Austria

A lot of people are talking about climate change. I witnessed it personnally during my stay in Austria last month. We were visiting the Grossglockner glacier. A funicular carries tourists down to the foot of the glacier….well down where the glacier used to be!

From there you still have to hike for a while to touch the ice. On the way down from the valley station of the cable car you can see sign which give you the glacier position at a given year. Watch for yourself!

Here a view down to the end of the funicular. No ice visible.

I took two images of the position signs : 1985 which was exactly 30 years ago and 1970, the year I was born. The view is quite striking, scaring.

What will be left here in 5 or 10 years?

Here a panoramic view from the top of the cable car

More images on flickr : https://flic.kr/s/aHskhZ3Fii

Today I was diving one of the most amazing spots I’ve ever seen! It was like diving in a fairy tale! The Samaranger See is known for its limitless visibilty. It is a small lake and divers are limited to 4 at one time together in the lake. On top of that you need to have at least 100 logged dives in your logbook to access the place. Ah yes, did I mention that you only have access if you stay at least 2 nights in the owner’s hotel?

All I can tell you is that it is worth all this!

When you enter the 8C water you quickly come to see tree trunks which have fallen into the lake. Everything is covered in a whitish thick algae carpet. Touching is strickly forbidden. Watch your buoyancy!!!

Well enough words, see by yourself…