Another random thing that I have noticed in the past and thought of again today planning on travelling to Salzburg is the frequent use of the name Südtiroler Platz. I knew it as the area outside of the Vienna, Innsbruck & Salzburg railway stations and have also seen it in Graz, Jenbach & Lienz although not by the railway stations.
Wondered why, so checked. Apparently after Südtirol was annexed by Italy in 1918 after WWI many towns in Austria and Bavaria named places Südtiroler Platz in solidarity.

So if you look up Südtiroler Platz make sure you get the correct city. By default search engines will go to Vienna.

 

Flachau is only about 8 km away but didn't notice any Maier references. Probably have to go to Flachau itself. Loyalties are pretty local in Austria.
Hermann is of course everywhere in Ads in Austria.

 

Ah yes, you are correct, but I guess skiers are recognised from where they grew up and started skiing. In Hermanns case that is most definitely Flachau. I'm sure there are references to him in Alternmarkt, they just weren't apparent on my cursory walk around town.

Michael Walchhofer was born in Radstadt also just a few kms away.

 

Tuesday April 02 - Zauchensee

My final skiing day for this trip - in the end 18 days out of 20. The body is feeling it.

Got the skibus from Altenmarkt to Zauchensee. Was a bit of high cloud about so the sun wasn't as intense as previous days, so not a bad thing. I had decided on Zauchensee as it was a little higher than some of the others in the region. It isn't a huge resort in comparison to most of the others on this trip so no big circuits but still has a decent amount of skiing.

There are 3 main parts to the mountain. Started off with a few nice runs on Gemskogel where they run the World cup downhills, and one on Tauernkar. Snow was good, just softening coming back to base. Looking at the map saw that there was a run going down to Flachauwinkl from Rosskopf which is just up the valley from Flachau. Being at 1000m I wasn't too sure if it was going to be much good, but decided to give it a go in the morning before it warmed up too much. Turned out to be quite reasonable , better than expected so did it again.

Back to the other side again, snow was starting to get a bit heavier in the lower parts, but kept going while it was still ok, before finally stopping for lunch at Sonnalm. Finally got in another couple of slower runs in the heavier snow to be able to finish with a 10,000m day and was happy to call it day then.

Skiline stats: 10,217 vert.m., 59km downhill distance, 19 lifts, 352 minutes fun

 

Zauchensee

For the World cup downhills they put in this extra top steep section which mean they hit high speeds pretty quickly from the start.

​

 

Zauchensee run down to Flachauwinkl





Below is Flachauwinkl and the Tauernautobahn and the run in view on the opposite of the valley is part of the Flachau ski area.

 

Zauchensee



Sonnalm

 

Nice day in Salzburg.

 

In Salzburg now to catch up with a cousin. Had a wander around town this afternoon. Quite a bit of building work going on. And the usual tourist groups.

Nice inner Hof Biergarten here (but didn't stop here)


Gourmet lunch here later instead.


Käsekrainer mit frische Kren & Senf und a Bier dazu €5

 

Yeah, it is ridiculous. I don't know where this fascination started but it seems to have taken off in Salzburg. I don't get it.

These guys have a full time job removing the stupid things.

As well as that there are dozens of Chinese tourists stopping to take group photos and selfies in front of them, so you have to weave your way around them. Madness. Probably best to just avoid this bridge.

 

yeah, stupid idea.

 

Salzburg from Kapuzinerberg





Mirabell



Unterach am Attersee

 

Now back home away from home in Graz. Arrived yesterday afternoon in the rain. Caught up with a few relatives at Frankowitsch this morning - a tradtional meeting spot. A bit cool though, not raining but also not really good sitting outside weather.

 

Gemütliche Familenzeit.

 

Harter Teich

 

Summary of Skiline stats:














Patscherkofel, Fendels & Ischgl aren't on the Skiline list so didn't get included. First two were only half days, but Ischgl would certainly have been a 10K+ day.

 

Did my traditional visit to the Schlossberg up the stairs. Do that at least once every time I visit. What is new this year is a slide down inside the Schlossberg accessed from the lift. It runs down a twisting cylinder for around 40 seconds. Latter part is steeper so picks up a bit of speed.
While colder weather and rain was forecast for much of the country here in the south east it was fine and a warm 19C.

 

Rain has eventually arrived and hung around for the last couple of days, so has been quiet.

 

Kann schon verstehen. Letztes Woche hier in Graz war ziemlich kuhl und regnerisch. Das heisst dan in Tirol Neuschnee. Nur jetzt wird es wieder warmer.

 

Hier mit meine verwandten ist es meistens ziemlich einfach - normal Kaffee und marmalade Brot oder Semmeln. Jede Mittwoch aber haben wir eine besondere gemeinsame Familien Frühstück mit Wurst, Käs, Eier etc. Heute war eine Brunch draussen bei eine Gartenhaus von eine Tante mit Stelzen und Rippeln und etwas Wein dazu - sehr schön.

 

Ja, ab Gestern steigen die Temperaturen wieder auf. Hier in Graz um 19C. Nächste Woche bleibt so, momentan fertig mit Regen. Aber sicher wird es in Ischgl noch viel Spass sein. Vormittag wirds noch Frisch - muss ma dass ausnutzen und dann ab 13Uhr in die Hütte.

 

Bist a bisserl faul.

 

You have to access it from the Schlossberg lift - either from top or bottom from the Schlossbergplatz. It is the level below the top. There is meant to be a combined lift and slide ticket which you buy from the vending machine 6 Euro. Though it wasn't obvious when we went - we got a lift ticket then paid 5 Euro extra for the slide. You just get a mat to slide on, get in, push off, then just lean back and enjoy the ride. Worth doing once.
https://www.schlossbergrutsche.at/?LNG=en

 

Ja, wenns langer Zeit in Österreich oder Bayern bist, gewohnts auf eine etwas einfache Sprach. Wenns eine NordDeutsche dialekt hörsts, klingt es als sehr komisch und steif.
Und noch was - hier tun wir nicht Gucken (hasse das) - wir Schauen.

 

Wetter hier ist jetzt wieder schön - bis zum 20C. War gestern bei eine Ausstellung bei Schloss Kornberg in die Oststeiermark. Eine von Schlösse und eine von Schiffe. War sehr gut gemacht.

 

Exhibition of models of castle from around the world was very good - very detailed. A few examples:
Neuschwanstein


Somewhere in China:


Portugal:


and one I am familiar with - Himeji:

 

and from the ships:

 

Easter in Austria is quite different to that in Australia. Much more traditional here, it is much more than a chocolate overload. Eggs are works of art - painted and patterned. Quick example from a display here: