Extended Family Vacations: 2013-2015

2013 Germany

2014 Ireland

2014 Yosemite 

2015 Paris

2013 Germany

In late May, 2013, we left on a seven week round-the-world trip. We had a free week in Europe after Naperville schools closed, so we invited the Gilberts to join us – they could choose the destination. In the summer of 1987, Andrea had spent a month as an exchange student in Freelassen, a German town just across the river from Saltzburg. She recommended we stay in Berchtesgaden a beautiful resort city in the Bavarian mountains south of Saltzburg.

The Gilberts decided to stop in London for a few days before meeting us in Munich. Brian could only travel for a week, so he would fly home early while the rest of us would stay in Berchtesgaden for a week. We planned to spend a day in Saltzburg, meet a friend who would take Karen rock climbing, drive to nearby sights, and of course, take the Königssee boat tour.

Saltzburg

The first day we drove to Saltzburg to see the city and the iconic Hohensalzburg Fortress towering above. This is one of the oldest and best preserved castles in Europe.

2013 Karen, Becca, and Mary cross the Mozartsteg bridge,
Hohensalzburg Fortress in the background, Salzburg, Austria. 

2013 "Sphaera" sculpture by Stephan Balkenhol, part of the Wall of Modern Art, Salzburg, Austria

FestungsBahn funicular ascending to the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Salzburg, Austria

2013 Top of the Lookout Tower (Reckturm) in the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Salzburg, Austria

2013 Blacksmith shop in the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Salzburg, Austria

2013 Cannon defending the Inner Bastion, Hohensalzburg Fortress. Salzburg, Austria

2013 Karen, Andrea, and Becca at a pile of cannons Hohensalzburg Fortress. Salzburg, Austria

2013 Street musicians are common in Europe. Saltzburg, Austria.

2013 Horses waiting for passengers in the rain, Salzburg, Austria

The Flood

After visiting Saltzburg on a rainy day the storm stalled, the rain kept falling. Water ran down the mountains to fill rivers, lakes and fields. We didn't realize it at first, but we were caught in the middle of an epic storm.

Caught in the middle of a 500 year flood. (the yellow dot is Berchtesgaden)

It took time for us to realize the scope of the flooding, so we didn’t know that the train to Munich had been canceled when we dropped Brian at the train station Saturday morning – we thought he had plenty of time to catch his plane. But Brian had to take a bus that slowly made its way north to Frielassing where he could catch a train to Munich. But the next train would not get him there in time, so a fellow traveler helped him head backward to Saltsburg, then catch a high-speed train to Munich. (By the next day the train track between Saltzburg and Munich was closed due to flooding.)

Once in Munich, Brian transferred to the airport train and made it to the SAS counter just before the it closed check-in for his flight home. He raced to the plane and boarded just as the door was closing. So it was that Brian arrived home just in time to take a call informing him he was the winner of an auto show sweepstakes. He was skeptical, but indeed, he had won a new Lexus – for real! 

Berchtesgaden and the Königssee 

Back in Berchtesgaden, there was nothing much to do except enjoy walking around the city in the rain. The surrounding roads were closed, rock climbing was deemed too dangerous, and boat trips on the Königssee were canceled. 

2013 It rained in Berchtesgaden for most of the week.

Finally, the weather cleared and boat tours resumed the day before we left. The boat took us the length of the Königssee where we took a hike around the Obersee, but much of the beautiful scenery was 'hypothetical' due to low clouds. 

2013 View from the east end of the Obersee, Austria.

2013 Mary and Karen rest at the west end of the Obersee, Austria

On the way back we explored the iconic St. Bartholomew's Church and its surroundings.

2013 St. Bartholomew's Church on the Königssee, Austria.

When it was time to leave, the main highways to Munich were still closed by flood waters, so what was normally a two-hour drive became a 5½ hour crawl. After a couple of nights in Munich Andrea, Karen and Becca flew home and we continued our round-the-world trip.