Thursday, July 31, 2014

Today we Take the Bus to King Lake Koning See - Wow!

Today we had a plan to go see the outskirts of Salzburg.  We looked through some brochures and saw there was such pretty lakes in the surrounding areas.  Nick saw the pictures of the Koning See and so we figured out how to get there.
Berchtesgadener land Bahn Bus
We took the city bus to the train station and found out the lake was close by a little town called Berchtegaden using Bus 840.  From there you take Bus 841 to this lake! 

OK we are on our way! 
It was fun to drive out of town...and see the pretty sights especially the cute Tirolean style houses!

Don't you just love it?????!!!!!!!

We have had a lot of rain recently...and the rivers are getting higher & higher!


We got off the Bus 840 and changed over to Bus 841...and off we went again!  This time we turned off a pretty road and started to climb upward!
We then went in and around darling houses - farmhouses!

Wow...how cute is that! 

 Then we came to the end of the ride...and everyone got off!  We walked along the shops - yes we were on the right track...for all these shops were for us tourists...of course! 


The rain came down...most of the afternoon!  Oh gosh Nick....so' glad we have an umbrella! 



 Then we came down to the water!!!!
Yes the lake was so pretty!!!


 Koenig See Berchtesgarden
 The boat was in such nice shape...an older boat and well maintained and everything was shining and painted and very very clean! 






The boat was stopped - electric motor turned off... in this narrow part...and the guy pulls out a horn (Marilyn????!!!!) and he begins to play the horn....right there (even though it was raining...he opened up the little door & stood out) on the lake...and we all listened because the sound would rickshaw off the rocks and mountains and echoed 7 X!!!!! 




Cool huh?!!!!  When he finished - he closed the door...put away the horn and reached for his Captains cap...and gave us all an opportunity to give a tip!  Ha!


 We made 2 stops on the lake & Nick & I just enjoyed the ride and did not disembark...it continued to rain!  This lake has many many hikes all over these mountains! Pretty neat!  A beautiful area but there was a lot of fog as you can see! 




 The water was green!  It was said it was the cleanest water in Austria!
 Coming back to the wharf where we started from!  What a cute picture this is! 
 This is a snow park & what fun...a toboggan ride!  So where is the snow????

 



 We picked up again to get us back to the other bus...and headed back to Salzburg after a really enjoyable and relaxing day!


It let us know we both wanted to enjoy the countryside more...and so when we returned back to the train station in Salzburg we went to the car rental Budget/Avis and talked about renting a car for a few days???  We were pleased with the information ~ our plan we decided was to drive from Salzburg to Innsbruck and instead of doing it with train...we will do it with car...going through the countryside...enjoying areas like  Kitzbuhel & all those Tirolean villages in this area...shall we do it Nick??????  Yes we did!  Tomorrow we pick up the car...at 11:00 am!!!!  YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 We came back to the hotel, freshened up and asked the front desk if they could recommend a real Austrian restaurant where we could enjoy some Austrian dishes????

She suggested one a few blocks away....

 The Old Fox / Alter Fuchs

 It was delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was a family that was also standing in line waiting for a seat~

Andrew & his wife Anna with their children Biaka & Jake.  Andrew & Anna and family are Polish and have lived in the US already 30 years!  They presently live in Florida~  Both kids play instruments and so the family is touring Austria, Salzburg & Vienna & Hungary Budapest!  It was fun to chat with them!  

Another Day in Salzburg ~
























Wow - we took that walk/climb up to the Castle ~ Festung Hohensalzburg Pretty Cool!

We were smart...we went directly from hotel to the castle...it was cooler this morning (it had rained last night!!!) so we started to climb the cobblestone steep road - it did warm up!
Enjoying the sights as we climbed~

We paid the entrance fee of 8 Euro each and continued upward...!

There was also a  Funicular a nice way to go straight up - !

 


 


When we got to the top we realized again the work it was for so many in the past to have come up this way themselves bringing with them all to build this fort....oh what hard work for the people so long ago!  The first building was erected in 1077 and then continued on through the years!  Interesting stuff!    Wow talk about old history!!!!

We stayed for a while going into the different areas & rooms.  There was another fee to go up the tower so we passed on that. There was a museum & just walking the grounds up there and seeing the view was great!


























Later when we went down we saw that they had a wooden walkway to go down on ....which we used because the gravel was slippery going down....because it was quite steep!  I wasn't wearing the right shoes either! 




 Took some beautiful pictures along the way!
 










Looking back....yep that was quite a climb....we did it Nick!








When we got down again...we decided to walk to the Cathedral St Peters and also see the    Catacombs  Wow...the Cathedral was so ornate inside...so much detail & with its Gothic style.  I believe that Maria & Captain von Trapp married in this church....right Polly..."expert"  on The Sound of Music??????

 



St. Peter Abbey Salzburg
Wow...the Cathedral was so ornate inside...so much detail & with its Gothic style.  I believe that Maria & Captain von Trapp married in this church....right Polly..."expert"  on The Sound of Music??????


















Ah it was time for a break...time to sit down and take a load off our feet!

 We enjoyed a darling terrace upstairs..going up a winding stairs to get there!

 Darling place huh?  Just the colors and the seating area makes you want to have a snack there...right????
 Studying the brochures on what to see next??????

Looking down from the terrace - everyone was standing around looking at the "guy hanging in mid air"  he was drawing a lot of people!
  The weather was so nice...and we sat there and looked down to enjoy the people and also a man drawing so much attention ...hmmmmmm!!!!!!  Have you figures out how he does it????


 The coffee's were brought to us by the waiter and the pastry plate  was brought by this girl separately!  She was so cute & she walks among us with this Enticing everyone!

   A close-up pictures so you too can enjoy a bite with us!!!!    The weather was so nice...and we sat there and looked down to enjoy the people and also a man in silver hangin' in the air....hmmmmmm!!!!!!

We took a break & returned to the room until a little later in the evening.

 There would be music at this plaza....on a BIG screen.  We planned to go and check it out!


 But it was still early so we first took a stroll over to the park that was so well known in Salzburg!

Mirabell Park A palace and gardens ~ You can read up on it by clicking on this link!

 Oh it was so pretty - and well manicured gardens~  People strolled in the early evening breeze ~ it was so nice!


 Maria ran around these trees with the children too if I recall ~ singing!


DOE-- A DEER A FEMALE DEER
RAY-- A DROP OF GOLDEN SUN
ME-- A NAME I CALL MYSELF
FAR-- A LONG LONG WAY TO RUN
SEW-- A NEEDLE PULLING THREAD
LA-- A NOTE TO FOLLOW SEW
TEA-- A DRINK WITH JAM AND BREAD
THAT WILL BRING US BACK TO...


 Now that we have been here...I sure do want to see the movie again!!!!!!!

 Meg are you enjoying this too?????










 Do you see Maria & the Children singing 
Do Re Me?????  Can you picture the scene around this fountain????

                        Yes it was around this VERY fountain!! 
 We wandered over to the plaza and found a comfortable seat...it would start in about 30 min or so!

 People gathered, a horse and carriage came by - how cute is that...and fitting for this beautiful town!!!!

 More & More people were arriving from lots of different areas...all coming to find a seat and enjoy the music & evening!
 We listened for a while...and just enjoyed the setting!  We met another person on the bench sitting with us "Barry" from Australia..his wife was from Austria and they were in Salzburg for her work for a year...from Aussie - their son attended the American International School here.  Barry said he enjoyed it here!  His wife would get off work soon...so we enjoyed the chat for a while!  Thanks Barry ~ ! Nice to meet you!


 Barry left and shortly there after we did too...and watched a father & son play Chess on the ground - cool huh?


And this "guy" is continually standing on this golden ball...we have no idea what that is about...and every time I look over to that ball...I want to say to Nick "Oh Nick - there's this guy standing up there!!!" and then I catch myself!!!! 
 Walking back through the cute streets was fun...all the lights were going on now....



We enjoyed a little window shopping....












 How about a Austrian outfit...stylish?


 All these eggs were hand painted~ such detail! 

 .....and the price of this darling cuckoo clock is......569 Euro! 

OUCH!


 We crossed over the bridge...and saw such beauty!  Gosh Pol...am I making you homesick for your sweet Salzburg???????






                   Just look at that city!!!






 Even the castle was lite up!!! 








What a cutie huh? Just look at these eyes!!!!
Is this cow "in Love" or what???????