Austrian Cows

Yesterday and this morning we spent time at a mountain hut near Kitzbühel, Austria. The weather was gorgeous, and we went for a hike up the mountain to a small lake. The hillsides were dotted with cows grazing. On the way to the lake, we stopped to rest at small catholic chapel. Inside there were four pews, each holding two occupants. It was very idyllic with views of rugged mountains in the distance.

We also spent some time hunting for and picking mushrooms growing on the slopes near the hut. Our friend and acting guide, Karina, told us which ones were edible and which ones to avoid. We must have picked nearly a half pound of small yellow mushrooms. Later, we cleaned them and Karina used them in a spaghetti sauce. We ate dinner at dusk while the cows came down the mountain, bells jangling.

Karina, on a layover between jobs as a psychiatric nurse, has decided to join us on our way to Istanbul. We'll be on our way in a few hours, with a stop for perhaps a few days in Croatia. There is a film festival going on there that we'd like to check out. We also would like to visit the Dalmation coast while there. Personally, I'd like to try to do some deep water soloing (rock climbing over water without gear or rope, just shoes) over the Adriatic.