The rivers are close to being in flood as the train winds its way from Attnung-Puchheim towards our next stop, Hallstatt. A few fields are flooded and some walkways are underwater. We are on a small local train now but it is fairly new with plenty of bike space, and not too many passengers today. We are reminded on the train run into Chamonix except that this train is winding its way along the glacial lakes.
It has to be said that Hallstatt is a real gem. The train pulls up alongside the lake where a boat is waiting to take passengers to the town itself on the other side of the lake. We drift across the lake towards the salt mining, UNESCO protected town. Lake water levels are obviously up with some lake edge car spaces under water. The lake is lapping at the doors of the garages and boat sheds and covering the landings. The weather is coming good and life is starting to be bright again. It is noticeable that this village suffers from tour groups but it is a very quaint place and we feel that we will enjoy our 5 days here.
The Bruahaus where we are booked in is a fantastic shamble of rooms. Ground floor is a cafe and restaurant. There is a lake side beer garden just over the road. First floor is the reception and breakfast area and we have to wind our way up 2 floors to our quaint room. We have a balcony for two where we can sit and watch the boats drifting across the lake. The swan and her 7 signets pass by and ducks regularly cross the lake.
The many many waterfalls are cascading down the mountains and under the village only to emerge a few metres before it runs into the lake. The birds and singing and the sun is shining through the leaves in the forest. A wonderful day for a walk. Yvonne used to think that the suggested times for a walk were slow. Time has moved on and now she celebrates finishing on or before time. After climbing climbing Yvonne steps out of her comfort zones to don a pair of overalls and walking several hundred metres deep into the mountain to learn how salt has been extracted from these mountains for at least 7000 years. A first slide which was the old way for miners to move between levels within the mine wasn't too bad. Little did she know there was a second longer and faster one to come. She was happy to survive although she could have listened to Randall and watched utube where people have put their home made movies of the journey within the mines and saved herself a bit of a panic attack.!
At one stage we were about 200 metres under the mountain top following a series of sound and light shows as we were guided around the mine. Fascinating! The rulers from Salzburg gained plenty of income over the centuries exploiting the workers until eventually the Hapsburgs got into the act, took over ownership, nationalised the salt industry and took most of the income. Sounded much like the same process that Kaiser Rudd is trying to do with Australian resources right now.
And as for Hallstatt itself, the residents are not happy at the moment as the bureaucrats are trying to introduce new heritage laws to control changes in their houses, including interiors. This means photographing and recording all interiors and furniture and many houses have protest signs up. We signed the local petition and are sympathetic to their concerns.
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