Bavaria Bound

We have been blessed with glorious weather most of our stay here. Being close to the Alps means our weather is changeable and as I gaze out our window I see clouds forming heralding the arrival of rain later today. Right now it is warm and our songbird companions in the trees outside are providing us with a free concert. Not a bad way to spend a morning. On Tuesday, Matt, Jenny, and I drove to visit King Ludwig's unfinished castle Neuschwanstein. Construction began in 1868 and was not complete when Ludwig died in 1886. The circumstances of his death are still debated. His body was found in a lake, the question being whether he committed suicide or was he murdered. The construction project bankrupted him, hence the controversy surrounding his death. In all, he lived only about 6 months at the castle. This castle is said to be the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland. The drive was beautiful and took us into a bit of Austria and then back into Bavaria. Once we...

We just had a great weekend spent with family. We are so happy Matt, Michele, and their three kids are here. Friday was a gorgeous sunny day, a perfect day to go to Wankbahn Talstation and ride the gondola up to the observation area. While not the highest area, this observation spot is ideal for those who are not trekkers because it is flat and provides spectacular vistas of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the valley below and the Alps towering above. It's a very peaceful tranquil spot where a person can feel one with the natural beauty that envelops you. We spent over three hours there just being. It was wonderful and should not be missed if you come to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. That night we had a light meal and joined the Conleys for a stroll to the gelato shop and a park. Since we are in the higher northern latitudes, it does not get dark until close to 10 pm. We are loving the long days of late Spring. Saturday was another custom made day for being out and about with temperatures get...

Jet lag is real, and the older we get the longer it takes for us to get our bodies in sync with the new time zone in which we find ourselves. Our adjustment this trip has been compounded by the fact that some food on the plane apparently did not agree with Dianne's stomach, so our day got off to an earlier start yesterday as we made an early morning trip to the Klinikum to make sure there was no need for medicine. Dianne was seen very quickly, got IV fluids, blood tests, chest x-ray, and a clean bill of health from the doctor. We were both very impressed by the care she received. Other than restrictions on mountain climbing (not on her bucket list), the doctor said there is nothing she is not allowed to do. We are so thankful to Matt and Michele for leaving us their rental car so we could drive to the Klinikum. We are also thankful the GPS in their car is programmed in English. There is no telling where we'd have ended up if I had been following directions in German. We spent t...

We arrived in Munich right on time and were picked up by our nephew, Matt. The 11 hour flight was uneventful except we were delayed boarding due to a jetway issue and delayed in deplaning due to a, you guessed it, jetway problem. For the most part the flight was smooth save for a couple of stretches of bumpy air. The service was very good and the food was good. Munich airport to Garmisch is about a 1.5 hour drive. It has been raining since our arrival so it is not possible to see the mountains at whose feet we are nestled. Since we did not sleep on the plane, we are jet lagged and should be in bed by 9pm, noon in California. Our apartment is very nice and spacious with a fully appointed kitchen, wifi, laundry, and a small balcony from which we can see the town and will be able to see the mountains once the mist lifts. We have had visits with both Matt and Michele, who, God bless her, brought some grocery staples for us. We hope to catch up on sleep tonight and probably get the lay of t...

In 48 hours we will be at SFO waiting to board our flight to Munich. The flight is scheduled to take over 11 hours and we will arrive in Munich on Wednesday morning around 10 am, undoubtedly jet lagged but eager to see nephew Matt, niece Michelle, their three kids Caellum, Calliah, and Kyleen, and niece and Matt's sister Jenny. We will be staying in an apartment in Garmisch-Partenkirchen not far from where the Conleys are staying. If Weather Underground is trustworthy, we will have rain on out first day, but since that will be the day we recover from the jet lag, rain should not be a problem. We will be in Bavaria in southern Germany close to Austria and Italy. Pictures we have seen make us certain that we will fall in love with the city and surrounding area. We looking forward to spending time with family, touring, relaxing, and sharing our travels with you.