Hallstatt

Today has been moving day and we decided for this trip we would use the trains. Now had we been in the UK, no doubt the drivers would be on strike for an annual Legoland visit for the whole family, including a distant cousin whom they never speak to. Here, it is a very different story. The information on arrival at Salzburg’s modern clean station was clear, even to those not speaking German as a first language. Arriving on the proscribed platform to our astonishment the train was already there and there was plenty of time to organise luggage and find the reserved seats and guess what there was no one else sitting in them refusing to move! It went out on time to the minute and arrived in the same vein throughout the journey. We changed to a smaller regional train that took us to Hallstatt station and then walked the short distance to the ferry which used to be the only way of reaching this picturesque tiny village hugging the shores of Lake Hallstatt, a classic drowned glaciated valley.. We passed through here about 15 yrs ago on a walking holiday and vowed to return if we ever had the chance. Peter and a friend had detoured off to visit the local salt mine and were late returning and ended up running through the village in order to catch the ferry, so saw very little. The rest of us sat on the terrace of the Gruner Baum Hotel drinking tea and taking in the views, which were and are glorious. It’s risky returning - as things are not always as you remember them. Roads and tunnels have now been put in and the village is clearly firmly on the tourist route, which is a disadvantage, but we will see if its charm remains. Hallstatt evolved as a result of the salt mining nearby. Man has been digging out salt deposits in the Dachstein Mountains for some 5000 years. The name Hallstatt means ‘salt’ ‘settlement’ and originally began as living accommodation for the miners, the salt being transported out of the village by boat. I suspect the beauty of the surroundings were secondary at the time. Peter says the salt mine visit was fascinating and I’ll take his word for it! This is meant to be a couple of days of chill before hitting Vienna. We’ll see what tomorrow brings?

Well, we have certainly had plenty of chill today, but not quite where I had hoped. It has rained non stop, and we took our planned constitutionals with umbrellas in hand. I had booked a lovely balcony room overlooking the lake, planning to sit on it and drink in the views - the best played plans……….

Also, my concerns have sadly been justified. The setting and village is still lovely, but gone are the charming artisan workshops to be replaced with cafes and the usual tat. Coaches deposit visitors at one end of the village (not possible 15 years ago) for their hour long slot and they wander desultorily through the village, more concerned with taking umpteenth selfies of themselves, pouting at the camera. One couple were still commanding the same spot half an hour later when we returned from our walk! If that’s all they’re interested in it would be better if they stayed at home posing in the back garden!!Baca lagi