The weather turned nasty on Friday, so we hopped on a train to Austria and spent the day in Innsbruck.

On the train.

Even though the freezing rain smeared my mascara every time I looked up, there was no avoiding it. Stunning medieval architecture with painted facades and whimsical wrought-iron shop signs lined the pedestrian zone, which led us to the Goldenese Dachl (Golden Roof).

This isn’t a great photo; my fingers were frozen.

Mike and Summer taking shelter under the Golden Roof (Again, numb fingers lead to poor composition.)

Here’s what planetware.com has to say about it:

This magnificent Late Gothic oriel window roofed with gilded copper tiles was built in 1494-96 to commemorate Maximilian I’s marriage to Bianca Maria Sforza and served as a box from which the court watched civic festivities in the square below. The house behind, completely rebuilt in 1822, was previously a ducal palace (the Neuer Hof), formed by the conversion, at some time after 1420, of two earlier burghers’ houses. The lower balustrade is decorated with coats of arms, the open balcony above with 10 figural reliefs. The Golden Roof is made up of 2,657 gilded copper tiles.

A small Christmas market offered up some of my favorites: bratwurst with mustard, waffles with berries and whipped cream, and hot mugs of spiced wine. We browsed in the market, walked down to the river and then warmed up in a coffee shop before heading back to Germany.

Entering the pedestrian zone at the Triumph Gate (built by Empress Maria Theresia in 1665).

Typical building.

Mom and Dad sipping gluhwein.

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside.

At the Inn River.

Mmmm … gluhwein.

Yucky weather, as seen from the train.

Heading back to Germany.