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Bill and Jude's Excellent Adventure-- Berchtesgaden

Day 5-- Monday. We left Munich super early, and took a couple of trains to get to Rosenheim, where our rental car was waiting. They upgraded us to an Audi and we both loved it. We booked through Gemut.com and had absolutely ZERO issues. The original plan was for us to drive to Prien, take the ferry and visit Herrenchiemsee, then continue to our guesthouse in Ramsau. BUT: we had been trying (and trying!) from home to get a couple of spots on the David and Christine Harper Eagles Nest tour, and Monday was the only opening they had. So we scrapped the palace plans, and booked 2 tickets on the Eagles Nest tour. When we showed up, we showed our ripped out RS pages and received a discount on our tickets. There was plenty of time to kill before the tour started, so we hit the little deli across the street and grabbed some sandwiches. They were decent enough and we ended up at that deli every morning for sandwiches to carry out. Well under 10 Euro for sandwiches and salads for 2 people. Our food budget stayed intact for sure. The tour was interesting and informative, and it was a perfectly clear day so our views were stunning. We both really loved the underground bunkers. No matter how watered down or insignificant this place is/was, we still had a blast. Toward the end of our visit, they gave everybody the option of taking the big elevator back down to catch the bus, or walk down the mountain path. We were the only 2 who chose the path. What a rush... we were really booking it downhill. I was so proud of myself when we were back on the bus. LOL. We were all dropped off at the TI and it was already starting to get dark so we went straight to our guesthouse. We stayed at Haus Reiteben in Ramsau. Another excellent choice... we were shown to a room with a balcony overlooking the Watzmann mountain. It just didn't get any better than this. Our host's pride in their home was very apparent. The husband was a chatterbox and was a delight. The wife kept squawking at him in German, to just let us be. No wifi, and their English was spotty but we all managed. They directed us to the only restaurant in town that was still open, in the Hotel Hindenburglinde. It was by far the BEST meal we have ever had, anywhere. It was like we had died and gone to food heaven. It was a whole different world than Munich... this place was pitch black and silent at night.

Day 6 saw another shift in plans, we wanted to hike the Almbachklamm Gorge but it was raining so we took the bus to Salzburg instead. Thanks to Lee on the forum, we knew just which bus to take. Salzburg was above and beyond... even in the rain. We just threw on our rain jackets and kept on trucking. My favorite was the cathedral, husband said his was the fortress. I just couldn't get over everything. It was certainly a 180 from anything in our home lives. We took so many pictures, it was ridiculous. After we were dropped off at the bus station in Berchtesgaden, we had a serious hunger situation happening so we ducked into the first place we saw which was the Watz pub. They say it was once Hitler's private entrance to the train station. We had a very very good meal and my husband enjoyed the beers he ordered. Back to Ramsau and our room... too cold and rainy to sit on our balcony.

Continued below

Posted by
2252 posts

Certainly another "excellent adventure". Flexibility-the key to travel and clearly you two have that in spades!

Posted by
13809 posts

Berchtesgaden is on my list so I appreciate your comments on your visit! I love that cathedral in Salzburg - the 4 organs at the crossing were amazing.

Posted by
1419 posts

Great report! Salzburg is a favorite of mine:). I have yet to make it to Berchtesgaden so fun to read about your adventure.

Posted by
3809 posts

I'm really enjoying this trip report! Salzburg is one of my very favorite places. Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden is way up there, too. It's a beautiful place!

Posted by
1028 posts

Judy, you write so well! I absolutely love the details and your obvious enjoyment of every moment. I love every travel day too, as I bet most of us do - sure beats sitting in a cubicle staring at a screen. Thanks for posting your trip report!

Posted by
3777 posts

Judy, enjoying your adventures. Germany is one of my favorite countries because there are so many small towns to visit with something to see. We found it quite easy to drive around the countryside.