- 27 May 97 -13 July 97

Munich, Germany to Salzburg, Austria - PM Trip to Berchtesgaden, Germany

While we were in the station, we checked on connections to Berchtesgaden (we were planning to go up tomorrow) - found it was only about an hours trip and our Rail Passes covered it. So, after checking in and getting settled we walked back and caught the 13:35 - 14:30 train. [It couldn't have been too far, to have gotten oriented, walked to the hotel - check in - get settled - & walk back - in less than an hour - with time to spare.] This was a "direct - local" train, the weather was gorgeous and our first trip "into" the alps was fabulous.

We found out on arrival, that "Hitler's Eagles Nest" was not open until April 1st due to snow still in the mountains - so we just walked around town for the afternoon. The sun was bright, the skies were crystal clear, and the temperature was about 65 - it couldn't have been nicer. Stopped for our afternoon "coffee break" at The Hotel Bavaria. It had Western facing - huge picture windows framing "Berchtesgadner Lands" trademark mountain peaks ( The Hochkalter - 2607 m & The Mittelspitze - 2713 m). We found a table in the back - in the shade - the main dining room was like a "glass hot house". In talking with the owner, he convinced us that with the weather being so beautiful, we didn't want to "waste" tomorrow by going down into the salt mines and suggested a visit to Konigssee.

Had dinner in the Berchtesgaden Hbf - plain but really good fare and a friendly operator. Lin & Barb got postcards to send home - postmarked from Berchtesgaden (particularily to Todd - his "Senior Essay" was on Hitler's Eagles Nest) and caught a 19:33 train back to Salzburg, with a change in Freilassing.

On the way back to Salzburg we met two ladies traveling Europe by train & Hostel from Bryan / College Station, Texas where Todd had just come back from working - installing a sewage treatment plant. The excitement for today came when we arrived in Freilassing and got off to change trains. In getting involved and talking with these ladies from Texas, Bo had neglected to use the facilities on the train before pulling into the station. He GOT BACK ON to use the W/C and we just knew he was going to get trapped onboard as it pulled out. Fortunately he was "zippin' up & gettin' off" as the whistle sounded and just before the doors slammed shut!!