June 19 - Mittenwald

I was up about 6:30 AM, and Ron around 7 AM. We walked around the corner to the Hofladen, which we can see from our back terrace. You would never know of its existence, as it is tucked away in a little alley. It has all home-made products, including semmeln (crusty bread rolls), which saves Ron a much longer walk to the other bakery. They also had a counter of meats and cheese, and Ron bought two wiener and I selected a smoky sausage.

Our new morning bakery stop

Flowers in our yard along creek

Before noon we set out to drive to the Grobl Alm above Mittenwald. I had read about it and the web-site looked so attractive, that we decided to visit (a new experience). It was another narrow road with cars parked where they shouldn't be, so the trip up was scary to me.

Entrance

Interior Grobl Alm

We were rewarded by a fantastic outlook on the Karwendel range of mountains (the part of the Alps between the Isar and Inn Rivers and the Achensee).

While Ron went to park, I found a table on the terrace. What an incredible view. Surprised we hadn't been here before. Interesting to discover new things after more than 40 years visiting the area.

I had a delicious chicken and mushroom dish, and Ron had a salad and leberknodel soup. We shared an enormous windbeutel (cream puff) for dessert.

Chicken wth muschroom sauce and spaetzle

Strawberry Windbeutel (Cream Puff)

We drove through Mittenwald, which is a beautiful little town, known for violins. In the late 1600's, Matthias Klotz returned to his home in Mittenwald after 20 years in Cremona Italy, where he studied along with Stradivari, under Nicolo Amati (the developer of the modern violin). Klotz taught many relatives and neighbors the art of violin-making, and that became the major "industry".  There are still many workshops where violins are handcrafted.

Mittenwald

Park in Mittenwald

When we got back to the apartment, Ron went to move the fan from the bedroom to the living room, and somehow it fell. It didn't fall very far, but it was no longer working! So, he set out to try to buy one at one of the nearby stores. He returned without a fan, and said he would take me to the Casino, and go to a store near there. We parked beneath the casino, and I played the machines until he came back. (He was able to purchase a fan.) I was ahead, but ended up losing 20 EU - but played a long time and had some fun. Ron, as usual, treats the slots like an ATM machine. He put in 50 Euro and took out 90. He always stops once he is close to doubling his money.

That evening Ron had the wieners he had bought at the little shop, with sauerkraut and said they were wonderful. I wasn't very hungry since I had had the large lunch so settled for a piece of buttered semeln roll left over from breakfast.