MUNICH (MUNCHEN) OUR LAST DAYS

This has been a truly amazing vacation - Bruce and I have seen so many sights, museums, art, archeticure, climbed so many antique steps, steep hills, gone through alleys people watched while enjoying a glass of wine in the plaza's of some of Germany's and Austria's finest plaza's. The hotels that Mercedes Benz recommended to us were truly amazing - our rooms gorgeous and so European - what an experience.

Yesterday we spent the day touring "old Town" which included the Marienplatz or St Mary's Square which is the heart of Munich.   In the Middle Ages, the square used to be a market place as well as the place where tournaments and festivities took place.  St Peter's Church, the Town Hall and the Alter Hof or Old castle surround you.  The Town Hall has brightly colored figures that emerge at certain hours of the day to let you know the time ss it tells the story of the knights tournaments and Coopers Dance which was and event to celebrate the end of the black death in 1517.  So much history.


The rest of our day was spent at the Residenz which is the largest building in Munich which started out as a small castle in 1385 and was enlarged over the next 400 years.


We went back to the Marienplatz for dinner sitting outside enjoying the music and ambiance - talking to some local residence and enjoying the beautiful night air.


Today or last full day we spent the whole morning at the art museums - the area is caled the Alte Pinakothek which is four separate buildings holding so many fine pieces of art - we are resting now and will be out to dinner tonight and then be back to pack because we have an early flight home,


Thank you to all who shared our journey and enjoyed the stories we shared and sights we saw.


PS - for all those who really know Bruce he did not even let me drive his "loaner" car!!!!!



Danke schon!

SALZBURG - WE LOVED THIS CITY!

After the Salt MInes we spent the rest of the day exploring the beautiful city of Salzburg - the Art, the Architecture, the Music, the Shopping everything is so beautiful and full of history.  Our hotel was built 600 years ago and we are on the 4th floor (yes there is an elevator - thank goodness) and our view is so beautiful - it is in the old part of the city just perfect for touring.

Our day consisted of walking and seeing the sights including taking a funicular to the Fortress which is 394 feet above the River - the views were so incredible - when we landed back on the bottom we started to explore all the sights including Mozart's house.

In the evening we went to a music chamber to listen to a piano concert of classical music - we walked everywhere - just magical.

Tomorrow we had for Munich for two nights and then home -

Salzburg pictures from our touring Day

A morning at the Berchtesgaden Salt Mines

Today we had a full touring day of Salzburg including getting up very early and heading out to the Berchtesgaden Salt Mines.

The beginning of salt mining in Berchtesgaden
The chronicle of salt mining in Berchtesgaden goes back to the 12^th century. In 1193, the salt mining starts on the Tuval near Schellenberg. In 1994, salt mining is mentioned on the Gollnbach in Berchtesgaden.

Founding of the current Salt Mine
In 1517, the Petersberg gallery is struck, thereby founding the Salt Mine Berchtesgaden by Prince-Provost Gregor. The brine created here is initially channelled to the Schellenberg Salt Works. In 1564, the Frauenreuth Salt Works initiates operations in Berchtesgaden.

Bavaria and Austria

Yesterday, Monday we spent the day in Lindau - the Inn we stayed at was so magnicicant - there was nothing left undone or uncared about - our room had a beutiful terrace overlooking a garden and if we took a short walk down the lane the Swiss and Austrian Alps appeared as if within  a dream - we walked along the vineyards of the area and tasted the delicious local wines and cheese -

Spent the day in the little harbor town of Lindau and took a ferry ride around Lake Constantine where the lake revealed beautiful treasues of Switzerland and other parts of Bavaria constantly with the snow caps of the Alps in our view while the water sparkled below us.

On Tuesday we left our tranquility and ventured out to tour the country side as we started towards Salzburg.  We went to the Schloss Neuschwanstein - this is considered the quintessential fairytae castle and a product of the imagination of King Ludwig II of Bavaria - we had a one mile steep walk up to get to the castle (we could have take a horse and buggy ride but did not know what we had to climb up) But, what we saw the views and the castle were truly magical.  Our pictures do not do it justice so I dowloaded a picture from the internet.


Alps and rolling hills with cows and goats just 

Black Forest and Southern Germany

The scenery in this area is just spectacular - the homes are chalets built into the sides of rolling hills with forest all around - cows and other animals just lazily walk around and just become part of the scenery as you drive along.

We visited many museums and small towns learning about the history of the area - this is where the cukoo clock started and there is a museum that is dedicated to the largest collection of Black Forest Clocks showing the ingenuity that artisans brought to the simple telling of time.

The locals walk around in their costumes in the little towns - it is just romantic to watch the waterfall in Tirberg one of the small towns that has water cascading over boulders and of course this little town has the words biggest cuckoo clock.

We have been driving our loaner along the back roads of the forest stopping off a little towns - we climbed the Munster Cathedral in Konstanz (173 steps up) to view the most beautiful little town below and the Constance River and Swiss Alps spread before us.  Just gorgeous - took a ferry ride across and down to the small town of Lindau where we are staying in an absolutely charming villa - just so romantic!!!!

Mercedes Delivery Day

Today is Friday and we left Stuttgart early to head out to the Mercedes Factory- we spent most of the day taking tours, enjoying a beautiful lunch outside and taking delivery of the car we are going to use for the rest of our trip.  Bruce's new car had a problem with the transmission so it was back to the original factory so that it could be redone and it will be delivered directly to the dealer in the US.

We headed out on our first day driving and went straight to our beautiful hotel The Parkhotel Adler located in Hinterzarten which is in the Black Forest.  The views are spectacular and so charming - we drove on the autobahn - not as scary as we thought it would be - but we were driving 80 MPH and it was as if  we were in a horse and buggy - everyone was zipping past us - This area is truly charming - we attached some pictures but they do not do justice to what we are seeing.  Tomorrow we will be taking road tours and goodnight for now.