Hiersdorf

A day that promised to be very mixed weather wise. We decided to head for Gmunden on Traunsee where there is supposed to be a working paddle steamer.
So lots of transport - bus to Bad Ischl then train to Gmunden Banhof and a tram to the centre and the lake.
Initially the weather was still very warm - 25 degrees - and so when it rained a little our coats felt much too warm. We found the paddle steamer Gisela and eventually a ticket office but unfortunately they couldn’t/didn’t want to (unclear which) sell us tickets as rain was forecast for its 2pm departure time and the inside seats were all booked. We left it that we would come back just before 2 to see if the forecast had changed.
In the meantime we wandered along the lakeside looking at the international ceramics fair that was taking place. Pottery from all over Europe and of every type, both decorative and functional, modern and traditional - even one person from Somerset.
At about 1.45 we went back to the ticket office and managed to persuade the guy that we didn’t mind getting wet and that we really did want to ride on the paddle steamer and not on the modern boat that would have had inside seating. Quite frankly Toby wouldn’t have wanted to sit inside even if this had been possible and in the end there turned out to be a lot more mad people like us who were prepared to get wet if necessary.
Once on board Toby was extremely happy - best moment of his holiday I think and so one of the best of mine too. Weather was fine to start with - not sunny but not raining either.
However as the trip round the lake continued the sky became darker and then it did start raining quite a lot.
No one seemed particularly bothered by this - the engine area was surrounded by paddle steamer geeks (including Toby and me) and small children and that bit of the boat was quite warm despite the weather! It was, despite the weather, a fabulous trip. The views across the lake were very dramatic and I’m sure as good as those on a sunny day in some ways - again wish I could paint.
By the end of the trip it was getting quite cold (as had been forecast) with a drop in temperature of about 10 degrees from the morning.
A bit cold and wet by now we took the tram back to the station and then had a long wait for the train to Bad Ischl. Luckily the bus connected reasonably swiftly so there was time for a bath to warm up before dinner.
Another fab dinner at the hotel - the food really is extremely good but as a result I always seem to eat too much!Read more