Fairfields in Germany: April 22-28

Monday, April 22nd

Today we drove about an hour and a half south of München into the Bayerischen Alpen. From a little vacation village on the shore of the Walchensee we took the Herzogstandbahn to the top of the ridge. From there we walked to the Herzogstandhaus where J camped out with his Surface tablet to write and ME, GE, HR, and I set out to walk to the peak: Herzogstand 1730 m (5676 feet). However, there was still lots of snow on the north side of the slope--the first stretch of the way--and with a steep drop off and no rail, HR decided it was more than she wanted to tackle and she went back to hang out with J. GE and ME braved the slick slope with me, picking our way carefully--putting our heels in the foot prints of others who had gone before us, taking little flat-footed steps, and generally keeping low to the ground. Once we got to the switchback trail, the snow was gone (this part gets full sun) and the going was easy, although all uphill. It was so worth the effort!

Switchback driving in the little Audi sedan was so much fun!

When we first got off the gondola, there were signs to the Kapelle (chapel) which we followed. Apparently there was another way down to the main path, but we just followed a small family and then part way realized it wasn't a proper path! By then we had already picked our way through some snowy spots and saw that others had cut across to a main road, so we followed suit.

The Kochelsee seen from the north face of the Fahrenberg.

The view of the valley from the Berggasthaus Herzogstand (restaurant).

Standing on the edge... See the little lip of trail and then the pile of snow? Most of the trail was covered by that much snow and we sort of slipped and slid through this part until the trail emerged. Whew.

The same little purple flowers from the Alpine exhibit at the Botanischer Garten!

Made it to the top!

The Walchensee from the top of Herzogstand. The Austrian Alps are the snow caps in the distance.

We ate our packed lunches sitting at the top in the sun. It was glorious!

My little trooper, GE (see her on the path, trucking along ahead, and always waiting for me to catch up at the next switch back) kept telling me how much she loved this. She loves "adventure, nature, and hiking." Girl after my own heart!

Braving the slippery snowy stretch on the way back...

This time I took a picture. It's about 1.5 bodies wide and the drop down the slope is about as scary looking as it appears--there wasn't much to stop you if you got going fast and the slushy snow was fantastically slick. I pretty much walked right behind GE with both hands out to grab her if she slipped. I tried not to think too much and just focused on my next step.

Takes my breath away.

We picked up J and HR from the Berggasthaus and walked back on the regular path to the gondola station for the ride back down.

Pit-stop at the lakeside café for coffee and Eis before the drive back to München!

Alp stream-fed lake water? Brr!!! Dipped her toes in the Walchensee...

Tuesday, April 23rd

Tuesday was gray. Suitable weather for our somber destination: Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. I didn't take many pictures, but instead focused on letting the history, the stories of survivors, and the tragedy sink in. My brain still wants to refuse to comprehend the horrendeous story of the people who were sent here, who died here, who survived it, but lived with scars both physical and psychic. I don't think I'll ever understand how any human could treat another human--no matter what their differences are in race/color/beliefs--in such despicable ways. Also, frightening: the rhetoric, the political polarization at that time, and the speech of the Nazi party and Hitler are entirely too similar to what we hear coming out of the White House today.

NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN.

"May the example of those who were exterminated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defense of peace and freedom and in respect for their fellow men."

Bronzeguss 1981 - David Ludwig Bloch (1910-2002) - The artist, who as a Jew and being deaf, was doubly in danger, was brought on the 9th November 1938 to the concentration camp, Dachau. After he was let go in December 1938, he fled to Shanghai.

Empty foundations of the many housing blocks.

Wednesday, April 24th

The sun came out again and we headed northeast this time to the little city, Regensburg on the Donau river. Regensburg was founded as one of the most northern cities on the Roman road and due to its prime location on the river, was a hub of commerce and trading and considered one of the first German "capitol cities." Evidence of its Roman roots are still evident today. The gorgeous gothic cathedral, Dom St. Peter, is like a mini version of the Kölner Dom or the Ulm Münster. The stained glass is breathtaking. From there we took a cruise down the river to the Walhalla memorial--a tribute to the many great German poets, philosophers, leaders, composers, artists, and rulers. After the cruise back to Regensburg, we ate an early dinner at the oldest sausage restaurant in the world--perhaps even the oldest continuously running restaurant--Historische Wurstküche!

Inside Dom St. Peter

The "smiling angel"

Stopping to examine the Porta Praetoria

The Old Stone Bridge (12th century!)

Little village, Donaustauf

In remembrance of all those who courageously fought and resisted against the injustice, violence, and terror of the "Third Reich."

Time to kill... so sitting down to write!

Too much excitement while waiting for our Würstl to come!

"Daddy, READ!" (Thank goodness for Kindle app!)

They only come one way: with mustard and Sauerkraut! So we got two orders of 10 and split them (four each) with most of the Sauerkraut going to me and J and ME.

One more pass by the Dom.

Thursday, April 25th

J left town this morning for a conference in Australia. Too bad for him! We visited another of the over-the-top palaces of King Ludwig II (the same one who built Neuschwanstein). Schloss Herrenchiemsee is on an island in the Chiemsee, about a 1.5 hour drive southeast of Munich. Another beautiful sunny day! We packed our lunch and took the ferry from Prien to the Herreninsel, bought "Island Tickets" which included a tour of the palace--modeled after Versailles, the French palace near Paris--the Ludwig II Museum, and the art galleries in the old Augustinian Monastery.

Family tree of the House of Wittelsbach with Ludwig II in the center. (Franz Xaver Thallmaier, München 1880)

Ludwig II (fanboy of the French Sun King)

The never-built Falkenstein castle.

Driving home...

Friday, April 26th

ME's friends invited her to go see the new Avengers movie, Endgame which opened this week, so I checked showtimes and took the little girls to see an early matinee. Perfect vacation-day outing, especially since it's gotten cold, cloudy, and rainy.

Saturday, April 27th

A stay-at-home-day! ME's friend came over and the kids played a card game and video games on the Switch. It's chilly and gray, but occasionally the sun made an appearance. I got a few groceries and did some packing of boxes, organizing stuff to get sent home, and making inventory lists for customs. The last days will be here before I'm ready...

Sunday, April 28th

This evening, I was signed up to go to the Frühlingsfest (the Oktoberfest's "little sister") with a group from the Munich International Women's Club. This morning I had an email reminder that also said there was plenty of room for more and family members were welcome to come too! So we all got dressed up in our Dirndln and went to the Hippodrom tent on the Theresienwiese for supper. After saying good-bye to some of the women I've gotten to know from the MIWC, we took in a ride and ME played one of the games before we got back on our bikes and rode home. Tomorrow school starts up again and it's back to the daily grind...