Eurotrip2011: Day 14

Landreis Straubing-Bogen - Munich

Our last morning in rural Bavaria was quiet, calm and serene - not dissimilar to our whole stay in this area. We said some teary goodbyes to our hosts as we were dropped at the train station There, we purchased a Bayern Ticket, which allowed another three people to travel with us (a very interesting arrangement that results in random individuals asking if they can travel with you - great for meeting people and not at all tough on the hip pocket).

I felt invigorated as we returned to suburban Munich and to our previous hosts, who had kindly purchased one of my favourite German products for dinner - maultaschen. These meat filled dumplings were cooked for us two ways - the first, in a clear broth and the second, with fried eggs and onions. We commemorated our last night together with numerous glasses of wine and spoke late into the evening about religion and ethics. Given our differing views, this would usually make for contentious dinner conversation, but our ideological differences were treated with great respect and we subsequently had a fantastic evening.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to reconnect with our German hosts in Munich. Although we have caught up on and off over the past twelve years, I realised during our most recent stay that we are now more similar than ever and that I am incredibly fortunate to have them in my lives. I can see many more trips to visit in my future!

Eurotrip2011: Day 13

Landkreis Straubing-Bogen

...and yet another day in our little village. At this point in our travels I was starting to go a little stir-crazy. Up until this point, my beloved was still largely confined to bed and, while I have no problem with the company of older people, I was really itching to get out of the house and explore the town. Sadly, the residence in which we were staying is located many kilometers from the nearest village and the family was without their spare car, so this option wasn't really a possibility. Nonetheless, things could have been much worse - when unwell, staying with friends is a much better option than resting in a hotel. We really received exemplary care from our "second family".

Indeed, this care was so wonderful, that my beloved's health improved significantly by lunchtime and, as luck would have it, a neighbour was heading into Straubing for the afternoon and offered to take us with her. I jumped at the opportunity and promised my other half that our activities there would be subdued. Subdued they were! We shuffled along the streets, admiring the Spring blossoms...

...picked up a pair of Birkenstocks (when in Deutschland!) for my beloved and tucked into a slice of Agnes Bernauer Torte (well, I did!). This cake is only available at one cafe in Straubing - Konditorei Krönner - and commemorates the death of fifteenth century daughter of nobility, Agnes Bernauer. Bernauer fell in love with a commoner (gasp!) and was subsequently accused of witchcraft and drowned in the Danube. Charming, yes?! Only in Germany could such an awful story be commemorated with cake....but I'm glad it is - it's darn good cake! Almond-nut-meringue mixture, mocha butter cream, roasted almonds and nuts features in this rich, but oh so good sweet treat!

The health of my beloved had improved so markedly at this point that, upon our arrival home, he felt well enough to head out for a family dinner. I tucked into an excellent pork schnitzel (left), but, not wanting to tempt fate, my beloved opted for a vegetarian dish - celery schnitzel (right). While a deep friend option is not typically recommended for sensitive guts, the celery schnitzel was quite the taste sensation and is certainly something I would like to emulate at home.

Our last night with the family was low key, but we all enjoyed our opportunity to bond and reminisce over a few beers.

Eurotrip2011: Day 12

Landkreis Straubing-Bogen

Another very quiet day to allow my beloved to rest up. Our exhilarating(!) activities included:

• card games, television viewing and a walk in the countryside with our hosts;
• a home-cooked meal of rice, pork and veggies for lunch;
• apple strudel with cream and a warming cup of tea after our afternoon siesta; and
• an excellent range of cold meats, cheeses, salad and bread for Abendbrot.

The highlight of the day came when one or our wonderful hosts took me aside and presented me with her vast amber collection. Knowing from a previous visit that amber is one of my favourite stones, she insisted that I choose any one piece from her collection to take back to Australia with me. After much protesting (I was truly overwhelmed by the gesture!), I opted for an absolutely stunning pendant. These sorts of moments make me feel so blessed to have such special people in my life. My "German family" even refer to me as their "Australian daughter" and, when being asked to decide on a piece of jewellery, I was told that "none of my other daughters like amber, so you *need* to take it". WOW! I know that these people will always be there for me...even from the other side of the world. I'm one very lucky girl!

Eurotrip2011: Day 11

Landkreis Straubing-Bogen

Day 11 was probably the low-point of our trip (not destination-wise - the region is just stunning), but in terms of my beloved's health. His gastroenteritis meant that we were unable to head to Prague today, as planned. Obviously, we were both pretty devastated to miss out on the very atmospheric Czech city, but in hindsight, I know the decision to remain in Bavaria was correct (especially as Mike's health deteriorated throughout the course of the day). Fear not, all was well after a few days of rest.

As I noted in my previous post, I suspect that the next few days/posts will seem inconceivably boring to readers. In any case, I will provide a brief run down of these rather quiet, low-key days. Bullet points seem more appropriate for the mundaneness (and lack of photos!) for the next two days. So, here goes. Day 11 highlights included:

• a little walk outside, where we enjoyed the exquisite Spring weather;
• watching handball (while simultaneously trying to establish the rules of handball!); and
• playing scrabble and cards.

I know, I know - devastatingly interesting, right?! Stick with me people - it'll all become far more entertaining in a couple of days. Promise!

Eurotrip2011: Day 10

Landkreis Straubing-Bogen

I have to put a bit of a disclaimer on the next few posts - my beloved was quite unwell for nearly a week of our trip from this point. As such, our days consisted of much rest and relaxation. I apologise in advance that this does not provide the most riveting reading!

On day ten of our trip, I rose early, excited that the daughter of our hosts (one of my close girlfriends) was visiting from London for a day with her partner. While my beloved, still feeling unwell, rested, the three of us drove to the nearby River Danube and walked along its banks listening to the call of the cuckoos. The rest of the day followed the low key tone set by the morning. Lunch was at home - once again white asparagus (are you seeing a theme here?) among other things - it seems that early May is the time to eat this delectable vegetable in Germany.

After lunch it was time to head into the closest large town - Straubing. This delightful town is sizeable enough for some reasonable shopping (the usual chains - H&M, Pimkie etc., plus some local, independent stores), but small enough to have retained its charm.

Our entire group (with the exception of my poor bed-ridden partner) then headed to our hosts' favourite restaurant - a converted barn deep in the lush forests of Bavaria. The food at this establishment was truly outstanding - the best I had eaten on the trip to date. I tucked into pork medallions, tender steamed carrots and broccoli, with buttery egg noodles and perfectly balanced gravy. Simple dining that just oozed quality of ingredients and a great way to end a lovely day of catching up!

Eurotrip2011: Day 9

Landkreis Straubing-Bogen

Our hosts arranged a day trip to the delightful town of Passau for today's adventure. They were particularly keen to show us the world's largest church organ in the city's cathedral. A short public concert is played daily on this imposing instrument and I highly recommend attending - the powerful, foreboding tones really send chills down the spine.

Following the concert, we all met with a friend of the family, a local of Passau, who walked us along the Danube River, pointing out sites of historic and/or cultural significance.

We found ourselves hungry and outside a restaurant overlooking the Danube - the perfect opportunity for lunch. I enjoyed a fresh asparagus salad and came across a fantastic Austrian beverage - the "Almdudler" (okay, I have to confess that I really like its name too!) - a carbonated grape and apple juice made fragrant with various herbs. What an absolute gem of a drink!

Sadly, my beloved's ever-sensitive stomach reared its ugly head just before lunch was served and, after the rest of us had finished our meal, we decided to head home rather than exploring Passau further, as initially planned. Once home, we allowed him to rest and got stuck into yet more food - this time, a traditional Bavarian dinner - a meat roll filled with grated carrot, pickled cucumbers and mustard in a sour cream sauce. Lecker!


As the glow of the television replaced that of the sun, we all settled in for a relaxing evening. "Who wants to be a millionaire" featured on the idiot box - yet another show that is perfect for ameliorating my German skills. Turns out I'm not too bad at the German questions either...after a couple of glasses of prosecco, of course!

Eurotrip2011: Day 8

Munich - Landkreis Straubing-Bogen

After three glorious days exploring Munich and surrounds, it was time to head to my second "German family" in rural Bavaria. Our train left Munich at 11:25am and was, of course, perfectly on time (gotta love German efficiency!). We were met by our hosts at Plattling station and were whisked back to their house where we were greeted by the mouth-watering aroma of a cooked lunch. A short siesta post-lunch was certainly welcomed by my beloved and I. Our rest provided us with the energy required for a brisk walk through the sort of Bavarian countryside that must have inspired the classic German fairytale, Hansel and Gretel.

Thankfully, there was no cannibalistic witch; however, on the flip side, there was also no confectionary house. Shattered! Seriously, though, rural Bavaria is well worth a visit. I suspect many tourists plan their German itineraries around Munich, Berlin and perhaps a city or two in between. I would urge anyone to take a few days to enjoy the charming serenity of rural Bavaria with its vibrant green pasture, leafy forests (and, let's face it, lederhosen-clad fellas!).

Following our stroll, we found ourselves at a mountain guesthouse where we tucked into a *real* Wienerschnitzel (warning: many schnitzels on German menus are labelled as "Weiner style" and are, in fact, pork schnitzels....just sayin') and beer.

Full of German goodness, we headed back to the residence of our hosts (a delightful older couple) and sipped on tea while watching Germany's Next Top Model. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking - it's trash. Trash it may be, but the German spoken on the show was slow (these are models we're talking about!) and it provided to be a great opportunity to practise my German aural comprehension before slipping between the sheets for the night.