2017.8.20 Konigssee
The day started by a light drizzle in the morning, and as we sat at the breakfast table we kept peeking out at the windows, looking out into the grey-ish rainy day, as we planned on taking the Konigssee boat cruise today. Very grateful that the drizzle stopped as soon as we boarded the boat, and the sunbeams started to peak out through the heavy clouds, and in a few hours we could see the clear blue sky as the emerald green of lake Konigssee started to change colors, into shades of lighter green and blue.
With white fluffy clouds hanging low and nearly motionless, mountains and pines reflecting in the crystal clear lake like mirrors, cruising through lake Konigssee transplants you to another kingdom, of sublime and peace, as the beautiful waters inspire and enchant. We stopped at Salet, and then begun the hiking path towards lake Oberssee, a beautiful lake situated between the U-shaped valleys of the German Alps, with crystal clear reflections of the mountains above. We were very lucky to begin our hike early, as it was deserted except a group of elderly hikers, and took a lot of pictures in different angles around the lake. One of our first stops was at the wooden milk station, and we sat at the most beautiful outside drinking areas you could’ve imagine, on wooden chairs and tables surrounded by valleys and panoramas of green, overlooking the Oberssee. The hike led us to the up-hills of the Oberssee, a few towering waterfalls; “wasserfalls” as they spell it in German, with icy waters that were crystal clear that further flow downstream into lake Konigssee. The hike was perfect, with mild temperature and chilly breezes from the morning’s rain, and sunlight was warm and inviting. We finished our hike around 2 in the afternoon, burning with hunger I guess, and ate at the trout restaurant serving smoked trout on pieces of bread.
The drive from Berchesgarden national park to Salzburg was a brief 40 minute ride, giving us ample time to stroll around Salzburg in a nice pace and find a local Austrian restaurant with outdoor seating and good traditional cuisine. Austrian dumplings were quite new to us, as I ordered Spinach dumplings served with Parmesan cheese and salad, and Dad ordered roasted pork with bread dumplings. Austrian dumplings are huge flour balls mixed with meat, potatoes, or the kind of vegetable its flavored with. Tastes a bit like savory Chinese pastries in dips, and although it’s not perfectly delicious, gastronomic novelty and trying out new stuff is always one of the best things in travel.
2017.8.21
HallStatt
Now I’m in a bedroom with a million dollar view. As I look out the window, the Lake of Hallststt stands right before and around me, with dark blue-green waters surrounded in all 3 sides by huge rocky mountains looming over. I thank Dad for arranging the trip, as I cherish every single day from trying out traditional Bavarian pork knuckles, Austrian dumplings, to novel new delicacies, hiking sometimes in silence and sometimes chatting mindlessly in the black forest, or planning out hiking routes in our warm little caverns. We are not perfect, sometimes insecurity and emotions overrides us all, but those are small instances during the trip and I’m grateful for my family, always providing support and compassion at all times, making this trip one great memory for us all.
2017.8.23–24
Munich
Reached Munich after a 4 hour ride from Goussau, and I was ready to explore the city after the long ride, but not as much as Mom, who has planned thoroughly on buying Rimowa suitcases as well as hand creams from Kamilli. The city center of Munich-Marian Plaz, the virtual market, KarlPlaz, is packed with tourists, outdoor cafes, and shopping chain stores. Yet there’s this laid back, fresh, and Europe-vacation feeling in the air, as ice cream stands, the ancient building-cross placed with modern stores street view, and international tourist squad build up the atmosphere that’s light and happy. Ended our day with fruitful shopping, as Mom bought 2 Rimowa suitcases successfully as well as hand cream and some German supermarket tea.
In most of the trips back in the countryside of Austria and Southern Bavaria, we relied heavily on pre-planned restaurants or Trip Advisor suggestions for places to eat. I guess sometimes it’s also good to explore and discover, to not plan ahead and bump into hidden surprises or sudden cravings. We did just this today, as we simply walked into a Chinese restaurant in the corner of our hotel in Munich, and the noodles and dumplings were quite authentic! It wasn’t pacled nor was it touristy, but sometimes a bit of adventure and luck is what it takes to bump into hidden surprises when it comes to gastronomic novelty.
