Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Austria

August 24-27, 2019

Salzburg Austria is a great city to visit. There are nice paths to walk along the Salzach River. Most sights you want to see are in the old town area. Everything is within easy walking distance once you are in the city. We stayed at a campground with a bus stop at the main entrance. All we had to do was hop on the bus and 15 minutes later we were in old town, very convenient. You can't visit Salzburg and not take a salt mine tour, so we did. We visited Salzburg many years ago and toured a salt mine, so this was our second tour. They both were very simular - ride a small train into the mountain, go down wooden slides (these are a lot of fun), barge across a large underground lake, and walk a lot in dark tunnels. It is interesting.

Old town area of Salzburg.

Schloss Mirabella

Mirabella Gardens

Mirabella Gardens

Pedestrian shopping street - We were here about 12 years ago. The street with the beautiful signs looks the same, but the crowds are new. My old photo only had a few people in it. 

Pedestrian bridge over the Salzach River.



Salzburg's duck boat tour.

Ducks selling glasses.

Mozart ducks.

Mozart chocolate.

Open piano in front of Mozart statue - Anyone can sit and play the piano. The two we heard were quite good.

Kapitel Horse Pond

Horse drawn carriages next to the Kapitel Horse Pond.

"Sphaera" - man standing on golden ball sculpture in Kapitelplatz Square.

"Pieta" - sculpture by Anna Chromy

Hallein Salt Mine near Salzburg. They claim they are the worlds oldest salt mine.
 
Wooden slide aka miners slide.

Austrian countryside

Roads through the mountains are very scenic.

View of Zugspitze from Austria. Zugspitz is the highest peak in Germany and is on the border with Austria.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Czech Republic

August 15 - 20, 2019

Many years ago we went to Prague but had not toured the rest of  the country. Now seemed like the perfect time to get a taste of the rest of the country. We entered from Poland into the Bohemian Alps area. The mountains are beautiful. We took a day hike in the Vitkovice area.Our camp site owner suggested the route. It was a good day on a popular hike to the Polish border and back. We also spent time visiting two small old cities Jicin and Telc and the ruins of Trosky Castle.

View along the trail in the Vitkovice area. The ridge line in the distance is the Polish border.

Labska bouda - Our lunch stop.

Trail markers used in the winter.

The trail was very scenic. We hiked about 9 km.

View along the trail.

Many of the fences in Lhota were decorated with old coffee mugs.

Trosky Castle ruins - The castle was built on twin basalt volcanic plugs. It was built in the 14th century. This tower is called Baba (Old Hag).

The second tower is known as Panna (Virgin).

View from Panna. 

Wallenstein Square in Jicin.

Valdice Gate in Jicin.

Pedestrian shopping street.

Flowers for sale.

One of several large head sculptures in someones yard.

The city of Telc - a UNESCO World Heritage site.

View of Zacharias of Hradec Square.

Church in Telc.

Buildings on the town square.

Fountain in the town square.

They were having an old tractor show.

Puppets for sale.

Coffee mugs for sale.