TRAVELLIVE 11-2017

MY FEAR DISAPPEARED ONCE I LOOKED OUT
FROM THE 5 FINGERS ACROSS THE BEAUTIFUL
SALZKAMMERGUT WITH ITS VALLEYS, LAKES, SNOWY
MOUNTAINS AND VILLAGES BELOW.
My first destination was the 5fingers viewing
platform which is shaped like a hand. Each
finger points out to the mountains, made of
glass and iron, allowing me to look down and
see the snow beneath. For someone who has a
fear of height like me, it was such an amazing
experience to remember. My fear disappeared
once I looked out from the 5fingers across the
beautiful Salzkammergut with its valleys, lakes,
snowy mountains and villages below. The
villages looked much like toy models that one
could easily reach out and pick up.
On this soaring mountain, I found an isolated
chapel called Dachsteinkapelle in the middle of
a snow-blanketed field. Situated at an altitude
of 2,206m above sea level, this chapel is the
highest place of worship in the Northern
Limestone Alps.
structures inside the cave. You are not allowed
to go on your own as the cave is made of almost
1km dangerous steps. There is a guided tour for
guests every hour.
The ice architecture inside the cave often
astonish visitors. You can see the cascades
frozen for over a hundred years, ice towers
built up from underground water flowing in
from the outside, creating the most unique and
amazing natural structures that we could not
help but wonder how they formed and
came about.
My decision to go to Dachstein from a
conversation by chance on the bus was one of
the best decisions I have ever made.
At Station 2 they have only one restaurant.
I took this opportunity to sit down at the
Dachstein Krippenstein to enjoy some food
and Facetime my mother to tell her about my
magical moment when I was immersed in the
sun and the snow. Sipping Hallstatt's delicious
beer in the midst of the Austrian snow was also
an unforgettable experience.
Station 1 and the
mysterious ice cave
At Station 1, they had an archaeological
museum with information on the mammoth
fossil excavation from the Ice Age. But you will
find the most amazing thing about Station 1 is
the Ice Cave.
The weird thing about this 300-year-old iceberg
is that the ice melts in winter and thickens
during spring and summer. The best time to
explore this ice cave is from April to August
if you want to check out the beautiful ice
The
strange ice
architecture
inside the Ice
Cave.
Above this
picture:
Breath-taking
view of
Dachstein
Mountains
TRAVELLIVE
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