The Kramerspitz shrouded in clouds, just outside of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
September 25
I could tell that my jet lag was subsiding, because I didn’t wake up until 9 a.m. I was a bit upset at myself, because today was going to be another travel day and I wanted to get an early start. After I showered, I found out that all my plans were for naught, because Kelly had other plans. This being a Sunday, Kelly wanted to take us to the breakfast buffet at the Officer’s Club.
We all packed into Kelly’s SUV and drove the short distance to the Officer’s Club. We went to the front desk, paid for our brunch, and received a number which indicated the table where we were to be seated. After a short wait, our number was called and we proceeded to our table. I was shocked at the scene that greeted me as we walked to our table. Kelly had warned me that there was plenty to eat at this buffet. But, he grossly understated the amount of food that was present. There was the usual breakfast food table, with bacon, eggs, and waffles. But, in addition to that table, there were several other tables that contained enough food to satiate any hunger. There was a Mexican food table, a seafood table, a cheese table, a salad table, a dessert table, and a “meat” table (with beef, chicken, and pork).
The whole scene greatly disturbed me. Not only did the excess give me moral problems; but, I was bothered by the way that all traces of Germany had been obliterated in this room. To put it another way, if I had been blindfolded, led into the room, had the blindfold removed, and asked where I was, I would have said “somewhere in the United States.” Between all the English that was being spoken and the American food that had obviously been flown in for the occasion, one would be very hard pressed to remember that they were in Germany. It also became apparent that most people in the room saw Germany as sort of a European Disneyland: someplace to visit for short time and then retreat back to this safe piece of America planted in the German forest. I really felt that these folks were missing out on a great opportunity to learn about another culture and expand their horizons. But, it became obvious that the only thing these folks wanted to expand was their waistlines on another waffle. I barely ate anything and then left the room in shame. I also realized why most of the planet resents the United States…any country that can impose its will to such a point that it eliminates the cultural aspects of another country can only generate jealousy, scorn, and resentment among other nations.
After this disturbing brunch, we went back to Kelly’s place to pack. Around 2 p.m., we got back into the SUV and began our trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Kelly had wanted to take us to Garmisch, because he thought it was the most beautiful part of Germany. Seeing that Garmisch was nestled in the Alps, I had every reason to think he was correct. But, we had to drive four hours to get to that scenery. The good part of that drive was that I got to see a lot of the German countryside. To be honest, much of it from Ramstein to Munich was like the area around Ramstein: rolling hills covered with forest, interspersed with fields and small towns. The bad part of the drive was the whole scene became somewhat monotonous. German efficiency has dictated that the autobahns do not go through towns. Consequently, there aren’t any big cities along the way to break up the scenery. I didn’t think that I would get tired of natural scenery. But, by not being able to contrast it with urban landscapes, I found the German countryside lost some of its majesty.
We drove into Munich, which struck me as a typical big city. Then, we proceeded south toward Garmisch. As we went further south, the landscape changed dramatically. The hills didn’t shrink into plains…they grew taller. The fields became tucked into crevices between the mountains. Even the forests seemed a bit taller and greener. I thought, “Now this is the Germany I thought I would be visiting.”
The town of Garmisch did nothing to dissuade my stereotype of Germany. The town was a picture perfect alpine village, complete with a lovely stream and a ring of mountains. In addition to these anticipated features, Garmisch also contained several upscale shops in a clean pedestrian mall. Based on the appearance of the customers that were shopping, it was apparent that Garmisch was a place where poverty disappeared a long time ago.
Kelly had secured accommodations for us at Reindl’s Partenkirchner Hof. He had stayed there before, and had raved about the accommodation’s quality. It took only a short time to see why he was so enthusiastic. The room we were given had two comfortable beds, a spotless bathroom, and more than enough room easily accommodate us. Best of all, the room was on the corner of the main building, which means we had a balcony to look at both downtown Garmisch and the Alps. It was a spectacular setting. After settling in, sampling some of the welcome basket that had been laid out for us, and reading the personalized “Thanks for staying with us” card, I told Dianne, “We need to stay here more often.”
We changed clothes and went downstairs to meet Kelly and a couple of German friends of his to meet us for dinner. When Kelly asked his friends where to eat, they said, “We should stay here. It’s one of the best restaurants in Garmisch.” So, we strolled the 30 feet to the restaurant and sat down. I have to say that it was a great choice. I had salmon in a cream sauce that was to die for. Dianne had a white fish that was equally as good. But, the highlight for me was the steak tartare. I had never had this delicacy before, but now that I have, I’m hooked!! Best of all, this dish was served as an appetizer at no additional cost. Speaking of cost, most dishes cost between €15 and €20. It was worth every penny. Reasonable prices, great food, and wonderful ambience gets Reindl’s restaurant gets my highest recommendation.
We spent about three hours at dinner. It was great getting to know some German locals, who were more than happy to share their perspective on the recent German election and the right way to enjoy Oktoberfest. I was just happy to find that not all Germans were the surly, non-social types that I had encountered in Heidelberg.
After our wonderful dinner, we headed back to our room. Dianne and I decided to step out onto the balcony and enjoy the mountain air. We sat out there for about 30 minutes, just watching people walk by. It was a perfectly enjoyable way to end the day.
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