So, I’m first to admit it. I was really crabby this morning. Erin booked us bikes so we could ride into town, and when the bikes had no baskets on them I was left with this thought: how am I going to get Mark’s gift home? I had my eye on a beautiful hand-carved wooden chess set. I really wanted to get it for Mark, but I had no backpack and it was going to rain. I didn’t see how it was going to all work out.
So we road downtown, and Erin had me put my purse on like a backpack after a few blocks, and my mood started to shift. I found some awesome gifts at the wood carving shop. The acual chess set I bought Mark was better than the one I saw in the window. We had a great day of shopping, and we had a great lunch in the restaurant that we think Mark wanted us to go to. I had jagerschnitzel. It was awesome. I can’t believe it took me this long to try it.
By the time we finished our shopping, the weather cleared, so I suggested we take a bike ride since we had to pay $20 per bike for the day. We took a beautiful ride out to the Partnachklamm Gorge. Erin almost died, but like a trooper she smiled and kept up with me. I’d just ride and then stop for a water or photo op so she could catch up. We made it to the gorge but didn’t have time for the 30-minute walk, so we road home so we could get read for the brewery tour. (I think we road a total of 11 miles today and probably walked about two….) Even though we didn’t see the gorge, we saw some beautiful scenery. And I felt good; I may not look like I’m in shape or athletic, but today, I felt great. The ride was awesome.
Tonight, we went to the Griesbrau Brewery. It was a great night. I learned a lot, and I even got a diploma from the brew master to prove it. The brewery actually has a brew master…no apprentice. No assistants. He’s it. He went to school and learned to brew from the monks in the town and brews the beer. We had hellis, pilsner, dunkel, and a really bad beer schnapps. Mark would have LOVED it. And our brewmaster dressed in true Bavarian dress. He was so excited to share everything with us; I had to wonder if that enthusiasm was because he got to drink beer everyday for his job or if he had one too many beers and was in a permanent state of bliss. Who knows. He was adorable though.
We had a really interesting group that we were with. I talked a lot with to-be seniors. The girl was in an DOD school. The two boys were in a Catholic high school in Boston, and the mom of the one boy was on her mid-tour from Iraq. I feel much better about my potential for success at an all-boys’ school. I had a great time with all of them and their parents. And the food and beer was great; I had apple strudel for dessert that was amazing.
Overall, it was a great day. I spent WAY too much money, but I had a blast shopping, biking, and drinking. I just hope that we get a break in the rain to do something fun tomorrow on our last night in Garmisch.
