We were lucky enough to visit the Eibsee in 1992, on an R&R break from a Mid-East posting. The lake…read moreitself was glorious, with crystal clear water to great depth. Surrounded by fabulous forest, and with lovely walking paths all round. There was vestigial snow on the ground. The hotel and restaurant patio overlooking the lake were super places to became acquainted with Weiswurst and Spaten beer Now in 2024 it sounds as if the peace is, alas, no more, but Eibsee will always be special for us. TIP for 2024: Go when school is in, preferably in the Autumn.

Emerald-colored lake is very enchanting. On a clear day, you will be able to enjoy looking at…read moreZugspitze (the highest point in Germany) and other peaks with a gorgeous lakeview. The circle easy-hiking/biking trail is about 8km in length, so it'll take about two hours in leisurely-paced to walk around the lake. It's worth your time and effort. It has some hilly parts, but they are not too bad. We even saw some families with strollers. If you hike in the morning, you may not be able to see the mountains too clearly (fog, the sun behind the mountains, etc.). If you wait till the afternoon, you may be able to see them clearly, but you'll risk some clouds moving in as it was the case for us. Mountain weather is very unpredictable for sure. Unfortunately, it was a little too early to enjoy colorful foliage for us, but you can see the beginning of the change. It was a very nice hike around this enchanting lake. Highly recommended if you are in the area and be able to take some time to enjoy it. If you drive to this location, parking lot will cost you about $6 (2 hours) or more depending on how much time you spend. I believe all-day parking was about $12, but I just can't remember exactly.

Superb climbing gym in Innsbruck. This gym is world class with its sport climbing routes. Its got…read moreboth indoor and outdoor climbing routes available for day pass. I was able to see multiple world famous athletes like Jakob Schubert, Jessy Pilz, Alberto Ginez Lopez, Jessy Grouper, Molly Thomson Smith, and other. The climbing routes were superb, well set, challenging, and quite pumpy because its length is longer than the average gyms in NY USA. Will definitely come back here in the future : ) Another perk of this place is that its coffee shop is awesome. It is inside the gym and whenever you get tired and need a break its right there for you. Its food and drinks options were healthy, affordable, and in big proportions. I had a chicken finger + fries and it was huge. I loved its coffee options: espresso, latte, double espresso and other. I loved its orange juice with a lime inside, very refreshing This place is one of the best climbing gyms in the world and it is indeed rated to be one of the best, you can dig its facts from its history, its competition venue, its athlete training regime, its route setters, and others...