I should add that this is the place where Bob finally decided to give my navigation skills another try.  I think he was simply tired.... However, he quickly recovered.....

I've seen many castles and palaces but I must say that the Residenz is by far one of the most exquisite. For those of you planning a trip to Germany- don't miss it! 

Scenes from inside the Residenz Palace - Wurzburg

Here are scans of postcards of two beautiful rooms in the Residenz Palace in Wurzburg. Incredible !!!
It's good to be king .... or prince.... or whatever.

Monday, April 30 – Rothenburg ob der Tauber

We had been looking forward to seeing this famous place, the only German town with its walls intact. They have done a very nice job in maintaining the medieval look of the town.  We score a great parking spot and then do a nice walking tour of the ramparts and the town and take some wonderful pictures. Highlight for Bob was the carriage ride we took with a Gypsy girl who provided narration in both German and English.  The carriage had to share the cobble-stoned streets with more modern vehicles. We share a local pastry specialty that looks like a giant snowball covered with chocolate. Lis picks up a stein for Scott, and then we are off for Dinklebuhl, another quaint medieval village that was written up as less “discovered” than Rothenburg. By this time, we have had our fill of medieval villages so we finish up quickly and hop on the autobahn and return to Landsberg and another night with our friends Michael and Wei.  Mike takes us to dinner at a local joint where we have some of the best German food of the trip.  We meet Mike’s parents as well.  Great family, one and all.

Tuesday, May 1 – On to Tblisi

After a nice breakfast, Mike takes us on a nice “little” German stroll and then we say our goodbyes and head up to the Munich airport, drop off the car, check in to the Kempinski, listen to a German omm pah pah band, and grab a bite at the Air Haus.  Liz catches her ungodly late flight to Tbilsi. Bob finds the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy in English and whiles away the evening happily.

Wednesday, May 2 – On to Washington

Bob catches his mid-morning flight to Dulles.  Great seat and great flight. Breeze through customs via Global Entry.  (BTW, Global Entry is a must do for the international traveler. Saves you a long wait through Customs. For more information on Global Entry, visit the TSA web site.) All’s well at 511 Merlins Lane. What a trip!!!

 

Wednesday, April 25   - Hiking the Echbauer

While Lis works, Bob heads to the Olympic Stadium parking lot with a friend – Lynn – and they make their way toward the Partnach Gorge with a “short” little sidebar up the mountain.  The way up starts with a fun little two-person cable car rode after a short walk and then we decide to take the hike up to the top of the Echbauer as a little warm-up.  There is still a bit of snow on the trail higher up but we reach the top and are rewarded with lovely views of the snow-covered surrounding mountains and nice vistas on the way back. After coffee and ice cream, we head to the main event, the famous Partnach-Gorge. Our way is blocked on one path so we divert to Plan B. After a long steep downward climb, we reach a sign that says the Gorge trail is blocked for maintenance work. Ignoring the sign – well, the work was mostly done - we continue along the path and reach the true entrance to the Gorge. Sorry, it’s closed until the weekend.  By the way, how did you get here, buddy?  Sorry, No sprechen se Deutshe, yah ?  Yah !!!  I will add some Gorge pictures from last year to give you a sense of the beauty of the place. We leave quickly, disappointed that we couldn’t do the true Gorge hike.  Still, it was a great hike overall.  Liz and Bob take a nice bike ride at the end of the day. We dine at the hotel with Jana and have a great time. Full fun day.

On to Wurzburg

Sunday, April 29 – Miltenberg and Wurzburg

After a quick bite at the Marriott, we bid a fond farewell to Heidelberg and just barely miss the road closures for the marathon. We decide to take the scenic route to Wurzburg via Miltenberg. This small and charming medieval village is an unexpected treat. We are able to park easily and take a pleasant stroll through town and then find a lovely pastry shop for some cappuccino and coffee and watch the world go by. Did I mention the luscious pastry that miraculously appeared at out table?   Nice stop.

As we head to Wurzburg, our principle target, we discover that the GPS does not recognize the existence of Wurzburg. Who knew that the double dots over the U in Wurzburg could make such a difference?  Someone should point that out to the GPS company.  We manage somehow to find our way to the town (Bob was a Geography major after all) but, oops, there is a race in Wurzburg too and the main Ring Road is blocked off to.  Bob manages to find our place (despite Lis’s help) and we arrive at our wonderful home for a day, the Hotel Rebstock.  Great place in the heart of town. After checking in, we put on our walking shoes, watch the race begin and then head toward The Residenz via its beautiful gardens.  Wurzburg was the capital of an independent and influential kingdom, for quite some time, and town is full of beautiful churches and buildings and a mighty fortress on the hill overlooking the river. The Residenz is a marvelous palace with amazing architecture and decorations throughout. Our English guide was terrific, making the Palace come alive for us. We meander our way home via the Marienplatz and have a little snack at an outdoor café and then find out way to the city bridge where half of the city seems to be congregating with wine glasses in hand.  Pizza and salad at Luigi’s. Remind us to tell u about Luigi’s Double Pizza caper and how Liz nipped it in the bud. Sometimes it’s very good to have a New Yorker with you when things need a straightforward direct response.  You go, Elisabeth !!  Do an evening walk afterwards.  Wurzburg is a great place to visit !!!

The Song We Drove Through GE Listening To.....

not by choice- but apparently a big favorite of the Bavarians...   ever heard it??  We hadn't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrpAkMdFYYw

Onward to Heidelberg.  A long drive- but still shorter because I was driving.... (hey- I learned in NYC!) lots of trucks from all over Europe and, of course, the autobahn drivers! But, we make it in five hours- alive and unscathed.  What a great city.  Home of the second oldest university in Europe.  A youthful joie de vivre abounds.  We head to the H&M (go Madonna!!) and buy some really cool Euro items.  At last, we fit in...sort of.... Marriott is good- we head to the roof top patio on the River Neckar and watch the skullers and rowers while enjoying a radler (beer and 7-up) and a weiss wine. Life is good... We head for for pizza- Casa something...great pizza- a recommendation of a college student we approach along the way.  City is beautiful at night.  Castle is lit nicely and seduces one into thinking about what it must have been like in its heyday...that would be the 11th century for you inquiring minds.  Find a great antique store and score a beautiful watercolor.  Wisteria are everywhere..  We spend two days here and love every minute of it.  Highly recommend this city to anyone who wants to get a view of a cosmopolitan small city that is ensconced in rich Franconian history.

Thursday, April 26 - Lake Chiemsee and Herrenchiemsee

We bid Garmisch a fond farewell and Grus Gut and make the drive to Lake Chiemsee and another of the Mad King’s Bavarian palaces.  Bob makes his debut on one of the major autobahns with only one near crisis.  We arrive at our very nice hotel – the Yachthotel, which is set right on the shores of Lake Chiemsee. After checking in and a quick lite bite, we take another of the German’s “just five minutes down the road” walks to the boat dock and board a cool boat for a short ride to the island where the palace is located.  The palace is a look-alike of the French Versailles. Ludwig was a huge fan of Louis the XIV.  Like most of his palaces and castles, it is only partially completed inside but oh what grandeur for the one that are finished.  The fountains gracing the entrance grounds, named Fama and Fortuna, are fabulous. We enjoy a beautiful walk to and from the palace and then catch the boat back. The snow covered Alps compliment the beautiful lake and make for a delightful cruise back. The dock of the hotel proves to be a great place for some relaxation time.
Dinner is delicious but the service was quite slow.  Only downside to a wonderful day.

Tuesday, April 24 – Snow in Bavaria in April. Who Knew ?

After a “light” breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon and pretzel bread, Liz heads off to work. Bob relaxes and reads at the Hotel and strolls around Garmisch in the sometimes-heavy snow. He then meets Liz up at the Eibsee at the end of her workday, and they take a beautiful long walk around Lake Eibsee in the fresh snow.  The Zugspitz and the woods around the lake are so beautiful with the coating of white.  Afterwards we rediscover a favorite restaurant in Garmisch (Zum Wildschultz – Number 1 restaurant in Garmisch on Trip Advisor) and have some of their amazing potato soup with bacon cream…and split an order of a pork knuckle, red cabbage and dumplings. We ordered the low calorie version.  Not !!!!!  The fraulein that splits the pork knuckle with a cleaver is not to be trifled with.

Monday, April 23 – Enjoying the Local Sights of Garmisch - and Grainau

Oops…forgot a couple of pictures from first blog – one of Mike and Liz and one of our hotel in Garmisch…

OK….On Monday Liz head off to work at her conference at the Eibsee Hotel after breakfast, and Bob grabs a hotel bike and heads up to the small town of Grainau and a bit beyond. The views of the Garmisch countryside are very nice, and the grade is mostly gentle, which makes for a very pleasant ride.  Spring is just recently come to the area, and the greenery is fresh and vibrant, but there is still plenty of snow up on the Zugspitz and its companion mountains. The Zugspitz  tram occasionally crosses Bob’s bike path.  After work, Liz and Bob go for a long walk around town.  Dinner is back up in Grainau at a favorite local restaurant, the Spaetzle House. Very nice kasespaetzle for Liz and jagersnitzel for Bob. And a beer and some white wine, of course!!  It’s Germany after all.  We have to walk a bit after that dinner to remain conscious for we take a stroll on a local trail and discover some delightful vistas for our effort.  Back to the hotel. One of us has to work the next day. Did I say that before?

Sunday, April 22 – Landsberg  an Lech and Garmisch-P

Bob’s first blog entry. Woo hoo!  I am more chronological minded than Liz so I will include a few posts in sequential order, more or less.  On Sunday we get a great tour of the charming medieval little town of Landsberg am Lech (Landsberg on the Lech River) from our friend Michael, who lives in nearby Kaufering. Quite a lovely place and Michael’s insights into the history of the place make it come alive for us. Visited a nearby church that was built by the residents that was astounding.  Say our goodbyes to Mike and his nice family and head out to Garmish in what becomes a bit of a sleet and snowstorm. Not ideal conditions for the Autobahn but German drivers, although usually driving very very fast, have the good sense to slow down when the conditions merit it.  Our GPS takes us on a much different and longer path than we had expected. Oh well!! The sun finally comes out and we enjoy a beautiful drive through the countryside and reach Garmisch eventually and check into the lovely small Hotel Staudacherhof.  Dinner at the hotel and then early to bed.  One of us has to work the next day. The Bavarian greeting is often “Gruss Gott” which means “Say Hello to God.”

Onto Garmisch-P. Nestled in the Bavarian Alps and watched over by the intimidating Zugpitze- the highest peak in the Bavarian Alps.  Take a cable car to the top (for 37 Euros) and see five countries.  Enjoy a radler ( beer and seven up combo) and listen to the Ricola guy...  Nice.  Beautiful spring weather with the edelweiss in bloom.  A freak snowstorm on Tuesday mixed things up a bit.  Great fun to walk around the beautiful alpine lake Eibsee in the snow with the giant fir trees shaking off the clouds of snow that burdened their branches.  Ouch...that hurt!

We started in Munich- spent two days there.  Don't miss the art museum- Pinotec.  The finest collection of masters anywhere (no not the golf masters...the real masters...) Grab a chocolate torte in the pastry shop- enjoy each delicious bite and hate yourself for the rest of the day.  Make up for it by walking back to

Marienplatz.   Here we begin our journey south to the favorite land of.....King Ludwig of Bavaria.  What a guy!

We are into day ELEVEN! yes.. ELEVEN! of our excellent Germany adventure.  Who knew there were so many good variants of potato soup!  Ah.....and the kasaspatzen....yum!   More pork knuckle than we have knuckles- but who's counting?  We have traveled south and west and north and east hope that Eurocar won't notice all the miles...oops...kilometers..we  have logged.  Nein! 

Bob is looking really kewl in his leiderhoser.  My dirndl makes my chest swell with pride.  More in a bit....