Lake, food and an evening out... still in Garmisch.

After our adventure up to the Alpspitze, we drove to the Riessersee, a small lake at the base of the mountains.  We walked around the whole thing with a stop in the middle to throw rocks. 

Katie girl could not stop making ‘nature jewelry’ the whole day.

It was interesting to ‘try’ to read the Olympic information here.  Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany hosted the 1936 Winter Olympic Games. (The games were officially opened by A. Hitler)   When this lake froze in the winter, they used it to cut square blocks of ice to make the bobsled track just a km or so away. What a lot of work.  They also held the men’s hockey games on this lake.  (That year Great Britain upset 1932 gold medalists: Canada).  The Bobsled Museum was open but the kids were dying to eat and get back to the hotel’s pool!

We picked a German/Bavarian restaurant downtown Garmicsh to eat lunch called Werdenfelserhof. At 2:30 in the afternoon we had the whole restaurant to ourselves.  We’ve heard the German dining experience is slow and can take hours so we prepared ourselves but other than the hotel pool beckoning to the kids, we had nowhere to be anyway.  We sat at a large wooden table and ordered drinks.  We should have searched the menus for the price before we ordered but we were so thirsty we just went ahead and ordered – plus the tap water isn’t great.  We paid 4 euro per drink! – that’s like five bucks a drink without refills. Mental note: don’t go thirsty to a German restaurant? OR don’t take family of 8 to a German restaurant.  Yes, that’s better.

Chris ordered the recommended “Farmer’s Platter”  which consisted of smoked meat, roast pork, belly pork, sausage, sourcabbage and a bread dumpling.  Whew.  He liked it, but had a hard time finishing the whole thing.

I ordered Asparagus and Hollandaise sauce on Schnitzel (with roasted potatoes on the side).  Very good.

The kids ordered a cream schnitzel with noodles.  Their schnitzel and sauce was delish.  They also ordered some wieners and pomme frites (french fries) to share.  We give our first real German meal two big thumbs up.

We walked down Lugwigstrasse for awhile before heading back to the pool. 

Later that evening, after the kids were in bed and Ryan and Katie were babysitting, Chris and I headed back downtown for an evening stroll.  I can’t even tell you how fabulous it is to leave our kids back at the hotel.  We wandered hand in hand (with no stroller) through the shopping district, although all the stores had closed by now.  Instead we found great gelato, and sat down on a bench under the big tree in the center of the cobblestone square.

      

Up to Alpspitze

Friday morning we headed straight to the base of the Alpspitze… the second highest peak in Germany.  We boarded the Alpspitbahn gondola which took us to Osterfederkopf… the look out area.  As the gondola ascended, the view got more and more spectacular.  Like the photo above, the distant mountains and town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen looked blurry and almost fake because of their distance.

 

Osterfelderkopf mountain station sits a breathtaking 2050 meters above sea level.     New this very July, is two protruding steel look out balconies hovering over the 1000 meter abyss.  I’m sure they test out this sort of thing before letting visitors on, but I could definitely feel a little movement while out at the end and it does something to your stomach.  It didn’t help that Luke was bouncing up and down.  In fact, one man wouldn’t even walk out on it after seeing Luke’s little bounces gently move the lookout tower.

After checking out the views from the overhangs we headed over to the grassy area for another great view.

 

From the mountain station are hiking trails down and also up to the Alpspitze peak. One of the highest peak in Germany…2628 meters above sea level.   We saw lots of hikers.  In fact, almost everyone travelling up the gondola had hiking boots on.  They are very serious about their hiking boots and hiking poles here. Mental note:  must buy hiking shoes.  Within about five minutes we reached a patch of snow.  It wasn’t cold so I don’t know how the snow was even still there, but Chris and the kids had fun making snowballs and throwing them at each other.  The hike was gorgeous and open to beautiful views all around us.  We hiked until we reached a turnoff and small trail dead-end where we stopped to eat Pringles and have a drink.  Chris took Matthew off his back and then he and Ryan and Katie climbed the rock walls to see if they could get a look at the Zugspitze… the tallest peak in Germany (2962 meters).

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is where the little kids and I waited while Chris and the big kids did their climbing.

This is the view of the Zugspitze, which of course this picture doesn’t do justice.  When they hiked down it was my turn… see below.  It was so impressive.

    

After the hike we stopped and relaxed on the grass for awhile and then Chris made us sing ‘The Hills are Alive…’ for the video camera while we twirled around.  It was a perfect morning.  A plaque at the mountain station  captured what someone wrote in a journal, years ago, having just climbed to the peak… “ What should I write? – I cannot think, on this mountain as I rest, of anything but silent awe, and feeling blessed.” Max from Munich.   Amen, Max.

Off we go…

After only 48 hours in our new house, and without even fully unpacking, we decided it was time for a trip.  On Thursday morning we woke up, picked a few outfits, repacked (this time with only 4 suitcases instead of 15), loaded up on our travel treats and hit the road.  Our friends from Washington had booked a vacation at the Edelweiss Lodge in Garmisch, Germany and were unable to use it.  Actually we had talked a year ago about going with them and of course had no idea that we would be living in Germany instead.  We changed their reservation from a 10 day to a 3 day, typed the location in our GPS and were on our way by noon.

Things we learned on our first road trip: 

• Cheese baked pretzels are the perfect thing to munch on while driving.
• The Autobahn is very fun to drive on.  130km is just a recommendation. 
• A lot of nice cars cruise by on the Autobahn going speeds our minivan could only dream of.   …and make sure you are in the right lane (that is a strict rule here) because when they come, they come fast.
• There is road construction in Germany also.  … our GPS altered our arrival time multiple times as it received info on construction and if there was a stau (traffic jam).  So interesting.
• Do not stop at the WC’s (water closets: restrooms) on the side of the autobahn.   … oh my gosh, awful, awful. 
• Make sure to have toilet paper and hand sanitizer in your vehicle at all times. 
• The drive through Bavaria is incredible.
• The Sound of Music is the perfect movie to watch through such gorgeous scenery.

 

We travelled south east to the bottom of Germany, dipped into Austria and then curled back around to get to Garmisch.  Driving towards the Alps was exciting.  We just couldn’t help be in awe of the massive stone mountains jetting upward all around us.      We loved driving through the little Bavarian towns.  We saw onion shaped steeple’s and multiple churches in each town.   Almost every house, bakery and cafe  was decorated with elaborate paintings around the windows and murals across the sides.  Flowers lined almost every window sill and balcony.  Most houses also had the family name painted across it in perfect script.  “Haus Johnson” (House Johnson).  I love the idea.  Maybe we’d stick to the same house for longer than three years if our name was painted on the outside in fancy scrolled letters.

Backerei is Bakery.

We got to the Edelweiss Lodge, so named for a white flower found high in the alps, at about 5:00 to check in.  When we were pulling in through the gates and showed the guards our ID’s, Captain von Trapp was singing his finale of Edelweiss in our Sound of Music movie.  After we got through we laughed at the timing.

Must buy hair clippers.

Matthew  .  14 months old  .  Loves the bathtub  .  Loves to stand up in the bathtub  .  Doesn’t like to sit in the bathtub  .  Likes to put his whole face in the water over and over again to make Luke giggle  .  Loves to turn on the water  .  Likes to find his you know what in the bathtub  .  Cries when taken out of the bathtub  .

Katie’s 10th birthday

 

We told Katie that she could have her presents on her birthday with no wrapping paper… or that she could wait until the day AFTER ‘move in day’ for some wrapped birthday presents and she picked ‘LATE BUT WRAPPED’.  Good choice because when Chris and I went out to do errands we came home with something a little more exciting than wrapping paper. In the Recycle Center Chris overheard a man and son arguing about golf clubs.  “You can’t have them because they are left handed clubs!”  Chris’ ears perked up.  As soon as they left Chris walked right over and grabbed them.  Katie has been bugging Chris to special order her some left handed golf clubs forever.  These are gently used but, by golly, they are lefties and they were FREE.  When Chris and I walked in from our errands Chris said,  “Ok, Kates, sit on the couch and close your eyes.”  The kids could hardly contain their excitement for the beginning of birthday party fun.  Katie closed her eyes while Chris brought them in.  When she opened her eyes she stared at them for a minute, until she finally registered what they were.  She looked up at Dad’s face to see his big smile which confirmed that they indeed were ‘lefties’… then she squealed.  Without another second delay Chris said, “Ok, Kates, get your shoes on, we’re going golfing.” and off they went.  When they got back Katie found a pile of WRAPPED presents ready to open…

  

In the last six months Katie has become a real soccer girl.  She started out the year practicing with Ryan’s soccer team since Chris was one of the coaches.  With her two best friends, Brianna and Austin on that team, and with her Dad and brother’s love of the sport, it is no surprise that she has caught the soccer bug.  She and Ryan are already signed up for a week long summer soccer camp in August and will play on the same team this fall with Dad as the head coach.  Now she’s definitely ready to play!

 

 

 

 

Move in Day (and Katie's uncelebrated birthday)

Chris and Ryan were showered and out of the guest house by 7:00am.  They drove down to the house and emptied the van of it's first load of suitcases.  After waiting around for awhile with nothing to do Chris decided to come back to the guest house to help me check out and left Ryan with instructions for the movers if they came while he was gone. 

When we arrived in St. Leon there were two big moving trucks blocking our way.  Apparently the 'temporary furniture' movers had been there for quite a while with Ryan giving instructions and pointing them in the right direction.  The other truck with our 'unaccompanied baggage' (first 1200 pounds) had just arrived.

It was so exciting to see our stuff coming in.  Usually the movers unpack the boxes for you (if you ask) but we decided against it because of an inspection for the house later at 2:00pm.

The temporary furniture movers gave us a double bed, and five single beds, 7 night stands, 9 wardrobes, 9 dressers, 1 couch and 2 chairs, 1 coffee table and 2 end tables, 1 dining room table and 6 chairs, 1 'american sized' fridge and an 'american style washer and dryer'.  (The fridge, 9 wardrobes, and the washer and dryer are here to stay for the entire 3 years -- courtesy  of the army.) When the German movers pulled the fridge into the house and Chris pointed them to the downstairs they shook their heads and said no it wouldn't fit.  Chris told them it had to fit, there was no other place it could go.  They suggested a place in the dining room or the hall and Chris tried to suppress an irritated laugh.  Ya, right.  "Let's just try to tak it downstairs."  The two movers spoke angrily to each other in German and then tried to move it down.  The curvy marble stairs did prove to be difficult but with Chris' expert skills he told them which way to move it to get it down.  Boy, they were ticked, but it was worth the 15 minutes of pain for the three years of NOT having a fridge in my hallway.  My husband has great 'moving' skills.

Both movers were gone by 1:00 and we sat down to eat lunch.  We haven't sat down to eat lunch as a family around a table for I don't know how long... and the best part?  the highchair for Matthew!  Hallelujah!  We ate a quick lunch and were ready for the inspection at 2:00.  A representative from the housing office came as well as our landlord's daughter who is acting as manager.  We went through the house room by room to assess damages and ask how things work.  Small differences... how the dishwasher needs salt in it... the extensive recycling program... how the small oven works... what kind of lightbulbs... where the TV cables are... etc.

At 3:00 we  finally had the place to ourselves.  We tackled Ryan's room first (one of the small rooms on the second floor) and then Luke and Matthew's room.  Yes, they are sharing a room.  When we found our linen box and began making everyone's beds, Chris pulled Luke into the room and said, "Luke, who's bed is this?"  "Um, Ry-ry's?"  No.  "Katie's?"  No.  "Emily's?"  No.  "Began's?"  No.   ... by this time Chris is actually pointing to Luke's chest but he is still not getting it.  "Um, daddy's?"  No...  "Mommy's?"   No...  "Lukey's?"   When we all shouted 'YES!' his eyes got all big.  Chris told him he was a big boy and got a big boy bed and he was so excited.  He tells us all the time that he is a big boy.  "I am big and I am tall like this!" standing as tall as he can and smiling cute as can be.

Right now the three girls are in the basement because it's cooler but as soon as our real furniture comes they'll be in the attic.  Katie, Emily and Megan spent most of the afternoon building a massive tunnel fort in the attic.  Every time we unpacked a box, they excitedly took it away.  I suppose it's one of the best parts about moving. 

Ryan and Chris took off for scouts at 6:30 and while they were gone I tackled the kitchen and got almost everything unpacked, washed, dried and put away in the newly cleaned cupboards and drawers.  Feels so good to have an organized kitchen.  More stuff will be coming in the second shipment but most of it is here now.  I love that my kitchen window is right above my sink and looks out onto our street where the kids will play.  It's going to be a good kitchen.

It feels good to be home.  As Emily was getting ready for bed she said, "Mom, you said we were going to have a small house but this house is HUGE!!"  It made me laugh.  It is bigger than we expected to find.  We feel very blessed and SOOO excited to be living here!