Gaisberg

Last weekend, our group took a hike up the Gaisberg mountaing, just on the edge of Salzburg. We took a bus up part of the way and then walked the rest. The way up with the bus was incredibly steep! It was almost scary to look out your window and see nothing but a steep cliff on the other side. We joked about not leaning to far over, lest the bus over balance and topple over the cliff! The worst part was that it was incredibly foggy. You couldn't see anything looking out the front window. It's amazing that the bus driver made it up the mountain, but I suppose he's done it enough times that he could do it blindfolded. Once we disembarked from the bus, we got a lecture about how dangerous the mountain can be. Every year, dozens of people are killed on Gaisberg. One of the ways there are killed is very strange. It snows a lot and this makes the trees break and fall. These fallen trees are then covered with another layer of snow and hidden from view. However, when a hiker steps on this, it acts as a spring trap and the trees spring up and throw the snow and hiker into the air.

When we got off the bus, look who was waiting for us:

Ol' Bessy and her sisters were just laying around in a field, seemingly waiting for us. The way we all took pictures, you would think that us mid-west kids had never seen a cow before.

Unfortunately, it was so foggy that I couldn't take any pictures. The mountain did look incredibly beautiful and eerie in the fog, though. This picture did turn out:


It's a cross part way up the mountain. It serves as a sort of memorial for those who die on the mountain every year (between 5-30). It's also supposed to remind those who pass that they are mortal and can die, too. Finally, you are supposed to see it and be reminded that God created the beautiful nature you are enjoying (including the fog).

Afterwards, we enjoyed a cup of coffee in a darling hut that was about 400 years old. Jeesh. We sat in a cute cute CUTE fireside corner. I wish I had thought to take a picture.

Perhaps I'll visit Gaisberg again when it's not so foggy.