On the long flight back we had plenty of time to revel in our adventures of this trip. For fun, we got out our original goals of the trip...just to see what we actually did do and what we might have missed.
So here is our list with or without checkmarks:
1. scenery - small bergs...check
2. meet the people & experience the culture...check
3. mineral baths/relaxation...check
4. hikes through the countryside...check
5. foot pampering...check
6. food...a big check!
7. antiques/mustard jars...well, it's not that we didn't try!
8. photography...check
9. look for Sawatzki connections...we did get one tip...just a little late
10. wines/beer...oh yes!
11. river boat on the Rhine...nope, but didn't miss it
12. drive the Romantic Road...check
13. drive the Black Forest Road...check
14. drive the Alpine Road...check
15. picnic on a mountain stream...no...but that's ok
16. see woodcarving...check
17. train ride...well...we took the s-bahn/train into Munich
So that was our original list. And here are three extras that we discovered on the trip:
1. History/a sense of history
2. Frustuck (breakfast), that's in a category of its own as far as food goes!
3. The German language...used it way more than I thought I would...and loved it!
More ramblings and musings about our trip as we continued on our flight home:
The trip was a thrill of a lifetime to say the least. We knew it would be good, but it was even better. We are amazed at how easy it was to adjust to a different culture, setting, and time. We saw way more than we thought that we'd see. We found out that some of the most fun things that happened were the totally unplanned ones. We enjoyed the surprises that came our way, such as the side trip to Austria, among other things. We learned to enjoy flying by the seat of our pants. We had a surprising sense of awe at how old buildings and towns are in Germany. It's so interesting to put it all into perspective and to realize how young this country of ours is. We were also surprised that even though they are very traditional and steeped in history, they are way ahead of us in regards to taking care of the environment with conservation of electricity, gas, and little or no disposable plastic used, and if so, recycled. We were surprised to see the use of sustainable energy in remote places..the use of wind generators and solar panels. History came alive at Eagles Nest and the walled cities. It was almost hard to fathom the existence of these places and amazing to contemplate who walked on the exact ground where we walked and we questioned what life must have been like for them back in time when they walked the earth. We marveled at the cleanliness of Germany...every place we went was squeaky clean....the hotel rooms, the floors, the bathrooms...all were spotless.We also were amazed at the craftsmanship we saw in the woodcarving places and the attention to detail that the Germans have in all regards...they just always add that extra touch. We saw such incredible beauty...and found that beauty within is just as important. We knew the food would be good, but it exceeded our expectations. Their food is amazing, and yet with very little added sugar and not a lot of salt...but a lot of good schnitzel and beer! We liked the freedom of having a car and yet the small roads were a bit stressful. We enjoyed staying in gasthauses as opposed to cookie cutter hotels. They were all so different, so nice, and so clean. We loved having the windows open at night. Each and every restaurant we went to was a mom-and-pop place...well, I'd hardly call the Hofbrauhaus mom-and-pop, but it was unique! The only thing we'd do different would be to not stay in one place for that long...meaning the house in the Black Forest...and we certainly didn't need a kitchen...you can forget about that....we can cook at home. The food was way too good to not eat out every meal! We found the more highly touted/fancier spas...such as Baden Baden, weren't anywhere near as good as the less known places. And in general, the smaller towns suited us way better than the bigger ones. This trip was one of simple pleasures - yes, that's it in a nutshell.
