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Author Topic: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues  (Read 141088 times)

Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #255 on: May 30, 2015, 12:50:50 PM »
Wanting to make the best of the weather, I took a bus in the afternoon to another lake, Hintersee and walked around it and followed a nature trail through the Zauberwald, or Magic Forest, probably about 7km in total.  No wonder I had trouble going down to the town for my dinner.



It was another sunny day as I travelled into Austria and the Salzkammergut region.

Offline killersmom

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #256 on: May 30, 2015, 02:40:51 PM »
Beautiful pictures, Brian.
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Offline CellarDweller115

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #257 on: May 30, 2015, 02:54:28 PM »
With pouring rain on Wednesday, I decided to go by bus to one of King Ludwig’s castles, Linderhof. I had visited it in the 1970’s. I got drenched just waiting in the queue to enter and as I left, not spending much time in the gardens, it began to snow although it did not settle in the valley. I think the mountains would have been beautiful if I could have seen through the clouds.  I had to change buses in a favourite town of mine, Oberammergau, so cheered myself up with a big plate of strawberries, cream and ice-cream.

The next 2 days were just drizzle so on Thursday I walked in the hills just above the town but only up about 100 metres and travelled by bus to Munich on Friday. That evening I went to the impressive Herkuulesaal in the Munich Residenz where I heard the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. Sir John Gardiner was the conductor. I think I have seen him conduct Last Night of the Proms.   I was in the very centre 2nd row but I actually prefer to be up high so I can look down and see all the orchestra.
Berlioz 'Harold en Italie' was first with Antoine Tamestit playing the viola solo. He was excellent and quite a showman.    The 2nd half was Schubert Symphony Nr 8.

Saturday in Munich was overcast but did not rain until evening. I went to the Nymphenburg Palace. I do not remember going there on my previous visits to Munich. After going through the amazing Baroque and Rococo rooms in the main pavilion, I wandered in the 200 acre park somewhat reminiscent of Versailles, and visited the 4 garden pavilions, each in a different style. This photo shows the hall of mirrors in the Amalienburg Pavilion.



Wow, that's quite an interior. 

Great mountain shots as well!

Offline ingmarnicebbmt

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And maybe, he thought, they'd never got much farther than that.

Offline ingmarnicebbmt

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #259 on: May 30, 2015, 04:40:57 PM »

Very interesting series and comments, Brian.

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And maybe, he thought, they'd never got much farther than that.

Offline Sason

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #260 on: May 31, 2015, 08:11:09 AM »
Gorgeous pics, Brian!

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Offline Sara B

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #261 on: May 31, 2015, 08:14:42 AM »
Thanks, Brian - whetting my appetite! Lovely photos, and stay worry-free!

Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #262 on: June 04, 2015, 05:03:58 AM »
Salzkammergut

The weather has certainly improved for me.  Sorry if I sent the bad weather to Dunedin.

As you can see from the photos it gradually got better during my 5 days in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria. It is now quite hot in Vienna but I know I must not complain.
The blue skies have made it hard to choose the photos to post.

I fell in love with the town of Hallstatt when I stayed there back in 2008. It is a UNESCO heritage town on the edge of a lake with wonderful mountain views. However to get there you must catch a ferry over the lake from the train station so this time I chose to stay in the bigger town of Bad Ischl instead and have easier travel to the various lakes and mountains.  I had an apartment right in the centre of town with shops and restaurants underneath and my window looked down on the river rushing below. However the bedroom and bathroom were up a narrow winding staircase from the lounge/kitchen which became a bit tiresome.

On the day after my arrival (Saturday) my departure was delayed due the panic caused by a misplaced credit card (I had hidden it from even myself). Once solved it was too late to do what I planned (left to Sunday) and probably just as well as there were still clouds and one or two brief showers.

I caught a bus to Bad Gilgen and waited an hour (over a coffee of course) for a ferry that took me along the Wolfgangsee to where a steam cog railway went up to Schaftsbergspitz at 1732 metres. I have included a photo showing a bit of the train and track.



« Last Edit: June 04, 2015, 05:20:10 AM by brianr »

Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #263 on: June 04, 2015, 05:05:10 AM »
On Sunday the bus went in the other direction to Obertraun and the Dachstein chairlift. Here 2 cable cars lifted me up to 2100 metres and a  20 minute walk (difficult at that height ) took me to the 5 fingers viewing platform. This photo shows the platform and explains why I had to pluck up all my courage to go out on it




Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #264 on: June 04, 2015, 05:07:55 AM »
From that point this photo looks down over the Hallstattersee mentioned before. You can see there were clouds but it was possible to get a photo with some patience and jostling as only 2 people can stand on each of the 5 fingers at any one time.




Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #265 on: June 04, 2015, 05:08:45 AM »
This photo is the view from the path across the Dachstein Mountains




Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #266 on: June 04, 2015, 05:09:48 AM »
I returned back down the top cable car and took a tour of the Dachstein Ice Cave. This involved climbing 70 metres to the entrance where we met the guide who then told us it was 0’C inside but not to worry as we would be climbing 500 steps to keep us warm. I was probably the oldest and while I can manage the steps, I would prefer to take a bit more time. However I probably handled the temperatures better than the mainly Asian young people with me. The ice shapes were intriguing. I think this photo is the best of my attempts to show them.



On the way back I stopped for an hour in Hallstatt.  Being Sunday afternoon 31st May, I found it much more crowded than my previous visit in late April  2008. The views were still great and the town probably improves in the evening after the tourist coaches leave. I bought  an ice cream.


Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #267 on: June 04, 2015, 05:10:44 AM »
Monday I caught the train to Gmunden on the Traunsee and, again after an hour over coffee and cake, it was on a rather small ferry along the lake to Ebensee. It is a beautiful lake andthe photo also shows just one of the many water activities even on a week day.




Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #268 on: June 04, 2015, 05:12:16 AM »
At Ebensee I walked a kilometre to another cable car (they get a bit addictive) this time only 1600 metres but apparently one of, if not the first cable cars in Austria. There were lots of ski chair lifts at the top but not in operation at this time. I walked about 35 minutes each way looking at the views one of which is in this photo.





Offline brianr

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Re: The Places We've Been vol. 2 - Pictures from Abroad and Travelogues
« Reply #269 on: June 04, 2015, 05:13:20 AM »
On Tuesday I was again on the train past Hallstatt to Bad Aussersee then a bus to AltAusseer which is on a smaller lake and I was able to walk around it in about 2 hours (6 and a half km). The photo shows one of the views. Unfortunately rather than wait and catch the bus back I decided to walk not realising it was another 5 km although much was along the river bank. The bus passed me at the last stop before the town so only about 5 minutes quicker.



I never got round to visiting the museums and castles in Bad Ischl. Left that to a rainy day which never came.

Yesterday I again packed up and caught the train to my last stop in Europe, Vienna.  I have a lovely apartment and the owner has been most helpful. Opera is my main interest here and, after rushing to pick up the tickets before 5pm and then buy a few foodstuffs as today is a public holiday (Ascension day) and even supermarkets close on public holidays as well as Sundays, I went to the Volksoper  (Folk Opera) which was my 4th visit there.  I did not know much about the light opera Grafin (Countess) Marizka by Emmerich Kalman but the music, staging and dancing were delightful. Fortunately English is displayed above the stage although I found it a bit above my line of sight to see the action and I gather some contemporary jokes were added to the script but not in the English. Many of the songs are still running in my head especially ‘Komm Zigany (Gypsies)’ and ‘Komm mir nach Varazdin’ (I visited Varazdin in Croatia back in 2013.)

Today I am relaxing, as I have a much heavier opera (Wagner’s Siegfried) at the Staatsoper starting at 4pm this afternoon and finishing at 9pm