Best of BavariaBest of BavariaBest of Bavaria. Our hosts, Peter and Simone Storp. Dinner without the kids…. Too quiet, though.
We have been to Mittenwald three times in the last fifteen years and nothing changes in this “off the grid” traditional Bavarian village. To us, it felt the same and looked the same. No change is a beautiful thing and gives this quiet, charming village personality. Most of the restaurants and beer pubs still say “NO” when you ask if they have WiFi. Men and women wander around town in their lederhosen and drindls regularly. The lines at the local butcher and bakery are longer than those in the supermarket on the other end of the village.
What did change was; our dear friends Peter and Simone added two stories to their house and three children to their family. Leah who is five and Kilian and Luisa who are 20 month old twins gave Will plenty of grandpa practice. We had a delightful time and many “kid” related adventures with them. The scenery from their guest bedroom was a stunning view of the Bavarian Alps. We couldn’t believe our good fortune each morning when we opened our blinds. Each evening, we stared at the alpenglow during sunset. We enjoyed traditional German meals and BBQing American burgers in the back yard. We were so lucky to have walking access to dozens of notable hikes in the Alps and mountain bikes available whenever we wanted to ride. We improved our German by learning important words like: pacifier (Tusui), bottle (flasche), me(mich), out(aus), in(ich), finished (finish),hello (Hallo), eat (essen) and good night( gute nacht). These words sort of helped, but not until we learned to pronounce them correctly and put the baby inflections in the right places (whew!!!!!!!).
Practicing grandpa skills with Luisa.American burger and German beer make for a great backyard combo.This is the House That Peter Built.Host Family, Storp. Peter, Simone, Leah, Kilian and Luisa. WE loved our time with this family. Thanks again!!!!!!
Will describes Bavaria as “very well manicured”. Everything from the biking and hiking trails to the traditional villages, homes, and seaside swimming areas are clean, expertly marked, clipped, cut and orderly. It feels a little like Switzerland but with a human touch and it is less expensive here. Unlike the Swiss ( cordial but curt), Bavarians are kind, genuine, helpful and proud.
We found mountain biking for me (ahhhh, paved) and mountain biking for Will (uphill, graveled, and long) offering both Alpine scenery and humming villages. Our favorite ride was UP to the lakes along the forest and through the woods. The seaside (lakes) swimming areas are equipped to support the family tradition of daylong picnic, play and swim gatherings. Shops in the village still close down at 4:00 PM on Saturdays and open when they want on Monday. Thus, giving families time to be together and cutting back the work hours for the working folk.
Typical flower laden Bavarian house with a view.Biking to The Lautersee (favorite ride to the lakes)Downtown MittenwaldDowntown MittenwaldYes, that is gravel and I DON’T LIKE IT!!!!!!Biking with Peter was always more exciting than biking with Bon.Big Building behind Will was the site of 2015 G7 meetings. Obama was here. So, we’re we!Resting at the lake…. Contemplating a hike?
Our favorite hikes in Bavaria took us up on the chairlift or gondola and, then, we got to hike the rest of the trail UP to the top.
Chairlift to the Kranzberg Hut.
Hike down from the Kranzberg through the forest and to the Lautersee (lake). So lovely.
View from the top of Karwendel Region. Spectacular!Will pondering the immensity and beauty of The Karwendel.
This was a very special piece of our journey. So glad we had the time to stop and enjoy our friends and immerse ourselves in Bavarian traditions. A fantastic place to visit!!!!!
Danke Schoen Peter, Simone, Leah, Luisa and Kilian
