Hiking the Alps

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 December 2009

Martha’s younger sister, Magdalena, invited us over to her place in Antwort (a funny village cause the word means answer in German) near the Alps. She’s the real sporty kind, mountain climbing, biking, hiking, etc. She stays there with her boyfriend Hans.

Maggie & Hans' pad in Antwort

Germans are such hospitable people. Was raining the first day we arrived so we decided to do some swimming at the thermal pools. They had both indoor and outdoor pools where the water comes from the hot springs nearby. You can swim right in the open even though its snowing outside. There’s this icy cold pool you can enter before you jump back into the hot pool. My knee got a good bruising trying to get away from Jerry holding me in there long.

Went hiking in the snowy alps the next day! Weather was gorgeously beautiful. We’ve been lucky with the weather so far as each time we wanted to do some outdoor activity, the sun comes out. Scenery is amazingly beautiful covered in a blanket of snow. Hiked quite a fair bit to a guesthouse way on top of the hill. We crossed over into Austria without even knowing it! Had Jagertee there, some sort of stronger Gluhwein. Tiring but rewarding day.

Hiked to Austria!

Gorgeous scenery

Postcard picture

Taking a breather overlooking a spectacular view

Maggie and Hans wanted to bake some Xmas cookies the next day so they sent us out walking around the village with Hans’ handheld GPS. According to it, we did 6.3km in 1 ½ hours walking 5kmph. Nice stroll taking pictures of the German neighbourhood.

Walking around the neighbourhood

It was time to head back to the farm and Heidi was so kind to pick us from the train station. Had dinner there before going back to Raklern.

City of Munich

Wednesday 2 – Friday 5 December 2009

Decided to head into the big city of Munich as Heidi had the day off on Wednesday. Stayed at her house that night so we could leave early by train in the morn.

Munich is quite a vibrant city. Didn’t get to see much of it the last time we were there as it was straight to the Oktoberfest grounds to it was nice to explore more of the city. Stayed to watch the infamous clock tower where the Bavarian statues dance around. It was a waste of 5 minutes but you just got to do it cause it’s the touristy thing to do :)

City of Munich

Went to the festival grounds again but this time they had another festival called Tollwood. It’s where other countries get to display, sell and promote their food and products. There were international performances, theatre, photography exhibitions, film screenings and loads of food. Ate quite a bit there think I put on a few kg just at Tollwood.

Tollwood grounds

Tollwood activities

Met up with Heidi’s friend Christian who has been in Malaysia many times. I don’t know y but I found it was so hilarious when I asked him what he did in Malaysia and he replied, well, just lepaking around. Imagine hearing that from a German guy in Munich. It tickled me pink.

He brought us to a Medieval Christmas Market where the shops and people where decorated and dressed as in the medieval period. Felt like we were transported back in time with the Robin Hood clothes. They even had the clothes and weapons on sale.

Medieval Christmas market

Heidi went back the same day so we stayed on for another night at Maria’s apartment. Day was good so we walked into town. Wasn’t that far really when you’re looking around. Planned so many things like going to the museum and this monastery where the monks brew their own beer but we ended up having a lazy stroll around the city and to the English Garten where we just sat on a bench in the sun. Was really nice.

There’s this small part of the river in the garden where people surf ‘stationary’ like. Funny to see people in their full dry suit and a surf board in the middle of the city. Oh, had the most awesome pork knuckles at Augustiner Bierhall too.

Met up with Jerry’s friend Allie and we did the markets and Tollwood again.

Strolling the English Garten

Farm life in Raklern

Sunday 29 Nov – Friday 11 Dec 2009

There’s too much to write about the farm so this won’t be in chronological order. The organic farm is owned by Martha Gierl, whose husband Manfred passed away a few months ago in a bike accident. Jerry’s helping her out with the operations for roughly 2 months as she needs the help, especially during the winter time.

Raklern farm

Farm interior

The farm is in Raklern, and the farm is the only house in Raklern. Funny eh? There are a few areas around the farm with different names and some has a few more houses within the area. Nearest biggest town is Deggendorf, the first town I visited the day I arrived. Jerry took me to my first Christmas market where I drank my first Gϋlhwein. I fell in love then. It’s red wine cooked in spices -cinnamons & cloves (I got the recipe from Martha already!) – and served warm or hot. Perfect drink to warm your hands in the cold German weather. Totally love it!

My first Gluhwein in Deggendorf

Martha has bout 30 cows and 3 calves when I was there. They milk and feed the cows every morning (Jerry wakes up at 5.30am when the milk truck comes every other day and 7am when it doesn’t) and there’s tons of other stuff to do at the farm.

Mooooo

Jerry’s been showing me the ropes, and I’ve been helping with the feeding of silage, grass that has been sitting for a while. The cows love it but the smell really sticks to your clothes! Didn’t manage to milk the cow by hand. Nothing came out even though I tried many times! Played around with the little digger and tractor and hoed the garden with fertilizer too. Felt good to be doing physical work at the farm. I’m building those muscles! But I’m eating more too and it’s mostly meat and bread. Not much vegetables here during the winter.

Working around the farm

They have a few other animals here like chickens, a goose, ducks, pigeons, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, a donkey (Bella), a horse (Sissy) and 2 lovely dogs (Tinka & Goldie). It’s really good to have fresh eggs laid by free range chickens in the morning and fresh organic milk straight from the cow. Can’t get any fresher than that!

Other animals at the farm

I quite like the life here. It’s quiet, peaceful and so different from the hustle and bustle of the city. People are hardworking and honest, their concerns a world away from ours. Martha’s boys, Simon (10) & Basti (6), are good kids too. Very family orientated life where grandma comes to make cookies and the family sits down together for meals.

Family life at the farm

There are miles and miles of fresh air and lovely walks that you can do with the dogs, although they mostly take us for walks than the other way around. They are really strong. Took them out twice. Once to Maria’s (Martha’s elder sis) house and once to Kneippanlage, a really cold stream where you have to walk a few rounds in your bare feet. Freaking cold especially during the winter. It’s supposed to be good for your immune system.

The first week had been really hectic doing all sorts of activities but the second week was more relaxed as Jerry had to attend to the farm. Our nights were spent watching dvds by the fireplace and having dinners at the local pubs/restaurants. Went to an English do one night where everyone made a point to speak English. An elderly lady founded it and it’s the 3rd gathering when I attended. There were 4 asylum seekers from Nigeria there too. On another night, we went rock climbing with Heidi, her husband Robert and daughter Emma at an indoor gym.

My last day was spent in Therme Erding, Europe’s largest hot water spa world. It’s a huge theme & spa park divided into 3 sections – thermal pools, water slides and adult spa. You got to be 16 years an older to get into the adult spa as no bathing suits are allowed. It’s unisex too. Europeans are really not conservative ;)

We bought tix for the thermal & water slides parks. Slides are cool but seem ‘safer’ than Sunway’s slides. There are 16 slides there but only a few that are worth going more than once. Had loads of fun though and ended the day with a weissbeir at the spa’s pool bar. Jerry sent me off to the airport after that. Sad to leave Germany but it’s good to be heading back home too. Had a great time here. Everyone had been really hospitable and lovely. Was a good 2 weeks. I’m very grateful for everything.