The hills are alive...

Our desire to hike in Berchtesgaden in southeastern Germany led us to a detour in Salzburg, Austria (we could tell we had left Germany because the driving got more chaotic instantly). Our thinking was that since Salzburg was so close, we could spend the nights there and hike in Germany during the day. But to be honest, although Berchtesgaden was beautiful, it was more touristy than we had hoped. So rather than spending two days in Berchtesgaden, we opted for more time in Austria.

First, we hiked up Zwoelferhorn outside of Salzburg -- a peak that overlooks a handful of twinkling lakes and verdant rolling hills. But by the time WE reached the top, everything was a blur. Literally, because it was thick with fog. Still, we were rewarded by some terrific views once we got below the fog on the way back down. Ghinwa sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" so many times that the Polizei threatened to get involved.

We were planning to simply drive through Hohe Tauern National Park on our way to Italy but our Lonely Planet guide book gushed about it for 20 pages using every superlative imaginable. And it lived up to the description. On our first day there we went on a gorgeous walk in a mountain valley. We had planned for a longer hike on the next day to visit an alpine lake and a glacier but unfortunately, fog followed us to Hohe Tauern as well. We waited it out for a full day, trying again the next morning. But to no avail. More fog. Hohe Tauern was playing hard to get. And so we took the hint, and we drove out of the fog-cloaked valleys, and into sunny Italy.

Conversation:

Ghinwa: This lake is so clear. There are definitely no fish in it because they would be so easily caught.

Ari: Well, they are probably living under the rocks or the sand.

Ghinwa: Yeah, but what a life!

A couple of delicious Austrian marzipan-layered chocolates

Ari is up to something in Berchtesgaden National Park

Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany

Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany

Ghinwa catches Ari in bed with another cat.

Ghinwa in Salzburg

Zwolferhorn (1522 m) -- we made it, but where's the view!?

Below the fogline, a better view!

Scenes from Hohe Tauern: