Donnerstag, 5. Oktober 2017
September Fun
durhamfamily, 09:45h
Visitors! Eric arrived in Germany and turned Elizabeth and my humdrum lives into a whirlwind of adventure. Eric’s first days were for knocking out mandatory local restaurants and sights. For food, we hit Paulaner Wirtshaus, Ali Baba, and Schnitzelhäusle. Visited the library (for a used book sale) and the local flea market. While at the library I bought a picture book titled “The Full Moon and the Empty Bear,” which is every bit as depressing as it sounds. The best day was our hike through Taubentalwald, because now Max can say he’s been to the top of Schwäbisch Gmünd’s lookout tower…and saw alpacas. We could’ve played mini-golf, but I’m too cheap to be paying 9 euros.
The adventuring was put on hold after that weekend, when Eric broke off from us to take a week-long romp to Italy. Baby Max was so devastated that he was feverish and an overall nightmare until Eric returned. Elizabeth took Max to the doctor during the worst of it.
Within hours of Eric’s return, I dragged all of us to Jelly (Gsälz) Fest, though that was a gigantic letdown. While it had begun as a pleasant day, sudden rain and the accompanying 20-degree temperature drop crushed our enthusiasm for homemade jams. We bought zero jam. Everyone was wet and cold, but we stuck around because of the sunk entrance fee. Worst of all, the “dog show” main event was most underwhelming. And the people there kept glaring at us for whispering. (Not two feet away on the sidewalks, hundreds of people were walking by and talking at full volume. But whatever.)
A heated music tent salvaged the Fest for us a bit, with its traditional German bands. Plus, Currywurst. But still…a disappointing day.
The next day, sufficiently recovered, we all hopped onto a bus to Heubach to hike to the Rosenstein. Expectations were high. There was nice weather, one-euro bus rides, and plans for a nice dinner afterwards. Elizabeth brought out her nifty backpack baby carrier for the occasion. Apparently, though, Max hates Heubach and everything in it. Max’s wailing could be heard for kilometers. Then, not more than 10 minutes into the hike, Max needed a new diaper as well as a complete wardrobe change. I don’t know why we bother putting him in diapers at all. For the record, Rosenstein would’ve been a pleasant little hike with beautiful views of the countryside under better circumstances.
After the hike, we went straight home on the first bus that would take us.
Then came Munich because Eric needed the official Oktoberfest experience. Now Max has had it, too, I suppose, though it terrified him. As Max was wheeled inside Löwenbräu’s beer tent, he freaked. The gobs of people, the hammering noise, it was all too much. Elizabeth took Max to the safety of the AirBnB, allowing Eric and I to finish our beers (and Elizabeth’s) before progressing onward to Augustiner-Bräu’s tent. Eric wanted to see more tents, but I am a slight man. Which was fine, because we were about to get the bum’s rush anyway. After 5:00 PM was for people who’d purchased reservations.
Next came castle day, when the four of us braved a day-long escapade to Neuschwanstein—the “Disney” castle in Hohenschangau, Germany. From 8:00 am until 7:00 pm we were out, on buses, in restaurants and palaces. Max was a champ, mostly. Except Neuschwanstein, which was tugging on the last of Max’s patience. Max and I bailed on the guided tour so I could keep him isolated and staring at non-stimulating dark walls.
After Neuschwanstein was Mittenwald. Mittenwald’s hiking trail follows a beautiful river, on walkways floating 200 feet above it, right across the border into Austria. The walkways were see-through. Every 200 meters there was a sign posted on which Gobbie the river sage taught us about nature. Max and Elizabeth weren’t up for the entire hike, but at least they ventured far enough to see the “river of emeralds.” And they joined Eric and me afterwards at Postkeller brewery for dinner. I had the goulash, because you should always order the special.
That was basically it for Eric’s trip. We let him sample 2 more Döner restaurants, and Anestis, which is the gyro place. Eric agrees with Elizabeth that gyros are better than Döner, because they’re both fools. Now Eric is back to his regular life in the US, and I’m basically back to mine. Except hat Elizabeth got me and Max sick. Which is why I worked from home today—because if I sniffle at work, I think they’ll deport me.
The adventuring was put on hold after that weekend, when Eric broke off from us to take a week-long romp to Italy. Baby Max was so devastated that he was feverish and an overall nightmare until Eric returned. Elizabeth took Max to the doctor during the worst of it.
Within hours of Eric’s return, I dragged all of us to Jelly (Gsälz) Fest, though that was a gigantic letdown. While it had begun as a pleasant day, sudden rain and the accompanying 20-degree temperature drop crushed our enthusiasm for homemade jams. We bought zero jam. Everyone was wet and cold, but we stuck around because of the sunk entrance fee. Worst of all, the “dog show” main event was most underwhelming. And the people there kept glaring at us for whispering. (Not two feet away on the sidewalks, hundreds of people were walking by and talking at full volume. But whatever.)
A heated music tent salvaged the Fest for us a bit, with its traditional German bands. Plus, Currywurst. But still…a disappointing day.
The next day, sufficiently recovered, we all hopped onto a bus to Heubach to hike to the Rosenstein. Expectations were high. There was nice weather, one-euro bus rides, and plans for a nice dinner afterwards. Elizabeth brought out her nifty backpack baby carrier for the occasion. Apparently, though, Max hates Heubach and everything in it. Max’s wailing could be heard for kilometers. Then, not more than 10 minutes into the hike, Max needed a new diaper as well as a complete wardrobe change. I don’t know why we bother putting him in diapers at all. For the record, Rosenstein would’ve been a pleasant little hike with beautiful views of the countryside under better circumstances.
After the hike, we went straight home on the first bus that would take us.
Then came Munich because Eric needed the official Oktoberfest experience. Now Max has had it, too, I suppose, though it terrified him. As Max was wheeled inside Löwenbräu’s beer tent, he freaked. The gobs of people, the hammering noise, it was all too much. Elizabeth took Max to the safety of the AirBnB, allowing Eric and I to finish our beers (and Elizabeth’s) before progressing onward to Augustiner-Bräu’s tent. Eric wanted to see more tents, but I am a slight man. Which was fine, because we were about to get the bum’s rush anyway. After 5:00 PM was for people who’d purchased reservations.
Next came castle day, when the four of us braved a day-long escapade to Neuschwanstein—the “Disney” castle in Hohenschangau, Germany. From 8:00 am until 7:00 pm we were out, on buses, in restaurants and palaces. Max was a champ, mostly. Except Neuschwanstein, which was tugging on the last of Max’s patience. Max and I bailed on the guided tour so I could keep him isolated and staring at non-stimulating dark walls.
After Neuschwanstein was Mittenwald. Mittenwald’s hiking trail follows a beautiful river, on walkways floating 200 feet above it, right across the border into Austria. The walkways were see-through. Every 200 meters there was a sign posted on which Gobbie the river sage taught us about nature. Max and Elizabeth weren’t up for the entire hike, but at least they ventured far enough to see the “river of emeralds.” And they joined Eric and me afterwards at Postkeller brewery for dinner. I had the goulash, because you should always order the special.
That was basically it for Eric’s trip. We let him sample 2 more Döner restaurants, and Anestis, which is the gyro place. Eric agrees with Elizabeth that gyros are better than Döner, because they’re both fools. Now Eric is back to his regular life in the US, and I’m basically back to mine. Except hat Elizabeth got me and Max sick. Which is why I worked from home today—because if I sniffle at work, I think they’ll deport me.
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