Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Little Log Barns of Krun - Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Little Log Barns of Krun - Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Today we said good-bye to cousins M & P after 2 weeks of good times with them in Switzerland and Germany. Lots of laughs as we tooted around in our little Twingo and their VW Golf alternating drivers every other day. Up the narrow roads - in the cities - to the grocery store - waking mountain trails - searching for internet - we enjoyed every minute with them and will miss the fun times we had together.
We got ourselves oriented to Krun and Wallgau and Mittenwald this afternoon. These 3 towns are within 5 - 7 km and are right up there with Gimmelwald and Murren in our most favorite places to see in Europe - so far at least. We biked to Wallgau through the fields this afternoon for a few groceries - checked in at the Tourist Information building then headed home for a rest. Our legs tell us we will need to bike more to keep in shape but fortunately the terrain is relatively flat here so that will help.
Then it was off in the car during the hotter part of the day ( 85 degrees) to get more local information in Krun and Mittenwald for our side trips the remainder of this week here. We found a peaceful quiet little lake a few kms north and earmarked it as a place to bike around on a good weather day.
The flat plains between the mountains here are dotted with an extra ordinarily large number of little log barns randomly placed around the fields. Not sure what they are used for as they are all empty - will find the answer to that question from our host family before we leave. I suppose it is the farmer in me and the farmer’s daughter in Jean that attracts us to this area. Narrow paved car-free pathways criss-cross the fields and along mountain streams in no structured fashion making it a pleasant bike ride past these little log barns.
After supper it was back to the bikes again to discover more trails - all well marked at each intersection with yellow arrow signs telling the time to the next town - eg. 0.25 std. (meaning ¼ of an hour)
Today we said good-bye to cousins M & P after 2 weeks of good times with them in Switzerland and Germany. Lots of laughs as we tooted around in our little Twingo and their VW Golf alternating drivers every other day. Up the narrow roads - in the cities - to the grocery store - waking mountain trails - searching for internet - we enjoyed every minute with them and will miss the fun times we had together.
We got ourselves oriented to Krun and Wallgau and Mittenwald this afternoon. These 3 towns are within 5 - 7 km and are right up there with Gimmelwald and Murren in our most favorite places to see in Europe - so far at least. We biked to Wallgau through the fields this afternoon for a few groceries - checked in at the Tourist Information building then headed home for a rest. Our legs tell us we will need to bike more to keep in shape but fortunately the terrain is relatively flat here so that will help.
Then it was off in the car during the hotter part of the day ( 85 degrees) to get more local information in Krun and Mittenwald for our side trips the remainder of this week here. We found a peaceful quiet little lake a few kms north and earmarked it as a place to bike around on a good weather day.
The flat plains between the mountains here are dotted with an extra ordinarily large number of little log barns randomly placed around the fields. Not sure what they are used for as they are all empty - will find the answer to that question from our host family before we leave. I suppose it is the farmer in me and the farmer’s daughter in Jean that attracts us to this area. Narrow paved car-free pathways criss-cross the fields and along mountain streams in no structured fashion making it a pleasant bike ride past these little log barns.
After supper it was back to the bikes again to discover more trails - all well marked at each intersection with yellow arrow signs telling the time to the next town - eg. 0.25 std. (meaning ¼ of an hour)
Passionsspiele - Oberammergau, Germany - June 29, 2010
Passionsspiele - Oberammergau, Germany - June 29, 2010
The entire day was spent in the town of Oberammergau, Upper Bavaria, Germany. Over 5000 people converge on the town each weekday from all over the world. They come by the bus load - tours that have been organized to make this town usually a 2 day stop on their itinerary. The town is literally crawling with people by 10 a.m. each day - almost like a pilgrimage. The object of their trip is to view the play staged every 10 years by the towns people. Known as the "Passionsspiele" this play has been presented faithfully since 1633 as a pledge to God for protection against the "Black Death" plague that originated during the 30-Year-War.
Up to 800 actors may be on stage at certain times. The 6 hour play was divided in 2 halves with a 3 hour break from 5 - 8 p.m. The actors and live orchestra practice for 10 years to perfect the story of Christ's birth, life, suffering, death and resurrection. It was a powerful presentation - one we will not soon forget.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Mad King Ludwig II - Monday, June 28, 2010
Mad King Ludwig II - Monday, June 28, 2010
We left the Heiss farm this morning around 8:30 and set the GPS for Fussen, Germany. Just outside the city are located 2 castles inhabited by King Ludwig II. One, the most elaborate, known as Neuschwanstein Castle, was built by him in the the mid 1800s in an effort to match the style of Midieval Castles. Situated high above the valley floor, we parked and walked 15 min. uphill to a bus loading station. The bus took us up to within 20 minutes of the castle and we had to walk up the the steep path the rest of the way on our own. We were put on a list for an English speaking tour and then waited over 1 ½ hours for our number to come up. Inside we were not allowed to take pictures but a guide showed us through on a 35 min. tour showing Ludwigs living quarters, various chamber rooms and lastly the kitchen. The woodwork was mostly hand carved elaborately from Linden wood in the area. He was forced to abdicate the throne because of his behaviour (thus the nickname MAD) and took his own life they figure a few days later. The castle was never completely. It was interesting but the walk up and back was quite tiring. Another castle built by him named Hohenschwangau sits just across the valley facing Neuschwanstein - not as elaborate but he lived in H more than N because of his untimely death.
On our way back to the farm we made 2 more stops. At the Wieskirche (White Church) we saw again the elaborate paintings on the carved ceilings. It has changed in the past 8 years with a number of small stores outside the Catholic Church selling food and mementos. Inside people sat quietly in the seats - some sang a hymn - some gazed upward at the intricate paintings depicting much of the life of Christ and Church activities.
Stopped at the Echlsbacher Bridge which spans the deep rushing river gorge and the Ammer River far below. The vantage point we had visited in ‘02 was mostly grown over by natural vegetation making the view less spectacular.
After a brief stop for groceries, we returned to the farm to make supper.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Arrival in Krun, Germany - Sunday, June 27, 2010
Arrival in Krun, Germany - Sunday, June 27, 2010
We said good-bye to the Oesche’s around 8:30 a.m. and headed for Krun, Germany about 7 hours north-east. M&P left right ahead of us in their VW Golf and we got separated about 3 km into our journey because someone who shall remain “synonymous” made a wrong turn. No problem though since we had both set our GPS for the address where we were headed. Only problem was mine said 288 km and M’s said 406 km. About 3 hours into it we decided to pull over for a lunch break and whom should we pull in beside at a rest stop but M&P. The funny part was the couple next to us looked very confused. Here we were with a French license plate and a Swiss license, greeting each other cordially in the same language and carrying the same plastic lunch bags. How could we ever have planned that timing. M’s GPS took him on the autobahn most of the way and ours took us across country with some autobahn - go figure. Another “attraction” was a gentleman who arrived to use the WC in a traditional Bavarian costume - white shirt, brown shorts with black wide suspenders, knee high white socks and shoes. It was the thin white belt that went from front around down under to back and up then fastened to the suspenders that we couldn’t figure into the mix. We arrived in Krun at 3 p.m. about 15 min ahead of M&P, found our apartment, one of 6 under the same roof including the barn and it’s sheds. We can see little barns out our front balcony with rocky mountain peaks in the background. Their name is Johan and Barbara Heiss. They speak German only so it is difficult to communicate. We have several scenic spots on the agenda to visit tomorrow before the Passion Play at Oberammergau, Germany on Tuseday.
Simmental Valley - Saturday, June 26, 2010
Simmental Valley - Saturday, June 26, 2010
Today was a leisurely drive into an area of Switzerland where we have not ventured before. The Simmental valley is a mountainous region near to Spiez here but much more picturesque than we had imagined. The narrow valleys are scattered with many small farms and they were very busy today making hay. Around every corner and over every hill whole families were busy - some raking the hay down the hillside into rows so that the loose hay could be picked up - some with walk behind power rakes forming it into rows - some with hay loader type box on the back of a small truck that picked up the loose hay and stuffed it into the rack - some forking it onto a wagon by hand like we used to do 50 years ago and many with hand rakes or forks forming it into rows for the picker - upper. The machinery is modern but the terrain is simply too steep for most tractors to get it done without rolling down the hill. Speaking of down the hill, at one point the family raking the hay down the hill had formed such a large quantity that the hay slid down the hill much like a snow avalanche. Most farms are small with only a hand full of cows and relatively small acerage. The prominent crop by far is hay - we only saw about one field of corn and the same amount of grain - it was hay everywhere.
After picking up groceries for the next several days at the Co-op store in Spiez, we headed home for supper. After supper we all walked down to the Lake of Thun for one final glance before heading east tomorrow to Krun, Germany and the Passion Play on Tuesday at Oberammergau.
Back to Langnau, Switzerland - Friday, June 25, 2010
Back to Langnau, Switzerland - Friday, June 25, 2010
After a leisurely morning spent partly in the nearby town of Spiez where we are staying for 2 more nights yet, Jean and I went to find internet connection. I stopped in front of an abandoned store front parking lot and we were connected so for the next hour and a half almost I spent updating the blog and Jean sent several e-mails. It has been over a week since we were able to connect - very frustrating to say the least. What did we ever do before computers??
Then this afternoon we had been invited by Marion Rothlisberger from the Langnau Mennonite church to visit their farm upon her invitation at church last Sunday. They are a younger family with 2 daughters, one 17 and the younger 14 years of age. Her husband Kurt works in R & D at a local cheese factory by day and farms their 8 hectare farm in his spare hours. They live on her father’s divided farm - the other half went to the father’s brother then it was sold as I understand it. Her mother passed away 18 years ago and the father lives still in the original house/barn combination where she was born. Kurt and Marion built a new home or re-modeled it 15 years ago right beside the barn part so it is a compact little “community”. She was so good to us and has a real gift for entertaining strangers. We commented after, how reluctant we would probably have been to do what she did. She had also invited her 2 aunts - one speaks quite good English having been to Saskatchewan and Vancouver Island where another sister lives. The other aunt and her husband live nearby and were there as well. We were given a tour of the buildings including the stable where they have 8 brown swiss milking cows that they milk and send the milk away to be made into cheese. Three ponies and 2 rabbits made up the rest of the livestock although they did have a small pigpen. She has quite a few antiques sitting around outside and decorated tastefully with flowers - a very healthy garden and a great mountain top view. We sat out in front of their house and looked out over the fields and could see many farmers in every direction making hay while the weather is so favorable. Some farmers are very mechanized with balers and wagons while at least one we saw was pitching the hay onto the wagon by hand the old fashioned way. We counted at least 4 pitchers and 2 up on the wagon tramping it down and squaring the load - one driver of the tractor as well.
Outside the front door on the patio she served us Emmentaler cheese (that is their region) , 2 types of Swiss cookies, some fresh strawberries, coffee and an apple/ cinnamon cold drink. We left her our e-mails and addresses with the invitation to visit us in Canada if they ever come there for a vacation .
Over all it was a very fascinating experience and a rare privilege to have had a window into the life of a real working Swiss farm and family.
After a leisurely morning spent partly in the nearby town of Spiez where we are staying for 2 more nights yet, Jean and I went to find internet connection. I stopped in front of an abandoned store front parking lot and we were connected so for the next hour and a half almost I spent updating the blog and Jean sent several e-mails. It has been over a week since we were able to connect - very frustrating to say the least. What did we ever do before computers??
Then this afternoon we had been invited by Marion Rothlisberger from the Langnau Mennonite church to visit their farm upon her invitation at church last Sunday. They are a younger family with 2 daughters, one 17 and the younger 14 years of age. Her husband Kurt works in R & D at a local cheese factory by day and farms their 8 hectare farm in his spare hours. They live on her father’s divided farm - the other half went to the father’s brother then it was sold as I understand it. Her mother passed away 18 years ago and the father lives still in the original house/barn combination where she was born. Kurt and Marion built a new home or re-modeled it 15 years ago right beside the barn part so it is a compact little “community”. She was so good to us and has a real gift for entertaining strangers. We commented after, how reluctant we would probably have been to do what she did. She had also invited her 2 aunts - one speaks quite good English having been to Saskatchewan and Vancouver Island where another sister lives. The other aunt and her husband live nearby and were there as well. We were given a tour of the buildings including the stable where they have 8 brown swiss milking cows that they milk and send the milk away to be made into cheese. Three ponies and 2 rabbits made up the rest of the livestock although they did have a small pigpen. She has quite a few antiques sitting around outside and decorated tastefully with flowers - a very healthy garden and a great mountain top view. We sat out in front of their house and looked out over the fields and could see many farmers in every direction making hay while the weather is so favorable. Some farmers are very mechanized with balers and wagons while at least one we saw was pitching the hay onto the wagon by hand the old fashioned way. We counted at least 4 pitchers and 2 up on the wagon tramping it down and squaring the load - one driver of the tractor as well.
Outside the front door on the patio she served us Emmentaler cheese (that is their region) , 2 types of Swiss cookies, some fresh strawberries, coffee and an apple/ cinnamon cold drink. We left her our e-mails and addresses with the invitation to visit us in Canada if they ever come there for a vacation .
Over all it was a very fascinating experience and a rare privilege to have had a window into the life of a real working Swiss farm and family.
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