Prague!

Pictures from the top of Germany

I spent a few days now skiing on a glacier on the highest peak in Germany, Zugspitze at 2962 m above sea level. The glacier barely exists anymore, all you can see is lateral and terminal moraines (piles of crushed rock left by the glacier) deposited throughout a U shaped valley carved out smoothly by the formerly active glacier. All over the Alps and the world glaciers have been speedily retreating in the past 100 years.

What Deutsche Bahn does when the PA is broken

This morning I arrived at the underground S bahn station (fast city train) close to my house as usual. When I arrived I was surprised to hear a young man standing by the tracks shouting out what is normally announced over the Public Announcement speakers. I guess they were broken. This guy's job I guess is to travel around to stations where the speakers are broken and shout out the same information. "Caution. The next train travelling to Giesing is arriving..." What I found really funny and weird was this guy was using the exact voice that the computer usually generates. I guess it was a cue to let us know that he is now in the place of the computer. There seems to be hope for people who have lost their jobs to automation. When the computer breaks down someone gets a job, well, being a computer for the day. Look out computers, the humans are coming back! And we can do your job just as good as you!

Hiking around Innsbruck, Austria

This weekend was a long weekend in Germany, with November 1 being "All Saints Day" in the Catholic church. I took a 2 hour train ride through some high mountain passes to Innsbruck, the capital of Tirol province of Austria. It is surprisingly easy to reach this mountain town from Munich. Trains leave every hour almost and it didn't cost too much. I stayed in a youth hostel and met an interesting Canadian guy who was biking and taking trains across Eurasia from Japan to France. He also has a blog (www.iloveoil.blogspot.com) where he records his travels. You meet the most interesting people in youth hostels!



This is the river "Inn" which flows all through this valley.



This is some castle in the center of Innsbruck which used to be the royal power center for the Tirolian Alps. Innsbruck has a nice center around this castle, but much of the rest of the city is ugly! Lots of grey and brown apartment buildings and some very run down parts. Maybe it's a town full of ski bums who don't have any money. But if I got to wake up every morning and see snow capped peaks in every direction I wouldn't complain.



I took a Funicular and then a Tram 1600 m up from the valley floor near some peaks on the northern side of the broad valley through which the river Inn winds. This is a ski area which will be opening soon.



This looks like I hiked up from the top of the funicular (Nordkette bahn) but I didn't. I did meet some people in their fifties who took my picture, who had made it up from the valley by 11 am. This is about 1100 m vertical in 3 hours or so. Not bad for senior citizens!



As I was hiking up steep switch backs which went back and forth across an avalanche slide, from the Tram station to the peak I was passed by a woman who also was in her fifties or late forties. She had climbed up from the valley floor and kept gaining on me. This always happens in the Alps. Nevertheless I couldn't help saying "inconceivable" over and over again. By the time I reached the top the wind had picked up to feel like a hurricane and she was no where to be found. I think she was wearing crampons on her boots.



I need new boots. My current hiking boots leak in the snow.



For keeping avalanches from starting high up.



I was really worried when I reached the top. The winds were so strong I could barely stand up and they were picking up too.



This is looking north from the peak. I was being sheltered from the wind by a cabin on the edge of this cliff looking north towards Germany.




The trail that follows this ridge looks treacherous even without wind or snow. It would be great to do in the summer!



I love mountains and snow!



Looking down the valley at the river Inn again.