
We left Ireland for sunny Austria last week.
We thought the friend who told us that the plane flew down a valley to land at Innsbruck airport was joking

The valley was occupied not only by the airport, but also by a lot of buildings

The view from our balcony offered the prospect of a week of good skiiing

When I was a kid a view like this was only available on a muesli box

The Celtic monks revangelized this area of Europe in the Dark ages - the church is dedicated to St Oswald, a Northumbrian saint.

The heavy grey clouds promised snow that never came

Christmas decorations remain in place until Candlemas - Saint Oswald's crib had some unlikely inclusions.

The ornateness of the early-18th Century church was enough to give a low church Protestant like myself palpitations!

Saint Oswald's shone out on the skyline at night

Spring was in the air by the time we were leaving - unfortunately for the resort, winter had hardly arrived