To the top of Germany

 As our train drew closer to our destination last night, my mom caught her first glimpse of the Alps in the distance and excitedly called my name, pointing at a rocky mass with touches of snow before bouncing in her seat and clapping like a little kid. She didn't think she'd ever get the chance to see them.

After a good night's sleep and breakfast, we deposited our luggage in the train station lockers and trudged over to the Zugspitzebanhof to await the next cogwheel train into the mountains.

The threatened rain was holding off, and we had blue sky for the ascent.

The little train chugged along, passing fields dotted with hay barns, stopping at ski lifts and walking or cycling trails, until it reached Lake Eisbee. 

Most of the passengers disembarked to take the cable car to the summit, but we continued onward as the track wound through the forest and entered a long tunnel. 

After several minutes in the dark we burst into a snowy wonderland. 

After getting our bearings, I rented a sledge to try the toboggan run while mom went to the restaurant for a cozy lunch.

I was directed to walk past the church and keep going to the "igloo village" to find the sledding tracks. I struggled up the hill in slushy snow, past the church and - with no igloos in sight - I continued up the hill. Eventually I came to a level area close to the ski lifts - still no sign of anything identifying a sled run, but several no tobogganing signs were posted. Great.

By this point I was exhausted, my feet were soaked after navigating knee-high snow, and I was getting quite annoyed. Dragging the sledge all the way back to the rental hut I asked for directions again and was sent to the base of the run so I could walk up it. And up I went. Again. But at least now I knew I'd be able to get a ride in. Almost to the top I realized I was in roughly the same area but it seemed the directional signage had been removed.

Finally, it was time to ride! I settled onto the sledge, tucked my hat inside my coat so it couldn't blow off, and zipped down the curved track. This Canadian kid knows how to sled, and I zoomed down without any tipping or stops, arriving at the bottom to some cheers from other sledders.

I would have liked to ride again, but we were on a strict schedule so as not to miss our evening train, my mom had been waiting quite a while, and I just didn't have it in me to climb the hill a third time.

After a warm lunch and hot tea my mom and I caught the cable car to the summit - the highest point in all of Germany! 

By this time clouds had rolled in so the views were limited - all of Austria, on the opposite side of the mountain, was obscured. But we could see the nearest slopes and had our photo taken by the famous golden cross marking the summit's peak.

After taking in our fill of the view we hopped aboard another cable car that took us all the way back to Lake Eibsee. We were fully enveloped by clouds amd it was a bit eery to see the cables disappearing into nothingness.

After checking out the gift shop, we made our way to the station for the cogwheel train back into town.

Despite my tobogganing snafu it was a good day.

And now we are traveling again, and will be arriving in Salzburg in time for bed. 

This is a bucket list item for my mom who is a huge fan of the Sound of Music. We have a tour to the movie sites booked in a couple days - but first, we have a strudel-making class!