| We arrive in Munich and our guide makes
| |
| | horses with bells, over 400 stalls of
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| it clear this is Bavaria. Bavarians favor
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| | food and crafts, this is a s festive as
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| autonomy from Germany and even have their
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| | it gets! I graze my way through on white
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| own language. I have been here many
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| | chocolate bananas, fruit breads, glazed
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| times but looking through sober eyes now,
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| | grapes, dipped pretzels, pink marzipan
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| I find it more vibrant, clean and
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| | pigs, licorice angles and all types of
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| sophisticated. We spend 2 days with
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| | roasting sugar coated nuts. Shaped
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| Nancy, an excellent guide who has already
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| | gingerbreads are omnipresent and the
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| emailed me to remain in touch.
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| | aroma of warm sweet Gluh-wine fragrances
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| I have a mini-group of just 26 so this is
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| | the air.
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| like a vacation for me. It is a first
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| | I'm on a sugar high and head for the
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| time abroad for some and I love to learn
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| | crafts. Shopping is a blood sport here
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| from them as they notice things with
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| | through narrow lanes but MasterCard is my
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| child-like enthusiasm that I do not.
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| | armor and I find all my toy treasures.
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| This is the hi-tech land of engineering.
| |
| | There are giant nutcrackers representing
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| We pass a 9 story Mercedes dealership
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| | every occupation, unique mangers and 29
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| with new cars stacked to the shape of an
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| | trillion ornaments. At dusk the
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| Advent tree. We also see the BMW
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| | illumination begins. I pause for a
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| factory. I wish I could work here with 7
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| | dinner of 6 bratwursts, Bavarian cheese
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| weeks vacation per year, 340 different
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| | and a pyramid of sauerkraut to last me to
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| work schedules to choose from, a gym, spa
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| | 2012.
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| and its many other benefits. We stop for
| |
| | In Rodenthal we toured the Goebel/Hummel
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| hot apple strudel and visit the well
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| | Factory. I anticipated boredom yet
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| known sites.
| |
| | became fascinated to learn how precious
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| Here is the 100th Christmas tree with
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| | each piece is. From 1871 to today, 700
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| 2500 candles. Our welcome dinner at
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| | artists create these tiny non-useful
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| Haufbrauhous is a delight with yodeling,
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| | figurines. They are paid per piece and
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| alp horns and sausages of
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| | if a mistake is made, it must be broken.
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| everything-wurst. The group toasts their
| |
| | The highest paid artists are the delicate
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| steins of natural beer made only of
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| | face painters. I met one woman who has
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| barley, water and hops.
| |
| | spent 12 years just painting eyebrows,
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| It is time to move on to the enchanting
| |
| | another on lips and a man who has worked
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| storybook villages. This is a magical
| |
| | 10 years blushing cheeks! The eye strain
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| time to visit. No country celebrates
| |
| | must be like threading sewing needles for
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| Christmas with more passion than Germany.
| |
| | a lifetime and it takes 3 years
|
| As we head to the alps, the morning sky
| |
| | apprenticeship to graduate to this level.
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| looks like a pale bruise. Soon a
| |
| | Initially our guide assumed we were a
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| blizzard engulfs our coach but we have an
| |
| | collectors club when in reality we can
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| experienced driver named Eno who we fell
| |
| | barely afford a baby Jesus.
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| in love with by trips end in 7 days.
| |
| | Later in East Germany we visited
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| We arrive at Neuschwanstein and ride by
| |
| | Lauenstein Confiserie, a chocolate
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| horse and carriage up to the famous
| |
| | praline factory that was so busy with the
|
| castle. (This is the one Disney
| |
| | season, they hardly notice us. I tasted
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| fashioned its own after.) I have seen
| |
| | from the chocolate fountain nearly having
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| more castles than I can count around the
| |
| | a cocoa orgasm and confirm again that
|
| world but this medieval knight's fortress
| |
| | America can never produce this product as
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| with gothic spires is spectacular. Built
| |
| | purely or satisfying as Europe.
|
| in 1869, it looks brand spanking new with
| |
| | The best of all towns was Rothenberg,
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| decorated rooms intact. The 388 steps
| |
| | population 2300 where our Hotel Prince
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| inside are well worth the climb. There's
| |
| | was located right inside the fortified
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| hardly anyone here whereas summer can
| |
| | walls of Old Town. Our guided walk here
|
| draw 5,000 tourists each day. In winter,
| |
| | instantly awakened all my 5 senses and
|
| this fairytale castle becomes dreamlike
| |
| | made me want to linger for days. We tend
|
| surreal. That's why I enjoy traveling
| |
| | to go over the top each year with our
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| off season.
| |
| | flashy decorations. Among the half
|
| Pity poor Mad King Ludwig II who designed
| |
| | timbered homes here on cobbled streets,
|
| this worlds largest, most extravagant,
| |
| | it is quieter and softer. One is taken
|
| expensive and opulent castle for himself.
| |
| | back to the Middle Ages with the pewter
|
| It's a sad story of the 6th king who
| |
| | ornaments hand crafted and evergreens lit
|
| lived here only 4 months. The people
| |
| | with candles.
|
| loved him as much as the German Tourist
| |
| | Afterwards, our guide Claudia invites us
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| Board does today. His family however,
| |
| | all into her home. I go to buy a
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| did not. They sought to declare Ludwig
| |
| | "snowball" for which this town is
|
| insane and hired a team of psychiatrists
| |
| | renowned. They are piled high like
|
| to prove such. Although he was prone to
| |
| | colored softballs in the windows. For
|
| depression and insomnia, no doctor could
| |
| | over 300 years, these pastries were
|
| find him mentally unfit.
| |
| | frugally made from scraps of fresh pie
|
| After short rule, his body was found in
| |
| | dough. Dipped in chocolate, berries or
|
| the lake and the family stated it was
| |
| | cinnamon butter, they melt in your mouth.
|
| suicide. But the body of his
| |
| | As the sun shines, I remove my coat to a
|
| psychiatrist was also found so most agree
| |
| | balmy 50 degress. How I wished it would
|
| it was murder, particularly since an
| |
| | snow.
|
| autopsy was refused. Later it was
| |
| | We end our tour in the Student Prince
|
| determined that Ludwig was gay, so the
| |
| | town of Heidelberg with entrance to the
|
| "fairytale king" was truly a fairy.
| |
| | famous castle and its 55,000 gallon
|
| We stopped in charming Oberammergau,
| |
| | wooden wine barrel. That night I reflect
|
| famous for its Passion Plays every 10
| |
| | on a great trip, my last one for 2005. I
|
| years. The wood houses are painted with
| |
| | write this journal so my wonderful little
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| fairytales: Hansel & Gretel, Red Riding
| |
| | group will remember it all. With pride,
|
| Hood, etc. We then toured Nuremburg with
| |
| | I will always remember them; on time,
|
| an astute guide who brought the city to
| |
| | patient, no complaints, generous tippers,
|
| life before our eyes from 15th century to
| |
| | polite to locals and friendly with each
|
| its destruction in WWII.
| |
| | other. Perfect travelers I wish I could
|
| Some went off to the Toy Museum or
| |
| | clone.
|
| Torture Museum while I set out to explore
| |
| | After hugging Eno goodbye, we exited with
|
| the world's largest Xmas market.
| |
| | so many shopping bags that he now thinks
|
| With giant lit trees, double carousals,
| |
| | he needs a trailer in tow of his coach.
|
