I am discovering that Austria has A LOT of public holidays. No idea what they are for, but I’m not complaining.
On this particular holiday, we visited the Green See.
 
No, that’s not a typo. Confusingly, ‘see’ means ‘lake’ in German.
See how local I am! Basically Austrian.
Anyway, we headed towards the centre of Austria and into the mountains. The scenery was spectacular! Cute little villages with houses built for the snow nestled at the bottom of giant hills. Giant alpine trees and wildflowers growing in meadows.
 
Countryside near Gruner See
 
Sickeningly picture perfect, right?
But it really is such a beautiful part of the world and the lake did not disappoint. Tiny and surrounded by mountains, the lake is formed when the snow melts from the mountains. The lake was so perfectly bluey green that I couldn’t stop staring at it. 
 
I was SUCH a tourist.
 
Blue water at Gruner Sea
 Gruner See through trees
 Gruner See
 
Seesteig Gruner See
(The lake path…look at my translation skills!)

 

Gruner See
.
Gruner See

 Gruner See


The melted snow fills the lake and when you dive it is like looking at an underground park. There is grass on the ‘ground’ and even a park bench. Crazy.
 
Gruner See
(There happened to be a mermaid as well…)

 

Gruner See Rock
(Can you see the bridge?)

 

Gruner See overview
 .
But at a balmy water temp of 6 degrees there was no way I was going in. I watched from the edge (with a jumper, 2 jackets, scarf and beanie) as a million crazy divers (and 1 lone freediver) jumped in. Some of the divers had dry suits to keep them perfectly dry and warm, however many divers (and the freediver) just had simple wetsuits on.
 
H & E at Gruner See

 

Divers entering Gruner See
(This is dry suit…much like a coveralls for working in a freezer)

 

Divers entering gruner see 2
 
Insanity.
 
After the first dive, even the divers were happy to join me for hot soup and tea.
 
Hayley at Gruner See

 

Elmar at Gruner See
 
Bring on the public holidays I say!