37 - 6/5/2015 - Across Austria - Salzburg to Munich

Friday, June 5

The return to Germany. Driving to Munich took us across the length of Austria which meant great scenery, mountains with snow remaining on them and lots and lots of tunnels through those mountains. We paid €13.50 for the privilege of driving through them although we'd already brought that windshield sticker needed to drive on the motorways. At the two tunnel tollbooths we noticed the toll takers eyeballing our French license plate as we drove up and then glancing for a sticker at the top of the windshield. Since traveling the tunnels automatically places cars on a motorway requiring a sticker, a great opportunity to catch scofflaws. We felt smugly legal.

We stopped in Salzburg to check it out and, perhaps unfairly, agreed that much of what we saw of it would look even better covered in a good coating of snow.  There were exceptions. We stopped to visit the St. Erhard church and viewed the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress from below as tourist cars were not allowed up the steep hill.



We often take our leg stretch/WC breaks at McDonalds along the way because they are ubiquitous and a known quantity. They also have that free WiFi and a snack of fries with a Coke Zero will rarely be turned away. From Madrid to Berlin, European McDonalds are superior in every way to those in the U.S., in particular food quality and preparation and caliber of facilities. And that's virtually every one you come across, not the exception. The two Mac eateries nearest Gold River are dumps by comparison. Mac's answer to this at home is to bring back the "Hamburglar" character. Sounds like "Mad Men" doing what they do best.

We dropped off the motorway and fell into this McDonalds In Bad Fischau-Brunn on the way to Rogner Bad Blumau. When we saw it we said "Whoa!", this looks like the photos of Rogner that we'd seen. With all of the great detailing it obviously cost big bucks to build. One of life's curiosities, since Rogner was still some distance away. Question: Is Robert Rogner perhaps also a McDonalds franchisee?




This is the entry:


Just a couple of the seating areas:

And we love this type of tile work:



This tile work is in the restroom (yes, I know we're showing a photo of the restroom but they are so artsy - love the Gaudi theme).



The Macs that we've been to have McCafe's incorporated into them that would really give Starbuck's a run for their money.  Pastries are high-end quality with reasonable prices and the baristas wear a uniform of long ankle-length black aprons to set them apart from the McDonalds grill staff. We get Hamburglers.






With this blog you may very well think that we are scraping the bottom of the barrel - photos of fast food joints and restrooms!? Is this what their trip has come to, you ask? But as Pam says, this is our blog and we're sticking to it (warts and all).

Anyway, Navigator Pam has picked a hotel in Munich that is centrally located with the usual big city modes of transportation close at hand. The Peugeot is buttoned down in a parking lot for the duration and our Rick Steves' Germany book is close at hand (or Norm's back pocket).