The Cubicle is empty!!!

Where: Salzburg, Austria – Füssen, Germany
When: Sept. 18, 2005

Today was a travel day. We went from Salzbrug, Austria to Füssen, Germany. As with any travel day there are always anxiety about making train connections and being on the right trains. Therefore, people tend to be uptight about things. It certainly was today as tempers flared about if what we’re doing is right concerning about the right track, etc.

Oh Sheista! I saw in CNN that the Packers lost 26-24 to Cleveland! Holy buckets! What’s going on with that team. Well 14-2 ain’t that bad of a season I guess.

Anyway, back to our trip thing. At Salzburg they changed the track where our train is to what is on our ticket, so there were some confusion as to if we are actually right. But sometimes you just have to make a decision and go with it. We actually asked the conductor and he said that this is the train to Munich. Munich you say! The land of Oktoberfest! Why yes.

Our route on this second class train goess from Salzburg to Munich and stops at just everytown in between. From Munich to Garnisch-Pertenkirchen (Beautiful town on the foothills of the bavarian alps) then to Ruette, Austria.

The train ride to Munich was uneventfull, but at the train station is when things actually got crazy. We had 15 min to make the change. Think of the letter U here. We arrived at track 3, located on the left tip of the U. Our connecting train is in Track 29 located on the right tip of the U. Needless to say it will be a hit or miss proposition. Deanna and I carried the two big luggage along with our backpacks and daybag. We just wanted Don and Mary to be light and just go as fast as they can to make the train. Nearing the train with about a minute to go, the train conductor motioned Don and Mary to hurry, Deanna and I are already on board with the heavy luggage and Maria is at the door waiting for her parents. I’m thinking, Sheista! they’re not going to make it. As soon as they planted their feet on the train, the door closed behind them. Whew, problems averted!

The ride to Garnish-Partenkirchen (G-P) was pretty as it runs along this long bueatifull lake and you’Re approaching the Bavarian Alps. At G-P we just miss a train that takes us to Reutte, Austria. We look at our ticked our train does not leave for another 10 mins. But as departure time arrive, the board does not indicate that a train is leaving at our designated track. We talked to the person at the ticket office and he indicated that the train that normally runs that route and time only runs from Mon – Fri. Sheista! So our next train to catch is not until 16:04. An extra hour wait. Oh, well.

We catch our train to Ruetta, which makes its way thru the Bavarian Alps and the Tirol Mtns. of Austria. There are signs of flooding of a month ago visible. Lot of washed out debris lining the river edges and houses in the low part of Reutte has some visible water marks on the side. But the mountains in the area is beautiful. It look like it snowed in the morning above the tree line. I could’nt tell for sure if it was snow or the reflections on the rocks. The sun came out as we approached Reutta.

We got to Reutta. Beautifull looking town. But we have no time to check it out. We had to call for a taxi to get to Füssen, Germany. Our final destination for the day. He came after 30 min wait. But can only carry a max of 4. Sheista! So we spit into two groups. Maria with her parents and me and Deanna. He didn’t have a meter so I ask for a cost of the trip. 38€ for each. Done deal. At this pt. we really did not have any choice. This whole operation took less than 1 hr. We are finally in Füssen. Home of Neushwanstein Castle!

If you’Re counting, we actually crossed the Austrian – German border 3 times today. I think that only the Wermacht matched that record. We actually saved money (100€) by going this way and that’s including the taxi rides. (26€ for the tickets and 76€ for the taxi for a total of 102€) . Even with second class from Salzburg to Füssen directly the cost was 40€ each fora total of 200€. So, in the end was it worth the savings. If I was travelling alone, I would say yes. But with Don and Mary, I would say no. But this is only if I knew what we went thru before hand. But that’s done. Put it in the memory bank and learn for next time.

We met up with Maria’s cousin from West Salem, Kevin Lyden. He’s here for 3 days and will meet up with us at Brannenburg to see the family’s german relatives.

We ate dinner at the Hotel Zum Hechten, where we are staying. We all had some typical german food of wienerschnitzer, rooled beef with veggies and pork in veggie soup. Of course Apfel strudel mit eis for dessert. Wundevar!

We then went for a stroll around town late evening and ended at a bar next to Lecht river that looks onto the Fortress in the old town. Great view. Kevin started conversations with some germans regarding the elections and we left him there as we were getting tired.

It was another long travel day. But we got here safe and sound.

Alles gut heir!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Tags: C The Trip

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