Maria Alm 1

On this trip I had three main objectives, hi points if you will, to travel on the largest cruise ship in the world and to see what that would be like --- to once again visit our dear friend Runi and family in St. Gilgen Austria, which is always a hi point --- to experience the two RCI condos in Italy and Austria.  All that stuff in between, train, car etc. was a bonus.  

75°F today, mid day and full sunshine, Sunday 9-28-14.  We spent most of the day in St. Gilgen town, the crafts fair was still going on and there were lots of people about.  Always food, always drink and always coffee with whatever.  At home we took a little nap and then had our soup with some wonderful bread.  Church bells were chiming off and on and no work type noises were heard anywhere.  It's Sunday in Austria, a very catholic country. 

Today is my birthday, September 29th. and what a wonderful day it was.  The most memorable birthday I have had.  Our friend Runi and her sister Reingart took us to a small lake nearby, Hintersee, we walked with dog for a while under blue sky and gorgeous mountain reflection in the lake, until we wound up at a little country restaurant in the middle of nowhere.  There we had a little some thing to eat, pumpkin soup, Applestrudel, some caffe, a beer, and I had to eat their special of the day, Hungarian Gulasch with a big dumpling.  It was fantastic.  

You see, here an outing, almost any outing, always includes a stop for some sort of food and drink.

In the morning our hostess at the apartment, gave me a small homemade cake with a real rose in the wrapping, Runi gave me, us, that beautiful outing to the lake, her sister have me a good portion of Appel Strudel and even the dog, Dony, gave me a cookie with a plastic dog on top.  What a wonderful day.    

Today, Tuesday, we took the car for a spin.  We visited another lake in this wonderful Salzburger lake district called Salzkammergut.  The weather was perfect.  Because of my roots, I have to call this my favorite place in the world.  

October 1.   Today, a trip into Salzburg to get our train trip arranged for the 13th. to Rotterdam, with an overnight in Frankfurt.  All taken care of, we will be rolling first class until we hit the boat. 

Oct. 2. we drove to Freilassing, Germany, just across the border from Salzburg, except there is no border, my old stomping ground where I grew up until I was 18.  There we were looking for a special gift. We had lunch there, at a small hotel beer garden.   

A lot of it has changed, more build up, newer buildings, newer streets, newer shops and so on.  I do recognize some of it still, but after all, it's been over 60 years !!!  But it was fun seeing the old place again.  The traffic was bad, like everywhere, too many cars, even tho they are relatively small.

The drive outside the city was beautiful, always is.  My love for this part of the world will never die.  

Today Friday the 3rd. We had our last outing with Runi and dog Dony, we had smoked "Saibling", (a relative to the trout), for lunch, by Fuschelsee, capping it off with coffee and Apfelstrudel, our favorite pastry, at a nearby hotel.  Tomorrow will be travel day to RCI Maria Alm.  

While I was gathering things up in the apartment, Runi took Geneva, in the morning, to a big flee market.  It was outdoors and was stocked with old stuff and new stuff.  I did not go.

We finally left St. Gilgen shortly before 1pm.

We just got to our new RCI place in Maria Alm Austria, a 1-½ hour drive south/east from St. Gilgen, which we turned into a 3 hour one.  The drive was absolutely wonderful, totally enjoyable.  High Rocky Mountains, blue sky, white clouds, a stream running beside us a good bit of the time.  We stopped at a little place called Mühlbach (Millstream) by the Hochkönig (High King) and had lunch.  Delightful.  I must say right now, this is like night and day compared to the RCI in Italy !!! 

Unfortunately the internet connection here is not very good, eventho we have to pay for it. (8€ for 20 hours).   So, for the week that we are here in Maria Alm email will be spotty at best, but receiving mail seems to work better.  Italy wins this one.  

Other than that, the place is fantastic, clean, fabulous location, Austrian style buildings, many amenities.  We had breakfast this Sunday morning in the 'in house' restaurant, with a very well stocked, all you can eat, buffet.  We did get our traditional b'fast Semmerln and much more.  This venue here seems to be quite big and popular with mainly Europeans, for there was much activity this morning with people moving out at the end of the weekend.  This RCI place is billed as a "Family and Sportshotel".  14°C or 57°F at noon, 65°F in the late afternoon.

This afternoon we went for a nice drive to Maria Alm town and beyond to a larger town called Saalfelden.  (They are easily found on Google maps).  The country side is breathtaking and every view a picture postcard.  The leaves are just turning now, they did not show any color when we first got here.  I'd say that it rivals St. Gilgen, but only just !!  Unfortunately we can not send pictures very well, the internet here can't handle it.  Later.  

Here I want to note some of the little (and not so little) mistakes we have made on this trip so far.   --The most recent one, yesterday Saturday, we did not get some basic food provisions for breakfast etc., because today is Sunday and most, if not all, stores and shops are closed !!  But plenty of restaurant are open.

(All tho we did have a nice pizza dinner at the Bistro 'in house' last night).  

--Another one is, Geneva left a jacket with a glasses holder magnet on the train on the way to Salzburg.  --The biggest one tho was not having rented the cars before we left the US.  --I did not buy the transformer/plug, 220/110, for my razor, from the guy in the Pension Stoi in Innsbruck for 5€.  (I can't find one anywhere).  --