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!