Day six: Austria and Germany

Goodmorning six thirty. After packing the back of the Camry, we were soon zooming down the Autobahn. The only thing that came as a surprise to us was the sorry/poopy state of the off-the-road toilets. Somebody missed...but not with their urine. Soon, after we'd taken off again, David fell into a deep, drooling sleep. Mariah sang to show tunes most of the 6 hours, and Leah was squished in the middle seat--listening to mariah's music since only one of her earphones worked, and being drooled on by darling little baby David. Soon, we arrived in Oberndorf, the birthplace of the Christmas carol, Silent Night. We passed along the Salt River, churches dotting the banks, and then got some great pictures at the smallest chapel anyone has ever seen.

Then back onto the road we went! Berchtesgaden was our final destination, and after winding through the hills and mountains, we soon reached our quaint,and very cheap hotel. (don't forget that we are starving students.) it's called the Waldurft and it sits on a hill looking out at the mountains.

However, the weather was so nice we decided to drive a few kilometers away to Lake Koningsee, the deepest lake in the Alps. We boarded a boat and took off. Halfway across the lake, the tour guide who spoke only in German, broke out a trumpet. Every note he played echoed on then lake. So cool. And the next thing I knew, Gandalf was coming down the mountain with an army of woodland elves.

The little spot we were sailing to was called st. Bartholomew, and if this keyboard supported German characters, I might actually spell it right. It was super sunny, and the chapel we were checking out was white and round, with red cake-top roofs. Mariah and Leah spent about seven hours toying with camera light, trying to get senior portraits. Naturally, mariah ended up taking off her shoes and stepping into the ice cold glacier water...all for the sAke of a photo. Somehow, no one was surprised.

Dinner was goooooooooood. We had shnitzel, spetzi, and several other very German words that I know I would misspell.

(really distracted by the couple in love only a table away right now.....)

Then we went back to the hotel and decided we hadn't hade enough to eat. So fancying hi self to be in need of a slice of cake, david led us all down to the cafe. The waitress, who strangely resembled Dolly Story, appeared. Less than thrilled that we did not speak German. She threw down her menu and cried, "I do not speak German!!!" then she disappeared into the kitchen for thirty minutes, leaving us to suffer the stares of the local Germans who'd popped in for a Baileys. The British gents who sat behind us, discussing Americas economy, sent us strange looks over our shoulders. But oh. This was only the beginning.