Tour guide Extraordinar stikes again...

You have to know that if you are going to ask me to be you tour guide, you never know what adventures you are in for! Such was the case for Lights this past Wednesday... adventures galore! No we did not miss our train, we got off at the right spot and everything. However, unbeknown to me, the Festung Königstein bus is not running during the week this time of year - you have to get yourselves there and back if you want to see the fortress. Well, we found this out after a lengthy wait in the coffee shop... waiting for the above mentioned bus. To be honest, I am glad we (I) made that error, it meant I could meet this young lady. Oh my goodness - I love her! She is so beautiful!! As you can see in the picture, she loves me too, she climbed into my arms and tried to become one with my shoulder and cheek! She whispered in my ear that she would like me to take her home, however I had to disappoint her, her owner would not have appreciated my taking her with me. Oh believe it when I say the temptation was very very much there!!!!!! Oh she was so wonderful! I want her... Well, after much Sprechen auf Deutsch on my part (HAHAHAHAHA, grunting, smiling, and the odd Deutsch word thrown in), we discovered we could take a bus part way up the hill. Dieses ist gut, the rest we can hike (I am such a hiker - not). Up to this point it was cold, but not really snowing yet. Did you catch that yet. Well, by the time we got to the Festung Königstein, it was snowing. Oh, and the way I usually go up to the top was closed, we had to find the "open" way to get up, which of course was the lift costing an additional fee. Immar (whatever). Alas, we made it up safe and sound. First stop = Glühwein! Yumm, this time we had it with Amaretto - oh man, who'd a thunk it could taste better still?!! Wow. Would you believe we were basically the only tourists there? Yup. Well, there is probably a reason - the weather was yucky. But that's okay, we enjoyed it anyway. The coolest part was that in the stable where there is usually a wood cut out donkey, there was a real donkey - and yes, she is talking to me. She had a lot to say I might add! That was so cool!!! Then I look over to the other side where there is usually an empty stall, and there are a few ladies checking a look at us. They were very curious why we were there, in the cold snowy weather - I had to tell them we came just to see them. They were pleased to hear that. *sniff* But the best was when I looked over to where there is usually a saw horse horse, and *sniff* look who was *sniff* standing there. Look at him! *sniff* Oh my word, he looks so much like my Purk, my old baby I gave away back in Canada. Shoot, that was tough. He was beautiful!! We wandered around looking at this that and the other thing for awhile, as it got darker and the snow got more serious, enjoying the beauty of this place even in yucky weather. Then we decided that it was time to think about heading back, see'ns how we were going to have to hike all the way back to town. No point in even thinking about it until after we've enjoyed another mug of Glühwein! Bit of a booboo there though, it made us late for the last lift ride down... oops. After waiting in the pouring snow (comes down as snow, lands as rain) for awhile we realized that the lift was not coming up, or down, or anything. So back to the cafe to speak with the nice man who spoke English (thank you Lord!). Turns out the lift man was one of the men we passed on our way to the lift, as he was heading to the cafe for a cup of coffee - yaay! He said he would finish his coffee and then take us down. Again, thank you Lord! Now it's time to begin the climb down the "mountain"; through the forest, on a 300 year old path, in the dark, in pouring snow... nice. It was long, slow going - but we did not get lost... much. The only time we made a wrong turn was when we detoured in town a bit to see an old church. It's okay because after much walking around we come out at the very place we began - full circle. Impressive hey :o) By the time our train came we were three drowned rats, but still had smiles on our faces - it was a good day. A long cold day, but a good day none the less. In fact I wouldn't change anything - lest I would not have met the cafe kitty, seen the real animals in the shelter, discovered Glühwein mit Amaretto, as well as my day with Jack and Robin! Ah the adventures.