After breakfast, we hurried to be at the laundromat by 9 AM. However, on Friday it opens at 9:30. So, we went for a little drive to Grainau and Eibsee (the lake at the foot of the Zugspitze). The scenery is breathtaking.
Got back about 9:35 AM. The same lady we have been dealing with for about 20-years was there. Pay her, she puts in the soap, sets the controls, and off we go. I wanted to come back in time for drying, as there were some items I didn't want to be dried, and also wanted to add a sheet of "Bounce".
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| Friday morning "hang-out" |
We walked a few blocks to the pharmacy, as Ron wanted an antibiotic cream, as he somehow developed an infection in his finger. We walked a little further to check out the new restaurant "Shaka Burger" which is in a prominent spot on Marienplatz where McDonalds used to be. Good to see McD gone from the center of town. Wish the nearby pizza place, another American chain would go as well.
I was in pain walking back to the laundromat, and Ron suggested we stop in the Sanitatshaus and see if they had a back brace. They had two styles, and the lady summoned me into a fitting room and tried them on me. I chose one, she put it on, and I continued to the laundry while Ron paid for the brace. When I asked how much it was, he said, "You don't want to know."
Had to wait about five minutes for a dryer, as she only has three. Once we put the drying in, we drove back to the hotel to check out. Then back to fold the laundry. A relief to have a couple weeks of clean clothes!
Ron had been in communication with the owner of a small pension for sale near Seefeld Austria. When he obtained the actual address, it was really in a small "dorf" in the Leutashtal (the valley behind the Zugspitze), a few miles from Seefeld. We had visited the Leutash area once years ago (although Ron has no recollection of it), and I remember not liking it very well. We drove through Mittenwald (famous for violin making and painted houses), and then turned off onto tiny, winding roads through the Leutash, dodging bike riders everywhere. We stopped at a remote restaurant, but didn't care for the ambiance, so continued on. Ron pointed out a few more spots, and I kept saying "No, let's not go to an empty place." When we arrived at the pension Schweizerhof, Ron went in to meet the English owner, and said his wife thought the location was too remote for us. Nevertheless, the owner insisted on giving him a tour. Ron said it was a good price for what it is, and the views were spectacular, but I say it is not for me!
While he was in the pension I tried to search on the phone for restaurants in Seefeld that wouldn't require driving into the Zentrum. I came up with a suggestion, Triendlsage, on the edge of town in a "walker's paradise". As we drove down the narrow lane, the restaurant came into view, and Ron said, "I'm so glad you did some research and we didn't stop in one of those other places." It was gorgeous, a large Tyrolean style building in the middle of the forest - such a welcoming sight. We later read that people love to walk through the forest from Seefeld, about 30-minutes. If I am ever that mobile again, we would definitely be going back for that experience.
The restaurant was part of a complex that includes a sawmill that was originally built in 1812, and remains in the same family. The sawmill is the most modern, and environmentally friendly possible, and operates very silently. We sat on the balcony. Our waiter was from Bosnia, and was very friendly and talkative. He had been visiting Lake Garda (Italy) recently, as he had just lost his 59-year old Mother (cancer) and was spending time with his Father.
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| Mary at entrance to Triendlsage |
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| Small hut where you can dine while covering up with sheepskin throws |
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| Mary at Triedlsage |
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| Part of sawmill at Triedlsage |
I ordered barlauch (leek) risotto with roasted pine nuts. Ron had flaedli (pancake strips) soup and salad. His soup was delicious - that I had been hoping for the day I ordered pfannkuchen soup. It was a lovely lunch stop.
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| Leek risotto with pine nuts (garnished with fried strip of pumpkin) |
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| Flaedli |
Near the restaurant was an alpaca farm with a small shop. Ron had been wanting a new alpaca sweater since the silverfish had attacked his favorite, so we stopped. Although the sign indicated the shop should be open, it was closed up tight. Too bad, as he could spy alpaca sweaters on the shelf!
We drove through Seefeld and down to the Innsbruck-Bregenz A12 autobahn. A vignette is required for use of Austrian autobahns, so we had to stop to purchase one (you display on your windshield). We stopped at the Trofana Tirol Raststaette, which we had visited previously. Someone wrote, "Trofana takes highway rest stops to a whole new level", and that is accurate. It is an enormous wood and stone complex with a hotel, restaurant, food court, market square, and village store which sells a wide array of Tyrolean specialties, gifts, and souvenirs. There is also an "adventure park" with playground, petting farm, fish ponds, etc.
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| Austrian chocolates, Hams, sausages in background |
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| Austrian liquors and schnapps |
The above photos are just a small example of what is on offer. Other than the vignette, the only purchase we made, however, was a small bottle of Tiroler Marillen (apricot schnapps).
Back on the autobahn, we saw a sign that read "Arlberg Tunnel Gesperrt". This was a shock! It meant that the 9-mile tunnel from Tyrol to Vorarlberg was closed, and we would either have to re-trace our steps and add several hours to our journey - OR drive through St Anton and over the Arlberg Pass. Fortunately, all the winter snows had melted or this would have been a major problem. As it was, it added about an hour to the drive, but it wasn't as harrowing as some passes we have traversed, and it surely was beautiful!
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| Swiss Alps (Vorarlberg) Up Close |
We eventually arrived at the Hotel Allegra in Kloten near Zurich Airport. We should have stayed at the nearby Hilton to add to our loyalty program stays, but I had tried to find a less expensive room to offset some of our "splurges". In the end, it wasn't really worth it, especially as the Allegra did not have air-conditioning and did not include breakfast. I described the beds as "cots" - very firm single beds. There was no bar soap in the bathroom - only liquid soap dispensers. There were a few other issues, but at least it was spacious and clean.
Drove around Kloten looking for a cute spot for a bite of dinner. Were about to give up when we spotted a busy little garden restaurant, and stopped there.
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| Sternen Garden for a pizza |
Ron commented that we fit right in with the age group. The people all seemed to know each other, and were chatting between tables. I joked that maybe it is a "Swiss Del Webb" group. The pizza Quattro staggione was nothing special and was about $40 for the pizza, one beer and one wine. Switzerland is impossibly expensive!
Back to our hotel, looking forward to the next day and the arrival of Tom and Val (my nephew and his wife).
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