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Our 2006 Eurotrip;

We left at the end of July, just before it got really hot on the east coast of the U.S., and arrived at Frankfurt just as central Europe’s temps dropped from being really hot...timing is everything!  We’re not complaining because it was comfortable in temp and the rains were only occasional, but it could have been just a bit more summer-like...

As is typical, our vacation started in greater Kassel in north-central Germany, were once again, our friends Wolfgang and Geli received us with an open house. 

Once settled in, we undertook some daytrips to Eschwege and the surrounding area, and took a tour in the saltmines of Merkers, Thueringen, in the former east, were you are driven around miles of caves left over from saltmining in an underground rallye...who needs a rollercoaster? 

When we stopped in at Michal Freudenreich’s sportshop at the Eschwege Marktplatz, we got T-shirts and he immediately arranged a party at his house for that weekend, inviting some long lost friends.  In his recroom, you can order a bier from the bar while sitting at the table across the room, and have it delivered by Steamtrain!  Eschweger Bier und delicious local meat specialties were served. 

A coffee visit at Erich’s hunting lodge at the edge of the forest outside the quiet village of Geismar.  This is the lodge which he graciously made available to us two years ago when we visited for Johannisfest in Eschwege, and there wasn’t a hotel room to be had for miles.  Erich is now turning the small factory building next door into an apartment for himself...I expect it will be real nice...the location on a slope at the forest edge, where bighorn sheep prance around the fields early in the morning certainly is for an outdoorsman and hunter!

We left north-central Germany, and headed to Salzburg, Austria which was in major Mozart mode with 2006 being the 250^th anniversary of his birth.  They didn’t like him much when he was alive, but they don’t mind the tourists he brings in nowadays!  There, we met the local Mr. Hofrichter, who I knew only casually through some on-line vintage Volvo business, but who took an entire day from his accounting business to give us the most pleasant and informative, personalized tour.  His hospitality was far beyond anything we could have expected for a casual acquaintance, and since his P1800 is only a two-seater, he picked us up and we did the driving part of our tour in an equally neat 1938 Citroen Traction.  Other tourists took pictures of US! 

In Salzburg, the living museum, we visited the Augustiner Bräustüble, where you get your dinner (everything from Schweinshaxn to cheese to prezels to waffles or cake) and then your fresh Maß, and enjoy them in one of several Bierhalls or the Biergarden, and then took in an evening concert in the Marble room of Schloss Mirabel, were Mozart himself performed 240 years ago. 

The next day we visited nearby Bertesgaden and the Königsee, where Nick got finally the Germknödle (sweet dumpling filled with plum jam) he had been raving about, and waiting two years for, and Wendy found some great Dirndl buys! 

We continued south through many tunnels under the Austrian alps and on to Lignano at he top of the Adriatic.  The weather was modest and could have been a bit warmer here also, but the overcast and rain mostly occurred at night, so Nick’s sand Ferrari stayed intact for even longer...the nightly sand sifter driver didn’t even flatten it! 

  Every evening, Nick’s Vivaldi and Mozart concert on the hotel veranda was well received by guests and also owner Renso Maso.

We were in Lignano for the August 15 national holiday, so there was an airshow on the beach, featuring helicopters, fixed-wing, and the Italian national Aerobatic Team, the Freche Tricolori.  In the evening, there was a fireworks display at the beach.  We met a nice young Italian couple who were also staying at Hotel Salus, Alessandro and Cristina.  Luckilly Cristina spoke very good English...much better than our Italian...maybe it’s time to take an Italian language course.

The Kitchen at the Hotel Salus, under the supervision of Lena Maso, was once again quite good, and the special candle-light dinner for the holiday brought a great applause.  Pic below is of one of the desert tables! The young chef made his guitar available for me, so I was able to accompany Nick on some numbers.  Owner Renso and the guests were all impressed by Nicks musical abilities.

Our next leg took us over the Postcard vistas of Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Brenner to the Stubaivalley just south of Innsbruck.  We decided to stay at the Hotel Rogen because of their excellent kitchen, and proximity to the town pool.  My uncle and his ladyfriend came out from Innsbruck, and joined us for some hiking in the Oberbergtal were we only got as far as the Stöcklen Alm (1600m/4800ft) because shortly after arriving and having lunch, owner Andreas brought out a buttonbox and two guitars...so much for the rest of the hike....  

The next day, we made the same hike, but on arriving at the Stöcklen Alm requested nonalcoholic refreshment, as we really did want to make it a bit further...after having a fresh buttermilk (the cowbarn was about 40ft away) and currant refreshment (think fruit yogurt), we continued on to the next alpine farm, where we dropped off the women and (whimpy-boy) Nick.  Dieter and I then continued on over a more challenging steeper trail all the way to the Franz Senn Huette at 2100m / 6400ft (which is just below the really difficult alpine hiking).  On the way back, the entire group stopped in again at the Stöcklen Alm where this time we enjoyed a well deserved Weißbier and I played some more music with Andreas...until the cows came home!

Nick naturally played after dinner for guests at the Hotel Rogen, and Sunday evening, there was a concert in the village place featuring a number of performers including locals:  Die Lustigen (Stubaier) Shilehrer (skiteachers).

Hiking at the Grawa Alm and waterfall.

We certainly thought we were on the home leg of the trip as we departed north out of the Stubai, but at a stop-off in Mittenwald to let Nick play a Master Violin at Anton Sprenger’s, Nick happened to play some fiddlemusic in addition to the classical...so Anton mentioned that that evening was a practice session for Mittenwald’s own Bluegrass band:  The Gries Hoppers (Gries being the area behind the church in Mittenwald where a number of artisans have settled to practice their trade).  We naturally, mentioned that Nick was a decent young fiddler himself, and that Dad plays a little bluegrass guitar, so we were invited to be a part of the evening. 

We quickly changed our plan, arranged for overnight accommodations, and looked forward to the evening.  As it turned out, Anton (now the fiddle player) made the master violin available to Nick, a beautiful Martin guitar was made available for me, and we proceeded to have the most fun Bluegrass session one could imagine!  The banjo player could have held his own against a lot of the stateside players I’ve heard, Nick was able to give Anton (the master Violin maker) some fiddling pointers, and the evening was really memorable!  Wendy said it was just like a Bluegrass concert stateside except that, after the music stopped, they all spoke German!  Even the owner of the Alt-Mittenwald Wirtshaus appreciated the musical event enough to treat all the musicians to dinner and a round!  Apparently the Kwas family now has made a musical name for itself...and that for bluegrass music...and that in Mittenwald south Bavaria!

The trip continued toward Frankfurt, but not before a much too short stop-off at the Deutsches Museum (of Technology) where I wanted to give Nick a taste of the most interesting hands-on museum around...the two hours we spent weren’t nearly enough, but we did see a lot of the land, sea, air, and space portion, which certainly wet his appetite, including an original ME262.

Formulal 1 car at Frankfurter Airport.

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