SEPT. 24 - FROM THE TYROL TO BAVARIA

Breakfast was served only from 8-9:30 AM. We were ready in time, with all our bags brought downstairs so we wouldn't have to climb again. The breakfast room was noisy with squealing children and a large group of young men on some kind of sports team. After we finished  our rolls and speck, Ron went out on the porch for some quiet time while I worked on the blog.

The mountain air is so fresh, and the beautiful flowers and the verdant lawns and fields provide a wonderful start to the morning. Mmmm. Could sit there forever!

We set out to explore Mayrhofen and try to find any familiar sights from the past. It was fascinating how much the town had grown, and how I recognized very few things. So much of the town is now pedestrian zone, but what we saw where we were able to drive tempted us to a return trip. I'm sorry we didn't get any pictures. It is difficult with the pedestrian zones, 1-way streets, umleitungen (detours), and traffic in general.

We finally departed, and headed to our "home" for two weeks, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, about a two-hour drive - leaving Austria and going into Germany.

Cows, happy to be home

Lovely pool and pond area

We took a small back road out of Mayrhofen, and shortly before Zell am Ziller, we spotted an interesting looking hotel, Landgut Zapfenhof, in the middle of nowhere. The grounds looked so beautiful, it piqued our curiosity, and we pulled over. As usual, the parking was a chore.

We went inside to see if they would serve us a beverage, and the young woman was very friendly, offered to show us around, helped me to hold automatic doors open so I could take pictures, and invited us to sit wherever we liked. The owners, 3rd generation family, have spent years making this hotel into a showcase, and it is stunning. The outdoor pool area is like a little mountain paradise. It all started with 12 beds in 1953, and the kitchen began serving dinner in 1955. That was when the "middle house" was built, and there were then 20 beds. I believe there are now 70 rooms.  In 1956 a terrible flood damaged it, and called for much rebuilding. Another disaster in 1974, a lightning strike, burned part to the ground in minutes. The history is lengthy, and I won't go into it all. The family philosophy is "Don't get bigger, just better. Never sell, always buy." Lessons that bear thinking about. 

I was fascinated with the care they took for their table settings. Had never seen a napkin presented in quite this way.

There was so much attention to detail in every aspect of the hotel. We enjoyed looking in all the public areas, and then sat in the bar area (all alone) and had a small beer and wine. We loved the ambiance, but probably wouldn't want to stay there, as it is so isolated from any "action". But, maybe a week for rest and recuperation would be just what we need.

Pulling out of the parking space there wasn't an easy proposition. Traffic was coming from both directions, and couldn't be seen since there were curves involved, and no one was obeying the speed limit. There was finally what looked like a clearing, and Ron backed out, and received an angry fist pump (or maybe a finger) from a motorbiker.

We were trying to think of a nice place for lunch, and I kept mentioning a hotel restaurant we had enjoyed several times. I thought it was before Seefeld, and just as I was describing it for about the third time, we came upon it. Ron then knew what I meant, but said I hadn't described it accurately. Anyway, it was on the left-hand side, and traffic was such that whatever we found had to be on the RIGHT. Plus, it didn't appear that the hotel was open. (Later googled and found that the owners have moved to Seefeld and the hotel is closed.) Then, somehow, we by-passed Seefeld completely. Our next hope of lunch before "closing time" was Mittenwald.

When we arrived in Mittenwald, we saw a hotel with a restaurant, and Ron squeezed into a parking place right in front of the door. When he went in to check it out, about 1:50 PM, the guy at the desk was not willing to seat us, but the woman behind him called the dining room and asked, and they said OK, but HURRY. So, knowing we couldn't buy groceries on Sunday, and nothing else would be open, we hurried (which isn't in my vocabulary).

Since most guests had finished their meals, we were almost alone in the dining room. We quickly perused the menu, and I ordered chicken curry and Ron had schweinschnitzel (pork). It wasn't memorable.

Taken from car in front of Bahnhof

When we arrived in Garmisch the first place we stopped was the Bahnhof (train station) to see if they had the NY Times (which was formerly published in Europe as the International Herald in conjunction with the Washington Post). Ron parked in front, ran in, and they did have the Saturday-Sunday edition. It is 4.50 EU (almost US$5), so even when we can find it, we don't buy it often, but once in awhile it is great to have an actual newspaper and catch up on US news.

We drove to our apartment on Kreuzstrasse. We can't remember the first year we stayed here or how we even discovered it back in the days before internet. The owners, Michael and Martina Hausler, had told us they would be away and where we could find the key. I was sorry they weren't home so there would be someone to help Ron with the luggage. Unfortunately, I am lucky to carry my pillow up the one flight of stairs. 

There are three rental apartments in the house, a one-bedroom on the ground floor, a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom on the second. The only one available was the two-bedroom. We've had this one before, and enjoyed having the extra room for luggage, but usually we've stayed in the one-bedroom next-door, which we have many memories of. 

The Hauslers have done a major renovation of the bathrooms, which I read on their web-site, but didn't know the extent. It was a very welcome surprise. It's hard to describe, but the tall "painting" on the back wall is actually a heater, which warms the area very nicely.

Having the tub in such an unusual shape was a very clever use of space, as it allowed for a lovely shower adjacent. It is totally flat entrance with a glass door that swings over to keep water in. Hand-held shower, plus rain head. Works great! Not like the old days, climbing into a tub and using a hand-held that sprayed all over the room.

The bathroom mirrors are all lighted, and there is an extra magnifying mirror on a swing-out arm that turns on when you touch it anywhere. It is the best mirror I've ever used. Will try to find out the brand and if it is available in the US, although I'm not sure I want to see every detail of my face that clearly!

The toilet area (separate room) has also been renovated with new fixtures and a granite above-counter basin. 

The kitchen is functional with cooktop, oven, dishwasher, and micro-wave. Very compact, and careful "clean as you go cooking" is called for, especially since there is no garbage disposal, and all the rubbish has to be carefully sorted. This is still typical in Europe.

We have stayed in other apartments and hotels in Garmisch, but always feel comfortable coming back to Hausler on Kreuzstrasse. The location is great, but the the main attraction is enjoying the fabulous, soul-stirring views from the balcony. The air is often so still and crystal clear that you almost feel you can touch the mountains. 

"Mountains are nature's masterpiece. Their towering peaks inspire awe and their serene beauty captivates the heart."