June 22, 2015

Tunnels Instead of Climbing Every Mointain

We enjoyed a delightful evening with a couple from the French speaking part of Switzerland. We started the evening with a Thai dinner and finished with some local Pinot Noir. They are retired but working on developing their winery. It was a natural. 

   
     We awoke and had our usual grand breakfast. New to the program were the cone hat egg warmers and the gizmo that removes the top of the hard boiled egg while in the egg cup. 

The shortest way to Lake Bled in Slovenia was to retrace steps to Munich and then south to Salzburg. We elected to drive a while longer and enjoy new scenery. It was a good choice. We crossed Lichtenstein in a few minutes and found ourselves climbing through the Tyrolian Alps surrounded by fantastic scenery. The driving was a bit of a challenge but James Bondish in our little Peugeot. 

   
       We traversed Austria most of the day passing through Innsbruck and bypassing Saltzburg before heading south Vallach and the Slovenian border. To accomplish this we figured we drove at least an hour through numerous tunnels. There were tunnels of 5,6,7 and 8 kilometers and dozens of shorter ones. While I am acrophobic, Peggy doesn’t like tunnels. I guess we evened things out today. She is convinced that the Austrians want to dig tunnels through every mountain in Austria. I don’t think so since that would eliminate the need to climb every mountain.

   
         One thing was made perfectly clear today. That is that Hollywood doesn’t always accurately portray things. In the Sound of Music, the Von Trapps drive their car into the mountains and are traipsing into Switzerland the next day. It is 300 km to the Swiss border from Salzburg using modern freeways and plenty of tunnels. I hate being disillusioned. 

We reached Slovenia around 3:30 and Tom found our Sobe or private apartment. We needed to add the correct information as he took us to the incorrect village. it was my error and I apologized to the machine. Out little apartment is just that with a view of the mountains and Lake Bled. 

A little girl who spoke a little English told us of a restaurant up the mountain. It was the perfect introduction to rural Slovenia. I had goulash and Peggy had a couple of pork chops. With beer it came to $20. We are researching our adventures for tomorrow.