My hosts are such good sports to humor me with a few tourist sites, such as King Ludwig’s castles and a taste of Oktoberfest. But the best days by far have been to the less famous spots and doing the activities of daily life with them. Helmut is a geology professor (recently retired) and Claudia is a geologist also; both are natural teachers, who are also very fluent in English, even though they deny that.
Highlights so far include a car trip through the Bavarian forest to the Czech border and the train station built right ON the border in the 1880’s when the rulers were getting along (and closed during the Iron Curt years when they were not). Then picking wild mushrooms on the way home and making Risotto with Claudia—did I mention she is a fabulous cook? Bicycling along the Danube River which is just steps from their home in Aicha—built in 1730! The house was originally the rectory, so it’s adjacent to the cemetery and little parish church. The bells chime on the hour, with a special 60 second chiming frenzy at 6 am. Time to get up. Not a moment should be wasted!
This Journey Begins Now 