Bill and I got to the train station bright and early this morning, ready to catch our 8:23 AM train to Bergen. The train, just like a lot of the cars, runs on electricity. It’s very quiet, and doesn’t run very fast, so the trip took until just after 3:00 PM. Our cab driver this morning had a Virginia ball cap on. He said he’d just been to Richmond to visit his son, who lives there. Crazy coincidence, since I’m from Virginia myself.
The train journey made me nervous, but I also eagerly anticipated it. I had read a lot about how beautiful the journey is. Now, I can say with certainty that it IS a beautiful, scenic ride. However, some people are incredibly focused on themselves. That truism was driven home as the Spanish guy in the next train compartment parked himself in front of our door and window for a long time, seemingly oblivious that he was blocking the view. That was very annoying, especially when people needed to pass him, and he’d lean on our door. I don’t know why he thought it would be okay to camp out there, especially since he had his own window. My guess is that he figured his wife would object.
I did manage to get a lot of stunning photos, though… and I also got a few videos. The scenery from the train does change with the seasons, so I might be persuaded to do it again in a different season. I’m also glad we had a compartment, as it mostly minimized irritation.
We arrived in Bergen cranky and hungry, because the credit card machine on board went down and Bill didn’t have any local currency. We did manage to get some snacks in the morning, but we missed lunch. I was in a foul mood when we disembarked, because I was a bit hangry.
But, after a slightly annoying check in at our hotel, we managed to find an Irish pub that was playing really nostalgic 90s era music. Bill loved it. I felt a little better after a blood sugar bump, then we went to the fish market and had some seafood for dinner. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it was good enough.
It’s going on 8 PM now, and we’re both tired. I think we’ll turn in early. I hope there won’t be a lot of noise.
Tuesday morning, we woke up, got dressed, and went to the breakfast room. There was another couple there; they were German. The lady who ran breakfast asked if we wanted coffee drinks, as opposed to coffee or tea from the station. Bill had regular coffee, while I had a cappuccino. There was a buffet set up, complete with fried and scrambled eggs and a mixture of sausages and bacon. There was also the usual cheeses, fruits, vegetables, smoked salmon, breads and cereals, as well as strudel, sugared croissants, and a chocolate hazelnut creation that resembled liver pate, but thankfully didn’t taste like it.
It was a little drizzly outside when we first came inside, but the sun shyly peaked out from behind the clouds. By the time we were finished with breakfast, I could see some of the huge mountains that were obscured by fog when we arrived on Monday. I knew we were close to Slap Savica– a waterfall that was advertised in the local brochures. I read some interesting reviews of the waterfall. Some people panned it, calling it an unsatisfying tourist trap. Most of the people who complained about it were folks who had visited in the summer and had to contend with crowds. Either way, I knew it would be climb, since every review mentioned the steps. It turns out there are over 500 of them. I’m so glad I didn’t read that until we took our hike!
Ah yes…
This is what we came for…
I already miss this view.
The drive to the waterfall…
It’s worth the trip just for this!
The drive to the waterfall is very beautiful, especially in the fall. I kept gasping at the dramatic rushing brook and the canopy of trees with red and gold leaves. The road finally ended at a parking area with a couple of restaurants. Most of the reviews noted that parking costs money, but there was no one there to collect money for parking on the day of our visit. That may be because the restaurants were closed. I was definitely impressed by the natural beauty at the base of the walk to the waterfall. Below are some photos I took as we were looking around, trying to determine where to go to access the falls. At the time, there was only one other couple there. I think I would have been happy just hanging out there all day!
We were so lucky to go to the falls on Tuesday. It was the best day for undertaking a hike of any kind. There was rain for most of the rest of our time in Slovenia. But, as you can see, we managed to get some sunny photos, too. Bill spotted the sign directing us to the little shack where we would buy our 3 euro tickets to the falls. Away we went, expecting a twenty minute hike. It took us a lot longer than that, but fortunately there weren’t many people there. We practically had the place to ourselves.
A tiny sliver of Lake Bohinj is visible…
I was glad for opportunities to stop and read… and catch my breath.
The ground was wet and the steps were steep. I took my time going up the mountain because, as I have repeatedly pointed out, I’m not exactly fit and trim. I just kept telling myself that with each step, we got closer. I promised myself I would make it to the top.
Sure enough, we made it to the little shack near the falls.
Another view of the lake from the top.
And the falls themselves…
These are behind a fence, but you definitely feel the mist.
“Take Your Boobs Out!” I’m sure the temptation is there in the summer!
Then we headed back down, which I think is worse in many ways…
I sure earned that beer!
Once again, as we climbed up the mountain, I was very grateful to be visiting Lake Bohinj in the off season. Oftentimes, when I visit a place like Slap Savica, I feel pressure to keep up with others. When we visited, I counted maybe ten people on the way up and down. We had the falls to ourselves for about fifteen minutes before the next couple showed up. And it wasn’t hot outside, so I wasn’t sweating profusely at the top. Bonus… we didn’t pay for parking!
Restroom facilities…
For the kids.
Here’s some video footage of the water…
I kept repeating to Bill how stunningly beautiful this place was… it was just gorgeous. I was grateful to still be able to climb up a mountain to see such beauty. I know not everyone things Slap Savica is all that… and lots of people don’t like having to pay to see it, especially when there’s a crowd. Personally, I’m glad we went. I wish the weather had afforded us the chance to hike in some of the other areas. For instance, I would have loved to have seen Mostnica Gorge, which is supposedly even more beautiful than nearby Vintgar Gorge is. Vintgar Gorge closed for the season on October 31st, but we visited it in 2016, anyway. Mostnica Gorge doesn’t close, although you have to pay to park at a lot near where the trail begins. But there was too much rain the rest of the week. Articles I read about Mostnica Gorge indicated that it gets pretty slippery when the weather is bad. But if we ever get back to Lake Bohinj, we will definitely make a point of hiking more, even if my bones, muscles, and joints protest. Below is a video someone made about Mostnica Gorge. Looks like it’s definitely worth the trip!
Yes… we will definitely try to visit here next time, if we have a next time.
I want to add more to this post, but my Internet is being super wonky today and keeps bumping me when I try to add more photos. So stay tuned for part ten.
Saturday, October 30, was the big day. It was also really cold and foggy that morning. Bill had purchased our tickets for the Plitvice Lakes National Park for 10:00am. We were allowed to enter the park only from 10:00 am until 11:00am. I think this system is to prevent huge crowds of people showing up at the same time. It’s probably better for the natural environment and everyone’s enjoyment if the crowds are staggered. Of course, COVID-19 also makes the crowd staggering important, as it prevents too many people mingling and creating a superspreader event.
The park’s Web site recommended dressing in layers. I was cold enough that I took that advice. I wore heavy wool socks, a hoodie jacket, and my big Irish wool coatigan (basically, a long cardigan that zips and stretches enough to cover my beer gut). After breakfast, we made our way to the park. I was a bit afraid that it would be foggy there, as it was at the house. But as we entered town, the fog lifted, and we had glorious sunshine. It was going to be a great day for a walk through the sixteen named lakes, several unnamed lakes, and waterfalls that make up Plitvice Lakes.
I took so many pictures over the six hours we were at the park. Bill and I ended up walking almost the entire park. We did Route C, which is the third longest. If we had done Route K, we would have been there until nightfall and I would have probably needed an intravenous line. As it was, I was exhausted by the end of our day, but I will never forget the incredible beauty of the lakes and falls, even if the crowds got a little bit annoying. Brace yourself for lots of photos!
This was our first view of the park at Entrance 1, after a pleasant walk from the wooded parking lot.
A close up of Veliki Slap, the tallest waterfall in Croatia.
I guess they had problem with people flying drones and getting photos for free.
As I walked down the mountain into the park, I realized I’d eventually have to walk up again…
Every lake brought new views…
and they were all incredible.
The ticket includes the boat ride and a very necessary shuttle ride at the end… I didn’t know how necessary it would be when I took this photo.
Bill was very moved by the big waterfall. You can see he was a bit verklempt.
After about a half hour of walking, I knew that I was going to get too hot before long. I had been cold at the beginning of the day… but walking makes body heat. Plus, the sun was out in full force. We were very lucky, weather wise. I also got some videos of the waterfalls, which I will eventually turn into a YouTube video. Maybe I’ll get to it today. Maybe not.
Edited to add… here’s the video!
Phew… this was a trial to make on many levels!
The lakes were loaded with trout!
This is a wise sign.
I did go part of the way up… but realized my thighs were quivering… and they had to keep working.
As it turned out, it was smart not to go further, since this was a shortcut back to the entrance area.
It was about here that I had to start carrying my hoodie. Phew!
As we were walking, jaws dropping at each new sight and the huge panorama of so many brilliant colors, I couldn’t help but realize that summer and late spring are probably madness at this park! But I’ll bet it’s so beautiful, too, since everything’s blooming and green. I’m sure this park is beautiful no matter what time of year it is. I think they do close part of it in the winter, though, which is smart, since there are a lot of slippery areas and the paths don’t usually have guardrails. I wonder how many people have fallen into the lakes, even though swimming there has been forbidden since 2006.
Wow… gonna have to make this one a cover somewhere…
And this one, too.
How far have we walked?
It was at about this time that we found ourselves at one of the several rest stations. This was where toilets, souvenirs, and food were, as well as the boats to the other side of the park. I was ready for a rest, so we went into the restaurant, where sandwiches and french fries were available, as well as a dizzying and surprising array of drinks, many of which contained alcohol. We stuck with good old Croatian beer. It’s important to know that cash is not accepted at the park, so bring your credit card if you visit. Also, don’t buy anything at the souvenir shop if you’re just getting started, because you’ll have to cart it with you… I didn’t learn this the hard way, thank God.
It wasn’t terrible food, but I definitely was ready for something more at the end of the day.
Apostrophe abuse!
This was taken from the pontoon boat that took us to the other side of the park. Everyone wore a mask. It was probably the only place they did, besides the shuttle bus.
I was already getting tired after the boat ride, which was one way and committed us to walk the rest of the park. Luckily, the sheer beauty of the park and the prospect of being stuck there if I collapsed kept me going. And they were some beautiful sights, even though I don’t walk as fast as I used to. Below is the last batch of photos from Saturday’s walk, which took about six hours and was over seven miles… Not bad for a fatass housewife, huh?
7 miles… and I was feeling it!
We caught the shuttle at the end. I was grateful I didn’t take the mysterious staircase that would have taken us on another two hour segment. Maybe I could have done it, but I was really exhausted at the end of the day. We got on the shuttle with other masked people… again, probably the only place I saw people in Croatia properly masking. I was pretty irritable, because I was hungry and very tired. But there were many people on the shuttle who had lots of energy… and they were speaking in so many different languages. We heard English, Spanish, Italian, Croatian, and God knows what else… and Bill and I were both reminded of a particularly obnoxious bus ride in Puerto Rico we experienced when we took our first SeaDream cruise and there was a crew of obnoxious Brazilians aboard who were driving the bartenders crazy by staying up all night and getting wasted. We were going to the Bioluminescent Lake in Vieques, which was really beautiful, but I was tired and hungry, and the seat we were sitting on was busted.
Well… the ride in Croatia wasn’t that bad. At least the seat on the bus wasn’t broken, like it was on the bus ride in Vieques, Puerto Rico. But I was definitely running out of juice, and patience, and my muscles were stiffening by the second… By the time we got off at the last bus stop, we had to walk another mile or so out of the park and to the parking lot. I had, by that time, shed my layers and was carrying my sweater and my hoodie.
Despite being exhausted and crabby at the end of our day, I am really glad we visited and walked so much. I’m glad I can still do it. And I’m glad I don’t have to do it again.
The second toe on my left foot itches a lot. A few days ago, it was quite painful. Why? Because a bee flew into my sandal after we ate lunch in a tiny little town. It got stuck there and stung me.
Prior to the bee sting, Wednesday was a fine day. We decided to drive around some more, in an effort to stay away from other people and see the different areas around the Sud Tyrol. This is also a great opportunity for us to talk about deep subjects and listen to music, not that we don’t do that anyway.
I was thinking we’d go to Bolzano on Wednesday, but instead, we did a big loop in wine country. Unfortunately, we didn’t stop to buy any wine. What were we thinking? We even brought the wine suitcase with us, but we neglected to fill it. Oh well… here are some photos.
Forst Brewery…
It’s also a restaurant. Very close to the hotel where we stayed.
Agriculture is big in Sud Tyrol.
So are lakes!
And beautiful mountain creeks…
Who needs to get out of the car?
As it got closer and closer to lunchtime, we started looking for places to eat. We found a little roadside restaurant called Ristorante Al Molin in a tiny town called Cloz in Trentino. They had an unusual way of luring in guests. Besides the usual signs, there was a table set up on the other side of the road with several bottles of wine and some fruit laid out. Bill saw it and immediately decided to pull over. It was a good place to stop. The food turned out to be excellent. I did have to use Google Translate a bit. What did I ever do without it?
Bill loved his tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce…
I had cheese ravioli with bacon. Bacon makes everything better, right?
That table was a draw. I think it attracted some German bikers, too.
This cute little pooch sat next to us…
Italians are graphic about warning drivers.
I would have been easily talked into having dessert at this place. The lady who waited on us seemed extremely nice, although she apologized for not speaking much German (that’s okay, we don’t speak much either). A large Italian family showed up as we were finishing, along with four male German bikers (as in bicycles). The German guys were funny. They appeared to be good friends and they were joking around. At one point, the little dog in the pictures above sneezed. One of them said “Gesundheit!” We shared a laugh… and then the bee met its fate with my foot!
I’m pretty sure it was a bee that got me. When I pulled the sandal off of my foot, the stinger was still deeply stuck in my skin. Bill managed to swipe the bee off of me, but the stinger took some doing to remove. It really hurt! And it was also itchy and made me swell up. The little fucker. For some reason, the bees and wasps have been murder this year… although I have not yet encountered any murder hornets.
The bee sting kind of took the wind out of our sails, so we headed back to the hotel and had a couple of drinks at the bar. Then it was time for dinner, which was better than the mushroom fiasco, but not as good as Monday night.
On the way up the mountain to Parcines. You can see the waterfall in the distance.
Wednesday night’s wine… a local white to go with my St. Peter fish.
Beef consumme with a buckwheat dumpling.
Bill’s deep fried cauliflower.
Ravioli stuffed with pesto.
Bill’s lamb, which he enjoyed.
My John Dory/St. Peter fish. Not bad.
Extraneous silverware.
And dessert… some kind of warm cake that tasted a little like a donut.
By this point, I was starting to look forward to going home… although I can’t deny that Sud Tyrol is stunningly gorgeous. There was a lot of partying going on Wednesday night, too.
Chasing a waterfall in Mittenwald, gazing at the Eibsee, and views from Germany’s highest mountain!
Saturday was a full day for us. It was definitely fuller than what I’ve been used to lately. We walked several miles in warm weather and the pedometer on my iPhone was giving me bursts of celebratory praise in the form of virtual fireworks. Still, even with all of the walking we did on Saturday, we missed the majestic waterfall at Leutaschklamm, which is most easily accessed from Mittenwald, Germany. So, on Sunday morning, we decided to visit the German side of the gorge.
We were a little bit confused about this part of the walk. When we read up on visiting the gorge, people mentioned a three euro fee to “see the waterfall”. I was under the impression that it was on the gorge trail itself. It’s not. If you go to the German side of the gorge with your car, you have to park at a lot in the town, walk down a pleasant country road alongside the rushing brook, and then you will encounter the German entrance to the gorge trail. However, you won’t find the waterfall on that trail, which looked pretty steep and obviously leads to the panorama bridge. I shared pictures of the bridge in part three of this series– one post previously.
Instead, you have to go to the nearby snack bar– which you can’t miss– pay three euros, go through a turnstile, don a mask, and then walk through a misty crevice on a wooden planked trail. Your three euros also gets you access to the toilet, which is pretty handy. I didn’t take a picture of it, but the sign on the men’s room reads that that toilet is for men only. The ladies room is for both men and women. I guess the men’s room only has a urinal. Unlike the gorge trail, the waterfall path is narrow and it’s impossible to “socially distance”, hence the mask requirement. If you don’t have one, you can buy one at the snack bar.
I took video of our walk to the waterfall. At the end of the video, there are a few clips from Saturday’s walk on the Austrian side. Here it is!
It was worth the three euros!
I also got a lot of nice pictures of this excursion. The walk took about twenty minutes or so, and only because we stopped to enjoy the waterfall and the cool mist it created. I would say this experience was easily one of the highlights of our trip! I’m so glad we didn’t miss it.
On the way to the waterfall, you cross a bridge that begs you to stop and take a photo.One of many shrines…Lovely meadow view along the country road.Sigh… future Facebook cover photo.At this point, you can stand and feel the cool mist from the waterfall, but to actually see the waterfall itself, you have to pay admission.Wear a mask… You can even buy one at the snack bar.It’s a narrow path that can get slippery due to the water. Hold hands with your children. We saw a few who looked scared!Another shrine.If you look carefully, you can see the panorama bridge above the crevice of the waterfall.Not the best photo. I was rushed… but this is the story of how the waterfall was found.I think the waterfall itself is in Austria.
It was late morning by the time we were finished seeing the waterfall. Once again, I was glad we arrived early. Parking spots were filling up fast, and just as they were on Saturday, people were lurking for a place to park. We noticed that the lot on the Austrian side was completely full when we passed it on the way to Mittenwald. And as Bill was trying to vacate our spot, two dumbass guys parked their car directly behind us temporarily so they could get a Parkschein (parking ticket). They were completely oblivious to the fact that they were blocking us, too. But even once they noticed Bill’s annoyed face, they still didn’t move, and they almost caused an accident. Unfortunately, they weren’t the only dumbasses we ran into on this trip. But, in fairness, I’m sure some drivers thought Bill was a dumbass, too.
After the thrill of the waterfall, we decided to visit Eibsee, which is a huge, beautiful lake at the base of the Zugspitze. First, we’d have lunch in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which we hadn’t visited since 2009. It was a bit of a ghost town, probably due to COVID-19. I noticed a favorite Konditorei that we visited a few times back in the day was closed. I was sad to see it. Last time we were there, we parked next to a car that had been keyed… looked like maybe the owner’s ex girlfriend was a bit of a psycho. S/he had scrawled “Fucking bastard” on the side of the car, or something like that. I remember feeling sorry for the guy, having to drive around with that on his car. He might have been a bastard, but it was still not a great look. Plus, the thought of the sound the key must have made on the metal set my teeth on edge. That was at least twelve years ago and I could see that the Konditorei, which had served such delightful pastries, coffee drinks, and beer was closed up tightly. What a pity. Edited to add: my German friend says the person who ran the Konditorei when we visited had a bad reputation. Maybe he was the owner of the “Fucking bastard” car. He disappeared sometime in 2009 (same year we left) and a much better tenant took over. She closed the business last fall.
We had lunch at an Italian restaurant called Pizzeria Renzo, although I would have loved to have stopped in at El Greco, which was a favorite Greek spot we used to visit back in the day. We thought El Greco had closed, but as we passed it on the way back to the car, it was obviously open. I guess they took down their outside menu because of COVID-19. A lot of restaurants are offering abbreviated menus right now, since a lot of them are printing them on single sheets of disposable paper instead of handing out thick books of pre-COVID days.
Mittenwald is a cute town! The mountains on the way to Garmisch…I remember being thrilled by this when Garmisch was the only place I’d ever seen in this area. There’s so much more to it.Studying the menu at Pizzeria Renzo. We wore masks into the restaurant and to use the restroom. Otherwise, business as usual.I had cannelloni, which was stuffed with ham and cheese and came with a side of tomato sauce. Bill had basil pesto spaghetti.This was surprisingly good! Bill said he’d get the cannelloni if we ever come back to this restaurant.Vending machines in the restroom… classy place. 😉A shot of the outside of the restaurant as we crossed the street.The Rathaus.Sad that this Konditorei closed. It was a good place with dirndl clad ladies and beautiful pastries… and guys with angry exes who like to vandalize cars.Bill’s big dreams… Property in Garmisch-Partenkirchen doesn’t come cheaply.El Greco!
After lunch, we made our way to the Eibsee in Grainau. We knew it would be crowded. I wasn’t expecting it to be the way it was. I thought the lake would be like a lot of the other lakes I’ve seen in Germany… kind of low key. Well– the Eibsee, which is right next to the huge tourist attraction of the Zugspitze and either the Seilbahn (cable car) or cog wheel train to the summit– is not an easygoing place. Lots of people were taking advantage of the lake– swimming, sailing, paddle boating, hiking, and picnicking. I had really just wanted to get a few photos, so that’s what we focused on… then, kind of on the fly, we decided to take the cable car to the top of the Zugspitze, where we enjoyed a beer and got even more photos.
On the way down the road to the Eibsee/Zugspitze complex. It’s a much bigger deal than I realized.Everybody welcome! And it seemed like everybody was there!The parking lot… but it wasn’t totally full.Boating…Gazing at the lake’s beauty…Sailing…Swimming…Hiking…
These pictures of the Eibsee are kind of misleading. I managed to get some that don’t show a lot of people. The place was very crowded, and we would have been hard pressed to find a spot if we’d wanted to go swimming or boating. I didn’t have a bathing suit with me, anyway. I was glad to get the pictures, though, and now that I’ve seen the Eibsee, I don’t have to visit again. Since we were already there, we decided to see the Zugspitze, too. Bill was last up there in the 1980s, when there was no Seilbahn. The cog wheel train still runs and you have a choice as to which method you want to use to get to the top of the mountain. Since face masks were required for either method, we chose the Seilbahn, which is super efficient and only takes ten minutes. The basic cost for either method of getting to the top of the Zugspitze was 59 euros per person, although they had other tickets for families or those who wanted to visit other attractions.
Masked up and ready to go…The inside of the Seilbahn. It’s very fast, clean, and safe! Up we go!It felt like we were in outer space…The lake seems so much smaller from up here…Yes, that’s snow.The summit. We didn’t bother going up there. There was a line like at Mount Everest…A few clouds.With my luck, I’d fall and bust my ass or something.I scored us a seat at a table. It was about thirty degrees cooler on top of the mountain.Prost!Going down…I’m glad we visited!
We could have spent a lot more time exploring here if we’d wanted to… They have lots of exhibits as well as other activities that we didn’t try. It’s obviously a popular attraction for children, too. But it was a very full day for us, so we were ready to go back to the hotel. Getting out of the parking lot was obnoxious– we encountered a trifecta of dumbasses. As Bill was backing out of his space, an oblivious young fellow with water toys almost collided with the hood. Then, another dumbass with his buddies and perhaps a girlfriend, decided to aggressively angle for Bill’s spot. He came very close to hitting our 2020 Volvo. I sure as hell am not looking for another legal issue this year, although it would not have been our fault if he’d hit us. Bill just sat there and stared the kid down until he let us leave.
Finally, the last dumbass of the day was an old guy on a moped. He suddenly got a wild hair up his ass and cut Bill off as he carelessly pulled into traffic without even looking for oncoming cars. It was a very near miss. The guy could have met his maker if Bill weren’t such a good driver.
On the way back into Leutasch, I spotted a little fest going on. We stopped and listened to some Austrian folk music, bought a small piece of art and some locally produced gin, and checked out a camel who was brought in for camel rides. They also had pony rides.
Back in Austria!Such a beautiful place!I could never get tired of this scenery…Some folks and their dog were enjoying the cool creek.Vending machines in Europe aren’t just for refreshments!A market. I bought a little piece of folk art here.The lady who sold us the art wondered if we were Dutch. She turned out to be a retired tour guide.I was delighted by the Austrian band playing folk music.And the cute pony!As well as the camel…A little gin tasting. We bought a bottle.This was a delight!
A short video with the folk music. I wasn’t trying to capture people on film, so it’s not a great video. But the music is delightful!
And finally, our last dinner at the fabulous Hotel Kristall to cap off this gargantuan post about our Sunday. I really enjoyed Austria and it was far too long since our last visit. We need to come back again and explore more of this underrated country with its warm hospitality and breathtaking views!
A lovely Italian red…Housemade ravioli with mountain cheese that was mild enough for me to enjoy.Consumme with a Leberknodel. I let Bill enjoy that alone.I had fish with lentils and potato pancakes.Bill had goulash with spatzle and vegetables– Brussels sprouts and carrots!And warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream for dessert. I was delighted that this wasn’t a lava cake!
I would say that Sunday, August 9th, was the best day I’d had in a long time. It was worth the cost of the entire trip. But there were more thrills to come in Italy. More on that in the next post!
When I was planning our trip, I knew we were going to visit Italy. Bill and I both love Italy, and it had been way too long since our last visit over Labor Day weekend in September 2018. I remembered visiting Bolzano on a day trip I took on our last business trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, back in 2009. I thought it was a nice city. So I started looking for places around there to go… and my German friend suggested Merano, which isn’t too far from Bolzano. But I wanted somewhere outside of the city– somewhere that was likely to be cooler and prettier. When we finally settled on Parcines, I looked for places to stop on the way there and back.
Bill and I went to Lermoos, Austria in September 2015, when we did our much heralded “Beer and Fucking Tour” (Fucking is a place in Austria, as is Fuckersberg– we visited both on that trip, as well as two beer spas). I knew I liked that part of Austria, but I wanted to go somewhere different. I ended up choosing Hotel Kristall in Leutasch, mainly because I got pretty fatigued trying to look through all of the hotel choices. What I didn’t know is that Leutasch is very close to Seefeld, Austria, which is another place we visited back in December 2015. I’m glad I didn’t realize it until after I booked because I would have probably chosen another place. That would have been a shame, because Leutasch turned out to be a great choice for us.
I didn’t know it when I booked, but Leutasch is home to a very beautiful and supposedly haunted gorge. There’s a very secure path that allows visitors to see the gorge and even walk into Germany if they have the stamina. Leutasch is literally just over the border in Austria, but it definitely feels different there. The gorge is a great activity for kids and there’s no admission charged. All you have to do is pay five euros for parking if you visit from the Austrian side. If you visit from Mittenwald, on the German side, you park in a public area and can pay three euros to see the waterfall (well worth the money and the short walk), or you can skip the waterfall and walk up the steep path that takes you to the Austrian gorge walk and the panorama bridge. All along the path are fun activities for children, although the signs are in German. The gorge turned out to be the highlight of our time in Leutasch.
But– I’m getting ahead of myself. I need to write about our journey to Austria, which started on Friday, August 7th. We dropped off Arran at the Birkenhof Tierpension, and headed south, which took us through our familiar former stomping grounds near Stuttgart. It was just as full of traffic as ever, although we did notice that some of the road work we thought would never be finished was finally done. We stopped at a truck stop near Kirchheim Unter Teck. It had a KFC, which we thought we’d like better than McDonald’s or Burger King (seriously, these are pretty much your options in Germany, unless you want schnitzel). That particular truck stop also had a regular German restaurant, though, so we decided to eat there instead of dining with “the Colonel”.
A Stau near Pforzheim… very typical!
Beer for me…
I had gyros and Bill had a turkey steak with rosti. It was very good!
No finger lickin’ good chicken for us!
The waitress seemed surprisingly calm about masking. She wasn’t wearing a mask and actually asked us to remove ours so she could understand our orders. Then, while we were waiting, we filled out the contract tracing forms now required in Germany. It was nice to be in Baden-Württemberg again. It still feels kind of like home, even though it’s not ours anymore.
After lunch, we got back on the road. I happened to be experiencing the last death throes of August’s visit from Aunt Flow, which made the journey somewhat less comfortable than it could have been. But we were in beautiful Austria before we knew it. And boy is it BEAUTIFUL there! The scenery is just insane. I kept craning my body to take pictures of the magnificent Alps, limestone colored streams, and green meadows.
Haflinger horses… well known in Austria! I saw them in Italy, too. The town they originate from is now part of northern Italy.
Highline 179. Bill and I crossed it in 2015, when we were on our Beer and Fucking Tour.
We were almost at the hotel when we spotted these traditionally dressed gents.
Leutasch is beautiful!
It was about 4:00pm when we reached our hotel. I was in dire need of a shower, thanks to Aunt Flow’s death throes and the heat of the afternoon. I was feeling rather cranky and irritable as Bill parked the car in the free lot outside of the hotel’s entrance. But then, as we approached, I noticed two awesome things. First, there was a table outside with a bottle of housemade Schnapps and shot glasses and hand disinfectant. And second, no one was wearing face masks except for the people running the hotel.
Austria has so far had very few COVID-19 cases, particularly in the Tyrol region, so the rules there are pretty relaxed. I know a lot of people will disagree that anyone should be without a face mask right now, but personally I thought it was great. We checked in, and were assigned room 36, which is a junior suite.
Relax… you’re in good clean hands in a hotel with heart.
Extras in the room.
We didn’t use the backpack, but it probably would have come in handy.
Bathroom. It had a water closet.
View from our window. Most rooms at the Hotel Kristall have balconies, but ours didn’t. However, it was quiet and private, which was nice.
The bed. It was a bit hard for my liking. There was also a pull out couch, a fridge, and a flatscreen TV. The room was very generously sized, but otherwise not that special. I liked that they arranged the duvets into a heart.
Gifts for sale in the lobby.
And Trachten… the women employees all wore dirndls.
Vacation with heart!
Our rate, which I prepaid, came with half board. We got breakfast and dinner included. I actually liked the food at Hotel Kristall. They did have interesting rules for the buffet, though. No masks were required, but everyone had to don disposable rubber gloves. After we checked in, I took a shower, and by then it was about time for dinner.
He chose a lovely Austrian red from the Tyrol region.
Fresh cheese… I skipped this.
But I did like the consumme with pancakes.
I had a beef filet for dinner.
Bill had lamb.
And this was our yummy dessert. Bourbon vanilla ice cream with peaches and cream.
I noticed the people sitting next to us giving us curious side-eyed looks. I’m sure they realized we’re Americans and most Americans aren’t currently welcome to travel to Europe at the moment. However, if you’re American and live in Europe, it’s okay… A lot of people figured we were Dutch, since Dutch people will often speak English in countries where they can’t speak Dutch.
Anyway, I mostly enjoyed the food at Hotel Kristall, although being American in Europe when Americans aren’t supposed to be in Europe was a little stressful. But the service at the family run Hotel Kristall was friendly, professional, and welcoming. And I genuinely felt like the people working there enjoyed their jobs. That made for a very pleasant stay.
Last night turned out to be unexpectedly awesome. After we came home from Idstein, we decided to hang out with the dogs for awhile. Then, at about 6:00pm, the Breckenheimer Bikers were back to continue their fest. I asked Bill if he wanted to go. He said “sure”, so we walked to the area where they had set up their booths and tables. The weather was better, so there were a lot more people. It looked like they had different food, too.
Then Bill wanted to see if there was anything going on at the Dorfplatz, which is where they always have the wine stands every other Friday night. Nothing was going on there, but we decided to keep walking. I’m ashamed to say that in seven months of living in this town, I haven’t explored it much. I don’t know why. When I was younger, I’d always walk around my new neighborhoods to make new discoveries. I usually have the dogs with me, though, and our new town doesn’t have very good sidewalks, since it’s very densely populated. I guess I figured the area was too congested for them, making it hard to dodge cars.
We walked down Dorfgasse, which is the main drag, passed the antiques dealer, a Kurheil practitioner, a pension, a bakery, an architect, and a druggist with a gynecologist’s office attached to it. Aside from the bakery and the druggist, I had no idea the other stuff was even there. We also passed a bunch of guys sitting in their garage, drinking beer, and having a party.
Then we saw a country road on the edge of the neighborhood. Yes… Breckenheim is on the edge of the country, and we discovered a large park where we can take walks with the dogs. Perhaps my days of walking them in the poo and dildo infested fields near the Autobahn and the Rewe are over. Here are some photos from our walk.
This looks familiar… our old town of Jettingen had a similar sign asking people to pick up their dogs’ crap.
Turns out there’s a pretty big walking area, complete with orchards.
There’s even a woods!
After a few minutes of walking, we came across a small paddock where a group of ponies were enjoying some hay. I call them ponies, but they might have been miniature horses. I mean, they’d be ponies because of their height alone, but they had the more delicate features of horses, with a lighter bone structure. I don’t have much experience with minis, although I have plenty of experience with ponies. Whatever they officially were, I was delighted to see them! I spent most of my childhood around horses and even used to have my own pony. It’s been too many years since I last had a horse in my life. They are wonderful company. I even miss their wonderful aroma.
One of the mares had a colt by her side. It looked like a couple of the others might also be expecting, although it’s a bit late in the year for that. They might have just been fat.
They were very friendly, although I didn’t dare try to pet them. I have a lot of experience with electric fences, too. I’m glad we walked up this way, since my dogs go nuts when they see horses. Now, if I try to walk them here, I’ll be forewarned.
The further we went down the road, the quieter and more bucolic the views were. I was reminded of the more country areas where we’ve previously lived in Baden-Württemberg. I’m really a country girl at heart, so finding out our new Hessian town has country scenes did my heart good. The one thing I’ve been missing about Jettingen are the beautiful wooded areas where I could walk my dogs. Now I’ve found Breckenheim’s version.
The church on the other side. I think there’s a concert there today. We might have to check it out.
On the way back to our neighborhood, we happened to pass by a tree as several birds of prey had engaged in what appeared to be a violent attack. I grabbed my camera and tried to film them in action, but was just a little too late to capture the fight. But then I saw something strange. A bird was hanging upside down by one talon. It hung there for an agonizing minute as we looked on, wondering if it was just stunned. I filmed the bird and my German friend told me it was an Eichelhäher, otherwise known as an Eurasian Jay. It bore a slight resemblance to our blue jays. Just after I turned off the camera, the jay lost its desperate grip on the branch and dropped to the ground. It was still alive when we left it, but I doubt for much longer. I was a little sad about witnessing that scene, but unfortunately, it’s the way of nature.
By the time we got back to our street, the fest had exploded. Most of the tables were full of people drinking beer, Sekt, Aperol spritzes, and Jack Daniels. There were several bands, all of which were quite good. Our landlord and his wife were there, having a good time. I like them both, although I haven’t really spent much time talking to them. Our new landlady doesn’t speak much English, but she’s always very friendly and seems happy to see us. The landlord seems to like Bill, and he speaks more English– likewise, Bill speaks more German than I do. We said hello and watched a few acts. The landlord said they usually do this fest every year, although some years they’ve skipped it. I’m glad we were around for it this year.
The bikers put on a hell of a party! I remember Jettingen had events too, but none like this. A lot of the fests in Jettingen were religious or agricultural.
Cheers!
I got video of a couple of them, which maybe I’ll turn into something I can share here. I did think to take a few pictures, especially of an enthusiastic gentleman who danced to several well covered classic rock songs. The group before the rock band consisted of four very talented men singing a cappella in surprisingly good harmony. I am myself a singer, so I know how hard to can be to stay on pitch when you sing unaccompanied. They did a really good job of it. I was especially impressed by their version of “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond”. For some reason, Germans seem to love Scotland, just like I do… I got some raw video, which I might turn into something sharable at some point.
This guy was dancing his ass off.
This dude sounded like a mix of Bon Scott and Meatloaf. He was singing songs by Foreigner, Billy Idol, and Bob Seger, among others. His female partner covered a Bryan Adams song and Pink. They were surprisingly good.
They brought up a young girl… a family member, perhaps, who joined them on the Bryan Adams number, “I Need Somebody.”
This guy was awesome. He was inspiring people to cut loose.
We went back home and Bill cooked burgers on the new grill. The party went on down the street. At about 10:45pm, they set off some fireworks– maybe a minute or two’s worth. At about 11, the party was over. All in all, from Idstein to party time, our Saturday was amazing. I’m not sure what we’re going to do today, but we sure did have a great day yesterday!
After we visiting Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, we decided to search for lunch. I think Cuba must be a popular destination for the Dutch, since our hostess, Nel, had said she was headed to Cuba for two weeks after we departed yesterday. I also noticed that tiny Vijlen has a Cuban restaurant called Cuba Libre. I had wanted to try it, but as we were leaving the three countries park, Bill took a wrong turn and we ended up in Belgium.
Oops!
I started thinking about excellent beers and frites, so we looked for a place to eat on our detour. We didn’t find a place that was especially inviting, but I did manage to take some pictures.
I’m not sure what this is. There were no signs near it. I thought it was very pretty, though. ETA: My German friend tells me this is Beusdael Castle, which is no longer open to the public. It was purchased by a Dutch family in 2002, although it is located in the Belgian village of Sippenaeken. It dates back to the 13th century and is surrounded by a moat. Prior to World War II, people used to visit the castle to see a glass coffin that contained the remains of a young wife of one of the owners, who died still beautiful at the age of 25.
Ditto for this… Bunker with a Belgian flag next to it. Lots of people were out walking. The roads were a bit narrow and very country. I loved it, since I prefer the rural life.
For some reason, someone was flying the Belgian and U.S. flags. You don’t see this too often in these parts…
Our scenic joyride took us on a loop that brought us back to the road where our apartment was located. We decided to head back into Vijlen and have lunch. The big parking lot in front of Cuba Libre was for a nearby hotel. We didn’t feel like searching for another place to park, so we decided to eat at the hotel instead. That wasn’t a bad idea. The food was good and the interior of the restaurant was charming.
The big hotel in town. There are a other places to stay, even though Vijlen is a small town. In the warm months, people come from all around to hike. This is the most “mountainous” part of the Netherlands, after all.
I loved the little bar, especially the beer taps.
And the pies looked delicious, although we didn’t partake! I think the Dutch must have perfected pies. I saw them everywhere and they looked so good!
Bill had a burger, which he said tasted alright. I think it might have been “gemischtes” (mixed) pork and beef.
For once, I was braver and had a chicken sandwich with cashews. The Google Translate app really came in handy, since only a few Dutch words resemble German. I never would have known what this was if I hadn’t had the ability to aim my phone at the text and get an instant translation. Fortunately, the waitress also spoke excellent English. This sandwich, served open faced, had a spicy sweet Asian dressing as well as a colorful salad. It was very substantial.
I got a kick out of this. French wine for a Dutch charity with an English name. Each bottle sold benefits the less fortunate. We decided to have beer, though.
Bill’s was a little “flute”.
The Dutch are very civilized. They had this sanitizer available in the toilet stalls in case you wanted to clean the seat. “Clean attack” indeed! I’m sure there are other places that have this, but I’ve only seen it in the Netherlands.
Below are a few more photos from our excursion. It really is absolutely beautiful in this part of the country. When we lived near Stuttgart, we often went to Ribeauville when we needed a short break from Germany. Now that we’ve found Vijlen, and it takes about the same amount of time to get to and from there as it did for us to go to France, we may declare this our go to spot for breaks from Wiesbaden. It’s just three hours away and offers proximity to Aachen, Germany and Belgium!
Next time we visit, we will have to visit the Cuban restaurant and the nearby “gelato farm” in Belgium.
Zane took a minor spill on the steep steps. Poor guy struggled a little, but eventually got the hang of it.
He enjoyed the bed, though.
Since we were full from lunch, this cherry pie was dinner. Bill found it at a bakery. It was delicious! He had an apple pie, minus the fancy lattice work.
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