EUROPE – Day 11 – Zell Am See, Krimml Waterfalls, Watten
Jun 20, 2021 | 0 comments
DAY 11 – Wednesday, July 3, 2019 – Golling >> Zell am See >> Krimml Waterfalls >> Wattens
After another buffet breakfast in the hotel, I ran across the street to the small shop and bought a German mountain biking birthday card. We waited for the bus to arrive. Then, quickly packed our bags into the bus on the narrow street before moving on.
We drove to Hohe Tauern National Park, the largest nature sanctuary in the Alps. We started at the bottom of the Krimml Waterfall. Our walk up Wasserfallweg (Waterfall Path) was amazingly beautiful. The sun shining through the spray created rainbows.
The waterfall begins 6,800 feet above sea level at the top of the Krimmler Ache Valley and plunges downward in three stages. The total height of the waterfall is 1,250 feet. It is the highest waterfall in Austria.
I made it to Stop 8, by the café at the top of the middle waterfall tier. There were cows grazing. These are the cows that Misa told us were bred to have both left legs (or was it the right legs) shorter than the other side. J As soon as I heard the cowbell around the first cow’s neck, I knew what I’d be taking home as a souvenir. Barbara climbed higher with Misa. I had a Magnum ice cream bar and walked back down the Waterfall Path with Marlene. I bought a cowbell, a dirndl inspired blouse, and an edelweiss necklace before heading to the bus.
After the Krimml Waterfall, we went to Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds). There were several mesmerizing exhibits.
The Swarowski Company was founded in 1895. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Swarowski Crystal Worlds Museum was opened. Artist Andre Heller designed the museum and its 14 chambers. 16 showrooms were created, each with a different theme.
At the end of the museum tour, there was a lavish gift shop. I bought crystal earrings for my daughter and matching crystal pendants for my daughter-in-law and granddaughter.
From there, we went to Innsbruck and checked into the Grauer Bar (Gray Bear) Hotel. Barbara and I had an awesome room with a large window seat/bed looking out at the church steeple across the street.
Innsbruck, which translates to “Inn Bridge” is the capital city of Tyrol in western Austria. It is the fifth largest city in Austria. It is an internationally renowned winter sports center. The city hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics as well as the 1984 and 1988 Winter Paralympics. Innsbruck also hosted the first Winter Youth Olympics in 2012.
For dinner, we had vegetable cream soup, poultry and cream sauce with vegetables, and white chocolate mousse with berries.
After dinner, Barbara and I walked down to the courthouse. We heard beautiful music coming from the second arch. We walked through and saw a full orchestra with a couple singing. It was so lovely. We walked around town and saw the futuristic looking Nordkette funicular station, the bridge over the River Inn, and several old churches.
It was around this time that Barbara deduced that “the kids” are secretly playing a game – perhaps BINGO that involves marking a space when others on the trip do certain things. I’m guessing it was things like, “Ann gets lost”, “Kim tries speaking German”, etc.
What is your favorite waterfall? Where is it located?
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