This afternoon we will be traveling back to Italy. Our next stop is the town of Bolzano where we will be meeting Jim later. We are spending some time in Bolzano as it is a larger place than MezzoLombardo where Jim is working. Later we will travel to MezzoLombardo and visit the vineyard where Jim is working. But, today we will spend our last few hours in Innsbruck. Innsbruck has really grown on us; it is a truly lovely place to visit. So close to Italy yet so very different from Italy. Where there is an air of chaos to Verona there is an air of orderliness to Innsbruck. One just has to make a gesture that you are stepping toward a crosswalk and the traffic comes to a stop. One thing that both Austria and Italy have in common are the numbers of smokers. This is especially surprising for Austria due to the apparent outdoorsy and healthy nature of the population.
Made it to Balzano. The train was easy and we were able to upgrade to more comfortable seats. Balzano appears to be a delightful small city. Found our apartment and the codes to get inside, very modern in a more open way than the hotel in Innsbruck. There is a larger patio as well. As Jim had to work today, he will not be joining us tonight; however, he will meet up with us tomorrow. He has suggested a number of restaurants and will aid in a wine selection via Internet.
There is an open air market a few hundred yards from our apartment. The flowers and vegetables are beautiful.
We had an Aperol Spritz at a cafe on the main town square. The best we have had on this trip.
The town square is alive with activity and flowers. There is a statue in the town square. I do not know who the statue is dedicated to but he looks like Christopher Columbus, it isn’t Columbus.
We had dinner at a place Jim suggested. But we didn’t have Internet at the restaurant so he couldn’t help with wine selection. I think we did OK on our own.
Backpacking Bill 