Today I said farewell to Germany (Note: I’m late posting this so I really said farewell a few days ago). We never left Bavaria so I really didn’t get to experience Germany as a whole but I certainly enjoyed the areas we explored. The region appeals to me on so many levels.
The people are incredibly friendly and go out of their way to help you. Our BnB hostess taught me new German words which I promptly forgot because I foolishly neglected to write them down. A thoughtful hiker saw me taking pictures of flowers on the mountainside and not only pointed me towards other flowers but taught me their names. I don’t know how it’s spelled but it’s pronounced en-see-ah. I was smarter after that lesson and wrote it down. A kind young woman helped us figure out the insanely complicated laundromat.
Mother Nature is enjoyed. Parks and outdoor spaces in general are both abundant and very heavily utilized. Not just on weekends either! In the middle of the work day people are out in the parks swimming, boating, or sun bathing. They go hiking. They go mountain biking.
Honestly, everyone bikes. In the states you would expect the bikers primarily to be children, messengers, or college students. In Bavaria I saw people of all ages on bicycles from the very young just learning to ride to the rather old running errands and catching up on the local gossip. They are talented riders too! They can bike carrying awkward things like surfboards and luggage!
Their bikes have gear. Most bikes have baskets or bags to haul items in and of course they have the various baby/children attachments. As I was walking along the Isar River on our last night in Munich, I saw a couple arrive on two bikes the second of which had a pull behind child carrier. This carrier was not filled with a miniature human but with a picnic dinner and adult beverages. In case you didn’t know, the Isar River is quite chilly and it’s quite common to place your beverages in the river to keep them cool.
Bavaria is an absolute feast for the eyes. The architecture. The mountains. The parks. The people. There is so much to see! I definitely want to return one day.
