Bastei mountains and Festung Koenigstein

Today's hike to the Bastei mountains presented itself as a challenge for some of us and pure enjoyment for most of us. It took the group about four hours to reach the top of the Bastei which is a large sandstone formation overlooking the Elbe river. The rock formations are connected by a massive stone bridge and people can walk right up to the edge of the mountains and enjoy breathtaking views. 

After the descent which only took about half an hour our bus driver took us to one the biggest fortresses in Europe, Festung Koenigstein, where we were shown around by our tour guide. We visited the 6 degrees celsius cold wine cellar deep underneath the ground and the 150m deep well which provided water for the occupants of the fortress. Everyone laughed at the stories about King August the Strong who fathered more than 300 children and who weighed his guests before and after dinner parties to ensure they had enjoyed themselves. One of the party goers apparently put on 7 kg in 24 hours during the festivities.

Tomorrow we are going to Prague which means we have to get up early for a bus ride of about 3 hours.