A visit to Garmisch-Partenkirchen
(By Michael)
I am having an aunt in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. She hit 95 meanwhile and is always happy to receive a visitor. To me this is an opportunity to do some hiking in the mountains and Christa likes to come with me. The weather forecast has not been too exciting – but often times when I come for a visit it is better than the forecast and the bad weather comes when I am leaving. My aunt has always been very perplexed by this.
The first evening – after 6 to 7 hours in the car – we firstly walk to Partenkirchen “only”, in order to arrive. It is nice to arrive first and I like the traditional houses there.
This time Christas greatest wish was to get on the Zugspitze – and so that’s what we did next.
Visiting the Zugspitze
(By Christa)
Easter 2017 I did visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen the 3rd time together with Michael, to see his aunt in her senior-home.
“I want to the Zugspitze this time!” A mischievously side view from Michael: “On foot?” “No no, you may walk, I drive. Let’s look, who arrives first!” (Experience from elevators: Most of the time Michael was up first, but only, when the elevator had stumbled!)
In wordless agreement, we went to the Zugspitz railway station in the morning and fortunately one train immediately left in that direction. There where not many there still, but on the way many entered with heavy ski boots and thick backpacks, the skis were fastened outside the wagon.
At first the landscape was at first quite gentle and wavy, with green meadows and small wooden houses. The higher we got, the harsher it became around us, rocks, narrow passages and the train slowed down.
In Grainau we had to change to the cogwheel railway, which jerked heavily and traveled the greater part of the route through the mountain so that we could see nothing more.
On the Schneeferner station was a large crowd. Everyone ran through each other and it smelled of pea soup and curry sausage. And already I had lost Michael and looked confused around me. After a while a voice behind me said: “You just need to follow the signpost…”
Had not seen this once again, and so we pushed, holding our hand, to the gondola, which took us all the way up to the top.
From the gondola we were able to see the busy activities of the skiers on the slopes below us. All ants, I thought, like ants on an ant hill…..
On top it was foggy, and instead of a wonderful view into the mountains huge buildings around us: The cable car station with many stairs, a restaurant, exhibition rooms and the massive material lift, which transported everything up. What an insane obstruction of the mountain world up here !!
Something oppressed, we looked for a way through the snow. The mist was no longer so dense, and we could now enjoy the vastness and beauty of the mountains and take pictures. The hunger then drove us to the restaurant. Sometimes we have fun at something crazy: We two vegetarians had a thick portion of liver cheese with fries!!
Well saturated went on the way back, with another break on the Schneeferner. Amazed, we watched the big jackdaws that flew around our heads, used to being fed abundantly !
We looked a bit longingly at the skiers – in memory of all the ski tours I did as a student from Innsbruck and later with the children !
And then we went downhill again with the cog railway. We sat opposite a young couple, excitedly narrating and then ……. they were asleep like some others, tired, managed …….. happy about the day ?
So that was the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, full of vitality to the hustle and bustle, with many buildings and even more lifts.
In the case of sunshine, clear sight, and without the many people, this mysterious mountain might have told us something about its secrets. I was still happy to have been up there !!
Halfway down we could look at the Eibsee, a beautiful clear and so calm mountain lake. And we decided to go there the next day and walk around the lake.
At the Eibsee
(by Christa)
Hidden, in the midst of high mountains
surrounded by snow and haze
the Eibsee.
The water surface flickers
in always new colors
from the depth of the lake – or
are they reflections
from the trees and mountainsides?
Almost unmoved, lifeless, and yet-
again and again a faint chuckle,
tiny wave circles,
a breath of wind,
which immediately goes away again.
No one except us is here.
The solitude is overwhelming
takes us into the depths of the lake
up to the mountain peaks
into our own silence.
Deeply connected to each other —
unified with everything.
Snow warning
(By Michael)
On top we went to Partenkirchen for a concert in the church with trumpet and organ in the evening. In the churches, I am always glad to photograph the peculiarities (in spite of the muted light).
Snowfall was announced for the next day – so not a good idea to go to the mountains. We went out nonetheless, in a modern church we found a carved figure and then on the way further figures of a different kind.
The “promised” snow then came in the night and we had to do the next morning to clear the car from it for our journey back home … .
