Our Austrian Home

Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Sankt Johann in Tirol, Tyrol, Austria
 









 31st Dec 2013 - 13th Jan 2014
 
Arriving in Sankt Johann had an unusual spin to it as we drove through valleys with snow ladened slopes on the north facing side, and on the southern slopes, the emerald green of grass and trees more synonymous with Spring. At this time of year one expects the Austrian Alpine region to be clad thickly in white, brilliant in the sunshine and muted in sound as if you wore earmuffs (which you do on occasion to ward off the cold). Normally the roads will wend through an alley formed by walls of snow either side, and even the sounds of driving muted by mushy snow underneath. Not so this year.....Global Warming?!?
 
Sankt Johann, described on Wikipedia as a "market town" with a population of about 8,500, is an interesting mix of being a local commerce centre and tourism. Not as well known nor touristic as neighbours Kitzbühel or Ellmau, the village does provide excellent accommodation, dining, shopping, hiking in Summer and excellent skiing in Winter. The central village of cobbled streets and Market Square lined with Tyrolean Gasthofs and traditional buildings adorned with frescos is truly charming. In the Summer windows are underlined with window boxes of mainly red Begonias, in winter all is softened by roofs and any horizontal surface deep in snow. 
 
This is Evi's hometown and we will stay with her sister Barbara for much of the three months we are in Europe. Brothers Ernst, Adi and Gunter live in Ellmau, St Joh and Fieberbrunn respectively, and the youngest Alex is at university in Munich. This visit, though a holiday, is very much a family affair and is the first we have seen of each other since we lost Nick. In fact, as long planned, we have brought half of Nick's ashes with us, and in February Tom and Ash arrive to join us.....we are in our other home!
 
StJoh is the main village in a circuit of five separate ski fields, all on one ski ticket which also includes bus travel to and from each area. These are StJoh, Fieberbrunn, St Jakob and Steinplatte. The furtherest, Steinplatte, is about a 20klm drive on a very frequent bus service. 

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