Travels Revisited: Alps 2014

We're in the Austrian Alps!

August 3rd-

Today we took a cable car up a mountain, then hiked 5 hours down. The view was gorgeous and we sang sound of music songs whenever there was a field. It was about 2 hours to the peak and 3 hours down.

On the grounds of our chalet there's bunnies, Gueina pigs, kittens, goats and horses. The kitten was walking around and we brought it inside the chalet. So while we were eating dinner it slept on the couch. We took a drive to the town because the annual firemens party was going on. When we got there we were going to take a helicopter ride but we were too late.

August 4th & 5th-

We went to a national park/museum place and walked up to a waterfall. At the museum they had traditional masks used around Christmas time to scare the little German kids. Then we took a 10 minute walk up to a waterfall. That night we took a bike ride in to town.

Today we went to the oldest salt mine in the world, in Hallstatt. A cute little town in the middle of nowhere. To get to the salt mine you had to take a cable car up the mountain. Halstatt is on a lake, so when you reached the top of the mountain they had lookout spots and restaurants with views of the town. In the salt mine there were two slides and a train you had to take out of the mountain. There was a light show projected on the underground lake. You had to wear jumpsuits into the mine. This was the second salt mine I've been to. Actually, the school went to a salt mine today as well, except they went to a different one. Then we walked around the village of Hallstatt. Took some pictures, bought ice cream and searched for macaroons.

August 6th-

Some people went on a hike to the disappearing lake, but a few of us just stayed at the cabin. We biked into town to Billa and bought food. Walked up to the little zip line and just hung out around the cabin.

August 7th-

Today we left at 10am and drove the Grossglockner road. We drove up to the glacier and had lunch halfway up the mountain at a cute little restaurant. We stopped at a few places to take pictures and at one stop we took pictures in the snow. Me and Court tried to climb the snow wall but I ended up sliding down on accident. The alps were gorgeous too because when I hear alps I think of snow covered mountains and we finally saw some!

August 8th-

Today we went on a short circle hike. We drove up to a restaurant and started from there, then had about 30 minutes uphill and an hour downhill. They had trail markers colored like the Austrian flag. After the hike we had lunch and biked to Billa. The town is super close to our chalet so biking is the better choice.

August 9th-

We left the cabin and the alps today. We left at 9:30 and got home at 3 because we stopped for lunch. Then that night we went out to a famous snitzel restaurant and desert place for Sachertorte. Then we took the subway back to the apartment!

August 10th-

Today we walked to the World War 1 museum. They had WW1 & WW2 exhibits. It was really cool. Then we went to the Belvedere cafe for Apple strudel. Then we went inside the Belvedere to look at the art exhibits. They had some Van Gough and Monets there. Then we went to the Schoenbrunn Palace for a tour and dinner! I preferred this palace to the Hofburg. Which we toured when I first got here. Tomorrow is our last day in Vienna.

August 11th-

Today we had a tour of the United Nations. They took us through the C building, we saw a conference room and a video summarizing what the UN did in 2013. There are 193 countries in the UN and they have 5 headquarters. In Geneva, Vienna, New York, Rome and Narobi.

Then we took the subway two stops to the mall. We decided that the 4 story Forever 21 downtown would be better. The four of us, me, Courtney, Cara and Aunt Cathy found our way on the subway to Stephansplatz and home again. This was our last full day in Vienna.

August 12th-

Today we got up at 6am and went to the airport at 7. Our flight left at around 10:30 Viennas time and we got into Washington at 2:30 U.S. Time. So now were back in the States! We will miss Vienna, I had an INCREDIBLE trip! I'm so so so happy I got the chance to go! Wiedersehen Österreich ❤️