Salzburg...11th July..

A late start as I needed to buy an iron... 
For the first time in 6 weeks I am staying in an apartment/hotel that has no iron or board..
I Looked up options on the web and went to home outlet at the MacArthur Glen outlet just outside the city.. this brought back memories of designing their European headquarters in London while with Studio Architecture.. and Chris Lohan...another age...

Finally, with the iron in the back of the car, I decided to travel into the mountains instead of the city. Salzburg is at the boarder with Germany but also the gateway to the Alps. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to travel into the mid Alps even if I am in one of the most romantic European cities. 

I chose Bad Goisern as a target, 35+ miles from Salzburg so not too much of a drive. On my map the route was designated as a 'scenic route with gradients'...

Once outside Salzburg the drive was what I wanted.. slow and calm enough to see the county and the rising mountains.. slow through villages, speeding up just enough to get to get to the where you need to travel.

My road map is just that.. gives all the correct information on roads but no detail on the landscape that these roads travel through...

While I wanted to get to Bad Goisern,, I just couldn't not stop and see some of the villages and lakes along the route...

The first place I stopped, actually not on my road map but very clear on my satnav, was Fuschl.. An immaculate village.. If Austria has a 'Bloom in Britain' equivalent then Fuschl must be one village/town that would compete.. It was like a stage set.. 

I parked my car outside the information centre and took a quick walk to the lake..

Lots of people in wet suits walking towards the lake.. The village is fully geared to activity tourists and culinary visitors but surprising not that many there.. restaurants sparsely occupied..  

The highest elevation on the road was 2100ft.. (Julie is still working in imperial measurements..)

  
A quick stop but a short way on, driving over a hill I arrived at this...

This is St Gilgen and the Wolfgangsee...The photos don't really give the sense of the visual drama.. but the surprise cresting the hill and driving down to the waters edge was special.. other than the idiot driver that insisted in driving 5 centimetres from my bumper.. as if this would make me speed up.. Unfortunately these idiots live in all countries... As I have said on a few posts.. I'm in no rush.. but nearly reverted to angry driver...

Arrived in Bad Goisern that was preparing for the Salzkammergut.. the centre had been covered for a music arena.. the central fountain covered up to protect its sensibilities...

 As you know if you have read the most recent posts, I tend not to each lunch. but having got here in the afternoon I decided to sit on the main street and have a fruit/ice cream/cream dessert.. dessert is even rarer than lunch... and an espresso... the fruit was to assuage my guilt...

It looks bigger than it actually was.. 
One thing, Austria really works on cash.. not debit cards.. I had to go to the nearest cash machine to pay for this.. they thought I was honest enough not to run away...

Alistair, southern Europe is nowhere close in embracing a cashless society (see the earlier posts...).

At the far end of the town....

a 'green' ski slope... 

On the way back I decided to stop at St Gilgen and sit at the waters' edge.. so peaceful...

Slightly above the lake, a cable car, built in the 50's, was running to the top of the nearest mountain.. It was the end of the day. I could have gone up but couldn't have returned... not an enticing option... but very interested in going up.. I will see what the weather does tomorrow...

It started to rain properly this evening... Finally, I can use the umbrella bought at the Secessionist building in Vienna... What comes round.....