Thursday started in Königssee but ended in Salzburg.

Mike was excited to catch uninterrupted views of the lake from a “secret” waterfall hike above Königssee, so Thursday started well before 7 AM. Fueled by Nestle Taster’s Choice, Mike and Joe set off on the hike. The hike itself tracked up the northeastern part of the lake. The large extent of the hike was shaded by the tall, alpine trees except for two scenic lake lookouts. We were the only two on the trail which allowed for us to make incredible pace and take in undisturbed views of the lake as the morning sun rose above the Alps behind us. Reaching the second viewpoint, we then followed an unofficial route to the waterfall. The trail was made out and trampled underfoot, but still a bit slick from the previous evening’s rain. We took it slow in spots to ensure safety and made it to the waterfall with no problem apart from muddy shoes and hands. The lake was glass and the sun was shining on the western rock wall. We took in the stunning views and relaxed in the cool but humid morning air. Mike took a plunge in one of the freezing waterfall pools - no real reason, but why not? You just gotta.

After packing up the campsite, we headed to Salzburg. Only a short drive away, we made it there by lunchtime. We grabbed lunch, paid for parking only to find out it was free that day, and unpacked into our Airbnb. Then, we explored Salzburg. If you’ve visited before, I’m sure you’re well aware of how beautiful the city is with it’s charming Alstadt and spectacular fortress that rises above the city against the backdrop of the Alps. However, if you haven’t visited, you’d be soon to find out Salzburg is very proud that 1) Mozart lived here and that 2) Sound of Music was set here. We visited the Mozart house, Mirabell Palace and gardens, the Alstadt (or “Old Town”), and the magnificent cathedral. In the early evening, we took a tour of the Hohensalzburg, the towering fortress that dominated the surrounding area. The tour was actually very informative and offered amazing views of the surrounding Alps. It was cool to learn about how the fortress transformed over the hundreds of years as European conflicts and wars erupted around it. The gang concluded their night in the Salt City with traditional Austrian dinner at Die Weisse before downing liters at the Augustiner beer garden in the hot night. It’s a shame that we only get one night here in Salzburg and can’t explore more of the mountains and hikes the area has to offer. It’s sad to go, but the show must go on; to borrow a catchy lyric from Salzburg’s von Trapp gang, “auf Wiedersehen”. - FWY