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Lahn

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    • Europe 2022 - 2023
      2
      13311211122222
      Day 393

      Lakes Region, Austria

      June 5, 2023 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

      We were able to visit the towns of Mondsee, Zall em See, and Halstatt. The lakes region is one of the most beautiful parts of Austria and only about an hour ride from Salzburg, some you can get to by bus which was how we got out to Mondsee the previous day. We opted for a car the following and after visiting Halstatt an extremely beautiful yet overly touristed town we got off the beaten path and did a bit of exploring. We headed southwest to the town of Zal em See through dirt backroads. Crossing mountains and streams along old wooden bridges along the way. We climbed up a nearby mountain and had lunch in an authentic austrian hut at the top. These huts are common in the Alps and some have wonderful food and beer, all having outstanding views. They are usually located on foot and bike trails as Austrians favorite past time is hiking, walking and biking along their mountainous countryside.

      In Mondsee, we came across an interesting famous landmark. Their church is the same church that was used for the wedding scene in the Sound of Music.      Read more

    • TravelerChristmas Markets and Balkans
      21
      Day 13

      Hallstatt

      December 15, 2023 in Austria ⋅ 🌫 2 °C

      Alpine stopover on way to Munich. Listed as the most beautiful town in the world and is world heritage listed.

      Really is quite lovely though snowing and a bit cloudy today. Took cable car up the mountain to salt mine entrance with great walk in the snow then lunch of goulash soup, apple strudel and mulled wine which was delicious.

      Well worth the stopover. Lovely spot.      Read more

    • TravelerEurope - Fall 2023
      11
      Day 21

      Hallstatt Museum and Church Bone Chapel

      October 16, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F

      Hallstatt is home to the world's oldest salt mine (it's still in operation!) and one of the best stone-age settlement finds in Europe (to the extent that era in central European history is actually called the Hallstatt Culture Era), including a sizeable necropolis. The museum is actually quite good for such a small town, and includes a replica of the oldest wooden stairs/ladder in the world, dated to almost 1100 BC (the original is in situ in the mine). Also visited the famous bone chapel, with its painted skulls, situated in a 12th century chapel. Bonus pic: leaving Hallstatt by boat.Read more

    • Our salty adventure
      Day 4

      Yesterday was FLAT...

      October 29, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      We caught the postbus to Dachstein Station and took a cablecar to level 1 for a visit to the ice cave. What we weren't told was that the cave entrance was a further 15 minutes away up a hairpinning footpath that was steeeeep. And then in the cave there were 500 steps, mostly upward, and between these flights were steep slopes. Still, quite worthwhile. We saw an animatronic cave bear because they'd found a skull of one (cave bears weighed up to 1000kg and we're told they were herbivores. Seriously, would you hang around to find out, after all you might look like a juicy berry to a short sighted ton of bear...) And we saw plenty of ice at around -2° but we were still sweating from all the climbing.

      And then after walking down the ridiculously steep footpath again, we had cheesy pasta with roasted onions, then sachertore with cream, which made things a bit better.

      Up the next cablecar up to nearly 3000m to look at REAL mountains, with snow. On seeing it was a half hour walk, uphill obviously, to the viewing platform suspended over 1500m of nothingness, we both used the "yes of COURSE we'd enjoy being scared shitless, but alas we can't climb on a full stomach" excuse so sat and drank hot chocolate instead, looking at the views. Di did a bit of a walk, brave girl!

      Then all the way back down, bus to Hallstatt, and a Syrian takeaway chicken burger with curry flavoured chips. Can't beat local cuisine.

      Absolutely knackered, but having that pleasant glow that comes after extreme exertion!      Read more

    • Treasured MemoriesAustria
      Day 3

      Salzwelten Hallstatt, Austria

      September 28, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

      The Salzwelten Salt Mine, situated in Hallstatt, Austria is one of the world's oldest salt mines, boasting a history spanning over 7,000 years. It's renowned for its rich deposits of salt and its significance in the region's economic and cultural development. Guided tours invite visitors to delve into the mine's tunnels, offering insights into ancient mining techniques and the intriguing narrative of salt production. Additionally, the mine presents unique features like subterranean slides and a salt lake, injecting an adventurous spirit into the educational journey. Through its immersive experience, the Hallstatt Salt Mine provides a captivating window into the heritage of salt mining in this idyllic region.Read more

    • TravelerEurope 2023
      Day 59

      Hallstatt, Austria

      October 3, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

      What we did:
      - Caught an 8-10:30 train to Halstatt. From the train station you take a picturesque boat/ferry across the lake into town. With lush mountains surrounding the lake and a 75 and sunny day we were sold! Halstatt is tiiiight.
      - We wandered around the quaint town - Switzerland-esque with all log cabins and endless flowers/greenery throughout. Fortunately tourist levels were low when we were there so it was a nice experience! Can’t imagine it in high season
      - We took a furnicular up to the top of the mountain to really get the expansive views across the lake and mountains. Grabbed a beer and apple strudels at the mountain top restaurant and hungout! As the restaurant got busy, a Chinese lady asked to join us at our picnic table so we said sure… then her family of 5 comes in and all wedges in. 7 of us in a 3-4 person picnic table was nooot the move. Our shocked face at the large family must have made them realize they needed to find another table so fortunately they didn't stay long.
      - Took the furnicular down and enjoyed a great meal in a garden along the lake. Walked around some more and then took the boat and train back to Salzburg. Great day trip!!
      - It was 8 by the time we got back so grabbed some to-go food in old town. We ate in the Airbnb while watching some more Sound of Music before calling it early.
      - On to Budapest to meet up with Sally/Doug!! So excited for the upcoming week

      What we ate:
      - Salzburg Train station croissants and coffees
      - Coffee, beers, and Apple strudel at the top of the Hallstatt funicular restaurant. Voted best Apple strudel of the trip thus far.
      - Lunch in Halstatt at Braugastoff where we split bacon-wrapped chicken and a turkey salad
      -Quick take home dinner of poke and salads in Salsburg at Dean & David’s. We need to franchise this place in the US!! So good and lots of selection - need more fast casual healthy spots back home

      Fun facts -
      - In late August the residents of Halstatt made worldwide news with massive protests and became the new poster for rebelling against overtourism. A town of only 700 residents, it gets 10,000 visitors a day in the summer! Residents recognize the value of tourists, but want a ban on tour buses after 3pm. All throughout the city there were signs in Chinese, English and German telling tourists to be respectful. First time we saw the Chinese language on signs anywhere in Europe so we’ll let you draw the connection to the tour bus ban.
      - There was on 06’ chinese romantic comedy filmed in Hallstatt that boosted its popularity and actually led China to literally build a replica Hallstatt back home..      Read more

    • Our salty adventure
      Day 5

      Thank heavens for ibuprofen

      October 30, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      Both Di and I leapt out of bed at the crack of dawn - and collapsed in a heap, our poor bodies stiff and worn from 2 solid days of vertical alpinism.

      So we had a leisurely stroll to the end of the lake, on the basis that lakes are generally not too uphill. Different viewpoint of town, not much else going for it apart from tranquility and FLATNESS.

      Then we walked into town, found a picturesque restaurant in the town square, ordered overpriced lake fish (which was yummy). Then had a blazing row with the surly bastard who owns the restaurant. (Just written a stinking review on TripAdvisor and found that "surly bastard" is one of the nicer things he's been called in dozens of shit reviews going back several years) Cafe Derbl if you want to check!

      And now back earlyish to try to get ourselves fit enough to get back to Salzburg tomorrow.      Read more

    • Our salty adventure
      Day 2

      Hallstatt in the rain and sun.

      October 27, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

      We had wondered if we had missed The Season yesterday as many places were shut. But then we found out that it was Austrian National Day. When places shut. So today, they were open!

      Into the Hallstatt Museum to see 7000 years of salty history. Very well presented, several hours were spent enjoying the displays. Especially the mirrors (see pics) But also the artefacts. We are suckers for a good artefact.

      When in Florence a few years back we had an Ugly Baby Jesus competition in the Uffizi (won by Botticelli, with a creditable mention for Titian) If only we had seen the Hallstatt altarpiece in the museum, a shoo in for first place.

      Then lunch in the same place as yesterday as I refuse to pay €50+ for fish caught in the lake in the posher eateries. So we had spicy veggie goulash mit brot röll. For €9.

      Then a stroll round the town taking pics, including in the charnel house. Because there is so little land, they exhume bodies from graves every now and then, paint the skulls and put them on shelves. And stack femurs underneath. I assume the other bones are ground up for fertiliser, the geez was very reticent on this...      Read more

    • TravelerWien
      Day 8

      Hallstatt

      May 7 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

      Nach einer Übernachtung in der Nähe von Graz (Landgasthof Lazarus) geht es heute nach Hallstadt. Das Dorf ist sehr populär, d.h. sehr von Touristen überlaufen. Nun ja, wir sind ja auch welche. Viele Asiaten da. Diese werden herangekarrt und ausgekippt. Die Anwohner müssen sich wie im Zoo vorkommen. Da Erdgeschoss ist fast überall mit Gardinen zugezogen oder aber es finden sich Geschäfte darin...
      Ich möchte nicht mit den Anwohnern tauschen. Überall wird in mehrsprachigen Schildern hingewiesen, dass die Privatsphäre zu achten ist und es sich um Privateigentum handelt. Gefühlt, können sich Asiaten nicht leise unterhalten. Immer laut. Unangenehm.
      Nach einem Besuch im Kaffeehaus und ausgiebigen Bummel ging es weiter nach Werfen. Hier werden wir 2 Nächte verbringen...      Read more

      See translation
    • Our salty adventure
      Day 3

      Gosh, I'm a decade older than I was yest

      October 28, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      And so, after a vanilla cream filled pastry cone for breakfast, we ascended the funicular, all of 50 yards from our apartment, to the oldest salt mine in the world (see yesterday, museum...)

      You'd have thought if they were going to the trouble of building a funicular they'd have taken it to the mine entrance. But no, they made us walk the final 650m very uphill.

      We had to put on white over jackets and trousers, otherwise we wouldn't have looked stupid enough for the photos. Then we walked miles through tunnels. But we had fun on the miners' slides. On the longer 65m one, Di tapped into her inner miner by screaming the whole way down.

      It was nice to see the oldest wooden staircase in the world, perfectly preserved and only discovered/excavated a couple of years ago.

      Then we had a birthday lunch of spinach dumplings in very cheesy sauce followed by amazing strudel with great custard. Eaten overlooking the Hallstatt lake and valley, over 500m below. Di went out on the Skywalk to look down at the village. And I nearly did...

      The sun sets behind the mountains soon after 3pm so some of the later pics are in shade.

      Thanks to all who sent birthday commiserations on my ancientness.      Read more

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