If you read this blog, you may know that after a trip, I like to reflect on the things I learned.  This trip in particular was really about drinking beer and seeing places with funny names.  And yet, I did learn a few new things thanks to our trip to Austria.  So here goes.  This is some of the stuff I learned on our Beer and Fucking Tour.

1.  Austria is home to Highline 179, which is currently the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world.  It’s listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.  But there are also other suspension bridges located nearby that are almost as long and not as pricey to visit.  We had such a great time in the Tyrol area that Bill and I might have to go back and explore some more… and maybe cross more bridges.  The Holzgau Bridge is free, open to the public 24/7 365 days a year, and looks like it’s pretty picturesque.  On the other hand, Highline 179 is worth visiting because it has a great museum and the ruins are beautiful.

2.  If you are a beer lover and like beer spas, Austria is a great place to visit!  In fact, there is another hotel in Austria, close to the Tyrol region, that offers a beer spa.  Hotel Diana in Seefeld is a possibility for those who would rather not visit Franking, though personally I think Franking is well worth seeing.  We had so much fun there that we may have to make a repeat trip!

3.  Austrians use some words that aren’t that common in Germany.  For instance, when I was researching places to visit in Austria, I came across the word Jausenkarte (snack menu).  I asked on Facebook what it was and my German friend piped up and explained that Jausen means snacks.  I had never seen that word in Germany, though she said her family uses it sometimes.

4.  There are many places in and around Austria with names that are funny for English speakers.  We visited Fucking and Fuckersberg, but we didn’t make it to Kissing, Petting, or Wank Mountain.  Perhaps on a future visit…

5.  Swimming in a big pool full of warm beer water is super fun!

6.  I may have to get a dirndl of my very own, even though I used to wear one every day when I worked at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia.  Though we mostly saw people wearing them while working in restaurants, I did see a couple of people wearing them out and about.  I also saw lots of cool Austrian fashions on the men, like lederhosen and beautifully made jackets and sweaters.  Maybe if I quit drinking so much beer, I can squeeze into some Austrian fashions myself.

7.  We need to take more road trips with my Mini.  We bought it on the way back to the States from Germany back in 2009 and it’s just now approaching the 23,000 mile mark on the odometer.  The car needs to be driven and it’s a lot of fun driving it in Europe!

8.  People drive like maniacs on the autobahn.  Seriously… yes, I’ve seen them near drive like maniacs where we live, but there were a few times on our road trip when Bill was doing about 80 mph and got passed as if we were standing still.

9.  Austria has snakes.

10.  I really need to get back to studying German.  And I need to learn how to not crack up when people are using public restrooms.

So pretty!