Tuesday 4th June 2024
On Tuesday I woke up to get my first view of the alps from my bedroom window, and what a view! The weather was so lovely too; The last time I was in the area, it poured with rain. Nice to see the Alps looking so lovely!
The area is part of the absolutely wonderful Naturpark Ammergauen Alpen; named after the river Ammer which flows through the area. The town I am staying in is called Bad Kohlgrub. The word “Bad” in a German place name is the equivilant of “Spa” in English place names – Bad Kohlgrub is a popular Moorland Health and Wellness resort town, with mud baths and many hotels for travellers seeking wellness. Being in the Alps, it is also a very popular winter ski destination. Skiiing fans, take note!
My guesthouse had a lovely garden with views down in to the town centre, and views across to the mountains too. I loved it!
I started my day with a trip to the local supermarket, Edeka (my favourite German supermarket – I love their fresh food and local produce offerings). The small one in Bad Kohlgrub is one of the smaller ‘Nah & Gut‘ branded stores.
I was looking for some mince so I could make a Bolognese for the evening but, where the bigger stores had it pre-packaged (as well as a butchers’ counter), this store only had a butcher – so I had to ask for what I wanted. I couldn’t remember the German word for ‘mince’ and had no mobile signal but….ever the creative…found a different way to express what I wanted. I was offered either Rindfleisch oder Lammfleisch – I opted for Rindfleisch. So…I got 300 grams of Rinderhackfleisch.
Sometimes – jumping in at the deep end and forcing myself to talk to someone – is the best way to learn a language!
While I was in the supermarket my phone rang and it was my cousin (well…Grandad’s cousin – but still a cousin of mine) Alison. She and her Bavarian husband Dieter live nearby in Sindelsdorf, about 25 mins drive from Bad Kohlgrub. We had arranged to meet up and after hearing I had arrived she called so we could arrange our meet.
At 11:30 they met me at my guesthouse and they drove me to a nearby town they recommended – Oberammergau. Famous for the Passionsspiele (Passion Plays) which take place every 10 years, Oberammergau is a small village, full of art too; The old painted houses look wonderful, and there are a few wood carvers in the village. There is also a number of tourist shops, art and craft shops too. I loved the little village!
We had lunch in Oberammergau – I had a Schnitzel with chips. We had a walk around, visited the very grand looking church, and enjoyed chatting, getting all the family gossip from the UK and New Zealand.
Next stop was to Bad Bayersoien, another Moorland Health & Wellness resort village, centered around the lake Bayersoiener See, which is Bavaria’s smallest and warmest moorland swimming lake.
As well as a bare-foot walking course around the lake, there is fishing available (carp, tench, pike and eel), plus fishing and rowing boat rental. We sat together on a bench beside the lake, enjoying the sound of the birds, and being in the fresh air.
In the evening I went out in the car – about a half hour drive away from my guesthouse was Neuschwanstein Castle. Located 5km from the Austrian border, the castle was originally built in the late 1800s for King Ludwig II of Bavaria, so that he had somewhere to escape to outside Munich.
The castle is of course known to anyone who has seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as the exterior of the castle was used in the film (as was the Bavarian town of Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber which I visited in 2019; that is where the village from Chitty were filmed).
I had a guided tour (with an audio guide) of the castle; though security is tight – no photos allowed at all inside, and we all had to stay with an actual guide throughout the tour. However I enjoyed it – it really was a very grand looking castle.
Back in Bad Kohlgrub in the evening, I made myself a bolognese for dinner which I enjoyed. The kitchen facilities aren’t the best in the world so my cooking won’t be the best this week – but it is enough to get by for a few days.
Gute Nacht,
FH.
On the Car Stereo: Bayern 1, Bayern 3, Antenne Bayern
Today’s Mileage: 48.69 miles (78.36km)
Accumulative Mileage: 939.11 miles (1511.35km)
