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In the one hour there, however, I didn't like the place - you have to take a bus/train to the lifts and the people were not as friendly as the Austrians - so I went back on the train and to Seefeld. That's the good thing with the Bayern ticket. It allows unlimited train travels on the same day until 3am the next day! |
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Seefeld is one of the places we passed by when James and I drove down to St Anton am Arlberg.
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Surrounded by the magnificent mountain scenery of the Karwendel Alpine Park and the Wetterstein range, Seefeld is very beautiful that I felt like walking in a postcard! Here is the Seekirchl (lake chapel) where part of the 200km of cross-country trails run past. With a good snow record, Seefeld has hosted two Winter Olympics (1964 and 1976) and the 1985 Nordic skiing World Championships. Besides skiing facilities, Seefeld has a golf course, a Casino, a Olympia Sport and Congress Zentrum where you can find an indoor swimming pool/sauna, massage packages and a cinema. As such, it caters more to an older crowd which means it's not for those wanting late-night clubbing unfortunately. |
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Being the center of the Seefelder Plateau, there is a 23km ski field which caters mostly to beginners at Geigenbuehel and Birkenlifte; intermediates at Gschwandtkopflifte and advanced at Bergbahnen Rosshuette. |
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According to legend, a monster lived in the mountains surrounding Seefeld, namely the peasant giant "Thyrsus" who fought with his wooden club against the armoured, sword brandishing giant "Haymon". Thyrsus' blood is supposed to be the reason why the reason this area has a rich deposit of bituminous rock and slate. Extracted and distilled, the "Tuerschenblut" or "stinking oil" as it is called, it is marketed as the Ichthyol ointment valued for its healing properties. Besides this, Seefeld gained its importance as an important trade cross road and also a place of pilgrimage. The Hotel Klosterbraeu was the former monastery built in the 16th Century, in the nice pedestrian shopping zone.
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Heeding James' advice, I took up a 2-day skiing course so that I could advance much quicker. As most people here are on a 5-day ski package, I was the only student on my 1st day. Adrian is my very nice and cute Californian ski instructor. In the afternoon, I joined another group. Both instructors asked where I learnt to ski because I'm good. That proved my belief that skiing can be self-taught and it just requires lots of practice!
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On my second day, we have to do a race. Although I got only a bronze, I was happy because I was racing against those who are at the end of their 5-day ski class! After a few days at Geigenbuehellifte and Birkenlifte, I went to Gswandkopflifte. It is a lot more difficult and I didn't enjoy myself. I have to practice more... |
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The mountainous view of the region is always so breathtaking.
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