Wrote this last night, but the laptop died before I could post. Didn't get the pictures loaded. We're in Dingle, Ireland now. More later. Ireland is rainy...
Okay, made it back to Hanau tonight. Caught the 6pm train from Munich. Got into Hanau around 9pm. De-briefed Shelly and Ed on the trip. Though, they were keeping tabs on me throughout Munchen (Munich) and Bavaria, as they had let me borrow Shelly's cell phone. So Ed and I were text messaging throughout. Let me just thank Ed and Shelly for their hospitality and everything the did to help me on the Munchen trip. Also props to Mark S, Regan, Susan, and Debi for their suggestions. The trip rocked. Also, thanks to Ed for recommending and setting up this blog. Great idea. Ed and Shelly have a blog which I will link to this blog. Anyway, continuing .....
Wednesday
So the plan for the Eagle's Nest was to catch the earliest train possible. I was flying solo on the one as well. There was 5:56am train I hoped to catch, but with getting in a 2am it might be iffy, so I wasn't going to buy the ticket until morning when I was at the train station. Berchtegaden is northeast of Munchen, takes about 3 hours by train. It's pretty close to Salzberg, Austria. B-gaten is the town/area where the Eagle's Nest is located. The Eagle's Nest, also called Kehlestein, is a lodge built right onto the top of a mountain. It was built by the Nazis as a gift to Hitler for his 50th birthday. It took 13 months to build with like a 24/7 effort. I think at least 8 workers died during construction. They basically had to build a road to the top of the mountain including 3 tunnels, then build the lodge on the top of a mountain.
So I woke up around 5:20 and didn't make the early train so I got the next one at 6:40. Got to the town of B-garten around 10-ish. You have take two buses to get to the landing area to go up to the EN. The second bus ride is extremely steep and it feels like the bus isn't going to make it up the hill. Moreover, with every turn on this road, it looks like the bus is going over the side. Little iffy for those who are scared of heights. Anyway, the bus drops you off at this landing area, where you then have to go down a tunnel to get to the elevator that takes you to the EN. The elevator/tunnel is not something the park built, this is what actually was used to get to the lodge.
Okay, made it back to Hanau tonight. Caught the 6pm train from Munich. Got into Hanau around 9pm. De-briefed Shelly and Ed on the trip. Though, they were keeping tabs on me throughout Munchen (Munich) and Bavaria, as they had let me borrow Shelly's cell phone. So Ed and I were text messaging throughout. Let me just thank Ed and Shelly for their hospitality and everything the did to help me on the Munchen trip. Also props to Mark S, Regan, Susan, and Debi for their suggestions. The trip rocked. Also, thanks to Ed for recommending and setting up this blog. Great idea. Ed and Shelly have a blog which I will link to this blog. Anyway, continuing .....
Wednesday
So the plan for the Eagle's Nest was to catch the earliest train possible. I was flying solo on the one as well. There was 5:56am train I hoped to catch, but with getting in a 2am it might be iffy, so I wasn't going to buy the ticket until morning when I was at the train station. Berchtegaden is northeast of Munchen, takes about 3 hours by train. It's pretty close to Salzberg, Austria. B-gaten is the town/area where the Eagle's Nest is located. The Eagle's Nest, also called Kehlestein, is a lodge built right onto the top of a mountain. It was built by the Nazis as a gift to Hitler for his 50th birthday. It took 13 months to build with like a 24/7 effort. I think at least 8 workers died during construction. They basically had to build a road to the top of the mountain including 3 tunnels, then build the lodge on the top of a mountain.
So I woke up around 5:20 and didn't make the early train so I got the next one at 6:40. Got to the town of B-garten around 10-ish. You have take two buses to get to the landing area to go up to the EN. The second bus ride is extremely steep and it feels like the bus isn't going to make it up the hill. Moreover, with every turn on this road, it looks like the bus is going over the side. Little iffy for those who are scared of heights. Anyway, the bus drops you off at this landing area, where you then have to go down a tunnel to get to the elevator that takes you to the EN. The elevator/tunnel is not something the park built, this is what actually was used to get to the lodge.
The view from the landing area was awesome. So I took some pictures there and then proceeded to the tunnel and elevator. The elevator is big enough to hold ~20 people stuffed in together. Maybe more. I think the elevator ascends ~100m to the lodge. The inside of the lodge is now used as a restaurant, so you don't spend much time in there, and there's no reason to....
When you get out of the lodge and look around at the mountains and surrounding landscape, you are awestruck. It is literally spectacular. I was so moved by it, I could feel tears in my eyes. No kidding. I know that sounds extreme, but your first look at this scenery is extremely powerful. And I just happened to come up on a perfect day at the perfect time of year when all the green had filled in on the mountains and landscape. It is absolutely incredible. The pictures I'll post won't do it justice. The lodge is built on one side of the mountain top. There is a path leading up to the other part of the peak.
You can just hike around anywhere you want. The pictures will show the landscape as well as the lodge. On the back side of the lodge you'll see umbrellas for the beergarden which is just an extension of the restaurant inside. Some might sneer at the use of the place as restaurant/beer garden. I think it's great. What better way to 
get the full effect of Baravia. Hike around the Bavaria alps, then grab a beer and snitzel.
get the full effect of Baravia. Hike around the Bavaria alps, then grab a beer and snitzel. 
Also, there is alot of sensitivity with the use of this place. All profits from the restaurant go to charity. Anyway, I spent like 3 hours up there, could have spent an entire day. It's just that cool, hiking around and enjoying the view. I will be back to this place one day. I'll get there at the crack of dawn at some point of lower elevation and hike my way up and just spend the whole day. I recommend the place to everyone, without exception. I'm glad I did this place after I did Fussen and the castle on Tues. That is all great, I recommend that as well, but the Eagle's Nest is just in different class. I'm wondering if there is much in the same class with the EN. It's definitely the greatest thing I've seen in my life. Anyway, you have the option to hike down to the landing area as opposed to taking the elevator/tunnel. So I hiked down.
The area below the Eagles Nest is called Olbersalzberg. It's where the buses stage for the ascent to the EN. Anyway this O-berg area was used for personal houses for some of the SS's top brass like Gerhing, Borman, etc. The place was like a mini-headquaters for the SS. So, because of that, there was an extensive bunker system built from each house to a main bunker. The houses were destroyed by Allied bombing, but some of the bunkers still remained. So, I checked that out after the EN. Then I went down to the lake Konigsee, which is the body of water in the shots from the EN. Caught the train from B-gaten a little after 6pm. Got back to Munich around 9pm. Went directly to the room and took a shower. I was a little ripe after that long day. I smelled like a European! Anyway chilled a street cafe/beergarden for a late dinner. Went to the i-cafe and put in last yesterdays blog.
The area below the Eagles Nest is called Olbersalzberg. It's where the buses stage for the ascent to the EN. Anyway this O-berg area was used for personal houses for some of the SS's top brass like Gerhing, Borman, etc. The place was like a mini-headquaters for the SS. So, because of that, there was an extensive bunker system built from each house to a main bunker. The houses were destroyed by Allied bombing, but some of the bunkers still remained. So, I checked that out after the EN. Then I went down to the lake Konigsee, which is the body of water in the shots from the EN. Caught the train from B-gaten a little after 6pm. Got back to Munich around 9pm. Went directly to the room and took a shower. I was a little ripe after that long day. I smelled like a European! Anyway chilled a street cafe/beergarden for a late dinner. Went to the i-cafe and put in last yesterdays blog.
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