Munich! We are starting our visit to the city at the 1972 Olympic Park. We have come full circle in the last 8 weeks on our Tour of the Alps: Anger and Almbach – Germany – Alps 1This is where it happened: Remember the swimmer who won seven gold medals here, each setting world-record times?Interesting glass roofs were ahead of their time in 1972.The clouds made the tower look a bit surreal – like it was a spaceship landing.The day cleared up nicely for a picnic lunch enjoying the Olympic Park.BMW Welt is in the same area and was fun to visit as well as tour the BMW museum.There is lots of BMW to turn your head here – classics to Mini’s to Rolls Royce to cars of the future.Elvis’s US Army tour had him serving in Germany in 1958, where he bought this little sports car for his R&R . Rediscovered in 2008, it was meticulously restored and has been featured here for the last 10 years. You can sing “Return to Sender” while it sparkles in the lights.BMW Isetta from 1958, could have been a more practical option. The front is the door and it seats two.The advertising for the car all had people stretching thru the sun roofs. Oh what fun!In the center of Munich is Marienplatz with the eye catching Neues Rathaus (City Hall).The Rathaus-Glockenspiel is a large mechanical clock. There are lots of people in the square but the clock only performs twice a day.Munich was pretty much completely rebuilt after WWII in the traditional style.The Ägyptische Museum (Egyptian) is an amazing collection, organized to give us greater appreciation of the type of art being showcased.No trip to Munich in October is possibly complete without a stop at a beer garden. After a wander through the English Gardens, we thought we should enjoy this fabulous ambiance from the Seeshaus with some Bavarian Paulaner! Prost –
We rent electric city bikes to ride around the Ammergau Alps Nature Park. This is Kofel Peak, which we can see the other side from our dining room window in Unterammergau.Whetstones for grinding mills were quarried and crafted in Unterammergau from this limestone. We are enjoying an especially nice day.The path leads us to what were royal hunting grounds and Bavarian King Ludwig II ‘s Linderhof Palace.Of course we needed to stop for coffee to contemplate the beauty of the gardens.The village of Graswang on the Linder river, a tributary to the Ammer – looks like a peaceful place to stop……Nice – A picnic bench to have our lunch.The route is not all paved but is level and easy to bike.Our next destination is Ettal, and the Benidictine Monastery.What a location for a beer garden! The monks at Ettal Abbey, established in 1330, have been brewing beer since 1609.
We rent some e-bikes and head out along the back roads of Meiringen towards Brienz.Friends living near by join us at Brienzersee.Udder-ly delightful.Enjoying the love and warmth at a coffee shop.We are ready to tackle the Rosenlaui Valley as we head up the pass.Swapping photos as we enjoy the company of our friends – they suggested this route as they have ridden it several times.We stopped at Schwarzwaldale for some soup to fortify us for the rest of the climb. The Wetterhorn is coming out of the clouds and joining us on this colorful autumn day.STOP! And lets get a picture of that!!! Very imposing.The final assent to the Grosse Scheidegg, with lots of sunshine.Still smiling on the final switchback to reach the summit of Grosse Scheidegg.This is the incredible route we have climbed – around 4,500-feet. Very glad to have had an electric bike!Enjoying being on top of the pass with views in all directions. A well deserved summit.Time to celebrate!!!Ready to fly down to Meiringen…
We left our cozy camp before dawn to minimize morning rush hour. We were parked in Presidio of San Francisco at 7:30.We took a shuttle bus to the beginning of the bridge. This was easier than trying to park in this area.Such a beautiful sight to see! We walked on bridge to first pier on this perfect morning.We walked the coast of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. We visited the new National Park Presidio Visitor Center. An enjoyable morning.We walked to the marina and then by the Palace of Fine Arts on our way back to the Travato.We drove to Golden Gate City park and were lucky to find near by street parking at 12:10 because it had been closed for street cleaning until noon. There was a marching band competition in the park so a lively time to visit. We wandered into the Japanese Tea Garden for a break.This is oldest Japanese tea garden in the United States, built in 1894. And is only 3.5 acres but extremely well designed and maintained.Here is another unique gate at the top of the garden.There is also a 5 tier pagoda that is over 100 years old.Nice vignettes of quiet spaces. This white rock is raked with large waves with some islands of green.The next day we visited two National Historic Sites.We had spent the morning in Richmond, CA at Rosie the Riveter World War II Homefront Visitor Center which is a great museum with well documented films. In Martinez, CA we toured John Muir’s home and contemplated his amazing legacyHis desk has been preserved as when he was using it to write so prolifically. The national park system considers him the father of our incredible parks – how wonderful to have someone so focused on conserving these lands for all generations.The Travato now thinks it is a sports car since it has done all those twisties on Highway One. It drove us to Laguna Seca Raceway where we had a great camp site on Turn 5. It is all Recreation.There was a Superbike motorcycle school going on for us to spectate. We drove down to the pits to get front row action.We raced (just kidding) to Monterrey Bay to enjoy the seaside. We walked Cannery Row to hang out with John Steinbeck and friends.We enjoyed watching the pelicans, cormorants, seals and kayakers.Really there is such a sign?
We headed the Travato up the road to Teal Campground for a stay-cation!We took the new kayaks – how beautiful is this!We spent several days exploring the coast and the solitude.Taking turns with the camera. Going out in the morning and the evening.This is our favorite photo!We went for several hikes into the nearby Weminuch Wilderness.This is the life!We saw lots of wildflowers…And these black and white butterflys.Lets take the fork to the right…Fun! A river crossing!Heading home with the wilderness behind us.How many miles of fun we have had?!!The heron is waiting for us to make sure we appreciate our home lake.Life feels like a vacation here at home but it was great to explore some near by water as well.
Lake is starting to thaw. Common Mergansers are returningSnowbirding friends from Tucson are passing through on their way north.We had friends over for an evening celebration.We were enjoying the sunset and this lovely solitary swan.And even family snowbirded through on their way north.An excuse for another dinner party!We are so happy to have local friends meet visiting friends and family.To celebrate Earth Day, we bought some nice Hurricane kayaks to enjoy the lakes and a different kind of exercising.
Good morning Winter 2019!Gorgeous day to walk along the San Juan river downtown.And appreciate the ice crystals on the plants, the shadows, and how the snow piles on the rocks.Snowshoeing around the block with neighbors.Winter Fest brought hot air balloons and cold temperatures.So colorful and fun to watch them inflate.A good crowd of spectators.Beautiful mountain scenery.And they like to do “touch and Go” on the lake leaving a skid mark in the snow.Maybe that is what our frequent visitor is waiting for.Or maybe he is just enjoying the view like us.
