A lil' bit of climbing with a huge help from the cogwheel train

It's high time for a bit of climbing, ain't it? I've been writing about mountains for quite some time now and you haven't seen a bit of climbing yet, right? I'm going to start in a delicate way. I mean quite high as for European standards, that's for sure, but quite effortless.

We're in Germany again. Contrary to the trip to Polish Pieniny Mountains, in Germany it was really hot, which I've mentioned already. We managed to see the colourful streets of GaPa, we managed to drink a beer or two at the campsite just by a really cold lil' river. It was time to get to the top of the mountain we could practically see from the campsite. So off we went. We went and we went until we reached... a station. Yup, you're not mistaken. We got to the station to hop on a cogwheel train in GaPa that was to take us to the Schneeferner glacier. We could experience a bit of snow in the summer sun or eat (well, drink rather) something in the reastaurant. Then, the glacier cable car took us to the summit 2,950 metres above the sea level (at least that's what the sign on the platform says - you can see that in the last pic). There is a platform up there from which you can experience the marvellous Alpine views. 360 degrees. All around.

And there's one more thing that awaits the brave ones. Get to the peak, right under the yellow cross. It's not for the faint-hearted. I'm rather small a person and in some places it was really hard for me to reach the metal thingies in the stone wall that were to resemble a kind of ladder. And it took a lot of effort to get up there. But the views... AMAZING! And the satisfaction - ENORMOUS!

From up there (the platform or the summit) we could see the various colours of the Eibsee, totally not visible when you're by the lake. We could see other summits, forests and teeny tiny villages that in fact aren't that small.

Was it too hot for such an adventure? Well, it would have been too hot to climb all the way up there. I don't even know if that's at all possible for tourists. At least those who are not alpinists.It was definitely a lot of fun. The train helped a lot. And, nevertheless, we were totally exhausted when we got back down. Some of us even fell asleep on the way down on the cogwheel train ;) (love you, Hon ;)).

 On the way to the cogwheel train station in GaPa

 First stop - the glacier

 

 Eibsee in the middle of the forest

  Eibsee once again - yup, down there.

 The restaurant on the glacier

 On the way to the summit - to the yellow cross

 Can you see me up there next to the cross?

 The summit :) You can see a fragment of the 360 degrees platform on the left

 And on the way back to the platform

Really hot summer days in GaPa

I'm in the holidays mood. No, I'm not having any at the moment. It's just that I've started planning this year's holidays. And I sooo want to go already. Right now. Go-go.Anyhow, I still have to wait for a few more months, but there's one place I had to book a place at. Now I have to find out how big our tent is... I mean in square meters... Nvm, I'll have to figure that out somehow ;)

So, as I'm in the holiday mood, I'm going to write a few words about a couple really hot days that we spent in Germany once.

It was seriously hot. Well, hot is a delicate way of describing that. Ever tried sitting on a frying pan during the frying process? Well, that might be close...

We spent a couple of days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, or GaPa in short. Two separate parts although connected. It could be an insult to say that you're in Garmisch while you're in fact in Partenkirchen or the other way round, so watch out for that.

GaPa is a beautiful place. Kind of like a place where time stops flying, quiet, peaceful... At least in summer time. Or it was just my impression. Mountains everywhere. Not that many people around. Many houses were painted colourfully. And the colours plus the sun plus too much heat made me feel like in heaven. Well, probably the last factor played a vital role in it. Or maybe I should say that I felt like in hell, cause that's supposed to be too hot ;) I still haven't checked what that's like, so sorry for that.

And we went to see grosse olympia schanze. Haven't seen one in Zakopane, Poland yet. But have seen one in Germany. Well, life ;)

 That's the temperature in shade! not in sun! and in a place where there was a little wind blowing! well, maybe i'm exaggerating by calling it wind ;)