Winter Wonderland Wednesday 09 March

A nice gentle day today with a visit to Innsbruck and then back to Landeck. Once again it is a nice sunny day as we set off for Innsbruck at 09:00.
The journey only takes an hour and we are soon walking the group into the centre of this lovely Tyrolean city.
We have explained about the old town including the Swarovski shop and museum which when we reach it is shut for refurbishments! You can still see and buy this famous crystal in the nearby tourist information centre.
We walk into the newer part of town and find an internet cafe tucked away behind the main shops. This gives me the chance to check on my banking and look a couple of things up. I don’t manage to do as much as I want as the internet is so slow and erratic. We buy a couple of sandwiches and return to the coach where it is too warm to wear our jumpers and once on the coach I have to sit away from the front because it is too hot!
We spend an enjoyable 3½ hours here before heading back to Landeck. On the way we stop to top up with fuel and the Go Box before arriving in Landeck at 14:40. We park in the centre and tell the group we shall leave here at 16:30 for the short journey to our hotel which we can see overlooking the town. This gives them the chance to walk around Landeck or walk back to the hotel in the still warm sunshine.
All but two come back on the coach as we return and prepare for our Gala Dinner tonight and the torch lit walk.
Every morning we have chosen our main meal for that evening but this morning there was no menu and I was under the impression tonight’s Gala Dinner would be a buffet similar to dinners I have experienced before in the Tyrol.
As we go in for dinner at 19:00 there is no sign of a buffet except for the usual small salad buffet. As we were having a drink before dinner Karl mentioned it would be fish today as it is a religious day (Ash Wednesday) and they eat fish on religious days.
Well our dinner was in fact fish covered in a cheese sauce preceded by a type of coleslaw (?), soup and salad. Dessert was a type of apple strudel and cream. Not really the Gala Dinner we were expecting and I think as there were so few people in the hotel this was a substitute meal as it was probably the worst of the week. Gala Dinner my arse!!I didn’t have any complaints from the passengers but I wasn’t impressed.
After dinner at nine o’clock we went on our guided walk in the company of our guide Louis, who didn’t speak a word of English! This could be fun.
We are all given a torch that is flaming away as we begin our stroll.
Anna speaks a little German and is going to act as our translator and assistant guide. The walk is gentle and flat and only lasts 30 minutes. A nice little stretch of the legs after the Gala Dinner!
Anna is in fits of giggles as Louis explains about a farm shed we pass and she translates that there are 20 cows and only 1 man in the shed!!
On returning to the hotel Peter Sellers greets us with a tray of schnapps and they all get stuck in. It seems to give some of the women wind! You know who you are!!
Anna has a couple of schnapps and Louis seems quite taken with her, even asking if she is married.
Karl (Mr Sellers) explains that Louis brews his own schnapps and it is really good as it disinfects you! All this is described by pointing to his mouth saying it goes in here and tracing a route down through his stomach and coming out you know where, disinfecting everything. This is funny and Karl and Louis find it highly amusing. More schnapps for everyone.