Hotel Restaurant Hexenalm Soll

... Slovakia, and Italy.

Slept most of the way, one of the advantages of a USO bus, but what we saw of the drive was beautiful. The Lake has a series of ferries to all of the little towns around and to both islands in the middle. We picked up a ferry to Herrenislan (man island) from Prein. Didn't have much time to see the town. There was a steam train that brought people in and a few restraunts around the pier.
Prien am Chiemsee, Bavaria, Germany wilwayco

... br>
Took about 2 hours each way with a nice break up the top to rest and take in the AMAZING view over the Alps and into Austria(would've been quicker coming back down if we hadn't got lost and needed to back track a bit...)
My photos don't do the view any justice at all!
Excellent decision to go ahead with the hike as it was an awesome day - despite being absolutely wrecked at the end of it :)

Met up with Julia for ...

... hand at an ariel assault course....he came back a shell of his former self after 3 hours in the trees hanging from bits of wire and trying to keep up with 9 year old girls who were more agile than him..for my penance I had to play pitch and putt with Lauren using carved putters and wooden balls..no danger i'll be joining a golf tour anytime soon. 

Definitely worth a visit in winter for you keen boarders out there.

... little more than one street. The castle looming above is well-preserved and evocative, and really worth a visit. There's a panoramic glass lift to get you up there if you're too idle to walk. The prison tower holds historical exhibitions and details of the erstwhile prisoners and ancient torture methods, including a shocking engraving showing some poor unfortunate being tied ...

... of challenge and reward, leading ultimately right back to the farmhouse and that long-desired beer. There was a smell of burning coming from my rear brakes!

We packed ready for departure. Keith and Manu joined us for dinner, serving up a lovely home-made quiche followed by goulash made from one of the farm's own cows, and a home-baked apple-strudel. All great stuff.

... a little drop into a berm and I managed to confuse myself into doing something stupid and taking a brief trailside lie down. This is a trail with big, steep, fast, bermed sections and is fun to ride in sections and a bit scary in others, particularly on a 4" lightweight XC racing bike. Down at the bottom it goes a bit 4x and you can walk back up and practice this section, which is good, fast ...

... and a small Franziskaner Weissbier.

We descended to Westendorf on the other side of the range, then crossed to Brixen and took another lift up to the top. Plenty of technical riding and learning today.

Dinner was served up by Keith back at the apartment: home made vegetable soup, followed by ham and sauerkraut and banana cake for dessert. Keith taught us to play German Whist.

... for days after all! Our tour guide freaked us out slightly by telling us he had something special to tell us, then not telling us what it was. Had we won a prize? Had our holiday been cancelled? Would we have no accommodation? We had to wait till halfway to Kitzbuehel to find out. It was that there was a triathlon going on right around our hotel so we might not be able to get to the Welcome meeting the next morning as the road was going to be closed ...

... in 2002 and it was as I remembered, lovely place to walk around with great buildings. Of course there is the Golden roof of Maximilian. We also visited the crypt of Maximilian at the request of Jenelle as she wanted to inspect a statue. The story goes that when Nicola was you she visited the crypt and was at a height where she could see up the clothing of the statues ...

... paintings, the artwork are incredible! On our approach to the church, along one side, was a small cemetery with decorated graves (just like the one in the Sound of Music). When we turned the corner and saw more graves winding around the church and up the hills, it was absolutely awesome. Graveyards here in Europe (at least judging by this one) are very different from those in the USA. Since there is much less space to devote to the dead, each family has a ...