by Ken Holliday (guest blogging for Greta)

After much anticipation, we arrived in Germany – the land of my birth and Cindy’s family heritage. Our kids would be surrounded by a familiar language too as they were lucky enough to participate in a German-language immersion program through elementary school. If I were to summarize our stay in Germany, it would be on the basis of friends, family, and food. 

We arrived in Munich by train from Salzburg. It was another scenic, stress-free, clean, and efficient European train ride. To take advantage of all we wanted to see and do in Germany, we rented a car in Munich. However, I had to adjust to driving / shifting on the other side again. Plus, our high tech vehicle shut down at stops and employed lane safety sensors – new conveniences for me.

Stockheim

During our stay in southern Bavaria, we enjoyed beautifully clear, yet chilly, weather. We visited the iconic castle Neuschwanstein, took the gondola to enjoy the snow-covered views of Germany and Austria from the top of the Zugspitze, and enjoyed our neighbor’s warm hospitality – accented by beer, wine, and fresh sausage. The main contributor to the sausage was a boar taken just a few days earlier about 10km from where we sat. Our new friends also recommended a local restaurant where I enjoyed one of the best meals of my life featuring cheese spaetzle, pork cutlets, and mushroom cream sauce.

They also recommended we pay a visit to Harburg Castle and we’re glad we did. It’s not one of the big and famous castles of southern Bavaria, but it had a charm all its own. Plus, it only costs a few Euro to enter. It’s a smaller castle that overlooks the river and town – a real working castle from a historical perspective. It’s well maintained. We didn’t take the guided tour, but had plenty of freedom to walk around. Probably should’ve listened to Rick Steeves’ take on it. Overall, Harburg Castle was a nice surprise and treat.

Europa Park

This stop featured too many fond memories to list. The highlights are friendship and food. We were extremely fortunate to form a bond with a couple whom we met while we were on a tour in Australia. They invited us to visit them at their home near Europa Park, so there we went. We loved the rides at Europa Park and our family’s roller coaster critics were impressed with the quality and number of coasters there, despite the cold rain! We were all also blown away by the world class ice skating show. The story may have been a bit cheesy, but the talent level was amazing. In addition to having such a nice time with our hosts, we had a fabulous meal at Gerhart’s Strausse restaurant. The white asparagus was in season and the house was packed with guests. I especially enjoyed my wurst salad, a local delicacy. 

Kaiserslautern and Landstuhl

We then enjoyed a nostalgic visit with old friends from our time in Germany as newly weds. This visit started when we took a wrong turn outside of Kaiserslautern and ended up in the parking lot of the Irish pub where Cindy and I first met in 1994. “Hey kids. Look here. This is where it all started.” A fantastic meal at the Ohlmuhle Restaurant in Landstuhl was another culinary treat. 

Heidelberg

We caught a game at my old rugby club in Heidelberg, Sportclub Neuenheim. I was moved during a reconnection with about a dozen of my old teammates who showed up to say hello. Special treats were having our visit announced over the PA system, and being presented with the club’s century yearbook which includes history of the team’s first 100 years. I’m honored to be listed as one of the foreigners who have represented the club on the pitch. 

No trip to Franken would be complete without a stop in Rotherberg ob der Tauber. We were all impressed during our hike around the walled, medieval city. Such a cool place to visit. 

Ochsenfurt

We enjoyed perfect weather during Easter weekend as I introduced my kids to new cousins and relatives whom they had only heard about. We worshipped at the church of my baptism on Easter Sunday, and searched the adjoining cemetery for relatives who have passed. Our wonderful bnb hosts in the tiny village where we stayed invited us for dinner around the camp fire.

Munich

We intended to have an extended stay in Munich but there’s a movement against Airbnb by the hotel trade organization there. So, that changed our plan to stay in Munich for a couple of weeks to just a couple of days. But, we stayed in a modern hostel near the 1972 Olympic stadium. Since the main swimming pool there was under construction, H and K got to swim in the warmup / cool down pool used by the Olympic swimmers like Mark Spitz.

While in Munich, we met up with a family whom we had previously spent time with while camping in New Zealand. Among other things, we all share the love of travel. We feasted on awesome Bavarian dishes at an outside cafe near the Japanese Tower in Munich’s English Park. The perfect weather attracted scores of bike riders, runners, and walkers of all ages who enjoyed the lakes, streams, and well-maintained paths. Enjoyed a relaxing afternoon with them. 

On our last day in Germany, we were treated to a personalized walking tour of Munich by our friend Kasper whom we had met in Hanoi while sharing a taxi. I’ll include more on him and his charcoal business in the ‘people & personalities’ section soon. We were touched by his generosity and willingness to take so much time to give us an insider’s view of Munich. We certainly got to see several of the main tourist spots, such as the Frauenkirche, and busy shopping areas, but we also enjoyed our riverside walk, hipster neighborhoods, and great dinner at an authentic Munich Biergarten. 

We’re so thankful to have spent the time with our family and friends in Germany. We’re already planning our return. 

Next up–Paris!