Alpbach

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