Sept. 23, 2011. What a contrast a day makes! Yesterday, the bustling city of Salzburg; today, pristine lakes and majestic mountains! Today we took a day trip back to Germany - crossing borders here is no different than crossing state lines back home. Our route took us through Anif (the town Deb and I visited yesterday) and along a turquoise-hued river that I still don't know the name of. The unusual color comes from sediment from the limestone mountains in this area. On one curve of the river, someone had built numerous stacks of rock that I call 'inuksuk' since that is what they are called in Canada and Alaska by the Inuits.
Our destination was Königssee, a lake located in the Berchtesgaden National Park in extreme southeast Bavaria. Königssee is a glacial lake and is Germany's third deepest lake (averaging 150 meters or 492 feet) with water so clear we were told it was safe to drink. The lake is surrounded by steeply rising mountains on either side, and we boarded a boat for a ride to St. Bartholomä, a famous pilgrimage church and inn on a peninsula about halfway down the western lake shore. The scenery surrounding us was spectacular! At one point, the sheer rock walls create an echo, which is known for its clarity. We were treated to the quaint tradition of our captain playing the trumpet so we could hear the echo. Fun!
St. Bartholomä is a Catholic church named for Saint Bartholomew, patron saint of alpine farmers and dairymen. It can only be reached by boat or after a long hike across the surrounding mountains. The first church was built here in 1134; in 1697 it was been rebuilt in a Baroque style with two onion domes and a red domed roof. The fragrant scent of smoke wafted to our noses from the fish smoking building where you can purchase smoked fish appropriately packaged to take home. We strolled on the shore of the lake, the water cold but not frigid. How do I know? Well, I walked out into it for a photo op on a fallen stump! The beauty of the towering mountains wreathed in clouds above us was breath-taking, and was our backdrop for lunch. Many hikers passed through while we were dining - serious hikers with walking poles and backpacks. They take their hiking seriously here! 
This a protected environment for plants and animals; even the boats have been battery powered since 1909 to preserve the cleanliness and silence of the lake. I love the silence and grandeur of nature, and really enjoyed this break from bustling cities and towns. Apparently, much of our group does too since we voted to stay in the area for the rest of the afternoon instead of immediately returning to Salzburg. The nearby Jenner ski area is located next to Königssee lake, and we elected to ride the Jennerbahn cable car up the mountain to see the view from the top.
I am so glad we did! The valley spread out below us as we ascended; the tinkling of many cow bells announced the location of the herds grazing in the steep meadows beneath our feet. I was complete enraptured by the sight and sound of cows halfway up a mountain - what a special treat for this Midwestern farm girl! As we climbed higher and higher, small patches of snow appeared in shaded areas. Would we be able to make a snowball? We would see once we arrived at the top station at 1874 meters (6148 feet)!
The weather today was excellent once again - sunny and warm. Even at this elevation, the sun was warm enough that I didn't need a jacket. An arrow pointing upward next to a gravel trail caught my eye and Deb, Joan and I decided to see if we could make it to the peak. 15 minutes, the sign said. We didn't make it in 15 minutes since we had to stop often for photos (translation: breathe) but we did make it! So did Gordy and Sheila and Courtney. From the peak, we could see boats on the lake where we had been just a few hours earlier, and spectacular vistas of mountains and valleys as far as we could see. There were indeed a few small snow patches, but they were out of reach behind the safety fence. It is still hard to believe I was at the summit of one of the Alps - and don't burst my bubble telling me how easy this peak is! I will continue to think it was an amazing feat!
At the top!
It was a much easier walk down to the restaurant at the lift station, where we joined the rest of the group for dessert. I had Millirahmstrudel (milk cream strudel) with vanilla ice cream. It had a custardy filling in the strudel pastry and was delicious! With full tummies, we boarded the gondolas for the ride down. The wind currents must have been perfect at this time of day, because paragliders were floating down all around us, bright spots of color against the perfectly clear blue sky. We were serenaded by cowbells once again as we passed by the herds, sending us on our way with this uniquely alpine sound ringing in our ears. 
Back at the hotel, everyone went their separate ways. After working on our photos and journals for awhile, Deb and I headed out for a late dinner. We ran into about half of our group at the Italian restaurant next door, and had a nice dinner and lively conversation to complete our day. Now we must pack for the drive to Munich tomorrow! Guten Nacht!
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