Austria - Part 2

Today is the day to cross those Austrian Alps!  The Host with the Most, Klaus has prepared breakfast, the weather report and exact times of schedule to get through before the weather changes later today... I usually do these things myself, so it was wonderful to have somebody else figuring it out for me...

I'm packed and ready to go! My alps-crossing escort is nearly ready too!

One last photo, before I leave the beautiful Zell am See...

It will be a good day, to follow the leader.. don't have to think too much or monitor the gps.. and just ride....

The clouds are indicating the weather change is near..

The weather was really good.. I was beginning to wonder if I am too hasty to get out here so quick..  UNTIL!! We eventually get to a deep dark valley between the mountains.. in here the wind is going wild, and the clouds are coming around in thick dark gray.. this is what I was worried about all along. I wonder how long this rough bit will be..

Not long after, we turned a corner and came to a stop!  Trying desperately to hold the bike upright in the strong wind, Klaus yells out that we get on the train now.  He told me briefly about this earlier, but I didn't expect to see the train looking so open and odd.

But I do remember thinking.. thank God.....!

We arrived right on cue.. they rushed us through, I could barely take some quickie photos.  This train was ready to go and takes us through a tunnel that only lasts 10 minutes..  Only 10 minutes!  I have ridden through much longer tunnels, why is the train required on this one?  Klaus explains that they had a bad accident at one time with fire.. and people got trapped and died.  This was the best way to ensure everyones safety.

A very fun and unique experience!

A group of passengers on the train explain that I am lucky to be here now as just a few days ago they could not pass by car because they had already a big snow.. which has melted now. I must be in a weather pocket, because the guy in Prague said the same.. clearly I am lucky and on the edge of the season..

On the other end of the tunnel,  the wind was no where near as strong.  However, those gray clouds couldn't hold out any more and it was raining big time.. !  Ick..  but we knew it was coming and rather a big rain than a big snow in these parts.  We had also made it through what would be the hairiest part of the Alps anyway.  (Which wasn't hairy at all except the windy cloudy bit.. most of the really fun roads popular with motorcyclists are closed already)  Klaus had very much pre-planned a must have stop for his daily cappucino here in the town of Spital an der Drau.  What a gorgeous town it is.. good choice!! And from here we are getting close to the Slovenian border, where Klaus will turn around and I will continue again on my own..

Due to the heavy rain the photos stop, and camera under water protection.  We eventually make it to the border as the rain starts getting even heavier... say a warm goodbye to my new friend and amazing host and ambassador to his country, and know things will be changing now.

Mainly because the biggest goal ever since I left Finland was to head south as fast as I can, so I don't get stuck by the winter snow.  Always worrying and riding with intent, trying not to waste any time just to get past the Alps.  Now... I can breathe, slow down and let the pace become more normal.

I'm disappointed I don't have photos to share at this point.. but it was not a nice ride through Slovenia.  The rain was brutal, and my goal is to get to the ocean town of Rijeka in Croatia for the night.  It got darker and darker and more difficult to ride in the rain.  I tried to find a place to stay in Slovenia, but I couldn't.  I was off the beaten path, and the roads were rough and small, winding and curving through the somewhat mountainous small villages.  I stop a couple times, and know it's stupid to be riding, just wanted to stop.  But sometimes it's best to pull it together and finish the job.  Which I did... after many worrysome kilometers, up ahead I could see some big lights, and turned out to be the Croatian border... Whew!!!  Thank God number two for the day!!!

Rijeka is so close, but I hadn't planned a place to stay.  I just start stopping at hotels and asking the prices.. Very expensive, being a tourist town!!  Finally a wonderful man in a very primp and proper place gave me great advice to a family run hotel/restaurant just out of town, and yet still on the ocean..  I hope this one does the trick, because I am soaking wet, cold and really want and NEED to stop.  Cheap, somewhat clean, a little bit loud, but I got a bed for the night... Good Night!!!!!

Austria!! NOT Australia!!

I truly had to stop and stare at it for a bit.. it's the dag gone Alps!! I'm like, holy crap!! I didn't expect to see them there.. and then the thought of riding a motorcycle over !!???

Yes.. I expected to see them in Austria.. but you can see how I was shocked. The lovely soft rolling hills of green. I assumed my clue that I was getting close to the mountains would be apparent.. apparently not!!! They go from lovely hills, to BAM!!!

Okay, shock over.. get back on the bike and carry on... I've never ridden in mountains before and they have been on mind for quite a while. But like most challenges on this trip.. it's probably not as bad as I think.. Because what I have been envisioning with big mountains are 1) High winds and 2) Icy slippery snowy roads.. what's there to worry about!!?? I can handle that! ;-/

Now I'm getting closer...

See, they are easy peasy roads...!

That is such a good looking bike.. it's just too big for me, but I like it..

And good to meet Klaus! I think he is happy to meet somebody from Australia, and I am happy to meet somebody from Austria!! (I can not tell you how many times people ask me where I am from, and I say Australia, and they say, Austria?? and I say no, Aust -ral-i-a..! OH!! You are a long way from home... yes!) Anyway, Klaus' wife not here, she has a working assignment for the weekend.

So! Follow him!

The plan is to ride to his town, Zell am See.. explore and learn about the area, and in a race against the oncoming bad weather forecast, to shoot over the Alps the following day. Being a local, he knows the weather and best route as well..

We arrive the house.. my mouth wide open, I jump off the bike and immediately start taking heaps of photos... I say, "You live here???!!! Is it possible to live in such a beautiful place?? It doesn't look real, so perfect!"

(I think I humored him a bit..)
So here are some more photos from the Rainer house!

So Klaus says, come on, I will show you around Zell am See. (I quite honestly don't know why, I can just stay in this one spot all day!) But don't pass up an opportunity to have a good look around.

Zell am See.. (did you know that See in Austrian means "lake"? So if you have a home by the See in Austria, it's like ocean front property!?)

Isn't he cute! An Austrian man, making his way around town with walking ski poles for exercise.. they are so healthy here.. seriously, I look at all the people, young and old and they all look so perfectly tan, blonde hair and really healthy! It's like southern California, except with mountains and snow!

Bugger.. road closed already!!! Doesn't look so bad to me, and I bet the people in those cars are thinking the same thing, how do we break in!?

We turn around and try a different route..

I am totally in love with the house designs here..

He decides to take me up another side for a great view of town and a coffee. Well, I don't like coffee, but I'll have a cup of tea..

While enjoying the view, we hear a motorcycle come up the hill.. the man sits at the table next to us, and of coarse we strike up a conversation about motorcycles. And then it hits him!! The man says, "Hey!! I know you!! You are the girl riding around the world! I was just reading your blog last week, you've been to Russia, Mongolia, and now here!!??"

I couldn't believe it... a strange man recognized me and knew so much about my journey!! I felt famous!! How fun!! That truly does blow my mind....

Well his name is Hans, from Germany, and he rode his motorcycle here today, so he can go skiiing on the mountain tomorrow.. wow!! What a life!

It was a wonderful afternoon.. what a great
priviledge it was to be here.. and all the much better with friends... I am a very happy motogirl!!! ;-)))

And to finish off the day, back into town for an awesome Austrian dinner.. thank you Klaus!

I quite like this place .. ! ;-)

Prague Czech Republic

 

Happy New Year from WINTER in Tuscany Italy!!  The good news after about 8 weeks, I finally have my computer back from repairs in Austria... that was a long and difficult wait.. But now I hope to get to work and get this blog updated!  I can tell you I have seen so much, met so many amazing people and had so much fun since my last entry.. so I hope you enjoy the upcoming photos and stories!

Since Berlin post a long time ago…  I have been to Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy.  So!! With a lot of catching up to do, back to Germany we go!!

After visiting the Berlin Wall, I rode out of town feeling completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of history in that one city. Which I expected to see, but I did not expect how modern, clean and fun it is as well!! And again, if I only had the time and not racing south to avoid the winter, I would have spent much more time there.  I really do intend to go back.

But as I was riding through the German countryside toward Czech Republic, there was something else that really impressed me.  I had noticed early on, that the German culture is a very GREEN culture.  There is wind farm after wind farm.  I know when I see them up ahead they must be strategically placed to catch ultimate wind, which then is my warning the wind is going to push me around on my bike. Bugger! There is nothing about my KTM that is aerodynamically designed, and the wind has picked up my front wheel while riding more than once.. even with the extra fuel tank up front!! ;-(

But I also pass farms that had every space of their huge barn roofs covered with solar panels… very expensive!!  But good for the environment!! In order for you to drive a car or truck at least in the city of Berlin, you have to have a high emissions control rating, or you get a fine.  I never heard of that before, and it is such a blessing for a motorcycle rider not to have to be breathing in black cloudy exhaust from the trucks ahead.  I really love Germany for this one point alone!  But good for them, a really impressive country I found in Germany.

Or Germania, as most other people call it.  I like Germania better, it sounds so much nicer! (Pronounce Ger like Gertrude, not like germs) Why do we English speaking people have to change the sound so dramatically? Who are we to change it!? 

I find myself crossing the border into Czech Republic.  It becomes apparent quickly they don’t have the same emissions control standards there.  But it was just exciting to be in another country!  The road signs are a different language, the money is different, here we go again! 

We were diverted off the road I was traveling due to construction onto a highway.. I’m not a fan of the highway, but I was in Prague in no time.

Luckily I had pre-planned and figured out an affordable place to stay ahead of time, so I aimed for Residence Tunich on my gps.

After the freedom in Berlin hostel to park my bike on the sidewalk outside the front door, I expected the same here.. no way!!  It was very clear from the guy at the desk that not only do I not want to park my bike near the door, but don’t park it anywhere outside, it will get stolen!  He showed me on a map several streets over a hotel that had underground parking.  I could pay this crazy amount of money and walk several blocks back to the residence.  I didn’t like that idea, so I set out on foot to knock on doors in an attempt to find somebody who could let my “little” bike stay safely in a corner somewhere.  I found a place almost directly across the street.  They were so nice, parked underground, and even gave me my own key..  Just ask!!

I finally got settled in and began my research of what I want to see in Prague the following day.. I looked at so many options and unusual for me, I decided to take a touristy tour.  I was only there for the next day, and I really wanted to take in as much as I can, as quick as I can.

Have a look at this city!  Where do you start??

From the tiny bit I had heard about Prague Czech Repubic is that it will be a dark gray depressing place to visit.  I nearly didn’t ride here because of that!  But glad I did make the effort.  I found it to be a very vibrant and colourful city!  Definitely in a different “condition” than that of the Germania I had just left.. but nowhere near as bad as I had imagined.  They’ve had their economic struggles over the last years, but seem to be bouncing back from what I can tell.

On the tour, the guide explains to us that Prague was actually the wealthiest city in Europe before the wars.  And you can see evidence of that everywhere.

The Prague Castle above is a highlight for many visitors.  It was gorgeous inside the cathedral. as this one had spectacular stained glass.

 

Now you see what they mean when they say somebody from above must be watching over us.  

Back out on to the street to finish the tour…

Away from the art and the gold and instead a good view of roasting street meat..

I spent the tour with two retired Australian couples from Sydney who adopted me for the day as they were finishing their complete tour of Europe. They were hilarious, we had a good time and it was good to be speaking English and enjoying good ol’ Aussie humor again.  And then I am on my own to explore the rest.

My fascination for the city diverted to street cars.. I don’t know why.. but I thought they were cool and a view into the more normal daily life in Prague.  I hadn't originally planned to come here, and again, I was pleasantly surprised by this amazing place.

 One last look over the city before I start wandering back

 

The good news, is I am only in Czech Republic a whopping two days.  So I have already caught up my blog for one whole country!  The bad news, as you can see, Prague is a humongous city, and deserves more time to get to know it.  And for me to get to know a country, I also like to explore the countryside more and see how people live beyond the common tourist places. But I am happy with what I saw today..  The tour guide said I was lucky to be here at this time, because the same time last year was already freezing cold and snowy.

Which was my hint to stay on course and start heading toward Austria in the morning.

Glad to be back, next blog entry coming soon!

Wishing you all an exciting 2011 full of fun and adventure!!