The Hills are Alive (Posted on 7/28/16)

We are in Salzburg! And all the way here I couldn't help but channel Julie Andrews (I even dreamed about her last night).  I like to think I'm above Hollywood tourism - I have been known to roll my eyes when I see fellow Americans flocking to the scene of some famous movie - but this one's just too close to my soul.  And probably the biggest reason I wanted to come to Salzburg is because I knew it from the Sound of Music.  Don't tell Matthias.

OMG - inadvertently came across the gazebo used in the 16 going on 17 scene!  (really! there was marker!)

Let's start at the very beginning....
A very good place to start.  Actually, I'm not sure we started our bike trip at a very good place.  We took a train up to the Mountains of Thuringen - very pretty, but extremely hilly.  We weren't quite used to our e-bikes yet and we worried about how much battery power we were using to get up the big hills.  Fortunately, we had good weather, and our camping equipment (deluxe tent, comfy chairs, etc.) were working out.  While in Thuringen, we came upon the Rennsteig - one of the oldest, best known hiking trails in Germany (a bit like the Appalachian or the Pacific Crest trails in the USA), according to Matthias.  We took our bikes along part of the trail, and it was fun to see the notes left by people in the Schutzhütte (shelters) along the way.  We were also riding along the old east/west German border, and there were various info stations describing some of the espionage that went on around there. Interesting!

Our first campsite in Thuringen 

On the Rennsteig trail

We rode out of Thuringen (East) and into Bayern (Bavaria - west) and hit our first rain day.  Fortunately, our campsite was not far from Bayreuth, so we caught a local train and spent the day there.  A beautiful city, known for music and culture.  And the shopping mall made for a nice refuge from the rain.  After that, we rode over some hills and down through the Vils river and Naab river valleys.  Those were beautiful, too, and nice because they had established bike routes.  Again, in Germany you can ride your bike anywhere, and for the first few days I relied on our (awesome) fancy-bike GPS to bring us to each destination.  But the established bike routes (Fahrradwege) are even better - with points of interest, food, lodging, vistas, etc. along the way.  At one of our campsites along the Naab river (in Pielshofen), they had a bustling restaurant/beer garden and we couldn't resist a splurge on big meat and beer.  I always enjoy learning  how old the beer I'm drinking is (usually on the matching glass or coaster) and where it comes from.  When I googled the beer (Prösselbräu Adlersberg), I found out that the  Adlersberg klöster (old monastery) where it was brewed was ony a few kilometers away.  Hopped on our e-bikes and easily climed the huge hill to the klöster where we found the brewery and a fantastic beer garden.  And one more beer wouldn't hurt, right?

Rain day in Bayreuth

Rain night in the tent

 Prösselbräu Adlersberg beer garden!

Matthias ordered this for dinner....and didn't want to share!

Next, we hit the Danube river and headed to a town called Straubing where we decided to celebrate Matthias' birthday.  It fit the bill, as it had a few Bavarian beer gardens and a restaurant that served some typical German food that Matthias loved.  Unfortunately, I had a little trouble enjoying the food....

Matthias in Bavarian food heaven!

When the bee stings...
Back to Berlin where something happened to me that I feared my whole life (irrationally, I thought, but it's not a phobia if it actually happens, right?!)  A bee stung me on my tongue!  Now, for as long as I can remember, when outside I've avoided drinking from cans, I've always looked into the bottle before drinking, and inspected food to be sure there wasn't a bee waiting to sting me in the mouth (something I must have heard somewhere).  But then riding along a bike path in the middle of Berlin (apparently with my mouth open) a bee flew into my mouth and stung my tongue!  And it hurt!  Okay, it hurt for a good while - though it wasn't all that momentous.  However, about three weeks later I noticed a bump on my tongue.  And over the next week it got bigger and a lot more uncomfortable until finally I decided to go to a pharmacy in Vilshofen - a town along the Danube we passed on the way to Passau - to ask about it.  The pharmacist gave me something for the pain but said I should see a doctor if I wanted an antibiotic or something.  He suggested a doctor up the street.  We walked in and asked if I could see the doctor - they said it might take a while but I could.  About 40 minutes later the doctor was looking at my tongue.  He told me it didn't look too serious but I should get it checked out when I "get home".  When we explained that I wasn't going "home" anytime soon, he referred me to a mouth and jaw specialist in Passau (about two hours away by bike) who could see me that afternoon.  When we tried to pay, he said don't worry about it.  Nice!

Unrelated photo: Bike charging station at a supermarket along the Danube trail.  The future is now!

Got to Passau, put up the tent (at one of my favorite campsites of all time) and went into town for my doctor's appointment.  He looked at my tongue, gave me a form to sign, and then went to work.  Ow!  The novocaine shots hurt like hell, but I didn't feel a thing when he cut open my tongue and removed whatever infectious goo was inside.  Stitched me up and then said see you tomorrow.  Went back the next day and he took out the stitches and said I should be fine.  So then, as the entire operation only cost 122 Euros, I went out and bought new sandals and a map.  I'm on the mend and happy that I can eat and talk (these are a few of my favorite things!)

Favorite campsite in Passau - there will be a lot more tents before the afternoon is over.

Passau from above - climbed the hill with our e-bikes!

I have confidence in rain....
The campsite in Passau is my favorite because 1) it's pretty much right in town, 2) it's on a lovely river and 3) it's only for tents and full of other cyclists (and some boaters) riding along the Danube.   We met a few people including a British couple traveling on bikes with their dog (who looked a lot like Maju).  They just returned from Budapest and said they were tired of the constant rain so they were renting a car and driving back to France where the forecast was sunny (yay for Jen and Brenda!)  We were perplexed because in the two weeks we were on the road we only had one rain day.  But then it came.   The first day we left the Danube for the Inn River toward the alps, it was hot and humid, and it looked like it was about to rain all day.  Fortunately, we found a nice campsite in Obernberg am Inn (in Austria) and got the test set up before it started raining.  Since the rain continued to the morning (but stopped around 10am), we decided to stay another day and check out the area.  Obernberg had a really pretty town square and the next town had a beautiful monastery (but no brewery). And, the town a few miles away had a great beer garden where we went for lunch.  Luckily, there was a local newspaper on the table that mentioned a town festival a few kms away - so we spent the afternoon there.  Fun!

Klöster near Obernberg - hard to believe but it was pouring just an hour earlier.

At the bügerfest in Pocking - big beer is the only option

No, it's not Oktoberfest - just a town festival.  I think the whole town is here!

We pushed on the next day despite the threat of rain and did get caught in a downpour, but luckily the rain stopped long enough to let our tent dry before starting again the next morning.  And again we got caught in a huge downpour on the way to SALZBURG, but again when we got here it stopped raining.  We even had a dry day to explore the city before the next downpour, which is occurring right now (I'm sitting inside the tent writing this.)  Actually, I'm happy it's raining at night - just hope I don't have to go to the bathroom....

Salzburg is amazing!

Rock me Amadeus!

Old Salzburg

The Alps are behind me - we know they are there though they have mostly been hidden by fog/clouds.  We WILL find them!

I must have done something good...
Still can't believe I'm in Salzburg on a bike tour heading into the alps!  Salzburg is beautiful and the surrounding countryside is stunning!  Despite the weather, we're really enjoying ourselves.  Absolutely love being able to combine two of my favorite things - traveling and cycling - so beautifully.  It's a jolly holiday!  (Oops, wrong Julie Andrews movie.)  Will send more updates soon.  Until then...

So long, farewell, aufwiedersehen, goodbye!