Bonkers via Honkers - to Austria

[offshore171]

The following day, it's a bit of an excursion.

The Zugspitz Arena, is a circular valley at the base of the Zugspitz massif. Lermoos is on one side, Ehrwald on the other, and there's a few smaller villages around the circumference.

A frequent and free bus service circulates the valley in both directions.



Today, we jump on the the bus to Ehrwald, where we get the cablecar up to the summit of the Zugspitze.

At the summit we will cross over into Germany, where there is a glacier area known as Zugspitzplatt. Here there are restaurants, ski runs, walking tracks, caves, even a high altitude observatory linked to the Max Planck institute.

We are going over there:

 

[offshore171]

Up top, is the border crossing between Austria and Germany. At 3000m.



There's a restaurant.


We're actually above the glacier here, so we need to catch another, smaller, cablecar down to it.

This is the view down to the glacier area, about 400 vertical metres lower

 

[offshore171]

Back from the glacier to the hotel for an afternoon swim, then dinner.




Wine is Keringer "Massiv" an unusual blend of Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, Ráthay and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's from the Neusiedlersee region near Vienna.

 

[offshore171]

We make another trip up to the glacier, this time for Rodelbahn. This is basically downhill sledding on a long high speed twisting course. Insanity. Steering is with a joystick between your knees and the brakes are your boots.





One of the kids has an absolutely epic wipe out! But she recovers and gets back on.

Speeds were high, and there were a few runaway sleds. One person got cleaned up by one. In retrospect, it's pretty sketchy, and not sure I'd do it again on this course.

We have lunch up at the glacier area



That's the research station in the background (grey building).

We then head back over the summit to Austria

 

[kookaburra75]

Next morning it's up the mountain

Now, that is a mountain. Not like our 'dulating' countryside (as a Kiwi fried described it) we have in Australia. Loving the Trip Report. MrsK and I don't ski, but we easily sit in that hotel and watch the action

 

[offshore171]

Another day, another spectacular dinner:



WIne is a Zweigelt from Burgenland

 

[VPS]

I know I shouldn't say this when I have just got but from Antarctica but that hotel and food just makes me positively green with envy - please keep up the good work

 

[offshore171]

The last day on the mountain was a beauty. Went up early.

 

[offshore171]

Meal of the 10th Jan, plus liquid accompaniments...

 

[offshore171]

Menu from 11th Jan


Washed down with an Austrian Pinot Noir, from the local Tirol region.

Zoller Saumwald

Weine

Rebsorten Wein aus HaimingUnsere Trauben stammen alle aus den drei, gut gepflegten und ertragsreduzierten Haiminger Weingärten und werden im eigenen Hauskeller schonend vinifiziert. Bei der Weinbereitung legen wir besonderen Wert auf eine feine fruchtig-würzige Aromatik. Seit 2007 sind unsere...

www.zoller-saumwald.at

 

[offshore171]

Last couple of days involve swimming in that pool.


And a couple more amazing dinners

 

[offshore171]

 

[offshore171]

And the next day we will catch the train back to Munich. We've got a one night layover at the Munich Airport Hilton.

Flight home is MUC - FRA on LH (CX Codeshare), then CX to HK

Lufthansa offers twilight check in at Munich, meaning you can check your luggage and get boarding passes the evening before. This suits us well, so we can take it easy in the morning.

Some electric cars on exhibit at MUC Airport

 

[offshore171]

Wrapping this one up.

We fly the small hop from MUC to FRA. Normally would use the train for something like this, but it was effectively free as part of the airfare.

At FRA, the CX lounge is closed for renovations and they are directing people to the "Priority Lounge" which is handily close to the gate. It's small, but well set up, and has some decent food on offer.

Next flight is the long one from FRA to HKG in PE. This is uneventful.

Given we're in the second half of January and the emerging situation in HKG, we stay as close as possible to the Airport - the Regal Hotel. This is a day use room for our 19 hour layover and works out well. Just a 3 minute walk to and from the terminal building.

Looks like that will be the last trip for a while.

In other developments, the regional government of Tyrol has closed all accomodation and ski resorts from tomorrow.