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Here are pictures as promised from our Labor Day Trip to Austria. You will see pictures of the Pilot and its mysterious occupants as we toured the following:

- Koenigssee, Germany
- Hallstadt and its Saltmine
- Hohenwerfen Castle and the World's Largest Ice Caves
- Downtown Salzburg
- Krimml Falls (Europe's Largest) and the Tirolian Alps

We travelled about 1000 miles and on the last stretch of mostly mountain driving - averages 20.4 MPG.

 

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Pilot at Hallstadt Lake

Here is our Pilot on Day 2 at Hallstadt Lake. The town is known for being built up against a mountain and until recently (i.e. car tunnel) was only accessible by boat. They have a grave yard that is so small that they dig up the bodies after 12 years of rotting and paint the skulls and stack the bones like cord wood. Hallstadt was important during Roman times for its Hall (old word for Salt). They have a great salt mine tour, too!

 

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Not a Pilot

Any marketing ideas out there for the straw Pilot?

 

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Ice Caves

After touring the ice caves in the afternoon of the third day, we caught this picture against the Alps. It was a long 21% grade drive to the parking area and then a 15 minute walk to the cable car and another 15 minute walk to the caves. They let you walk the first kilometer of the cave - 700+ stairs up and another 700+ stairs back to the entrance. The entire tour is done with carbide lanterns and magnesum strips. No electric lights. In the summer it is 0 degrees and even colder in the winter. The entire walk is laid out with wooden steps. The caves in total are 42km with the longest tunnel being 15km. Awesome! Total time = 3 hours.

 

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Hohenwerfen Castle

Earlier in the day, we did Hohenwerfen Castle in the rain. At almost a 1000 years in age, it was quite impressive - even in the morning rain. The highlight of the castle is their falconry exhibition.

It was feature in the Clint Eastwood movie: Where Eagles Dare - which I have not seen due to its availability only on VHS! Here is a link: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0065207

 

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The 10th Kingdom

Hohenwerfen Castle was also featured in the Hallmark TV Movie: The 10th Kingdom. (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0207275) It is actually quite good and can be found on DVD for $10-15 and covers 3 disks. Also featured in the movie were the Hallstadt Lake above and the Krimml Waterfall we visited on day five.

 

[catbert]

Thanks for the pictures! I bet it was a wonderful vacation!!

 

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Fortress Hohensalzburg

On the backside of the Fortress Hohensalzburg on day four.

 

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Downtown

In downtown Salzburg - Doe Rae Me anyone?

 

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Along the Alpine High Road above Krimml Falls (Europe's Largest at 380 Meters in 3 steps)

 

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At the lookout over Krimml Falls

Up on curve 99 or something...

 

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Since I neglected to drive the Pilot down the pedestrian walkway to get a picture of the falls, here is one from below. You can see part of 2 of the 3 steps that makes up the 380 Meters.

 

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Turned it around to get this picture. Somewhere over that last mountain is Italy. Grandma's turn in the front seat.

 

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Snow?

Is that snow that I see out there? Why, yes

 

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Last Picture

Hours later, past Innsbruck, we head up over the Fern Pass towards Germany. We stop at the top of the pass. On the left in the clouds in the Zugspitze - the highest point in Germany. What a great vehicle. Drives like a charm. From 100+ on the Autobahn to sure confidence on rain slicked mountain roads - it drove great! Overall Honda built a great truck and in the years to come it will only improve.

 

[Brett727272]

One word... BEAUTIFUL!

 

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Koenigssee

In case there are questions about what the Koenigssee is, perhaps this picture will explain. It is a large alpine lake with this wonderful church and summer palace for the German Kings. Since around 1909, only electric boats have run on the lake making the water crystal clear. It is above Berchtesgaden (with its famous salt mines) and below Hitler's Eagles Nest.

 

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Hallstatt

Better picture of Hallstatt so you all get the idea. The church with the bones is the taller of the two. By the way, I have fudged the spelling above - it should be: Hallstatt. Web site: http://www.hallstatt.at

 

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Bones

So you all can see what will happen to you if you drink and drive and do not survive...

 

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Ice Caves

Picture of the Ice Cave entrance. No pictures allowed inside for "security" reasons. Probably pictures on the web-site: http://www.eisriesenwelt.at/ The picture is slightly overexposed due to me setting the camera up for some inside pictures that I never got to take. You get the idea...