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I took several bus tours around the Austrian countryside and to many sights, but the best way I saw the Austrian countryside was by horse-drawn carriage along the snowy trails of the Tirol. I was the lucky one who got to sit in the seat near the carriage driver. He didn''t say much, but he was nice. The ride began in a village outside of Innsbruck that was straight out of a fairytale and went past many farms and tiny hamlets. The hay or "honeymoon" huts are used by the farmers for storing hay, but many say that they are used for some extra-curricular activities by the farmers and their wives or girlfriends. The joke among Austrians is that ''you go into the honeymoon huts as two
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I was the lucky one who got to sit in the seat near the carriage driver. He didn''t say much, but he was nice. The ride began in a village outside of Innsbruck that was straight out of a fairytale and went past many farms and tiny hamlets.
The hay or "honeymoon" huts are used by the farmers for storing hay, but many say that they are used for some extra-curricular activities by the farmers and their wives or girlfriends. The joke among Austrians is that ''you go into the honeymoon huts as two and come out as three!''
I have taken hayrides in New England and enjoyed them, but this carriage ride was even better. I got to be out in the crisp air and see some of the most beautiful views of the Austrian Alps and Tirolean village life. After the ride, we stopped at a little tavern at the end of the trail and enjoyed a cup or two of Gluhwein, hot mulled red wine that has a little kick to it.
Quick Tips:
I suggest everyone who goes to Austria in the winter to go on a carriage ride. Dress warmly because it can get cold outside, but the carriage drivers provide blankets for your laps.
At the end of the ride, we stopped in a lodge at the end of the trail and had Gluhwein, a local drink made from hot red wine and mulled spices. It really hits the spot but it has a kick to it. I went outside after a couple of glasses of Gluhwein and had to hold on to the tour bus door because of the warmth of the drink and the cold air made me woozy, but it was one of the best feelings I had in my life.
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