European Trip 18: The journey to Gaming, Austria

Wednesday 9th October 2024 (day 26)

Our journey continued north today, through a landscape full of interest. Our destination was a little more ambitious than previous days and this morning we had said goodbye to Jeeves, Michelle and their dog Layla. Our journey with them has been full of joy and it was a sad parting, but we did make plans to meet up again in the New Year, at a site near Market Drayton.

The journey:

The roads were excellent, well made, straight in places, but with some very steep ups and downs. There were high viaducts and very wiggly bits thrown in. We drove through industrial, pastural and mountainous areas. The weather was kind too.

After passing through one high pass, we descended to discover an immense quarry on the left. We were able to stop and look more closely:

Gaming:

No, not a computer-based activity in this case, but a small and charming town which has a river running through it. Our park-up for the night is on a community provided stellplatz with designated space for 5 motorhomes at the end of a car park, right next door to an old monastery. There are excellent facilities, all free, but a donation is requested via the honesty box.

We explored the monastery buildings first. They are really impressive. It was founded in 1330 as a Carthusian abbey. It is now used as a hotel and restaurant.

The church is still in use. Inside it is beautiful and airy with clear windows and white walls. The tall ceilings are decorated, but this is not overdone, even though the entrance is quite flamboyant.

Across the road from the abbey there is this contraption, which is part of the “Beer Weg” or Beer Way. There is a brewery in the town and here, you are able to smell samples of different odours which presumably make up a part of the brewers repertoire. We experienced several smells, including orange and lemon.

Further along, again as a part of the “Beer Weg” there is a metal seat which has a detailed commentary on the finer points of brewing, available at the touch of a button, for anyone who sits there. Sadly, we don’t speak any German.

Further along, there is a small garden and fountain:

…and we visited the other church in the town, which we found to be very ornate and almost grotesque in its decoration.

We later enjoyed a refreshing drink at the cafe bar outside the church, before returning to Fufu near the abbey.

Tomorrow we go further north, heading towards Czechia. See you later!