Germand land Germany land tour Oct 3 2023- Monday Oct 9

Passau, Salzburg, Herrenchiemsee, Oberammergau,Ettal,Zugspitze,Lake Constance,Black Forrest open air Museum, Triberg, Speyer,Heidelberg, Frankfurt

22.10.2023

Germany Land portion with 16 people. We hit the jackpot with our guide Jureg Gilgen from Basil Switzerland. He was the best guide. He gave us a bag of local treats and chocolate and a shot glass for schnapps we would have on the bus, not like our mint schnapps for sure!

We boarded our large coach to head to Saltzburg Austria, We stopped at the prettiest roadside stop called Landzeit Mondsee. The view here was amazing.

Saltzburg is a charming city and is the birthplace of Mozart. The old city retains many people from the Medieval and Baroque Periods. It was salt that gave the region and city its name. It is an Austrian city on the border of Germany. We saw the Mirabell Gardens with elegant landscaping and pathways on lush grounds fronting the Mirabell Palace. The real Trapp family once lived here. The movie classic Sound of Music was filmed in and around the city. However many of locals are not familiar with the movie. The Makartsteg Bridge is often called the Love Lock Bridge. In our free time, we split a pretzel and cheese for lunch.

We then went to the Zum Salzbergwerk salt mines in Berchtesgaden. We got our overhalls and headed into the mines by a miner's train.
The salt mine has been in uninterrupted operation since 1517. Salt does not occur in pure form but is rather encased in the Haselegebirge. this composition contains an average of 50 percent salt. It is released from the mountain with the wet mining method. We took a train down and got to experience two large slides. Also too small to ferry across the underground salt lake.

Checked into hotel Aloenresident Buchenhohe We ate at hotel restaurant Holzkafer across the street and had a huge round table for 10-

Wed Oct 4 we had an early leave time of 715. We were supposed to have a box breakfast but Juerg had eaten here before and requested an early breakfast. It was magnificent

Took bus to Prie Chiemsee fo

ferry ride to Herrenchiemsee

We had a carriage ride from Pier to Castle

We walked the beautiful grounds while waiting for our guide. In 1878the Palace was built like Bavarian Versailles. When King Ludwig died in 1886 it was never completed. He was only 40 years old.

inside

We had a snack at a cafe

We took the bus to Oberammergau the small town known for passion plays

Hotel Luitpold was our home for two nights, We walked to Suchi restaurant that had no openings but they let us eat outside.

Thursday, Oct 5th
Went down to have breakfast and they gave us our own area to have breakfast. Jim made friends with Hostest and when he came back from an early walk she turned on the cappuccino machine for him. He brought me back a cup.

Ettal is a quaint Bavarian town with the Ettal Abbey the Benedictine Abbey since 1330, this was my favorite church of all on the trip.

We had a cheese tour of the monks' factory with a sampling of cheese. We then had time to walk around town on our own.

We had a charming guide by the name of Claus for a guide to Abbey and Monks Brewery highlights with its striking beauty. Benedictine monastery was founded in 1330 by Louis IV. Ettal is one of Bavarias's architectural highlights.

The vestry of Ettal Abbey is a stunning example of Rococo architecture. The walls are adorned with intricate stucco work and frescoes and the ceiling is decorated with the Holy Spirit

Claus next gave us a brewery tour and tasting

We then had a full lunch at Klosterhotel

Soups, pork and dumpling, schnitzel and fries, two types apple strudel and cheese strudel to share. Jourk was right we would not need any supper tonight.

Today was a full day and we next were headed to Zugspitze cable car ride to the highest mountain in Germany. High above the clouds, surrounded by infinite freedom. Up on Zugspitze, you are greeted by breathtaking 360 views of more than 400 summits. It was dreamlike up there. We took a moment to breath and savor and realized that impression would stay with us forever.

back to our hotel in Fussen

Friday, October 6

We started our morning heading to Lindau Island located on the shores of the picturesque Bodensee, Lake Constance to Lindau island Germany is a glimmering lakeside jewel overlooking the Alps. We had time to walk around and enjoy people-watching while having a cappuccino. We then took a Bodensee boat ride where you could see Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on three sides of the lake.

We then went to the Black Forest's open-air Museum Vogtsbauernhof. Experience how people lived and worked in the black forest 600 ago.
The museum is centered on the Vogtsbauernhof farmhouse dating from 1612.

Take a look at how thick the thatched roof was

On the way, Jureg shared some black Forrest ham and sourdough bread

tonight would be my favorite place we stayed BW Schwarzwaid Resident. The girl that checked us in, took suitcases to our room. waited and served us in the dining room and checked us out. It is a place snuggled high in the hills with a view of the town below the church and a waterfall in the distance.

Our bus driver Peter did an amazing job navigating the narrow streets.

Tonight we were all too tired to walk down and then back up to the hotel. We chose to eat in hotel and had a wonderful dinner. The dinner was comped to our surprise.

The bewitchingly pretty Black Forest town of Triberg is home to Germany's highest waterfall as well as the world's biggest Cookoo Clocks. Jim did his early walk and we went down to a wonderful breakfast. Warm choc cressants were Devine. We had a late leave time of 1015. Yes, same girl was our barista and said we had enough time to walk to the waterfalls. She said would find it behind the church. Doug and Michele, Cindy and Terry went with us.

We. found the path to Tilburg Falls. Randy and Joan joined us. It was a chilly 46-degree morning but the walk was easy. We had our latest leave time of 1015 We only had a short drive to the world's largest Cooko clock shop. We had no intention of buying a cookoo clock but 6 of 8 couples bought one.

Loved our room with a view a and balcony

Bollenhut red hat German Protestant women as part of their folk costume or Tracht in the three adjoining Black Forest villages of Gutach, Kirnbach and Hornberg-Reichenbach. The picturesque-looking red bollen hut has become a symbol of the Black Forest as a whole,

Cooko clock

We cross into the Altace region of France and Wissembourg. Wissembourg is situated on the little river Lauter close to the border between France and Germany.

Jureg had told us to try Tart Flambee a pizza with cream fresh, onions, and thin-baked bacon on thin-crust

We next stop at Cleebourg for wine tasting.

Speyer is where we spent the night. We went with group of 8 to a Greek restaurant. Had the best gyros and homemade pita bread. They did not understand English but we had fun ordering.

Sunday, October 8,

We had a walking tour of Speyer and the Jewish ruins and bath.

Spyer Cathedral is historically and architecturally one of the most significant examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe. on 3 doors usually represent the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity. The 5 figures above the central portal represent God,s grace. The rose window is to be seen as a symbol of Divine salvation, The 12 steps is a symbol of perfection. Also 12 pillars in the church