Right over the Austrian boarder into Germany is the small mountain town of Berchestgaden. This little ski town offers some great mountain views and a very charming Bavarian town. Near by the town of Berchestgaden is Hitlers "Eagles Nest." This building was a gift to Hitler on his 50th birthday from the Nazi party. Resting at over 6,000 ft and placed right on the peak of the mountain, the view is nothing short of spectacular. Even on this semi-foggy day we could easily see Salzburg, Austria over 35 kilometers away. To get up to the Eagles Nest you must park your car, then take a shuttle up to a small parking area. From this parking area you must walk over 100 yards into a tunnel which ends at a small dome shaped room with one elevator door. You enter a lavish polished brass elevator and are brought up 400 feet to the top. Once up at the top you are left with a stunning view of the German/Austrian boarder, and a very eerie feeling.
Below the Eagles Nest is Kongissee Lake which was our next stop.
Kongissee Lake
We ditched the crowds and found a quiet place to take in the views. The boats moved about the lake as the clouds opened and closed letting in some very dramatic rays of light. Below is poster of St. Bartholomew's Church, the boats take tourist there for a bargain price of 14€ per person so we decided to hike around and get a view from a far and save our 28€.
Amazing light coming down onto St. Bartholomew's Church.
Goulash for lunch
After exploring the surrounding sights we headed into the colorful old town just in time for their Sunday market and the end of a German festival. Everyone was dressed in their traditional outfits, men were yodeling, and everyone was drinking local wine. We grabbed a bottle and joined the festivities. The town party came to an end as equally fast as the rain came into town, we found ourselves at the beer hall for dinner where the party continued. We met some incredible local people and had one of the best nights of our trip so far.
