Tag: Germany

• Rothenburg ob der Tauber

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on December 20, 2019

  Before I moved to Germany I didn’t have much of a mental picture about the country. I knew the Germans liked to eat pretzels, bratwurst, and sauerkraut, but I didn’t know much about the landscape or the architectural design of the buildings. Where I live in Bavaria, it’s common to find houses with paintings on the side depicting a story of craftsmen from long ago.

  When I knew I was going to be spending some time living in Germany, I did a quick Google search for basic images, and the image that stuck with me the most was of beautifully striated houses in a town called Rothenburg ob der Tauber, or Rothenburg for short. I had no idea where Rothenburg was, nor did I ever think I would visit, but I finally made my way to this adorable medieval city and I loved every moment of my visit.

  

  

  Rothenburg is most known for its walled in city, striated houses, and picturesque photo opportunities. The entryway into the city is one of the most photographed spots in the entire city, and for good reason. I made it to the city before anyone came to life, and was able to snap a photo of this spot without any humans in my way.

  

  The clouds quickly lifted and the sun came out providing a beautiful color to the adorable houses. My roommate Laura and I embarked on a German road trip last month, and Rothenburg was our first stop. She had been, but I hadn’t so we split up for a couple hours to explore at our own pace. Before we separated, we visited the Käthe Wohlfahrt mothership. The headquarters for this mega shop is in Rothenburg, and this was my first time stepping inside.

  This was basically the Disneyland of Christmas. 

  

  

  I bought an ornament for my mom, but she won’t know until it arrives because she only skims my blog for the photos. 😉 (Update, the ornament arrived. She loved it.) After we got our Christmas fix, we wandered the only park within the city while my roommate sipped on Glühwein. I don’t like wine, but I tried a sip. I confirm that I still don’t like wine, even when it’s hot and mixed with sugar.

  

  After the park we officially parted ways, and I got lost between the alleys and houses. I say I got lost, but really that’s nearly impossible. The city is quite small, but large enough to spend a good few hours wandering without getting bored. I found my way to the border of the wall that hugs around the city, and climbed the stairs to walk around the perimeter.

  Along the way I found door, after door, after door that caught my attention. 

  

  

  

  

  

  I found my way inside of a coffee shop for an afternoon pick me up, where lucky for me everyone spoke English. I would have managed fine if they hadn’t though, I know how to order a black coffee in German. I know the basics of ordering food and drinks, but everywhere I have traveled thus far someone speaks English. It’s both helpful and hindering as it doesn’t motivate me to learn more German.

  

  

  After my coffee fix I climbed the top of the city hall tower which wasn’t very tall, but it still provided a decent panoramic view of the city. Anytime I find a tower to climb for a decent price, I climb it. There has only been one tower thus far that I said a big no to, and that was in Pisa. There was no one else at the top of the tower when I went up, so I had the entire view to myself.

  

  

  We visited Rothenburg a week too early, because we missed their Christkindlmarkt, or Christmas Market. 

  After I climbed the tower my roommate and I met back up for lunch. We grubbed, and were gifted free water and cake because my roommate is a fan of a German soccer team that our waiter was also a fan of. I have never felt more VIP since moving to Europe. Free water?! Who are we. Despite the fact that I was just gifted free cake I couldn’t come to Rothenburg and NOT try a Schneeball….

  

  Another native Rothenburg creation, this ball of crunchy dough comes in a variety of flavors. I chose chocolate because I am a creature of habit. By this time we had been in Rothenburg for about five hours, and it was almost time to move onto our next destination. Rothenburg is a perfect day trip, and five hours was a perfect amount of time to spend there.

  I don’t often buy souvenirs when I travel, mostly because I don’t like collecting things that clutter. However, if something “speaks to me” I will buy it (but not after a long debate in my brain about whether it’s practical.) When I first walked into the city I saw something in one of the windows that spoke to me, but I didn’t think it was practical.

  I spent the entire afternoon trying to decide if I should buy it, and finally decided to buy it.

  

  

  I don’t know what the significance of the mushroom is in Rothenburg, but a few shops had mushroom items indicating some kind of theme. I can’t tell you what it was about this stuffed shroom, but when I first walked by the window with him and his friends, he immediately spoke to me. I regret nothing, and this was worth the 12 euros because every time I look at him I smile.

  This is my shroom, his name is Schmerb. 

  

  All around me are familiar faces.

  Schmerb was officially along for the ride for the rest of our German road trip, and immediately became our mascot. Anytime I looked at him I laughed, and I continue to laugh anytime I look at him. He was most definitely a mental health boost. Love ya Schmerb. I’d love to return to Rothenburg someday, maybe for their Christmas market.

  A perfect start to our German road trip!

  

  Q: Am I alone in laughter when looking at Schmerb? 

  

  | 27 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, German Road Trip, Germany, Rothenburg

• Ettal Abbey

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on November 29, 2019

  One of my recent and likely one of my last longer bike rides (until warmer weather) took me to a town about an hour (bike ride) north of me called Ettal. I had driven through Ettal a handful of times, but I had never stopped to appreciate the beauty of the Abbey in the middle of this tiny town. The onion dome of the Abbey can be seen from the road, but the grandeur entirety of this building can only be appreciated up close.

  

  I knew in the back of my mind that the road getting to Ettal was a steep, windy, mountain road, but I had forgotten this tiny detail when I decided to bike in this direction. I looked for a bike path to avoid biking on the road, but I think next time I will choose the road. I found a bike/hiking trail that was so steep I had to get off my bike and push it up the hill.

  I ended up gaining 1300 ft of elevation over maybe half a mile. It was intense! 

  

  The Abbey is an active Benedictine monastery from the 1300’s. It’s open to the public everyday, and within the grounds of this Abbey is a brewery/distillery. This area is used to make beer and liquor by the active monks. The alcohol is sold and the money contributes to the upkeep of the Abbey. I don’t drink, but if a monk offered me a shot of gin I wouldn’t say no!

  

  

  The basilica has a beautifully elaborate interior, as do all European churches. I’m not catholic, but I like to light a candle sometimes when I visit Catholic Churches. Sometimes I say a prayer for myself, and sometimes I say a prayer for my mom (she is catholic.)

  

  

  

  I spent about an hour here before I continued on to Oberammergau, about 20 minutes from Ettal. Oberammergau is home to the Passion Play, a once every ten year play depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering and death. 2020 is when the next play will be, and this play is from May through October.

  The entire town is jam packed that entire time, with people arriving from all over the world just for the play. 

  I biked around the town just to see it, stopping by the Passion Play theatre before heading back to Garmisch. As I passed back through Ettal on my way home the sun came out, providing a different contrast to the Ettal Abbey. The hotel I work for has weekly tours to this Abbey, paired with a cheese tasting at a nearby cheese factory, but I’m glad I rode my bike here to have free rein while exploring.

  

  When I left.

  

  When I arrived.

  The bike ride back was much quicker, as always when going DOWN hill. I took the road so that I could ride my bike instead of walking it down the steep hill I climbed. I flew like a bat out of hell on that road, despite holding my breaks like a wuss. I hate going down hill too fast, I’m a big wimp! I’ve been living in Garmisch for nearly a year, and I continue to discover new adventures close to “home.”

  Life here is never dull unless you do nothing with your free time.

  

  Q: Would you have guessed monks brew beer and liquor?! I also saw a monk smoking a cigarette while taking out the trash, and for some reason I felt surprised. As if the monks were immortal beings that don’t do daily tasks. 

  

  | 9 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Bike, Bike Ride, Brittanys Life Abroad, Ettal, Garmisch, Germany

• Biking From Germany to Austria

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on November 27, 2019

  When I first arrived in Germany, a few of the girls I work with encouraged me to buy a bike. I knew I wanted a bike anyway, but while most people buy bikes that will solely get them from where we live into the center of town, I wanted a bike that would take me on mountain roads as well. Initially when I purchased my bike, I felt a bit of anxiety for spending more than I wanted (I wanted to spend no more than $300), but quickly realized I made the right choice.

  

  My bike is by no means expensive, especially compared to what a lot of Germans spend on their bikes if the bike is their main mode of transport. I spent about $400 after using a VAT form and that included a kickstand and a bike lock, but it was more than I would have thought to spend on a bike I’d only need for a year and a half.

  I can’t imagine not having this bike, and it has allowed me to go on any adventure without thinking twice. 

  

  

  One of the bike rides I knew I wanted to embark on before the winter months hit was to a lake in Austria called Plansee. I jokingly posted a photo of Plansee on my Instagram with the caption: “My dad rode his bike from Seattle to Portland…twice. A worthy feat from one state to another, but how often can an American say: “I rode my bike from one country to another.” Just a casual (1033 ft climb) bike ride into Austria.”

  

  I say jokingly because in all reality I live in the south of Germany, and this bike ride only took about an hour and 40 minutes. If I were driving I could arrive at the lake within 20 minutes. Although Austria isn’t far from where I live in Germany, it was still fun to say I biked from Germany to Austria. The bike path to Plansee is amazing, and has a slight continual incline for most of the path.

  Until the last push which is straight up, and it was intense. 

  My only goal was to not walk my bike up the hill, so I clicked her into low gear and slowly but surely climbed pedal after pedal. A few people passed me on e-bikes, and I just muddled under my breath, “CHEATERS!” In all reality I would love to take an e-bike up some of these mountain paths! Once I arrived at the lake I felt a strong sense of accomplishment.

  

  

  There is a small camp ground surrounding the lake, and a hotel/restaurant. I sat at the lake eating a snack for about 30 minutes before riding back to Garmisch. I’m trying to work on savoring the moments instead of reaching a destination and quickly turning around to leave. Another lovely Bavarian bike ride, and another bike path to add to my bag of tricks. I later returned to this path with a friend, showing her the way to Plansee.

  I love friends that are up for a good bike ride.

  

  The Seattle to Portland bike ride is still on my bucket list, and one day I will accomplish it, but for now I’ll just keep riding between European countries. 🙂

  Q: What’s the furthest you’ve ridden on a bike? I’ve ridden further rides than this, but all within one country. 

  

  | 11 Comments Tagged Austria, Bike Path, Biking, Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Plansee

• Bike Ride to Barmsee

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on November 25, 2019

  When I first arrived in Germany, I planned to stay here for 15months per my contract with my current job. I had no intention of staying longer, despite the fact that some people are eligible to extend their time here depending on how much of an asset they are to the establishment.

  Fast forward ten months and I am now planning to stay a little bit longer. 

  

  It’s not the job that keeps me here, I make coffee just like I did back home, rather it’s the surrounding mountains, endless bike paths, and easy travel that peaks my interest day after day. One of my bike rides last month had me smiling from ear to ear like a small child on Christmas Day.

  I know I say it all the time, but biking in Bavaria is really something else. 

  

  My original goal was to bike to Geroldsee, a small lake that you can see on the above map just before the red location marker (to the left and slightly down.) I figured if I could find my way to Geroldsee, I would reevaluate once I arrived and determine if I wanted to keep going to Barmsee (a bigger lake a bit further than Geroldsee), where the red location marker is.

  

  

  I made it to Geroldsee with ease, and although the weather was misty and cold, I was loving every minute of the ride. The hills with the rain reminded me of my walk through the Highlands, and the nostalgia made my heart happy. A trio of German walkers stopped me to ask if there was a bus stop nearby, but sadly for them there wasn’t.

  

  

  Geroldsee from a nearby hill.

  After talking with the Germans the rain came down hard for about 10 minutes. I debated turning around, but I had good energy and the day was still young so I continued on to Barmsee. I hit a decent sized hill with large rocks, so I walked my bike to the top. I found a spot to stash my bike after noticing another large hill going down towards Barmsee.

  I walked about 15 minutes through thick, lush, green woods that reminded me of home. Once I arrived at the lake, my destination (as you can see on the above map) was a location called: “Romanic Benches by the Lake.” This spot had the best reflection view of the mountains and trees, and I sat there for a while savoring the sights around me.

  By then the rain had stopped, and the weather was a perfect moody overcast. 

  

  

  While sitting at the benches, a girl and her dog came to enjoy the view as well. We smiled and said hello, and then I carried on to walk a bit around the lake. I couldn’t get over the reflection in the water, had it been sunny I don’t think the views would have been quite as spectacular. The fall colors added to the beauty of the trees, and I fell deeper in love with where I live in Bavaria.

  

  Some of the people I work with, who have been in Germany for a while, call October here: “golden October.” The summer months tend to have more rain than expected, but when October rolls around the rain clears (although it still comes, like on this day) and the afternoons have more sun shining off the golden leaves. October in Bavaria is a dream, and I would love to be here for another one.

  Alas, I don’t think I’ll stay here through next October, my plan is to stay through July as of right now, but if I could stay and not work at a stressful job I would!

  

  The sun came out as I was getting ready to bike back, providing a beautiful contrast on the surrounding hills. Golden October didn’t disappoint, and my inner Washingtonian loved the cool grey mornings, balanced out by the crisp sunny afternoons. I could certainly live in one of the mountain huts and write blog posts everyday for a living.

  A girl can dream right? 🙂

  

  

  Biking is beginning to slow down for me here, the temps are getting a bit too cold, and my fingers and toes get painfully numb when the winter months come. I’m still biking for the essentials like groceries, but if the temps get below 40 I won’t be going on any far rides until the warmth comes back!

  Q: Would you continue to bike in the rain, or turn around and go home?

  

  | 16 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Bike Path, Biking, Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany

• The Worlds Largest Pumpkin Festival

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on November 18, 2019

  Anyone who knows me, knows I have an immense love for all things fall. This includes, but is not limited to: colored leaves, cold crisp mornings, sunshine on the skyline and frost on the grass, apples, halloween, and of course PUMPKINS! The moment I see pumpkins I turn into a 6 yr old child seeing Santa at the mall.

  

  All that said, I didn’t expect to see many fall themed activities in Germany. The locals here don’t really celebrate Halloween, they don’t really have pumpkin patches like we do in the states, and corn mazes? Forget it. Then I heard about a pumpkin festival north of me in Ludwigsburg, that claimed to be the largest pumpkin festival…in the world! 

  

  This festival has a theme each year, and this years theme was fairy tales. There are creations made out of pumpkins littered all around the grounds of Ludwigsburg Palace, which is a sight all on its own. The location is beautiful, and the pumpkin art was jaw dropping. After visiting the tower above the trees in the Black Forest, my friend and I drove about an hour to get to Ludwigsburg.

  We arrived just in time for lunch. 

  The pumpkin festival also has all things pumpkin like: pumpkin prosseco, pumpkin spaetzle, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pasta, fried pumpkin balls, pumpkin burgers, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin strudel. I had my heart set on the strudel, and although it tasted more like apple than pumpkin, it was delicious!

  

  

  Here I was thinking Germans don’t get down with the pumpkin trends like we do in the states, but I was wrong. They just have a more isolated event. I can appreciate this, it makes it that much more special. Instead of pumpkin patches, a lot of farm areas here in Bavaria will have pumpkins for sale on the side of the road. Like most things here, they use the honor system when selling pumpkins.

  After enjoying a treat, we wandered around the festival admiring the many creations.

  

  

  

  I will never look at an acorn squash the same. We spent about three hours at the pumpkin festival, enough to get our pumpkin fix both visually and gastronomically. I didn’t buy any pumpkins, but I felt complete in my fall adventure. This pumpkin festival even had a corn maze, albeit quite small.

  

  

  The first snow has fallen where I live in Germany, and my bike rides have officially begun to freeze my fingers and toes. I was thankful to have this experience in order to savor fall before it is quickly taken over by winter. Fall in Germany is so grand I almost considered staying for another one…almost.

  

  Q: What’s your favorite season, and why?

  

  | 15 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Coffee, Fall, Germany, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Festival

• Into the (Black) Forest I Go, to Loose My Mind and Find My Soul

  Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 12, 2019

  Two weekends ago one of my coworkers and I realized we had the same days off and decided to spend a night in the Black Forest. The main goal for the weekend was to visit the worlds largest pumpkin festival near Stuttgart, but more on that in my next post. We decided to make it a weekend trip and spend a day in the Black Forest, and then a day at the pumpkin festival.

  

  The Black Forest is is a mountainous region in southwest Germany, known for its dense forests and Brothers Grimm fairytale like villages. Our original plan was to spend a day hiking, but after we arrived we realized our idea of what the Black Forest was, was different than what it really was. How many more times can I say the word “was?”

  

  I left it to Google when finding a trail, which was a mistake. I saw there was a trail that took us to the “highest part of the Black Forest” and naturally that’s where I wanted to go. Come to find out this was just a short trail because most of the ascent is driven up a well paved, two way road. The views at the top were nice, but not what I expected.

  We saw a beautiful lake along the way, called Titisee, and enjoyed the view before leaving to find our Air B & B. 

  

  We started at the south end of the forest, and made our way up north. As we drove more into the central and northern part of the forest we discovered more random trails. The forest became more dense, and the roads became more windy. I didn’t expect the Black Forest to be as populated as it was, but essentially it’s just another area in Germany that happens to have more forests around.

  

  

  Our Air B & B was in a town called Gengenbach, and this location was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Although our plans to “hike” in the Black Forest didn’t come though, we discovered an area with gorgeous landscapes and small hills to climb. We chose the Air B & B based off the eclectic photographs online, and I can’t think of a better word to describe this place.

  

  

  The location was essentially someones house, with a large backyard. Within the backyard were three tiny houses, each one different. My friend and I stayed in one with a queen bed, small fridge, heater, and a TV. The house behind ours was occupied by one older woman, and the house across from ours held a family of four (two adults and two kids.)

  Because the tiny houses were so tiny, they did not have separate bathrooms. We all shared a bathroom (in its own shipping container like room), and the photos of this bathroom online are what sold me on the place. It looked like something out of Harriet the Spy, in this scene where she is in the wind-chime garden. Harriet the Spy was my favorite movie when I was a wee lass.

  

  The colored pencil fence…are you joking!? I love. This place was so much fun, and everything about it felt like a repurposed paradise. It was overgrown with bushes, including edible vegetable plants, it had a bar with locals that came to drink in the backyard, it had a rusted old chair swing to relax on, and I loved everything about it.

  

  The communication with our host wasn’t the best, and not because of the language barrier, but simply because they were hard to find/call. I was bummed by this, but the man that owned the house made up for it the following morning when he hand delivered pretzels from a local bakery to all the tiny houses. I was outside enjoying a cuppa when he swung by.

  

  The day we arrived we had enough daylight left to explore the town a bit, so we walked towards a hill we saw when driving in. The hill sucked us in with its many striations and multi colored patches. I’m still not certain what the vines were that grew on these hills, but we enjoyed weaving in and out of them anyway.

  

  

  

  

  We sat at the top for a bit before heading into the city center for a quick look around, and a bite to eat. Along the way we found more interesting places that fit well with the unique vibe of our Air B & B. We found an abandoned child play park that looked like something out of a Stephen King novel, we found a mini zoo in a public space with sheep, goats, chickens, and most random of all – emus?

  We found the city surrounded by a wall, but upon arrival inside the wall the central area was adorable, with quintessential German buildings. 

  

  We got pizza from a local shop, and came back to the warmth of our tiny room to enjoy it before bed. The following morning (after coffee, a shower, and some slow moving packing) we headed to one more spot in the forest before making our way to the pumpkin festival. We stopped at Baumwipfelpfad, the treetop walk above the forest.

  

  This entire area was unreal, with multiple options for forest adventure, but we settled on the above spiral climb. From here we were able to see a panoramic view of the dense, colorful forest below us. This cost us ten euros each, and for an additional 2 euros there is a slide towards the top of the spiral that anyone can slide down. We didn’t want to pay to slide, but it looked like a fun time.

  

  

  Our trip to the Black Forest was not what we expected, but it was a wonderful and relaxing reality. I not only hope to return to the forest, but I hope to return to Gengenbach, to the tower area, and to some of the hiking trails near the north. Shoutout to my friend Melody who took all the photos of me in this post.

  The quality of her dSLR photos vs. my cell phone photos are night and day! 

  

  Q: Would you enjoy staying in a garden oasis tiny house, or would you rather have a hotel room with a private bathroom?

  

  | 12 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Hiking, The Black Forest

• You Win Some, You Loose Some

  Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 8, 2019

  The weather in Bavaria is slowly starting to change, and there is already snow on some of the surrounding mountains. I am not a snow hiker, and while I have been loving bike rides more than hiking lately, I made sure to get in a couple more hikes before the snow covers everything it touches.

  Please don’t skip fall though, it’s my favorite. 

  

  There is a mountain right behind where I live that I have been eyeing everyday since I arrived. The mountain is called The Kramer, and it’s one of the more intermediate hikes. This meant I didn’t want to hike it solo, and it took a while to find someone with a free schedule to hike with. They say wisdom comes with age, and I have to say it’s true.

  I used to venture off on solo hikes regardless of the terrain, and now I am more conscious of my safety. (My parents will appreciate this.)

  

  It’s a good thing too, because this hike was SK-ET-CH! Granted, we (my roommate and I) went on a day it was raining (which isn’t typically a big deal for me) with limited visibility. We also planned to go the “easier” route, but discovered it was closed that day. I’m not usually one to give up easily, so we decided to go the “harder” route.

  How bad could it be?

  

  Long story short: I almost cried because I was so scared. The trail itself wasn’t overly difficult physically, but the higher we got, the steeper the drop offs on the side were. The trail was made up of loose rocks most of the way, and one wrong move meant a slip and slide to death. OK, so I’m being dramatic, but it was honestly scary at times.

  So much so, that we made it about 700ft from the summit and decided to call it quits. It got to the point where it was no longer enjoyable. We were both feeling uneasy about the path (perhaps in better weather it would be ok) and decided to turn around.

  The hike took us nearly nine hours, mostly due to moving so slow at the top because we were literally crawling. 

  

  Where we turned around.

  Although we were only a handful of feet from the top, it would have likely taken another 45-60 minutes. We got back down and it was dark by the time we made it home, so it was a good thing we turned around when we did. I plan to try this hike again, but not in shit weather, and not from this side of the mountain.

  All drama aside, I was really proud of myself on this hike. Not for my physical accomplishments, but for my mental accomplishments. This is the first hike I’ve not finished where I didn’t feel an overwhelming sense of guilt. When I first started hiking frequently in 2014, not summiting wasn’t an option. The summit was the goal.

  These days I try to enjoy the journey and the company more than the summit. I felt such emotional strength to not only accept defeat, but be proud of my decision to turn around.

  

  Don’t let our smiles fool you, this was right before we turned around and were mentally preparing for the butt scooting on the way down.

  Another hike I didn’t officially summit here was back in April, when I thought it would be a good idea to attempt to climb the Wank when there was still snow on the mountain. I thought I was closer to the summit than I actually was, but because I didn’t officially reach the cross (there was far too much snow and it was impossible to get to) I knew I needed to hike this one again.

  

  Summit elevation: 1780m

  

  We had an unexpected nice day in Bavaria a bit ago, so a group of seven of us decided to hike the Wank to take advantage of the weather. Three of the people and I worked with at Yellowstone last summer, and we hadn’t spent much time together since arriving in Germany.

  We all arrived at different times (I’ve been here the longest, and one just arrived last month) and this was a great hike together. 

  

  The view from the summit of the Wank is unbelievable. I have been making an effort to sit and savor more when I reach a summit/reach a destination I physically worked to reach. I used to hit a summit, and sit for maybe 15 minutes before leaving. It would sometimes take hours to reach the summit, why wouldn’t I appreciate it more??

  

  Cross marks the top.

  

  We hiked the Wank after work, and we were some of the last people at the top. We stayed at the top for about an hour before heading back down. The sun was setting by the time we were halfway down, providing a beautiful contrast to the surrounding mountains.

  

  Sometimes we win some, and sometimes we loose some. I “lost” the summit on the Kramer, but I won the summit on the Wank. I lost the summit of the Wank back in April, which just means I will win the summit of the Kramer at another time. It’s ok to stop, step back, and reevaluate things.

  It’s ok to readjust and plan for a better route – whether it’s on a hike, or anything else in life. 

  I catch myself cringing when I tell people how old I am, but I think it’s partly because I am surrounded by people younger than me. Truthfully, I am so happy to be out of my 20’s and being 30 is freaking awesome. I am wiser, I am stronger (mentally), and I am caring less and less what others think about me as each day passes. Life lessons make a bit more sense these days, and for that I love being in this decade of life.

  Q: How do you handle situations like my Kramer experience?

  

  | 16 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Hiking, Kramer, Wank

• Kreuzeck

  Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 6, 2019

  I am finding that despite having a handful of things I want to blog about, I sometimes struggle actually getting around to writing the posts. This post for example, is about a hike I went on in early fall. It is now nearing the end of fall. Blame it on the brain fog, or the fatigue, or the lack of motivation, but better late than never.

  

  One of my favorite things about the hikes in Bavaria, are these plaques found at the summit. If the hike has a Hütte at the top, there are plaques on the side indicating the summit elevation. This plaque is from a mountain behind where I live called the Kreuzeck, and it sits at an elevation of 1652m.

  This summit was interesting, and at first I wasn’t convinced I had hit the top at all.

  

  Summits are also indicated by some kind of cross, as if by the grace of God you made it to the top of a mountain. I love the crosses at the top, and for someone that struggled with chronic fatigue for many years, (and still does sometimes) anytime I make it to the top of a mountain I am thankful. The cross is a good reminder for me to thank God for all that I am capable of.

  I am also thankful for all the mountain friends I find along the way. Sheep, and goats, and cows, OH MY!

  

  Despite seeing the cross, I wasn’t convinced I had hit the summit. The summit of the Kreuzeck isn’t an obvious one like most hikes here, it’s more of a flat ground with other summits towering around it. This made me wonder if I had actually hit the summit, or if one of the surrounding peaks was the summit.

  I stopped into one of the two Hütte’s at the top to ask if this was the summit of the Kreuzeck, and a lovely Germany woman confirmed I was in fact at the top of the Kreuzeck. A bit anticlimactic, but the hike was beautiful none the less.

  

  I hiked this with one of my friends and we started a little later in the day, which meant darkness was close by. After walking up some surprisingly steep areas (despite the lower elevation of the overall summit) we decided to take the cable car back down instead of hiking down. This cable car only has a round trip ticket, which was annoying, but it was still cool to ride in.

  My first German alps cable car ride. 

  

  (Source)

  The hike up was fairly quick, it took us under two hours to summit. We hung around the top for a bit hanging out with some of the summit locals. At the top there is a chicken coup next to one of the Hütte’s. All the chickens were roaming free, but one chicken in particular looked as if he were picked on by the others.

  I don’t know what came over me, but seeing him missing feathers and looking a bit rough made me cry. LOL. I just imagined the other chickens plucking at him, and then I went down a momentary black hole of apology for eating so much chicken. My inner vegan was screaming to come back out, but then I had to remember why I started eating meat again in the first place.

  Point being, despite how long it’s been I still struggle with eating meat sometimes. 

  

  

  Chicken coups aside, the view from Adolf-Zöppritz-Haus (the Hütte at the top) was beautiful. We hiked on a day with overcast, but the clouds cleared just enough to provide a view of the valley below. And just like that, I checked another Bavarian summit off my list. Winter is coming fast, and I have another hike from the summer to share in my next post, but I don’t know if I’ll be doing much more hiking in Germany until spring.

  

  Q: Would you rather hike up and cable car down, or cable car up and hike down? Definitely hike up for me. I gotta work for my ride down! 

  

  | 8 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Garmisch, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Hiking

• Oktoberfest 2019

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on October 14, 2019

  This post could easily be summed up with one sentence: “a 30 yr old body does not tolerate spinning rides quite like a 20 yr old body.”

  

  I have skipped out on a handful of fests here in Germany, because a lot of them involve nothing more than sitting in a beer tent…drinking beer. There is nothing wrong with this, but for someone who doesn’t drink beer this doesn’t appeal to me much.

  

  “Here, hold this beer for the photo!”

  When I learned that Oktoberfest not only had beer tent, upon beer tent, upon beer tent, but also had rides like a carnival…I knew I had to go. Growing up I made sure to visit the county fair every year to get my fix of sketchy rides that threatened my safety. The faster they spun, the harder I laughed, and the more fun I had.

  Fast forward to now, and I managed three rides before feeling my guts and my brain sloshing inside of me. I’d have been better off sticking to the Ferris wheel.

  

  A group of girls and I decided to go after work on a Tuesday because the rides were supposed to be half price (they were not, but such is life) and I anticipated riding as many as I could within a few hours. We took the 4p train to Munich, (which had multiple delays and unexpected train changes) and arrived an hour later than expected around 6p.

  Before we embarked on rides, we stopped into a beer hall for the girls to get some beer, and for me to get some brathendl.

  

  

  We got lucky when we walked in, because this was our fourth beer tent we tried to find space in. They were all packed, but we walked into this one and a waiter saw us, grabbed us, and led us to a table right away. All it meant was that the 11.80 euro beer cost the girls 15 euros after an automatic tip (he didn’t even ask, but again, such is life.)

  

  After spending a good hour enjoying dancing on benches and stuffing our bellies, we made our way out into the darkness of the night. As we were leaving the crowded tent myself and one of the other girls were groped multiple times. I hate that I have to even say this, but a pro tip for ladies planning to attend Oktoberfest: be aware.

  It was more annoying than anything, but sadly this happens often at Oktoberfest. 

  

  We didn’t let the creeps stop us, it was time for some rides. Only one other girl out of the five of us wanted to go on the “intense” rides, so we split up and she and I took off towards the roller coaster. I should have known when the cost for one ride was ten euros that it wasn’t half price, but when at Oktoberfest (I also spent 13 euros on half a chicken when I normally pay 3.50 euro back where I live!)

  

  Two of us on the far left are the daredevils!

  The roller coaster (above) was ride number one, and it was a blast. This was a good ride to ease into the sketch. Right next to the roller coaster was a ride that looked fun at first glance, but I lost my shit when I got onto it. It started slow, but as it got faster and began to spin more I felt the chicken in my belly trying to claw its way out.

  The ride never went fully upside down, but it got close, and the higher it went the more fear I felt. 

  

  I never got to the point where I needed to barf, but I started to feel all kinds of funny. We took a break and went through a fun house before ending the night with the worst of them all. I couldn’t find an exact GIF, but it’s similar to the scrambler. Which is appropriate because my brain was a mush of scramble after this ride.

  

  The ride was never ending, and although in the moment it was comical, I felt like I was drunk when I got off. I felt sick and had a throbbing headache the remainder of the night. Despite the discomfort, I regret nothing and had a great time with the group of girls I went with. We only stayed for a few hours, but I got all I needed from Oktoberfest.

  

  I will likely go to at least one more fest during my time in Germany, but it’s not until the spring. It’s like a mini Oktoberfest, which seems more my speed. At this fest, I’ll stick to the swings and the Ferris wheel where my 30yr old body belongs. I think I need the entire winter to recover after Oktoberfest.

  

  We took the 10p train back to Garmisch, and I had a lovely chat with a German named Andy. His neighbor works as a server, and got him a free spot in a beer tent box where he had unlimited beer and food. Andy was living the life at Oktoberfest, but I don’t think his 50yr old body handled the beer quite like his 20yr old body.

  Q: Would you go on the rides at Oktoberfest, or stick to the beer tents?

  

  | 12 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Carnival, Germany, Munich, Oktoberfest, Rides

• Ulm, Germany

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on October 7, 2019

  One of my roommates is dating a German that lives one state over from Bavaria (where we live), in Baden-Württemberg. He lives in a town called Ulm, and my roommate often escapes here on her weekends to spend time with him. I have heard stories of this quaint town for months, and I finally managed to spend a night in Ulm after our roomie trip to Belgium. 

  

  Ulm doesn’t draw a big crowd, which somewhat surprises me because the city is home to the Ulmer Münster, a beautiful church with the largest tower in the world. I suppose this would take a very specific search to discover, which is perhaps why few people know about it, but the 768 steps inside the tower lead to a beautiful view of the city.

  

  Ulm hugs the Danube river, which is the second longest river in Europe, running through ten different countries. After we climbed the church tower, we walked along the river and I couldn’t help but think about what it would be like to ride my bike along this path through all ten countries.

  Apparently my roommates boyfriend knows someone who has attempted this, and the path eventually looses lackluster. 

  

  We were lucky with the weather on this day, and after wandering the city for a bit we settled on the other side of the river, in Neu-Ulm for lunch. Neu-Ulm is actually in Bavaria, so we walked back and forth between two states eating lunch in one, and exploring another. The view from Neu-Ulm is what brought us to the other side.

  Also, can we talk about how creative Germans are with naming cities? Ulm…and Neu-Ulm. 

  

  One of my favorite thing about Germany is the architecture of their houses. They look like gingerbread houses out of a fairytale. I often feel like I am back home in Washington here in Germany, but then I visit a town or an open field of green hills and am quickly reminded I am in fact in Germany.

  

  Speaking of fairytale, the Fisherman’s Quarter in Ulm is a must see. It’s small, but mighty. I felt like I was in a scene out of Snow White walking around these streets. I got my first taste of fall in this area, when I stumbled upon a building with pumpkins next to it.

  

  I am so glad this trip to Ulm worked out, I don’t know when I would have gone otherwise. I would certainly return, and I now see why my roommate loves spending her weekends here (aside from her boyfriend of course, who was kind enough to host us!) A worthy stop on any German road trip, and be sure to climb the church tower!

  Q: Would you climb the tower?

  

  | 7 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Church, Europe, Germany, Ulm

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