Berchtesgaden And The Eagle's Nest

Sunday, May 29, 2016

The weather forecast for this week doesn't look good.  They are predicting rain and/or thunderstorms every day we are here.  Of course the predictions have been wrong more then they've been right, so there is hope.

Sunday's in this area usually mean that almost everything is closed.  We experienced it before when we spent a week in Bavaria, just a little north of here.  What to do?  We figured that the only place we could dependably find things open would be in Salzburg.  When I checked the weather this morning it was showing that for the majority of the day it would be partly sunny.  Great!  I wore my sandals (for only about the 4th time on the trip so far!) and finally my skirt.  I have now worn every article of clothes I brought with me.  

We were almost to Salzburg when I saw a sign for Berchtesgaden.  Of course!  The sun is out and we should be taking advantage of that fact.  We went there instead, and then up to where we can take the bus to the Eagles Nest.  This is where Hitler did much of his planning for WWII.  No cars are allowed.  The road is only wide enough for the bus, and I times I wasn't sure it was wide enough for that!  The views are breathtaking and it does feel like you are on top of the world!

We then went to the Obersalzberg Documentation Center and Bunker.  When we paid to go in I asked about the audio guides.  I think she was trying to tell me they were out of them.  No problem, about every other place I've gone on this trip have information in the native language and in English, at the minimum.  Every other place that is.  No English here.  It was hard to get much out of it when I couldn't read the information on the displays.  We also went into Hitler's bunker.  I'm glad we went because its historical, but the best thing about it was the views in my opinion.  

On our way to Sankt Johann im Pongau yesterday we drove by a castle on the edge of a hill very close to here.   We learned that it is called Burg Hohenwerfen and it's over 900 years old.  We considered stopping there on the way back today, but it was getting late and I was tired.  Another day.  We avoided going back to our hotel for awhile because there was a 6:30 meeting for guests to attend and sign up for outings.  The man in charge approached us a half dozen times yesterday to remind us to attend.  It think it's great for those who don't have cars, but we do.  Our mission was to avoid him.  We walked around town a bit until we could go get dinner.  We were outside under an awning when the rain began.  The awning leaked near Jim so we moved.  The wind picked up and rain got harder.  The rain didn't end before we had to walk back to the hotel.  My feet were cold and wet by the time we got there.  So much for a skirt and sandals!

I sure hope we get good weather tomorrow.