The Munchen Hauptbahnhof is a busy place at any time but especially so when Oktoberfest is in full swing. We had arrived in Munich from Salzburg and were to change trains onto the local BOB line to take us to Schliersee where we would spend 7 days at The Karma Bavaria soaking up the Bavarian sights, smells, tastes, sounds and literally basking in the feel of Bavaria. The BOB departed from platform 32 and after a long haul to the other end of the station we boarded the train to Schliersee, or so we thought. By chance I happened to inquire from a fellow traveller if this was the train that went to Schliersee, but oh no, THIS part of the train went to Tegernsee and if we wanted to go to Schliersee we needed to disembark and race along the platform for about 6 carriages and board again. A few stations out of Munich, the train split and half went to Schliersee and the other half went to Tegernsee. Crazy Germans!
This was our view from our back deck at Karma Bavaria. We loved sitting out there listening to the church bells ring and hearing the cow bells on the cows as they made their way home from the pasture at the end of the day. The dead centre of Schliersee. Churchyard cemetery, so colourful and well maintained. The southern part of Germany has a very Catholic influence while the northern parts of more Protestant. Just a beautiful Bavarian picture.This is Spitzingsee. It is the highest of the lakes at 1084 mts. In the winter it freezes and becomes and ice skating rink.Marienplatz Munich SquareMunich Marienplatz. The spires. Oktoberfest. More crazy Germans having fun in the Hofbrauhaus. Notice the traditional dress of checked shirts and lederhosen . Oktoberfest goes back to its beginnings in 1810 when the Crown Prince Ludwig, who would later become King Ludwig I married his bride and invited everyone in Munich to come to the wedding feast. Everyone had such a good time they decided to do it all again next year and the next…………and so on.A day trip and tour through Neuschwanstein; building began by King Ludwig II in 1869 but the castle has never been completed. Approximately 1.5 million people visit Neuschwanstien each year and it is well worth the visit. In Bavaria I wanted to try some authentic Black Forest cake but could not find it anywhere until we went to the cafe at Neushwanstein where I was rewarded with a scrumptious slice.Chairlift to the top of the Alps. From our base in Schliersee we explored Munich, visited the lakeside towns of Tegernsee and Spitzingsee, as well as Miesbach and Bad Tolz. The sheer beauty, pristine countryside, snow capped alps, beautiful villages, pure running streams and lakes as well as the friendly Bavarian locals was starkly contrasted with our sombre trip to Dachau. Opened in 1933, Dachau was the first SS run “work camp”. The front gate of Dachau “Work makes Free”. Whilst not as confronting as Auschwitz, I found Dachau disturbing enough. I am always saddened and indeed shocked that humans can treat other human beings, all created in God’s image, with such evil and cruel contempt.The railway siding where the trains came in loaded with prisoners.Indeed, NEVER AGAIN.
Way leads onto Way 