Playing before dinner

 We stopped at a nice restaurant in Mutters but before we went in to eat the kids wanted to play a few minutes. The playground was quite simple but it was really fun for the girls. We enjoyed the view and the feel of being in the Alps. 

Walking back to the gondola

We realised that it was getting a little bit late and we had to walk quickly back to the gondola before it closed. We didn't want to get stuck up the mountain because it was going to be a big walk back down. Luckily it was still such a nice walk with so many flowers and we made it back with a few minutes to spare.

Bushwalking in the Alps

 We decided to have a bit more of a walk because the views were just so lovely and we couldn't pass up the opportunity. We were so glad we did as we found a path which led us to a little stream and had we continued, to the next village. Along the way we saw plenty of birds, several cute squirrels with long tufts of fur on their ears and even a deer. There were also so many wild flowers every where punctuating the bright green grass. Idyllic really. 

Gondola up the mountain

 We really enjoyed the village of Mutters with all of the traditional Tirolian houses, so picturesque. We wanted to go for a walk in the mountains, so we took the gondola up. There was a nice pond and a bit of a playground that we enjoyed. The views from there were fantastic and we really liked being up there with virtually no one else there. 

Exploring Innsbruck

 We decided to explore the Tyrol region of Austria and in the first two days Innsbruck specifically. When we woke up we really wanted to go and explore the stunning scenery. Completely by accident we were there during the Crankworx mountain biking festival, which is one of the big events on the mountain biking circuit, and TV went off to not only see some of the riders but also to do some riding in the mountain bike park. It was a spectacular day of riding and watching the professionals. In the meantime the ladies went to a playground up in the mountains which took advantage of the natural topography. They played with sticks and added on to a shelter someone else had started building. They really enjoyed the free and imaginative play that afforded them. KT also took them on a bushwalk through the hills where they found and sampled wild strawberries and blueberries. They also had some truly spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the villages spread out below them. 

Visiting Oberau

 After saying farewell to Auntie Leah the previous day we headed to Austria along some of the smaller, less travelled roads. We were excited to go into the Alps and be able to stop in the small village of Oberau. KT and TV visited and stayed in Oberau on two previous trips, including their very first one together so it had some emotional significance. Over the last 24 years the village has changed but the passions walk up to the church and graveyard remains the same. Some things have changed, the Greek taverna which was owned by a very lovely man has been replaced by a traditional Bavarian establishment run by a lovely lady. Also the place where we first stayed is no longer accepting lodgers, but does still have live stock living below the family house as before. We were really happy to have stopped in Oberau and to be able to show the place to the kids who really appreciated it.

Walking through Siebenbrun

 We had a bit of a stop at the playground where the girls played together at first but then each found their own place to relax for a bit. We all had a drink and a snack before we went to explore more of the forest park. We got to see kayakers practice slalom racing on the river which was moving quite fast because of all the recent rain. The fun part was getting a bit lost on some of the smaller trails through the forest knowing that we would eventually come out on one of the bigger paths. The girls said that it felt like being in a fairy tale. That was a good way to describe it actually.