We did it and it was GRAND!

Wow were do I start...at the end I think.  We had a wonderful action packed 10 days of travel.  But the best part was of course the trip to Zugspitze that I blogged about doing.  We had a beer in heaven.  We drove to Garmish-Partenkirchen and found our way to the Cog wheel train.  Up we went to Germany's highest mountain. I couldn't believe we were in the Alps and honestly my legs were shaking with excitement.  Little did I know the shaking would continue for then next two days!  It was awesome.  I do mean AWESOME We took the train from Grainau up the mountain past the Eibsee (a wonder all it's own) and then into a dark tunnel.  We got to the Zugspitsplatt at 2600 m  and took a look around.

Zugspitsplatt

cable car going down 

The snow that had come down so heavy the week before was disappearing but there was enough to make it cold and wonderful.  I had added layers in the train to make sure nothing stopped me from enjoying this one. Then we took take a cable car up to the top, 2962 m.(almost 10,000 feet)  I would have loved to hike it, yes really, only 8 hours or so, but we did not have time if we wanted to continue on this glorious trip. You can see Austria, Switzerland, and Italy from here. I could have stayed up there all day. The sky was clear and we could see everything.  We stopped for lunch and a COLD beer.

My daughter and I sitting on the edge enjoying a cold beer in heaven!

And believe it or not the food was great too!
 Kent, Jordan's fiance

Then it was down the mountain in what can only be described as a sardine can.  See the photo and you will know what I mean. It wasn't a small cable car but they shoved so many of us in it you wouldn't believe it! 

The only advice I have if you go is to spend a little time on the platt before heading up to the top.  We were so anxious to see the world that we kind of hurried.  I would have enjoyed a coffee on the platt and a beer on the top.  But hey I have no complaints.  Beer in Heaven a friend of mine said. Genau!  (Exactly)

We headed over to the Olympic Ski Stadium...wow another cool site.  Parked the car and headed into the Partnach GORGE. it is about 2,305 ft in length and the walls rise to 263 ft.  It is fanominal.  Be prepared and wear good shoes with traction as the paths are very very narrow, wet, and in some place in complete darkness. Not a good idea for a women with eye problems. But hey I hung on and snapped pictures NOTHING keeps this women down! Guess i well end this for now and pick up with the Stadium and the gorge after lunch!  If you ever get the chance don't let it slip away....this WAS a gift of a trip.

Time to travel again!

So as I sit here waiting to plan another wedding, our oldest daughter is now engaged, I search the internet to make the perfect itinary for our next trip.  "Two daughters engaged at the same time and I am halfway across the world!"  Yikes. ...okay then...to the Alps!  

I didn't know that this updated but when I posted it  - it was all in snow!

I hate to write about it before hand because today the summit of Zugspitze is in white out condition.  Not good if you want to go to the top of Germany's tallest mountain to take photos.  We have a little over a week, so I am praying hard for good weather and planning away.

 As I was saying, The Germany Alps is on the list.  First we will stop off at Neuschwanstein Castle to hike up around to get, well yes, a good photo!  I have been there before but not having the best information did not get the photos that I have been drooling over here of late.  After hours of digging, I found the path past the Marien bridge to get some great shots.  When I was there the last time the Marien bridge was closed due to snow so to hike up past it was not even an option.

This photo of Queen Mary's Bridge (Marienbrucke) is courtesy of TripAdvisor

this is my shot when we were there in April 07 grrrr

 You should know from my earlier post, I have the boots!  I do love the German shoes they are made for walking, hmmm go figure!  I do, I do, I love the shoes! I think half of my "shoe collection" is German now. Anyway, thank you for indulging me on my rant. Snicker snicker. After a day of up and down at the castle we will head to Garmish Partenkirche to spend the night and attempt ZUGSPITZE.  I am so excited it is going to be grand.  I loved hicking around Pottenstien (another gem I found online that most people don't go to - but oh so worth it)  We are not serious hikers but that is not to say we don't enjoy the thrill of a hard days hike, and the reward of a cold beer at the end.  I think given more time I might scare my husband and become a real live hiker!  But for now the hills around the Bavarian towns we encounter are my training ground.  (When we are in the US, we live in the Midwest and you know there really isn't much to climb there!)

You will have to check back to see if we do indeed make it to the top!  Oh and I found amazing "Socken",  I love the German socks almost as much as the shoes....they have a sock for everything!  And unlike the States you can buy them anywhere, even in the grocery ha ha.  So with..."meinem Socken and Schuhen bin ich fur die Berge bereit!" (with my socks and shoes I am ready for the mountain)