Greetings from Innsbruck!

Hello everyone!!

We have been in Austria not quite a week and we have already seen so much and learned so much!

We have learned:

-Innsbruck got its name because of the bridge (bruck) that crosses the Inn River. Our residence is right beside this river and we walk along it to get to school.
-The old town of innsbruck was built mostly in the 15th century as a rest stop for travellers as the went through the Alps on their way from Germany to Italy. They had to cross the Inn river and used the bridge to so.
-After trying to speak slowly and clearly to exchange students all day, one starts to speak in broken english to canadian counterparts as well! Examples: Kathy says to Jenna "We will eat now?" or we ask the americans: "You like Austria?"
-Don't use the word "breifly" to austrian tour guides, because it may result in them getting confused and thinking that you cannot speak english.

We have seen:

-the famous golden roof, made entirely of gold plated copper shingles. When the sun shines it glimmers.
-traditional tyrolean farm houses relocated into a open air museum. (tips to remember in case you would like to live in a tyrolean farm house: Clay floors retain more heat then stone; on cold night your kids can sleep over the oven; it is impressive!)
-The Swarovski Crystal World exhibit. A bizzare collection of mechanically moving art installations encrusted with crystals. Faintly the resembled a cross between the fun house in fear and loathing in las vegas and the Mr. Kite scene in Across the universe. Complete with giant statues of an elephant headed man and a zebra in a stiletto travelling over a river.

There is plenty more, but it is already getting late and we are going skiing in the alps tomorrow with our new finnish and slovenian friends!

Please comment to let me know how you are doing back in Canada, i hear that there is still lots of snow! Oh my!
Until next time,

Kathy

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