. All but one meal we'd had since our arrival four days ago had been bland and near tasteless, be it Austrian, Indian or Thai. We then walked back to Ebbs, where we had an hour to kill before the next bus, so we popped in for a drink at the nearby Gasthaus Hotel Oberwirt (€12.80, Aperol spritz and a wheat beer) and then took bus 4030 back to Kufstein. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af6cd40d7a.jpg Second half of St. Nikolaus Rundweg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e875dba685.jpg Second half of St. Nikolaus Rundweg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...475184a106.jpg Gasthaus Hotel Oberwirt https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2a2661de83.jpg Ebbs Cathedral Evidently seven miles wasn't enough for me, as I logged an eighth later in Kufstein, poking through the tiny Kufstein Altstadt and further exploring this pretty town, while Bill hunkered down with a book. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...073f2332f9.jpg Kufstein Altstadt https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d73b50451a.jpg Kufstein Altstadt https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a7757c73f.jpg Kufstein along the River Inn https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cd1e035792.jpg Kufstein Altstadt https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5ba108c9a7.jpg Kufstein Altstadt https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4b77f4ee18.jpg Kufstein Altstadt https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...06cad942e5.jpg Kufstein Altstadt https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f6ab499dac.jpg Kufstein Altstadt https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...54da034841.jpg Kufstein https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3e041e493e.jpg Kufstein https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...70e70d1dfa.jpg Kufstein https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9cf963fad3.jpg Kufstein Later, peckish, but not wanting a big meal, we walked a few doors down from the apartment to Kuf Amici, where we shared a decent salami pizza, €12.80 euro. https://kuf-amici.at/uber-uns/ Winding down... |
Another one here with rather poor experiences with Austrian food. One of the reasons I prefer Switzerland. Too bad, because they have beautiful mountains and picturesque towns. Enjoying your trip report very much, Mel, thanks for posting! Brilliant pictures as usual.
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"Our experience with buses in Italy and Austria has been that their onboard digital displays often don't work, forcing clueless tourists like ourselves to follow along with a phone GPS, or just guess when to get off the bus."
I usually ask the driver (sometimes even by boarding the bus) or other passengers. |
Thanks Ingo!
neckervd - sometimes we do that too, although language is often a barrier, not to mention our lousy attempts at pronunciation. |
Oct 18 -
Poor weather expected today; the perfect time to explore Kufstein’s claim to fame and main landmark of the town, Kufstein Fortress (free with Kufsteinerland Card). The fortress is home to one of the largest open-air organs in the world, the Heroes' Organ, with 4,948 pipes. It's played every day at noon to honor those who lost their lives during war, and as a reminder of peace. So, it was a non-brainer that we be there at noon to hear those 4,948 pipes firsthand. https://www.festung.kufstein.at/en/h...illkommen.html https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bd64ce358c.jpg Kufstein Fortress We thoroughly explored the fortress, first going up via funicular, then back down for the organ concert, then walking back up to finish exploring, then walking back down, climbing approximately 9,423 stairs;) https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...36b8044fa5.jpg Kufstein Fortress https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5c01843a4e.jpg Views from Kufstein Fortress https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fcc095d34a.jpg Views from Kufstein Fortress https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ff6a2cae7d.jpg Views from Kufstein Fortress https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f08eff5e51.jpg Views from Kufstein Fortress https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...055b4f46f5.jpg Kufstein Fortress, a few of those 9,423 stairs https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ae9e1e7a9.jpg Views from Kufstein Fortress Afterwards, unable to face any more bland Austrian food, we decided to give Dolce Vita a try for lunch, where we shared a very good salami pizza (€12.90 plus €1.50 plate charge) and a lovely panna cotta. €6.90. No complaints about dull food today, we only wished we’d come here earlier (€34.10 with drinks). https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...26faea646c.jpg Panna cotta at Dolce Vita After lunch we wandered the streets for a bit, picked up a few gifts to take home and then returned to the apartment to pack; our 33 night trip was drawing to a close; tomorrow we’d take the train to Munich and then head home. Thoughts and Impressions: I’m not sure why, but I didn’t have high hopes for Kufstein, and had just considered it a good place within an easy train ride of Munich to wind down. Although we were running out of steam by now, Kufstein surpassed my expectations, and I regret not taking the time to explore the villages of Ellmau, Going, Scheffau and Söll, as well as many places on my research list, such as Achensee and Rattenberg, and the walks above Reith, Kramsach and Alpbach, which I’ve read is a beautiful village. There was also Matzen castle near Brixlegg and Schloss Tratzberg in Jenbach. Of course there’s never enough time or energy, no matter how thorough the research, so I guess it’s a moot point. Such is the nature of travel. Each trip we take leads us to more; most areas we visit entice us into a second trip to see the places we missed the first time. It’s a never-ending cycle, especially for those of us who enjoy travel and can't seem to get enough. We enjoyed every village/town we stayed in, and would happily return to any of them. Note: We never did make it to Cortina d'Ampezzo from San Candido. We looked into it, but buses only ran every two hours, we’d heard it was a construction zone due to the upcoming Olympics, and we had plenty to keep ourselves occupied as it was, so maybe next time. Winding down... |
Oct 19 -
We’d purchased a Bayern Pass via the DB app the previous day (€39), which covers travel on regional trains within Bavaria (and includes Salzburg and Kufstein) from 9 am to 3 am the following day on weekdays, and from midnight to 3 am the following day on weekends (27 hour validity). Fortunately for us it was Saturday, as we planned on taking the 7:02 am train from Kufstein to Munich Flughafen to catch our departing flight to Houston at 12:00. As so often happens before a flight, I was unable to sleep, and we both bounced out of bed long before the alarm went off. We’d packed and gotten organized the previous afternoon; we realized we could make the 6:02 am train, so we walked across the street to the bahnhof. There were several sleepy young people on the train, some of them looked as if they’d been out partying all night. We changed from the train to the S-bahn at Munich Ost, a 12 minute wait. Some two hours after leaving Kufstein we were at the Munich Flughafen, with loads of time before our flight. Neither train had been very busy. We spent that time in the Lufthansa Senator lounge near our gate. Our flight to Houston was a long one, 11.5 hours. I lost track of how many movies I watched, and I wondered if we’d ever arrive. They fed us shortly after takeoff and then not again for almost nine hours; we’d eaten all the snacks I’d brought, but I was still hungry, which was a bit odd, as I’m usually feeling kind of plane sick by the time the second meal comes around. The second “meal” was an unappealing pizza wrap thing, and I could only choke down a few bites. Once in Houston, we spent our three hour layover in the Red Carpet Club, thoroughly exhausted, trying to stay awake. As we gathered at our gate, staff announced that they had a crew, but our plane was broken and unable to fly. But of course. They eventually found another plane, and we were sent to another gate in another terminal, where we spent another hour. I frantically tried to reach the shuttle service in COS, unable to hear with all the competing PA announcements at the gates, to tell them our new estimated arrival time. We finally made it to COS where our ride was waiting. We collected our car from a family member’s driveway, made the 45 minute drive home in a scary dense fog, and fell into bed. Two days later it was my turn for urgent care. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice to say, it was a much longer, more frustrating process than Bill’s experience in Italy, thanks to American insurance and the need to find an in-network facility to prevent getting a huge bill. I was eventually seen, given a combo Covid/Flu test - both negative (didn’t even know there was such a thing), and given a prescription for an inhaler. And the bill, although not huge, is on the way. That’s it folks, if you’ve lasted this long, thanks for reading! ------------------------------ |
Now I need to visit the Kufstein fortress!
Passed it many times. Hope you’re feeling better… And ready for your upcoming trip. |
Thanks Adelaidean, we're both feeling better and off in about a week.
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Melinq8, thank you for such an interesting, informative and detailed report. Honestly, I will never see any of this in person but I loved being along with you on this adventure. The photos were wonderful and I admire your planning flexibility. The food....not so much. Looking forward to reading about your next adventure.
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Another excellent trip report of yours, Mel. Thanks a lot for posting, I enjoyed it tremendously and I got ideas for upcoming trips. Such brilliant photos! Very glad you are both doing fine now.
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Thanks heaps for sharing your holiday with us, Mel.
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I'm a bit behind with reading but enjoying it all, especially the photos. Thanks for sharing your trip Mel.
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