Befriending Austria!!

There are cities where you want to go and visit but there arr very few cities or villages whr once you visit you feel like staying for a long time, Salzburg and Werfen were such places, I can recall that Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden gave me similar feeling which is not too far from Salzburg. 

Salzburg is special for many reasons. There was no big plan, I packed my bag and left to Salzburg alone from Herzogenaurach -  solo trip. Solo trip was so enriching in so many different ways that I decided to go alone for many trips there after. The train from Erlangen was at 10-45 in the night to Nuremberg, and a 11-30 train to Munich from Nuremberg. 

I had to spend the night in Munich train station until morning 7. I spent the time in burger king drinking coffee. I had company of a student from Frankfurt chatting until dawn, she was travelling to Vienna. 

M-train it was, starting from Munich to Salzburg. It was summer of 2016, so grasslands smiled brightly as the train made its way alongside Alps. I would have stayed without blinking my eyes if I could, but I couldn't.

Train route

Befriending the country side of German Austrian borders and chatting with an old couple who were going to Salzburg for n-teenth time, this was an epic 2 hours of ride. The trip was so satisfying even before I reached Salzburg.

German Austrian Border

 

Train route

At around 9,  I reached Salzburg. The plan was to go to Werfen after breakfast which is an hour's ride from Salzburg. Just when I thought I had seen some unbelievable scenic views, I was given more to feel mesmerized. A perfect train circuit which runs brushing hills on one side and river flowing ferociously separating us from the giant mountains on the other. 

On the way to Werfen

Even if you had special powers to create a place, we might fall short to what I had witnessed. The river was running towards us as train goes deeper into the nature's basket. The route was pureness at its best. Damn!! 

Unbelievable beauty

There were some pockets of houses far where my eyes curiously spotted.  I envy those people, living in such a paradise. 

I reached Werfen, the bus stop to Eisriesenwelt is just outside the train station. The shuttle arrived and there were couple of people who boarded with me. 

Werfen is a cute little hamlet boasting pristine views as shuttle took us up the steep winding narrow roads. You can spot Hohenwerfen fortress clamped on top of a hill with imposing beauty.

HohenWerfen Fortress

From the valleys you rise above clouds in a 20 minute ride to the entrance of Eisriesenwelt. We need to buy tickets here, it includes the cable car ride and entrance charge to ice caves.

Ticket Office

Walk for 20 mins absorbing staggering views of Alps to reach cable car. It then takes you high up flushing us out towards the path leading to the cave. It's another 20 minute climb to the cave in the Alps. 

It was a sunny day, a perfect view of ice perched on top of mountains, river looking like tiny threads that you can spot way below, an artistic backdrop of azure sky. Moving inch by inch I found myself in front of world's largest ice cave.

Surreal!!

The path that I took to the cave

The Entrance

The guides take us inside in batches of 15 or 20. We were given tiny lanterns as there would be absolutely no light inside. The Ice cave is 42 kms long and we would be visiting the first 2 kms. We were welcomed by a huge gust pushing us out as we entered the cave. There were around 20 people in my batch moving in a single line and I was standing in last just before a Russian mother who was with her 2 kids. She had one lantern for 3, I called one of kids to come with me and the little girl sprang to hold my hand, cuteness overloaded. The line was moving in one pace and you know kids, they have their own pace.

Temperature inside cave is always low and my hands started to freeze. Guide explained details of the cave and the icy structures present in different locations of the cave. They were uniquely beautiful, I don't think we can find such a thing anywhere else, It is a different world altogether. Water dripping from top of the mountain with cold winds solidifying them gives them ever changing formations. It was as If there were frozen waterfalls, frozen mountains in the cave. Unfortunately taking photographs is not allowed, but the experience is such that we can never forget the formations that we see. I came out of the cave thanking the guide to a much friendly temperature.

Tracing the same path back,  I reached the ticket office. I had a slow peaceful lunch at the restaurant there and descended back to train station in the shuttle.

 

I was back to Salzburg by 4-30, still having some time in the day to cover few places. 

I quickly took a shower and left the hostel to visit Mirabell gardens, pedestrian bridges which had love locks and markets in old town. It didn't take long to fall in love with Salzburg, a very touristy charming little city. 

Gardens

Love locks-Pedestrian Bridge

Long Stretch of Markets in old town

I returned to hostel to watch Euro cup match between Austria and Portugal,  plenty of people in front of a giant screen creating heated atmosphere, with dinner in front of me,  ah that was lovely. It was a tiring day with great content and satisfaction.

 

With some more places to cover I started early next day. Ice, the law student who was in my room joined me. She was from Thailand, studying in Italy. 

First stop - Hohensalzburg castle. Beautifully placed, with long history, this castle gave us terrific views of the city. Close to it are Mozartplatz , house number 9 Mozart's birth place and the Cathedral. 

HohenSalzburg

View from HohenSalzburg

The beauty of the route to Helbrunn palace was arresting. For the last stretch of 2 kms the walking trial had trees on both sides forming a green cave, I fell hopelessly in love with it. By evening we had our list covered.

Arresting nature

View in the path to Helbrunn

 

Austria is one of the prettiest countries I have ever seen. It is serene and unruffled like no other. Nature is untamed here ensuring psychedelic calmness. Be sure to make place for Austria in your list, it will make a huge place in your heart.

-UR

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