Trip 43

September 12,2023

The flight over was “snug” – bulkhead seats in coach and the plane was nearly full. Food service was miserable. Arriving a few minutes early at 6:25am, we boarded the airport bus to go from the plane to the terminal. Passport control was easy, but disappointingly, the electronic entry gates weren’t open yet.

With no baggage to retrieve (we “roll-on/off”) , we made our way through the mostly empty airport to first, buy S-Bahn tickets, then downstairs to the S-Bahn station and the 45 minute ride into Hauptbahnhof (main train station). The re-construction of the station that began a few years ago is still underway and will likely last a decade. It’s not just the above ground structure that’s undergoing work, they’re digging new rail lines underground. But the part you can see hasn’t changed a lot since we were here last August & December 2022). After removing the food court when we were here last time, they’ve moved the few remaining food vendors off to the station side walls, leaving the central part open to work. There’s a big opening in the ceiling and you can see the metal superstructure. Given our sumptuous breakfast onboard the plane, we went over to Le Crobag for a pastry and a coffee.

We’re driving out to Berchtesgaden today for a few days. The rental car offices were moved out of the station several years ago and some have relocated a few blocks away. We located our agency and the agent led a group of renters to the common garage a few blocks further. I hate this garage; the down ramps are so narrow, it’s almost as if they hope you’ll scrape up the car going down (there are black streaks on the walls to prove my point). No joy for them today. Google Maps took us a much different route out of the city to the Autobahn than we’ve taken before and it wasn’t a good one- too many narrow streets.

Once on the Autobahn, it’s pretty much a straight route out in the direction of Salzburg (Austria), though we’re going to get off before then to avoid having to buy a “vignette “ – a toll tag, since the road crosses in and out of Austria, and if you’re driving on the Autobahn in Austria or roads in Austria and they catch you without one, you get a “gift” (ticket). It isn’t as fast obviously, but a lot more scenic. Since Salzburg is only about 20 minutes from Berchtesgaden, when you get to the border (on a local road), though there’s no passport control, there are border police inspecting vehicles looking for the unwary and ready to hand out tickets (you can’t buy vignettes from them either). With one rest stop, it’s about a 3 hour drive; on the left hand side, passing alongside is the Chiemsee lake (where one of Ludwig’s castles is located on an island in the lake). The traffic coming into Munich seems a lot more congested than going out.

Along many sections of this road, there are snow fences above and steel mesh rock fall netting stretching over the rock face where it comes down to meet the road.

The road is good, but winding, as we make our way through the valleys which eventually lead us into Berchtesgaden.

The hotel we’ve been using for at least three visits told us they were closed (reasons unknown) and our new hotel is located on the same steep (one lane wide but two way traffic) road up the mountain on which the old part of the city is located. Get a running start!

Rooms aren’t available until 2pm, so we check our bags and walk up to the old town for something to eat and to the grocery store. By the time we finish our food and a beer, it’s time to check in. Despite being late summer and a Tuesday, though it’s busy in town, it’s quiet and low key.

Finally checked in, we’re rewarded by our view from the 4th story balcony of our room.