Austria

June 17 - July 14, 2009

June 29 - Hohe Salve & Filzalmsee

The weather forecast wasn't great so we decided to go do an already familiar tour - taking the lift from Hopfgarten up to Hohe Salve and then hiking down to Filzalmsee. Unfortunately visibility was initially so bad that we didn't even stop to play at Hohe Salve but as the day went on the sun came out. The ground was horribly wet and muddy and in parts the cows had done quite a number on the pastures and the trails.

At Filzalmsee we had lunch at the alm and then the kids had fun playing at the park. The theme here is the senses, in particular about sight and touch. The kids especially enjoyed the 'giant' coming out of the lake and of course simply playing in the sand box. At one point it started to really pour and there were some thunder showers so we took cover by the little hut housing the washrooms and a little room for interpretive programs.

Once the rain abated a little we decided to take a little stroll in an attempt to find some azurite and malachite in a little rock slide, the location being vaguely described in a little hiking description that we had found on the internet. Unfortunately the description was a little too vague and although we found a couple of bright blue rocks (which Rubby maintained were just painted rocks left over from construction), we never did find the rock slide. We headed back to the lift.

Samantha trying out an old chair lift on display at the Hopfgarten lift station.

We saw a wild deer on the way up the mountain.

Yikes, not much visibility today!

Unperturbed, Sam heads for the play structure to practice her climbing.

Samantha likes the sign:
"Welcome to Hohe Salve 1829m, the most beautiful panoramic peak in Tirol."

Since there wasn't much of a view, after getting our stamp we quickly started hiking down.

Hmmmm, someone's been cleaning house!

The Jordan chapel. This chapel has a little spring of water in it.

Of course as soon as we were halfway down,
we looked back and the peak was beginning to clear. sigh!

A display on the human eye and vision.

Christopher checking out some of the optical illusions.

Ghost wheels... this picture gives the optical illusion that the gears are actually turning.

Samantha is happy... yet another playground with water activities!

The rain clouds are keeping visitors at bay... there's almost no one at the playground!

A little birdie.

Samantha trying out the foot massager.

Oh my goodness... a giant coming out of the lake!

What are Sammy and poppa up to? Oh, they are pedalling hard to make the giant appear!

Samantha having fun in the sandbox.

Time for lunch at the Filzalm.

Sammy enjoying Spezi...
traditionally this is a mix of Cola and orange fanta but nowadays it comes pre-mixed.

Sammy's favourite meat (leberkaes) with a fried egg and some potato salad.

Sammy smelling some bell flowers so that the
church bells in Westendorf will ring for Oma and Uri.

We weren't finding any azurite or malachite but these were neat rocks too.

Wait a minute... could this be the bright blue and green rocks we were looking for? Rubby was convinced it was painted rocks that had been brought in when they made the rock but it was confirmed later that this was indeed malachite and azurite.