Saturday, September 29

On Saturday, Michael and I drove (well, Michael did the driving since his car is a manual) on the A95 down to the Alps. We had planned to go visit the highest mountain in Germany, the Zugspitze, at nearly 3,000 meters (10,000 feet). The drive down was one of the most breathtaking I have ever seen... and the pictures don't do it justice. (I also apologize for the number of pictures on here... I took over 100 this day and had some trouble cutting it down to figure out which ones to post! Oh yeah, as a side note to Bethie... remember going to Kochel am See back in 2000? We drove by it on the way! Ahh... memories!)


Isn't is crazy how the mountains almost look like they are painted in in the background? What wonders are on this earth!



The mountain ahead is the one we would be going to the top of!


Some typical Bavarian-style homes in the tourist town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. As a side note (because I feel the need to educate the readers of my blog with history lessons), the towns of Garmisch and Partenkirchen were joined by Adolf Hitler in 1935 for the 1936 Winter Olympic Games. The area is generally very busy in both the summer and the winter: in summer for the hiking and in winter for skiing and snowboarding.


On the way to the top of the Zugspitze!


The Eibsee at the base of the Zugspitze.


The snowline!!! Yes... it was very cold up top the mountain. Let me put it in perspective... it was actually a BEAUTIFUL day in Germany.... 22C (about 71F)... at at the top it was -4C (about 23F!!!) So snowballs were made at the top!

The following pictures are of me and/or Michael at the top of the mountain. In the background you can see beautiful panoramic views of the Alps, all the way into Austria.






Behind Michael is the actual peak of the Zugspitze (where the pole with the cross is located). In the warmer summer months, one can climb up to the top.



The weather center, warming building, and restaurant at the top of the Zugspitze where one enters from the cable car or the train (the only ways in the winter months to make it to the top!)


The Zugspitze glacier, 300 meters below the summit, where one can also go skiing during the winter months. If you enlarge the picture above, you can see some of the gates for skiing.



The longer we were at the top, the more the clouds were rolling in. By the end of our time on the top of the Zugspitze, we were nearly in the middle of the cloud!


Michael and I on our way back down in a VERY crowded cable car.

Again, pictures cannot capture the true beauty of this day. I was just in amazement of the awesomeness all around us. I wonder if I'd think that way if I saw those beautiful sights every day, or if it would become "just another mountain" to me... nah!

Quick note of the rest of the evening... Michael and I went down to Marienplatz for dinner... we were looking for some Wienerschnitzel (yummy!!!)... but the only place we found was ridiculously expensive (18.00 Euros... about $26.00)... so we went to the Irish/Australian (I know, random combination) bar and got some burgers... yes... I had a burger while in Germany. But that's okay... because tomorrow is, once again, Oktoberfest!!!