New Year with the cousins in Garmisch!


I rang in the New Year all the way down south with my (biological) Aunt, Uncle and three cousins in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a German town bordering Austria. The Bavarian region (or Southern Germany) is a big change from my modern, urban home in Northern Germany. At least if you go to Garmisch you will see your fair share of Lederhosen outlet stores, fairytale houses, and crucifixes on mountains (things that would be hard to come by up here by Hamburg). Also, if you hear " Grüß Gott" (God's Greetings) don't be startled, it's just a Bavarian person saying hi.

During my time there, we spent a lot of time waddling up snowy mountains. But it was certainly not in vain. In Garmisch, they have embraced the lovely idea of having mountaintop cabins where weary wanderers can enjoy Kaiserschmarrn (crisped and sugared up pancake bits, a beloved desert of an old Austrian emperor) and Windbeutel (translating to "wind bags", basically cream puffs enhanced with ice-cream and jam).After hiking up-hill, there is usually a beautifully shoveled sledding path, ready to take you back down the mountain. I approve of this system. Anyway, here is a little look into what my days in Garmisch were like...



Just keep hiking, hiking, hiking...

Hiking Partnachalm.



At the top of a mountain (I forget the name, but it sounded very German)





A nearby monastery...no big deal.

One of King Ludwig of Bavaria's castles, complete with little roof-top snow shovelers.
Christmas might be technically over, but we found a store that sells ornaments all year long. Oh Germany.

Houses with fairy-tales painted on them!
IT'S NEW YEARS EVE! Getting ready for charades...


It's New Year's Day, and older German ladies love their fur coats.

New Years Day take 2

Heading back to the airport...

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