Ice Caves

It was nice to have my morning coffee in the room. So much more civilized !!

We had another delicious breakfast.  I did the 2 eggs scrambled and Nathan did 2 fried eggs with all of the other choices.  It was a full meal.

We left the hotel at 7:45 am for a 15 minute walk to the Salzburg-Mulln-Altstadt train station to go to Werfen.  

The train was at 8:15 am.  We were on the train for about 1 hour to get to Werfen.  The shuttle to get to the Visitor Center was just ready to leave from the train station!! Lucky. 

We looked up and saw this amazing castle.  Maybe we could go there after the ice caves.  It was a thought.

We had a reservation for an Ice Caves tour.  We were supposed to get to the Visitor Center between 10:30 - 11 am. We got there at 9:30 am but they said that was not a problem.  Now came the challenge. 

  We had a 20 minute walk up to the cable car location. (pant pant), 

3 minute cable car ride and then another 20 minute walk uphill.

The ice cave entrance.  The guide is wearing red.  

Cave into the WC

We had to wait for the previous tour group to come out before we could go in.  It was not a long wait.  It gave use a chance to get bundled up.  It would be freezing inside. Then it was our turn.  There were signs everywhere about no photography but no explanation about why.  Our guide said not to worry, just to not take pictures while we were walking because it was treacherous and would hold up traffic.  We were a large group.  They handed out lanterns to a few people.  I wish that they had handed out flashlights or LED lanterns.  All those propane lanterns with open flames was scary.  The guide told us that we would be hiking up 700 steps and then come down those same 700 steps.!!!! I am not sure that that had sunk in to me before.  Oh well, I was committed now. The guide made several stops to give us a chance to rest and to show us some of the dramatic ice formations.

With all of those stairs, I was really hanging on to Nathan.  He was practically pulling me up.  I was not sure that I would have made it without his help.  The payoff was that it was amazing.  Once we got to the top and headed back down it was not so bad.  The guy in front of us had one of the lanterns.  He did not pay attention to it AT ALL!  In fact, at one point, he swung it back and caught my jacket on fire.  I was trying to put it out.  Nathan just jumped in and got it out.  He burned his hand doing it.  The guy in front was still unaware, even when he got his partner's pants on fire.  She finally took the lantern from him.  

This is what the lanterns look like

My burnt jacket

After we came out, we headed down towards the cable car.  There was a restaurant that had been recommended, Dr.Oedl-Haus.  We had lunch. It was 12:30 pm by then. It was very good.  Nathan had a scrambled pancake, and I had a vegetarian strudel. It was quite tasty.

A friendly crow, an Alpine Chough.

Then down on the cable car and more walking until we got to the shuttle.  It pulled up just as we got there.  Another lucky break.  The shuttle got us back to the train station by 1:45 pm, but now what to do?? 

You will have to wait until the next entry.  It is time for bed.  I will have to continue this later.  It has been a very full day.