We met our traveling partner Ciaran, who was joining us for the next leg of our journey, as he came off an S Bahn train and he joined us in our trek back to the Palace to make enquiries. Alas they didn't have the credit card in Lost and Found so Carol had to make a call to Visa in the USA to have the card canceled.
She had other cards as did I and so we were able to relax and sit in the gardens for a while before returning to the hotel to load our luggage into the waiting black Audi A6.
As Salzburg is close to Munich-a matter of 145 Km or 90 miles-and our hotel check-in was 3 pm there was time to stop along the way and visit another King Ludwig palace. This one would be on a lake called Chiemsee and ferries went from the small town of Prien.
There are a few islands in the lake- this one is Fraueninsel (Ladies island)
Our stop was at Herreninsel (Gentlemen's island) and after a short walk through the woods after being dropped by the ferry we were gazing at Herrenchiemsee palace of King Ludwig II.
It took a long shot to get it all in the frame...
Ciaran takes the long walk...
The spray from the fountain was refreshing on this hot day
When we got to the front door we knocked and long-story-short, learned that the King was not home and in fact hadn't been home since 1886 when he drowned in Lake Sternberg. We looked back the way we had come. There in the distance was Chiemsee and the channel which the King's boat could sail before leaving the island.
Today we wouldn't make a tour of the interior. It was such a nice day and there were too many people inside already to make it comfortable or enjoyable. We enjoyed being on the water on such a warm day that we visited the restrooms/toilets and then slowly walked back to get the next ferry to Prien.
The ferry lives up to it's name by stopping at other ports on the way back but we were in no hurry.
Salzburg was getting closer. Back in the car and on the Autobahn again we pulled over for something that is guaranteed in Germany or Austria- really good rich flavored coffee. It didn't hurt that the rest area had a view....
While stopped I did some of the things you have to do when driving into Austria- pay a toll fee for the roads by buying a Vignette sticker and also a colored vest to wear if you have to pull over on the side of the Autobahn to work on your car, doing things like kicking the tires or opening the hood and scratching your head. The vignette sticker has to be attached to your windshield and costs E 8.80.
Along a smooth highway we pass into Austria-my first visit since summer 1965 when the motor coach tour I was taking to Rimini in Italy stopped at Innsbruck for some breakfast coffee and rolls.
Wonderful mountain scenery and green fields, just like the Bavaria in my rear-view mirror.
Soon a sign told me to get off A8 and drive down into the valley that Salzburg calls home.
Thanks to the Satnav we found our destination easily and I stopped the wheels turning at the entrance to our hotel-the Sacher.
Bellhops came to collect our luggage.
The view from our window....
To be continued....
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