Hallstatt, Austria

Sept 11

Accommodations:  We scored big with a pension right on the Hallstatt, Austria lake last night.  The big double windows that opened to the lake were pretty amazing.  Since we arrived pretty late, we got 50 euros off the price of the room.  (Love saving money!)

Food Highlights: Trout caught from Hallstatt Lake that fell off the little bones.  Wayne couldn't look the fish in the eye as he ate him though.  Homemade apple strudel for dessert last night and again for breakfast this morning!

Adventure:  We rented a "speed boat" today!  Woohoo!  

Humor:  We found out that our boat had 2 speeds - slow and slower.  

Rest: Wayne rested in the room later this afternoon.  He still has a cough.  Say a prayer that the nagging cough goes away, please.  : )

After taking the train to Hallstatt from Salzburg, we had to take a ferry to get across a beautiful serene (and very large) lake which is apparently full of fish.  Hallstatt is FAMOUS for its salt.   There is a time in European history known as the Hallstatt period.  They still mine for salt here today but we decided to pass on the salt mine tour.

We approached the Hallstatt Pension and met Goulah, our hostess, dressed in an authentic Austrian dirndl dress.  Her austrian personality was just as lively as her dress and we checked right in.    We went to dinner and the menu proudly boasted of fish names we'd never heard of before that were caught earlier in the day.  It is Austrian etiquette that you eat everything on your plate.  We've been very polite.

Today we strolled up and down the ONE street in the entire town and took a boat ride.  Almost all of the shop owners and hotel and restaurant staff wear Austrian dirndl dresses and lederhosen.  Almost like Disneyland at Epcot Center.   

Hallstatt is serene, quiet, quaint, and beautiful with little shops everywhere.  Leaving tomorrow but almost wishing we could put on a dirndl and lederhosen and stay.