Oberamergau and Zugspitze

We sang every show tune that we knew today to the entertainment of the bus on the way back from Oberamergau. Early morning found us boarding the gondola to the top of the tallest mountain in Germany. Bavaria is beautiful -- rather like Switzerland. Water pours down off the mountains in huge waterfalls and rushes past the roadway in great torrents that seem to have a high mineral content for it has a remarkable opacity and white color.

It was cold today with the high reaching only to the upper 50s. As we rose into the clouds the sound of ice breaking from the cables and striking the gondola surprised us. There was snow everywhere and it felt very much like winter to me. We could see nothing of the four countries from the summit even though the light was blindingly bright.

We got a cup of hot coffee and waited until we could catch the car on its return trip. There was a little restuarant at the top with lovely white table linnens --- we were the only people there. Most have probably been more prudent in assessing the value of the trip and have gone to other places. It rained and poured yesterday afternoon and this morning the cold and fog have been a deterrant to this tourist site!

In each of these coffee houses there are elegant deserts which look very different from those we are accustomed to in America. They all involve pastry, layers of cream, layers of colorful transparent toppings with various exotic fruits embedded in them. And of course there is the Apple Struedel which is nothing like that which can be purchased at Kroeger. Kathy remained at the bottom of the lift --- and when we returned there was a great hill to ascend to the train which we rode back to Garmisch. The train ride down the mountain was beautiful. We passed meadows with sheep grazing and cows contentedly munching on grass to arrive in Garmisch and find our way to the bus station for the trip to Oberamergau.

This quiant town is the home of the great passion play which occurs every ten years. It was performed as a part of a bargain with God in 1634 -- if God would spare their community the plague -- they would do the passion play once every decade! They have kept their word. The next play will occur in 2010, so everywhere there were men beginning to grow their hair and beards. The town was relatively uncrowded and we enjoyed a fine meal where we were the only people in the restuarant. Germans seem to love their sausage and pig is a big item on the menu along with potatoe dumplings! We walked among shops where there were the traditional tourist things -- but also felted slippers and things you would not find elsewhere. Beautiful hand carvings costing thousands of dollars were next to linnens that were nearly as beautiful.

What I found most interesting was the gardens and I stopped and spoke with several folks who were gardening. Though English was an impediment they were willing to struggle to make themselves understood---and to understand me. One elderly couple especially had a beautiful garden of alpine flowers including edelwise....and also had familiar things like sedum and hens and chicks. They told me that many of the flowers were past their prime, but the garden was clearly lovely.

I passed an elementary school and took pictures of a school garden similar to our own and was sad to see that the children had gone home for the day! We returned to Garmisch to the Edelwise Lodge, the military installation where we have been staying and enjoyed cheese, brot, local tomatoes, and fruits for our light dinner. After dinner there was much laughter as Bunny brought up two friends from my little school mascot, Westmeady the dragon --- We began filming them and laughed several times until we cried over the antics of these little entertaining creatures! I hope the school children find them equally entertaining.

Tomorrow we visit Neuschwanstein Castle!