Germany - Bavarian Woods

Have I mentioned how beautiful the weather has been while I have been in Germany? Sigrid keeps reminding me how lucky I am. It has been fantastic--like a German summer. This is important to us, because there are so many things we want to see and do that depend on the weather to be really enjoyable.

One of those things was going through the Bayerisher Wald (Bavarian Woods), which we were able to do on Monday. Sigrid wanted to take me to Junka Glass, a huge glass shop there in the woods. Pit suggested a new way of going that would be a little more scenic. Little did he know how scenic it would be. One of the main connecting streets we needed was closed, and we had to go around a different way. Luckily, it was a lovely drive and I really got to see the area. I had been expecting steeper mountains. Instead, we mostly drove through rolling hills that gradually increased in elevation. So as we got higher we looked over the hills below with little villages tucked in here and there.

We spent quite a while looking through the glass shop, including some beautiful displays they had outside the shop.

We ate a light lunch in the cafe there. I enjoyed my first Damf Nudel during my first tour of Regensburg with Sigrid's neighbor. Now I know why Barbara took us to that spot in Regensburg. After trying the Damf Nudel in the cafe I believe that Regensburg has the best. The one at the Junka Glass cafe had much to be desired. Oh well. Live and learn. I enjoyed Sigrid's Weissewurst at least.

It got a little hazy later in the day, but that didn't prevent us from enjoying the view at our next stop.

Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the park we went to. I don't know if it's considered a park or an attraction. About three years ago they built a huge elevated boardwalk overlooking the Bavarian Woods. The boardwalk is so high that you feel it shaking. It made me a little nervous for the first five minutes or so. Then I focused on the view and soon it was no big deal (and maybe even a little fun).

This park had some fun little things for the visitors to enjoy like an interactive display on how long it took objects to decompose, guess which mushrooms are poisonous, hear bird songs, guess that smell, sounds of the forest, an inside look at a bee hive, and some pretty cool seats carved from tree trunks.

Then Sigrid took me for a surprise: another "bobsled" ride on the Sommerrodelbahn.

These are fun!

Before leaving the Bavarian Woods I wanted to get a picture of the typical buildings there. We were running a little short on time, and took a more direct route home, so I wasn't able to get a shot of the picture-perfect home that I wanted. However, this one gives you an idea of the white houses, dark brown wood trim, and flowers, flowers, flowers. (If only it had the dark wood balcony, it would have been better.)

We finished up the evening again in old Regensburg to celebrate Patrick's birthday. We ate dinner outside at a French restaurant in another lovely courtyard (did I mention the beautiful weather?) with Sigrid's parents. I think Regina and Adi don't go out very much in the evenings; they seemed to really enjoy their time in the city with all of us.

On Tuesday Sigrid had an appointment in the city, so we drove together and I explored a little more. After walking around in a circle (twice), I broke the pattern, managed to get a little disoriented (a good thing, actually, because it took me to some new streets), easily found my way back, and met Sigrid for Bratwurst und Sauerkraut at the most well-known Bratwurst restaurant in Regensburg by the Donau River. We shared a table with some American tourists who were much happier talking to a native German than a fellow American, much to Sigrid's dismay.

I have been making an effort to become more familiar with the German language. (I can't say I've been trying very hard, but I have been trying a little.) I have a long way to go, and this really hit home while I was exploring the city. I usually have a map of the city with me. I often get turned around in the streets of Regensburg. On earlier walks through the city I kept coming across the same street sign, but was never able to find the street on the map. I came across the blue street sign again on Tuesday when I was in a completely different section of the city. That's when I started to think I was making a big mistake. I took a closer look at the sign which I now saw was by another sign pointing at a 90 degree angle to the first. This is when I realized that "Einbahnstraße" means "One way street"! I laughed out loud. No wonder that I couldn't find it on the map. And no wonder that I couldn't connect all the dots. I kept encountering "Einbahnstraße" in different parts of the city.

A little later in the afternoon Sigrid and I joined her parents for afternoon coffee and cake at their home (hold the coffee, keep the torte!). We finished the afternoon with a trip to the cemetery where Regina and Marianne's parents are buried.

I know this wasn't something Sigrid particularly enjoys, but I was glad to see it. And, I found it interesting to see some of the differences in the cemeteries I am accustomed to seeing in the States.

At least we were able to enjoy a nice little walk in the woods nearby as well as another fantastic view of the city.

(Did I mention the fantastic weather?)