Back Again in Bavaria
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GAPP 2016 / Kaltern am See
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The next morning I awoke early and got downstairs to find breakfast already being served in the dining area. I found a small table in the corner and helped myself to the extensive choices available for the complimentary continental breakfast. This was a great hotel in every aspect and I slept well in a comfortable bed with the benefit of air-conditioning. However a day later, Andy would come down with a sore throat and swollen glands, most likely caused by the cool night air, to which he was not accustomed. The food was great with plain regular coffee and cream available, which I sipped slowly until my fellow companions joined me. We checked out of the hotel and hit the road north seeking to visit the warmest lake in the Italian Alps known as the Kaltern am See.
Lake Paddle Boats
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The road to our destination was even more beautiful than the day before, with the now sunny weather illuminating the mountain slopes. The bright green hillside vineyards and accompanying apple tree groves shrouded in a canopy of black netting, were set in contrast to one another. I was taking pictures out the window as we sped along, hoping the photos would turn out. We soon came upon the expansive lake, located in the lower recesses of the valley, and turned down to the resort-like complex located along the lake’s shore. We walked down to the edge of the water and out onto the docks where many paddle-boats were tied up and available for rent. The four seat craft would not accommodate all of us, so I volunteered to stay ashore, which would give me an opportunity to explore and get some good pictures of the surrounding vineyards.
Lake Side Outdoor Cafe
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It was here that I experienced a major heart-pounding scare. The boat attendant was having trouble releasing the paddleboat from the dock and asked for my assistance in rocking the boat against the pier to enable him to release the latch. There was only about a foot gap between the paddle-boat’s side and the dock, so I wasn’t concerned with falling into the lake. However, just as I was rocking the boat, straddling myself between the boat and the dock with the lake gap between my legs, my camera strap came undone! The school’s high end Sony camera fell down as the strap ran around the back of my neck.
Kaltern See Wine Country
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It took me a second to figure out just what was happening and then seemed to be taking place in slow motion. I let out a scream as I saw the camera quickly fall into the shadows about my feet just as I went to reach for it. By sheer luck, the camera body had landed on the edge of the dock with the lens hanging out over the edge. I quickly grabbed it and counted my blessings as I gripped it tightly. For the next few minutes, hours, and days, I replayed those ten seconds in my mind many times, picturing me explaining how I dropped their expensive camera into a lake to school administrators. I was so lucky and took a few minutes to catch my breath and get my heartbeat back into proper rhythm. In all the excitement, the boat was finally freed from the dock.
Charming Italian Vineyard
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As soon as my companions set sail, I seated myself under the colorful umbrellas of the lakeside café and enjoyed a Coca-Cola Light on ice as I watched my fiends paddle themselves out into the middle of the lake. They looked hot, exposed under the bright sun of midmorning. I however, was shrouded in cool comfort and took the time to carefully reattach my camera strap to the heavy camera body, checking it and rechecking it again and again, as I would many times during the remainder of our trip. Once I was convinced it was properly secured around my neck, I was off to get some good shots of the neatly maintained parallel rows of grape vines.
Picturesque Italian Countryside
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The view was great and was even complimented with an old world stone farmhouse complex. What more could you ask for as a photo subject? I hustled all the way back up to the main road and took pictures from every available vantage point. After getting every shot I could, I went off to see if my comrades in travel had returned to land. There was no sign of them anywhere, so I began exploring the complex of interconnected buildings to see if I could locate them. As I went I came across a classic Alpha Romeo spitfire convertible sports car taking several shots of the vehicle as it was a favorite of my father. I explored several shops and found a site pin to add to my growing collection. Several surprise spots provided additional great shots of the lake and soon I heard Andy calling my name. Reunited, we headed back to the car to seek out our next target on the map.
Kaltern See Cafe Beach
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