<Japanese version is under English: 日本語は英語の後にあります＞
I traveled Europe a few years ago by myself. One of the memorable hiking was in Austria. I went to see the world's largest ice cave, Eisriesenwetlt, in Werfen, near Salzburg.
The day I went to the ice cave, I woke up at 6 because breakfast started 6:30. Every hostel has continental breakfast. Second day of continental breakfast was already boring (FYI: cheese, ham, boiled eggs, bread, tomato, cucumber, yogurt, fruits).
At 7, I started walking to the Salzburg Hbf (during this trip I learned that Hbf is a central station in German, very important! FYI, Hbf is a shorten form of hauptbahnhof).
The ice cave is located near the town of Werfen, 1 hour train ride from Salzburg. 15 minutes on train from Salzburg, it was already in the mountains. Train ran along the river and mountains. It was a beautiful ride. I took off train at Werfen but I almost missed the station. It was all of sudden (for me because the announce was only German and GPS didn’t work in the mountains).
I went to a bus stop to get to the trailhead, but the bus didn’t come at all more than 45 minutes. According to Google, it should run every 20 minutes. The town was so small and only 65+ years old people were walking on the street. The bus finally came and I asked if the bus would go to the ice cave, but the driver said no. I had to ask a stranger where a correct bus stop was. He didn’t speak English but he said, “come” and took me a bus stop. “Come” in German sounded similar to English, but probably different spelling. Although the guy took me a bus stop, the bus didn’t seem to come. So I decided to go back to the train station and ask another person. I asked a person at the station, and he said the bus would come in 10 minutes at the station. He didn’t speak English and said in German but conveyed the message 10 minutes by pointing out his watch and I understood. It was hard but this is the foreign trip! An Indian family and a couple from Australia came and waited for the bus. Then bus took us to the trailhead.
Beautiful view
To go go the cave, people need to hike, then take a cable car, then hike to go to the cave. The each hike was short but really beautiful. I fell in love with European Alps.
The final portion of the trail is like this in the second picture in the left.
trail to the cave entrance
Cave entrance
To enter the ice cave is allowed only with a designated guide. 10-15 people go to the cave together. German speaking persons are half, English half. The guide explained the cave structure at the viewpoints in German and English. The ice cave was really wonderful. I had never seen such a big ice. It was blueish and whitish, and half transparent. Inside the cave was dark, but at the viewpoints the guide lighted magnesium sheet (if I remember correctly). That was very bright and lit up the ice structure so beautifully. It was worth taking train and bus. I definitely recommend this ice cave!!!
Because it is prohibited to take pictures inside the ice cave, no pictures: meaning you have to go there.
After the cave visit, I came back to Salzburg and went to a house Mozart once lived. There were several pianos he used. I thought, “Seriously? There are only a couple of octaves! How could he play his piano concerts pieces?” They were like toys. I also saw many letters he wrote. His handwriting looked meticulous.
This day was quite packed, so I slept well at night.
数年前にヨーロッパ一人旅をした。その中で印象深かったハイク。
オーストリアのEisriesenwetlt。これは氷の洞窟。アルプスをハイクしそして氷の洞窟を歩くハイク。すごいの一言だった。
その日は６時起床、６時半朝食。ヨーロッパのホステルの朝食はイマイチ。やっぱり日本の朝食が一番だとつくづく思う。何はともあれ７時にホステルを出発。 まずザルツブルグの中央駅まで歩く。そしてそこからワーフェントいう街へ電車でいく。約１時間。ザルツブルグから１０分程度でもう山の中を電車が走っている。綺麗。ザルツブルグに住んだら山行き放題だなぁ、と考えながら車窓を眺めた。”世界の車窓から”状態だ。
そしてワーフェンからバスに乗ってEisriesenwetltに行くのだがバスが来ない。バス停の周りには６５歳以上を思われる人しかいないし、聞いてもドイツ語しか喋れない。やっぱり昔の教育では英語はヨーロッパではなかったのか？
バスが来ないので駅に戻り英語が喋れる人を探す。どうやらバスがもうすぐ駅に来るらしいことがわかった。駅にいたドイツ人のおじさんがドイツ語でなんとか教えてくれた。というかジェスチャーと時計を指してなんとか理解できた。
そしてようやくバスに乗ることができた。バスを降りトレイルを登り始めると。。。きゃー。景色が素晴らしい。１枚目の写真が全てを語ってくれている。アルプスは本当に美しい。いつまでも見ていたい。そして２枚目の写真が洞窟にいく最後のセクションのトレイル。”普通”の観光客はかなりヘトヘトになりながら歩いていた。
３枚目の写真が洞窟の入り口から外を撮った写真。
そしていよいよ洞窟の中へ。ここを管轄している公園のガイドと一緒に入る。保護地区なのだ。なので写真撮影も禁止。ということで残念ながら氷の洞窟の写真はないのだが、とにかくあんな氷の洞窟初めて見た！幻想的な氷の洞窟、ぜひとも読者にも行っていただきたい。
<Japanese version is under English: 日本語は英語の後にあります＞
I traveled Europe a few years ago by myself. One of the memorable hiking was in Austria. I went to see the world's largest ice cave, Eisriesenwetlt, in Werfen, near Salzburg.
I traveled Europe a few years ago by myself. One of the memorable hiking was in Austria. I went to see the world's largest ice cave, Eisriesenwetlt, in Werfen, near Salzburg.
The day I went to the ice cave, I woke up at 6 because breakfast started 6:30. Every hostel has continental breakfast. Second day of continental breakfast was already boring (FYI: cheese, ham, boiled eggs, bread, tomato, cucumber, yogurt, fruits).
At 7, I started walking to the Salzburg Hbf (during this trip I learned that Hbf is a central station in German, very important! FYI, Hbf is a shorten form of hauptbahnhof).
The ice cave is located near the town of Werfen, 1 hour train ride from Salzburg. 15 minutes on train from Salzburg, it was already in the mountains. Train ran along the river and mountains. It was a beautiful ride. I took off train at Werfen but I almost missed the station. It was all of sudden (for me because the announce was only German and GPS didn’t work in the mountains).
I went to a bus stop to get to the trailhead, but the bus didn’t come at all more than 45 minutes. According to Google, it should run every 20 minutes. The town was so small and only 65+ years old people were walking on the street. The bus finally came and I asked if the bus would go to the ice cave, but the driver said no. I had to ask a stranger where a correct bus stop was. He didn’t speak English but he said, “come” and took me a bus stop. “Come” in German sounded similar to English, but probably different spelling. Although the guy took me a bus stop, the bus didn’t seem to come. So I decided to go back to the train station and ask another person. I asked a person at the station, and he said the bus would come in 10 minutes at the station. He didn’t speak English and said in German but conveyed the message 10 minutes by pointing out his watch and I understood. It was hard but this is the foreign trip! An Indian family and a couple from Australia came and waited for the bus. Then bus took us to the trailhead.
 |
| Beautiful view |
To go go the cave, people need to hike, then take a cable car, then hike to go to the cave. The each hike was short but really beautiful. I fell in love with European Alps.
The final portion of the trail is like this in the second picture in the left.
 |
| trail to the cave entrance |
 |
| Cave entrance |
To enter the ice cave is allowed only with a designated guide. 10-15 people go to the cave together. German speaking persons are half, English half. The guide explained the cave structure at the viewpoints in German and English. The ice cave was really wonderful. I had never seen such a big ice. It was blueish and whitish, and half transparent. Inside the cave was dark, but at the viewpoints the guide lighted magnesium sheet (if I remember correctly). That was very bright and lit up the ice structure so beautifully. It was worth taking train and bus. I definitely recommend this ice cave!!!
Because it is prohibited to take pictures inside the ice cave, no pictures: meaning you have to go there.
After the cave visit, I came back to Salzburg and went to a house Mozart once lived. There were several pianos he used. I thought, “Seriously? There are only a couple of octaves! How could he play his piano concerts pieces?” They were like toys. I also saw many letters he wrote. His handwriting looked meticulous.
This day was quite packed, so I slept well at night.
数年前にヨーロッパ一人旅をした。その中で印象深かったハイク。
数年前にヨーロッパ一人旅をした。その中で印象深かったハイク。
