Germany is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and is steeped in over two millennia of history. Berlin, its capital, is home to art and nightlife scenes, the Brandenburg Gate, and many sites relating to WWII. Frankfurt, with its skyscrapers, houses the European Central Bank. Munich is renowned for its Oktoberfest and beer halls, including the 16th-century Hofbräuhaus. Germany has a diverse landscape of forests, rivers, mountains, and North Sea beaches.
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| September 10 to 17 |
SATURDAY: Zeneggen to Straubing
We left Zeneggen on Saturday morning at 6am to catch the bus to Visp. Just before the bus pulled up, however, we heard a mew and saw the silhouette of a cat running towards us. I like to think that this was my grandfather's spirit sending us off, and letting us know that he made it back to Zeneggen.
From Visp, it was a series of train rides north to Bavaria. Tom flew into Munich, and boarded our train in Freising around 2pm. From there, it was another hour to Straubing. We arrived shortly after 3pm. The nine-hour journey was tiresome--traveling light and organized is key.
It was raining when we arrived, but our cousins met us at the train station. They drove us a short distance southwest of Straubing to their community, Feldkirchen. My parents, Tante Lisa, and Rita stayed at Ilse and Josef's house, while Anna, Alex, Tom, and I stayed with their daughter, Elisabeth. The Güehmann family is among the kindest people that I know.
We settled in to Elisabeth's lovely new home, and met her husband, Florian, and their son, Felix. Felix is 18 months old, and a very happy baby.
That evening, we were invited to dinner at Ilse and Josef's house, just a few minutes away. Their house is extremely charming. I was blown away by the beautiful spread for dinner: German potato salad, fresh cucumber salad, homemade pretzels, and even vegan schnitzel! And of course, beer and schnapps. German beer really is the best; light and simple without any extra ingredients.
A note about food: in both Switzerland and Germany--which traditionally have cuisines heavy in meat and dairy--I was pleasantly surprised how well I fared on a vegan diet. Given that we were mostly in rural areas, I suspect that the urban areas are even more vegan-friendly!
SUNDAY: Family reunion
The family reunion with our German relatives took place on Sunday. As in Switzerland, it began with mass. This one, however, was outdoors and a full house.
The family reunion with our German relatives took place on Sunday. As in Switzerland, it began with mass. This one, however, was outdoors and a full house.
After mass, we migrated to Gasthaus Rohrmeir for lunch. My paternal grandmother grew up in Straubing before immigrating at age 23. The three main families that we are related to on her side are the Güehmanns, Botzlers, and Baumgartners. My dad's colleague and longtime friend, Peter, and his wife, Lucy, also joined us from Lübeck. There were upwards of 60 people in attendance. Similar to our Swiss relatives, the younger generation generally spoke more English than the older generation. Regardless of language barriers, everyone was very warm and inviting. Thank you Christine and Ilse for organizing the event!
Afterwards, Christine drove us to the house where my Oma lived in the Haid. Then she took us to her house for dinner. Christine and Hubert Botzler have three children in their 20s: Thomas, Andrea, and Martina. We were treated to another impressive spread of homemade food and drink, and endless entertainment. Family is everything.
MONDAY: Straubing
I went for a jog in the morning, taking in the rural countryside--a stark contrast from the Swiss Alps. Straubing is a small city in lower Bavaria. It is the center of a fertile plain along the Danube River, and a gateway to the nearby Bavarian Forest.
Anna walked to the bakery for breakfast, and brought us fresh pastries and pretzels (my favorite). Afterwards, we drove to the city center to sightsee and shop. The picturesque pedestrian area has a clock tower and medieval-style architecture.
The day was sunny and warm, but with the smell of early autumn in the air. Tom and I enjoyed people-watching from our lunch spot at Hotel Gäubodenhof, before meeting Christina for a beer.
That evening, Elisabeth and Florian hosted a barbecue. As usual, the hosts outdid themselves, and there was more delicious food than could possibly be eaten. We also got to spend time with Elisabeth's sister, Veronica, her husband, Tobias, and their young son, little Tobias.
TUESDAY: Bike trip
The Baumgartners are avid cyclists, so they invited us on a leisure ride on Tuesday. We loaned bikes from Sepp and Anna Marie, as well as from Elisabeth and Florian. I used a nice cross bike, which worked well on the sections of the route with gravel road. Sepp and Anna Marie led the way, past farms, villages, and the river. Since the area is flat, we did not have to climb any hills.
We stopped for lunch at the Landgasthof Reisinger biergarten. Afterwards, we cycled back to Feldkirchen, clocking 20 miles.
That afternoon, Josef invited Tom and Alex to a local soccer game. They met us for dinner at Gasthaus Peterhof. We were in good company with the Güehmanns, Botzlers, and Baumgartners.
WEDNESDAY: Garmisch-Partenkirchen
We said a tearful goodbye to Ilse, Josef, and Christine at the train station on Wednesday morning. We were sad to leave family, but eager to see the Bavarian Alps.
It's a 3.5-hour train ride south to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Nicknamed Ga-Pa, it was once two separate towns, but they were united in 1935. Ga-Pa is located on the Austrian border, and is Germany's best winter sports destination with half a year of perfect snow, 37 miles of ski runs, pristine slopes, and a glacial ski area. With olympic venues, ski jumping, and famous racing events, it has become an international mecca for winter sports. Ga-Pa is also home to Germany's highest peak. At 9718', the Zugspitze summit is accessible by cable car, allowing visitors to marvel at the vista across the Alps of four countries.
We checked in to our cozy lodgings at the Hyperion Hotel. I went for a dip in the pool before heading out to explore. The hotel is centrally located to the historic Ludwigstraße in the heart of Partenkirchen. Tom and I enjoyed strolling through the cobblestoned streets lined with boutiques and traditional hotels and restaurants. The charming art and architecture reminded me of the Bavarian town in Leavenworth, WA. We had dinner at Maronis, seated outside but luckily under an umbrella because a brief but powerful rainstorm passed through.
THURSDAY: Lake Eibsee
The hotel had an impressive selection for breakfast. After fueling up for the day, we took a short bus ride to Lake Eibsee. Eibsee lies at the bottom of the Zugspitze, and is one of the most stunning lakes in the Bavarian Alps. Formed more than 3,000 years ago by a landslide, the alpine lake offers a variety of sporting activities and excursions. In summer, you can swim in the crystal clear water and check out the hiking trails. We were excited to walk the five-mile loop around the lake. The weather was overcast and brisk but dry.
We stopped for lunch at the lakeside restaurant on our way out. Back in town, we relaxed before dinner at Gasthaus zur Schranne.
FRIDAY: Partnach Gorge
It was raining on Friday morning, so we waited until it cleared before walking to the Partnach Gorge.
This geological wonder acts as a natural conduit for the turquoise Partnach River. The gorge is over 2,300' long, and runs between narrow limestone walls that reach over 250' high. It became a natural monument in 1912.
After, we stopped for lunch at Olympiahaus, which is located at the foot of the historic ski jump. It is where the 1936 Winter Olympics were opened, and where today's world cups in the slalom slope and ski jumping take place.
Dinner at Hofbräustüberl. Ga-Pa would be a destination that I would return to in better weather to do more hiking and visit Zugspitze.
SATURDAY: Oktoberfest
By the end of the trip, our large group of 8 people with a lot of luggage had grown tired of train travel, so we splurged on a taxi for the hour-drive north to Munich. Our parents went to the hotel with our luggage, so that we could get to Oktoberfest early--we didn't want to take any chances on opening day. The 187th Oktoberfest had 17 large and 21 small tents, organized by brewer. About 6 million people attend each year.
By the end of the trip, our large group of 8 people with a lot of luggage had grown tired of train travel, so we splurged on a taxi for the hour-drive north to Munich. Our parents went to the hotel with our luggage, so that we could get to Oktoberfest early--we didn't want to take any chances on opening day. The 187th Oktoberfest had 17 large and 21 small tents, organized by brewer. About 6 million people attend each year.
It was cold and rainy, but we waited in the line at 8:30am. When the tents opened at 9am, everybody literally ran full speed to the beer tent of their choice. We raced to the Hacker-Pschorr tent, which is elaborately designed as the "heavens of Bavaria." Inside, every second matters as the tables fill up within minutes. Luckily, the five of us found a half-empty table near the middle. At that point, we could relax and take it all in.
We played cards until the tapping of the beer barrel at noon. Then the party really started. The band played and the beer poured, with waiters coming around holding 10+ liter steins of beer. German pretzels and food were also served.
With so many people, mayhem was inevitable. I would have liked to walk through the other tents, including the nostalgic Oide Wiesn tent. However, there were disorganized lines everywhere. My advice is to go early and stay put.
Our relatives warned us that most people at Oktoberfest are tourists even if they dress in traditional dirdl and lederhosen. It was fun to experience once, but next time I would come back for Straubing's Volksfest in August (Bavaria's second largest fair).
The next day, my dad marched in the Oktoberfest parade with his Schuhplattler group. Unfortunately, I was maxed out on time off from work, so Tom and I left for the airport at noon on Sunday, arriving back in Portland that evening.
Straubing was the highlight of my week in Germany. I loved the deep-routed hospitality and family atmosphere. Still, I would love to see other parts of Germany on future visits. My time in both countries left me wanting to know more about my grandparents, both before and after they immigrated to the US. I feel incredibly blessed that my family was able to experience this together.
