Traveling: 2020

Sunday, 1 November 2020

Salzkammergut Bike Trail 2020 - Part 1

Salzkammergut Bike Trail

Thursday - October 22nd 2020

After our bicycle trip along the Alpe Adria Bike Trail this Summer, Claudia and I wanted to do another bike tour this year. We decided to give the Salzkammergut Bike Trail a try since it starts and ends here in Salzburg. Although the weather forecast was not the best, rain was expected on our third day, we started our tour nonetheless. Before we hit the road we got baked goods at a nearby bakery for a late breakfast along the way. The first part of today's leg took us from Salzburg along the Salzach river until we had to cross a small forrest, where we saw wild hogs. Our first stop was in Obertrum to eat our pastries we brought with us.

Today's Tour (except the huge hike back)

Salzburg

Salzach River

Our Bikes

Along the Bike Trail

A couple of kilometres later we stopped in Mattsee to get a hot cup of coffee at a local coffee house to warm up again, because although the sun was shining, it was not very warm. Later we continued our tour and via Straßwalchen, where we got two cans of beer for our next break, we cycled towards Lake Irrsee. On the way we made a late lunch break to eat our sandwiches we brought along from home and to drink our beers. For the rest of the day we followed our trail towards Mondsee and from there to our hotel at Lake Attersee, where we arrived around 5:00pm. In Unterach we stayed at Seehotel Stadler, a very nice and modern hotel. We got a lovely room with a fantastic view over the lake. Once we checked in and had a shower we ordered a beer and a white wine spritzer to enjoy in our room. We really deserved that after 91 kilometres on the bike. For dinner we went to the hotel restaurant and got delicious pasta. The rest of the evening we spent in our room with a glas of wine in front of the TV.

Coffee House in Mattsee

Coffee Break

Beer Break

Along the Bike Trail

Our Room

What a View

Well deserved!

Saturday, 31 October 2020

Salzkammergut Bike Trail 2020 - Part 2

Salzkammergut Bike Trail

Friday - October 23rd 2020

Unfortunately the weather forecast didn't change for the next day and so we decided to shortcut the tour and cycle back to Salzburg today. After breakfast we packed our stuff and hit the road again. Today's tour took us from Unterach at Lake Attersee via Lake Mondsee and Thalgau back to Salzburg. The first part of the tour was very relaxed, because there weren't any ascents. Around noon we arrived in Thalgau, where we went to the supermarket to get something for lunch. Unfortunately we didn't find any good place to eat our lunch and so we continued cycling until Eugendorf, where we finally ate our snacks. From there we just had a couple of kilometres left until we arrived in Salzburg in the early afternoon. Although we had to skip part of our tour due to the bad weather forecast, we had a great time during our last bike tour this year.

Today's Tour

Along the Bike Trail

Salzkammergut Bike Trail

Lake Mondsee

Along the Bike Trail

Lunch

Along the Bike Trail

Tuesday, 20 October 2020

Themepark Roadtrip 2020 - Part 1

Going To Phantasialand

Sunday - October 11th 2020

Traveling in 2020 was very limited due to Covid-19, but although we had to cancal our big USA trip, we managed to do at least a couple of trips. For October Claudia and I booked a trip to Disneyland Paris, but we had to cancel thanks to coronavirus. So instead we decided to do a roadtrip through Germany and visit the following three themeparks, Phantasialand, Movie Park Germany and Legoland Resort Germany. So Sunday morning we got into our car and hit the road towards Phantasialand, where we arrived in the early afternoon. At Phantasialand we stayed at Chinese themed Hotel Ling Bao, which was beautifully themed. Check in took some time, becuase the staff had troubles printing out park tickets, but soon we got to see our room. The hotel room was very nice and had a wonderful bathroom. Once we unpacked our stuff, we headed downstairs again to hit the park.

Hotel Room

Our hotel had its own entrance to the China area of the themepark, which was very convenient. Since we had never been to Phantasialand and since we hadn't informed us beforehand, we really didn't know what to expect. Our first stop was ony of the big coasters at Phantasialand called Taron. This rollercoaster turned out to be our favourite ride at Phantasialand, because it was fast and intense, but also very smooth and confortable. Next was a small coaster next door, which was okay, but nothing to write home about. Now we were getting hungry and so we headed over to the African area to get vegan Jambalaya and French fries.

Hotel Ling Bao

China

Phantasialand

Taron Rollercoaster

Phantasialand

Vegan Jambalaya and Fries

Afterwards we just walked around the park to get to know it better and because we searched for Phantasialand's new land named Rookburgh, which was still in soft opening, so there was no guarantee to get in. However, we were lucky and were able to enter that amazingly themed land. Rookburgh is centered around the suspended flying coaster FLY, and it is definitely on the same level as Disney. Of course we had to get in line for FLY and we were amazed by that amazing attraction. Immediately we wanted to take another flight, but the line was too long and so we got a beer instead and admired this fantastic steampunk world. By now the park was closing soon and so we walked back towards the hotel. On our way we got a box of churros and once we finished them we got in line for Black Mamaba, another huge rollercoaster, because the queue line was pretty short. Now it was really time to leave the park.Back at the hotel we refreshed a bit and then we got some cocktails at the hotel bar.