Thank goodness there was no end-of-course test. Fly might just be less competent than at the beginning, have heard so much but not really had time to take it in. However, there are reams of notes to add to my baggage and to keep me employed in Alsace as the evenings get long and cold.
There is not much to buy in Kitzbuhel – at least for the likes of the fly. Apparently it is the shopping mecca for the Russians, who spend 20,000 euros in an afternoon in the shops. Prices are geared to them, which leaves the rest of us out. Even the locals go to neighbouring villages to shop for themselves and their children. So Friday afternoon’s attempt to find “stuff” to bring home was not successful. There is lovely glassware – too big and fragile, and of course lots of Swarovski, its home being in the neighbouring village of Wattens. There is the usual range of stuff decorated with people in traditional dress dancing etc, but no appeal there. So a calendar was the only purchase. Lots of pictures and very good memories will be adequate souvenirs.
We all had a final meal together on Friday night, including two of the tutors. Unfortunately, I missed out on the trout - none available. Austrian food is very heavy, lots of potatoes and meat of all kinds, slathered in cheese, all cooked without regard for calories or hearts. People there must all have very fast metabolisms to keep them warm in the winter, as they are not at all overweight. And of course many spend a lot of time on the mountains. One of our group who is vegetarian found it very difficult to find a meal – they just all offered her a plate of vegetables. However, the new arrival from Australia knows a lot more about all kinds of alcohol than wine. She did her best to lead all astray, ending the evening in an Irish Pub called Flanagans (! AA) and shouting us all Jagermeisters. There is a routine involved with these, fly learned. Turn the little bottle upside down, tap the lid on the table several times, then take off the lid and pour it all down the throat. Fly demurred, needing a clear head for travel the next day. The Jagermeister is still in the baggage. She, the new Australian, is going to be working in Mosel, which is not too far from where fly will be in Alsace, and has promised to come help with the Alsace wines.
Saturday was a bit of a nightmare – the bus to take me from Kitzbuhel to Munich was later than they had said, and took three hours instead of two. Which cut things very fine for getting from airport (where bus goes) into Munich Hauptbahnhof on the local train, and then changing to the train for Strasbourg. And changing in Stuttgart as well. All with the baggage. Oh for a Tardis! Hotel in Strasbourg was right across the Square (it was a semi-circle really) from the station, so that part was easy. However, this particular European hotel was a mixture of olde worlde charm and new-fangled gadgets. First, the device to unlock the door to my room defeated me. It was like the button key for unlocking cars, but the trick was you had to press the button, hold it while it beeped, and then turn a little knob below the door handle at the same time. The prim chap from reception was amused at fly’s gross incompetence. THEN, could not manage the shower turning on and off arrangements. Determined not to summon the prim chap again, much struggling, and a shower was eventually achieved. TV did not work at all, despite 39 channels being available. But it was very nice sitting by my balcony overlooking the Square, where young people were playing ball games and generally enjoying the late evening sunshine.
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