Thursday, July 25, 2013

Alps Adventures, Nurnberg and beyond!


Tuesday a 5 year old dream was fulfilled!  We hiked the Ulrichshorn in the Austrian Alps where my family hiked about 40 years ago!!!  I wasn’t able to go then because I was to little ;-)  It was absolutely amazing!  What an experience!  The views, flowers, butterflies, cool clear glacier water and fresh air were all what the doctor ordered for me.  Feeling like I’m on the other side of the cough/cold that zapped me for a few days.  Thank you Lord!

Wednesday (yesterday) we had to make a very difficult decision because we didn’t have time to two things before heading north to Nurnberg.  We had booked a Freulein Maria bicycle tour of Salzburg which we were looking forward to very much but decided instead to use our time to drive through one of the most scenic roads in the world—Hohe Tauren National Park.  The road goes up to extremely high elevations and at the highest point you can see mountains on all sides plus several huge glaciers up close.  There were gorgeous and rare varieties of flowers everywhere and breathtaking cliff views around every turn.  We made it to the little town of Heiligenblut on the other side of the range of mountains where the highest one in Austria in contained—Grossglockner, 3798meters—over 12.000 feet.  Down from that mountain a very large glacier is flowing through a valley.  Pictured below.  What a glorious day to romp through the Alps!

We drove to a small village out of Nurnberg, Germany last evening and spent the night in a Guest House there.  This morning is was fun to go on a true Wunderlust run across the farmers fields and through the woods!  It felt so free!!!  After checking out of the guest house we headed over to our friends’ Stephanie and Hildagart’s house.  It was so nice to see them again!  They were such lovely hostesses serving us food and drink and then Steffi took us on a tour of the medieval town of Nurnberg---it had an awesome castle, some churches—one of which we went inside and heard the pipe organ being played.  He was practicing for an evening program—free bonus J  It was a protestant cathedral with amazing acoustics!!!  Then we wondered through the outdoor market where we purchased some really wonderful whole grain German bread and Apfel Strudel!!  Also, some Lebkuchen that is the real thing made Nurnberg style.  The castle and it’s gardens were next and then some amazing bridges that connect to the city wall that goes around the city—such ornate architecture and yet simple beauty!  We said our good byes and drove over to Bensheim where my Uncle Gerhard lives—we are staying in Heppenheim now on top of a hill in a castle.  I know it sounds fairy tale like but it’s really very rustic and basic in it’s design.  It’s a youth hotel and there are bunk beds and hard floors and we are on the top floor where it’s very hot and humid ;-)  I felt as though I was going to melt into a puddle and began to pray for a breeze to blow through the windows.  Finally an hour later, my prayer is answered!  I think I’ll  be able to sleep now.  We’re looking forward to spending some time with Uncle Gerhard tomorrow in this part of the world J


























 

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