"Willkommen in Bayern" 🍻
Not Your AVERAGE European date
Over the past year I have made several trips to Berlin, a city I am growing to love. Getting to know Berlin was an introduction into what I thought of as German culture (which I will share more about in a different post) that is, until I got swept away to Munich and the Bavarian countryside where I discovered a completely different, and absolutely breathtaking, side of Germany that showed me a whole other slice of what Germany is all about!
Did i mention we were three?
The perfect getaway for us: a little bit of nature for me, a little bit of history for him, and delicious pretzels for her. Oh, and did I mention the views? Autumn colors were in full effect last month as a cold spell came through the south of Germany last month. Taking in the countryside vistas as we drove out of Munich through beautiful tiny towns and past serene lakes and ponds reminded me of home in such a comforting way. I do miss Michigan Fall foliage!
Fairtale-like
We arrived in Hohenschwangau and commenced the ascent into the stunning foothills of the German Alps. Our kind private guide ushered us to the castle, but not just any castle, we got to tour the original Disney castle! The infamous castle the Disney castle was copied from and the castle whose claim to fame is the backdrop to the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang movie! It literally was out of a movie–but even more impressive was learning about the architecture and the building process along with the history of the Royal family in the context of Bavarian history through the lens of this amazing structure. And to top it all off right next to the castle there was a stunning gorge with a beautiful waterfall which we were able to enjoy from a (slightly frighteningly high) bridge across the gorge pass. Truly magical! I was ready to escape into the mountains on a my own fairytale adventure when our guide mentioned lunch, so of course I stuck around to enjoy the Bavarian schnitzel 😉
The Day doesn't End there...
Our afternoon took us to another beautiful castle and a stop along another picture perfect lake. The sun was shining and the air was crisp, the perfect spot to steal a romantic kiss– or two. A nap on his shoulder on the car ride back to the city was just as cozy as it sounds.
I found a chic restaurant in Munich for our last night together. We got the tasting menu of all farm to table Bavarian inspired modern dishes that were absolutely mouth-watering. Something I loved most about being in Bavaria was that the wait staff, guides, and people on the street; everyone made us feel like we were home. There was just something welcoming and cozy about the community there. Unlike many other European cities I have now visited where as a tourist you can be made to feel like a nuisance or a burden to the locals, in Bavaria I felt genuinely welcomed. A breath of fresh air compared to capital cities like Berlin or Paris. Of course, exploring a new city with two people I adore made it feel all the more inviting.
It was hard to say our goodbyes both to Bavaria, and to each other, after three days in fairytale land, but I know our next story is just waiting to be written… Until next time 🧚🏼
