Muenchen und der Englischer Garten

Stan and I dropped Chris and Elena at the airport in Munich today. We spent a couple of hours in the city beforehand. Walking down Marienplatz is nice, but a city is a city.

Neues Rathaus (Town Hall)

Spielzeug Museum

These two guys playing "In the Hall of the Mountain King" were the highlight

The European summer continues to overachieve, breaking all sorts of records for heat and sunshine. Over 30 degrees in Munich today, so there were lots of people in the Englischer Garten.  Lots.

Lots

Not autumn yet, but the Japanese Maple obviously hasn't realised that

Running through the Englischer Garten are a couple of streams that are force-flowed - like something at a waterpark. Less than a metre deep but almost impossible to stand up in, there were many people heading rapidly downstream in the current. At a couple of places there were rapids, and surfers.

This shot was taken from a bridge where lots of people were watching

All lined up, waiting their turns

Die Rotwand

Today was a brilliant day weatherwise, so I took myself off to the Rotwand (1885m). It took almost two hours to get there (I stop frequently), and the view was amazing. There were lots of other people there, too – I reckon I saw 500 people in one hour between the peak and the Rotwandhaus (where they serve food and drink).

Saw a couple of Murmeltiere (marmots) on the way

Most of the peaks have a cross on top, with info including altitude

Some of the people up on top (and an Alpine Chough)

The path I walked on leading to the Rotwand...

...and the path ahead, leading to the Rotwandhaus (far right)

Snow on the mountains in the background (in Austria!)

I ended up walking through the near side of this valley

From the Rotwandhaus, I headed further away, then circled around the valley behind the Rotwand and did a loop back to the Taubensteinbahn (the gondola station on the ridge above Obere Maxlraineralm). During this part of the walk I saw fewer than 20 people in three hours. At times I felt that I was the only person in the world.

Schön

Looking towards the Chiemsee in the distance

Some fascinating rock formations (and pretty flowers, too!)\

The ringing of cowbells is constant here in the Alps

When I crested the next saddle into another valley, I could see the Taubensteinhaus, which is only five minutes from the gondola station. Not far to go, I thought. Wrong. I had to walk to the valley floor, then climb up again to the Taubensteinhaus. Quite steep. Over an hour.

Der Taubenstein is the rock peak on the left; der Raukopf is the peak on the right - both of which I have climbed. Taubensteinhaus is on the far right

It's almost like a caldera - or a salad bowl

The road already travelled...

Dry stone walls and rocks on the roof to keep the shingles there

From the far side of the valley, looking back to the saddle that I crossed

From Taubensteinhaus to Obere Maxlraineralm is about 20 minutes. Of course, it took me much longer (mainly because I stopped and read my Kindle under a tree on the way down!)

Looking down to Obere Maxlraineralm and its by-now familiar mountains

Obere Maxlraineralm

Obere Maxlraineralm (1520m) is a mountain hut in southern Germany situated on a slope leading to the Taubenstein peak (1692m). They offer food and drinks to hikers (summer) and skiers (winter), as well as basic overnight accommodation for up to 50 people. I'm here for around a month, helping out with customers and dishes.

Obere Maxlraineralm......

......with the Taubenstein in the background

The building to the right of the hut is the Wohnung

Looks lovely in the sun

Yep - had a lot of days where it looked like this

...and on misty, moonlit evenings...

View from the Wohnung. See the pool? Not big, but deep

The views are amazing

Taken from the balcony

The "normal" view - overcast. Tall double peak on the left is in Austria

There's often cloud in the valley in the morning

Some days more than others

And then it can look like this!

Climbing up the Alm towards the Taubenstein...

......and the view of Obere Maxlraineralm from the Taubenstein

Stan cleaning the pool

Fikus & Helles, the Alm cats

Die Bastei

Wednesday – my final day – and I was forced to choose between the Basteibrücke and Festung Königstein (a massive fortress on a cliff). Having initially decided to come to Bad Schandau after having seen photos of the Bastei, I decided that I’d have to go there. Petra and Karl warned me about the vast numbers of tourists there – they bus them in daily from Dresden - but it didn’t put me off. On their recommendation, I caught the bus to the station, then the train to Stadt Wehlen, then the ferry over to the right bank. From Stadt Wehlen, which is a really pretty little town, there’s a walking path to the Bastei that goes through lots of forest and is not that steep. It took a bit over an hour and a half to walk to the Bastei, and for an hour of that I met only two people and heard lots of birds. It was lovely.

Stadt Wehlen from above, with the ferry returning to the station

Lovely, lovely area to wander through

Having a bit of fun with the self-timer......

......seeing that there was no-one else around

The forests never cease to delight me......

......especially when the sun is at the right angle to show off that vivid, vivid green

There were heaps of people at the Bastei lookout, but that was okay. I just had to wait a little for a spot at the railing each time. The rock formations here are astounding. It’s such a beautiful area. 

The Bastei lookout.  And, yes - lots of people

From the lookout looking south-east. Lilienstein is the outcrop

Looking north. Dresden is about 30km away

The view inland

The current sandstone bridge was built in 1851, replacing a wooden bridge that was built in 1824. 

People everywhere, speaking more different languages than I'd yet heard in Germany

Yeah, I know - too many photos of the bridge!

I walked further down to Felsenburg Neurathen, the ruins of an old rock fortress, which was first mentioned in documents in 1289. Not so interested in this, but the walk around provided some spectacular views of the Basteibrücke, the National Park and the Elbe.

The rock outcrops are amazing. They turned them into a fortress

Die Basteibrücke was erected later

Der Felsenburg has been turned into an outdoor museum......

......with aerial walkways that are fantastic

Stunning views into the National Park

Just incredible

From the Bastei I headed for Schwedenlöcher, a path downwards through a gorge. Again, many, many steps, and looking at the people climbing up, I was very glad to be going down! 

Running out of superlatives, here!

Ah, yes.  More fun

The gorges are gorgeous (!!)

Magical

And again - the vivid green

Trees grow directly out of rock, here......

......and their roots are often interesting

The path leads to the Amselsee, which is a small, dammed lake where you can hire rowboats or pedalboats. I grabbed a rowboat for half an hour, and there were some lovely views of the overhead rock formations from the water. 

First, a short detour to the Amsel Falls, small, but pretty

Looking up towards the Bastei. The Amselsee can be seen from up there, too

This outcrop is called die Lokomotive

It's nice out on the water

From here it was only 5 minutes walk to Kurort Rathen, another small town. I paddled in the river while waiting for the ferry, which took ages. Across the river to the train station, back to Bad Schandau station, ferry to bad Schandau, then bus back to Postelwitz. Today was 30 degrees, but I didn’t feel hot until the ferry at Rathen. I arrived back just before 6pm – and yes – straight into the river again!

View to the north whilst waiting for the ferry at Kurort Rathen

And in the river once again!

Just to finish, a word about Petra and Karl, my hosts.  They were amazing. Nothing was too much trouble – watermelon or an icy-pole in the heat of each day, washing, planning outings, tips on transport. They allowed me to hook up to their personal wi-fi, which is not usually available for guests, so that I could keep in touch with family. They spoke German really slowly and clearly for me, and I actually understood most of it! They even picked up that it was my birthday on Sunday (I had to write my DoB on the rego form) and gave me a present and a cake. Wonderful, wonderful people.

The breakfast nook with views over the Elbe