Yesterday and today are combined because the internet where we stayed last night was sketchy –
Yesterday was another magnificent walk day; different from the other day when it was all frosty and white. This was through dark and moss covered woods, interspersed with frozen ponds and small lakes, and overseen at times by gigantic metallic wind-turbines.
Jennifer and Angie, before the walk, had stopped in at a local store and brought some Christmas accoutrements…
Bruce and his wife Sue are experienced walkers, and they fairly flew along the track. Bruce stopped for this portrait…
On this section of the walk the Romantic Road followed the Jakobsweg – the German Camino – so we had signs for the Romantiche Strasse alongside the familiar blue and yellow Camino scallop shell way markers.
I have been trying for some time to walk on water, and yesterday I finally did it… I was so happy I did a little jig.
Our Fitbits told us we walked about 20kms all up yesterday.
This is how big the tower is…
Certainly we were tired by the time we walked into Dinkelsbuhl, our home for the night, and another story-book town on the Bavarian Romantic Road.
We overnighted in a gorgeous hotel –
Angie got a nice room, for which she was appreciative…
We spent this morning wandering around Dinkelsbuhl and visiting the huge church – then we drove about 35kms along the Romantic Road to Craigligen – a small town which had its Saturday morning market in full swing when we arrived.
The tomatoes actually looked real…
And the pears had their nipples painted red…
Nordlingen is another town on the Romantic Road – this one famous because it sits smack bang in the middle of a massive crater made by a meteorite that hit the earth some 15 million years ago. The church, which is the centrepiece of the walled town, is constructed from rock compressed by the blast of the meteorite so many eons ago.
We climbed 70.5m to the top of the church so that we could view the crater rim. 70.5m doesn’t seem very high when I write it, or perhaps when you read it, but man o man, it was a hefty climb up. But worth it for the view once at the top.
We then walked a half circumference of the town along the ramparts…
Then from Craigligen we drove to Donauworth, another Romantic Road town, where I’d reserved a table at the town’s local tavern. We noshed up on such local delicacies as roasted deer with Bavarian noodles and cranberries, (yes I know, how can we roast and eat Bambi…) and the yummiest Wiener Schnitzel with mushroom sauce, the mushrooms from the surrounding woods…
Drinks were Weissbier – sublime – and local Schwabian white and red wines, which were very drinkable.
After a long-ish lunch, we hopped in the Mercedes van again and drove to Augsburg, a large-ish city on the Romantic Road. We checked into a beautiful-ish hotel right around the corner from the Christmas Markets and the old town centre.
We spent he evening wandering through the markets, drinking variants of Gluwein.
The last two days have been quite different – yesterday a long walk that took us through pristine Bavarian woods, dotted now and again with tiny villages – and today was experiencing a Saturday in Bavaria, with a produce market and a Christmas market full of revellers.
Tomorrow we have lunch in one of the world’s oldest breweries. That lunch no doubt will be long-ish too, I’m sure!
PGS - The Way 
Dear Bill and group
First off, I was so sad yesterday not to see a post from you or Angie. Finally decided you must not have had internet. I think I speak for all of us not on the tour, that we really look forward to the pictures and posts. Yes it does look like a “Romantic” Road tour. The scenery, the old beautiful buildings and towns are just gorgeous!
Angie, I love your antlers! Perfect accessory!
Bill, we all already knew you could walk on water! Ha!
I hope that deer was not Bambi or Rudolph. Weiner Schnitzel is one of Dale’s favorite meals and to have it in Germany must be a real treat.
Those windmills look like they could power the world!
What is the drink in the third to last picture? It looks like beer but appears to have whipped cream on top. Yuck. Beer with whipped cream! Must not be beer.
You appear to all be having the time of your lives! So much fun, education and Christmas spirit!
Hugs to you all.
Lynda
XXOO
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Hey Lynda – it’s been pretty busy this tour. But we’re having enormous fun. The drink is a apple based Gluwein – hot and very alcoholic. It was yummy!
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Longish lunch … let me know if it compares at all to the one we had at that extraordinary hotel in Mumbai? 😉
Yes, walking on ice is amazing. You should try – like we did as kids – skating across the fjord!
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Britta,
That’s ice. I thought it was 1/2 inch of water!
Britta, NOTHING will ever compare to the lunch in Bollywood! That was incredible. In my top five meals around the world!
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Top FIVE??? I’d like to know what the other four are!!!!
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Bill,
I did say Top Five as I didn’t want to sound too over the top about that meal. It was truthfully the best meal and the chocolate – well none could compare!. Jill, Janet, Britta and I used to email about inventing a transporter and all of us meeting up at the JW Bollywood for Sunday brunch. Yes Bill, you were the instigator of my favorite meal. Although it did have some competition. My first eggs benedict and first ever room service was with Dale in Reno about 35 years ago. Very memorable!
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Hmmm – room service with Dale in Reno. As we say in cricket parlance, I’ll let that one go through to the keeper…
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Ah Britta – that lunch in Mumbai has gone down in folklore. Nothing could compare to that! I envy you growing up in a country that has a proper winter, with snow and ice. It really does make this time of the year very special…
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Oh I didn’t know you were gong to get to walk!!? looks lovely! And maybe a needed thing wd and beverage I am seeing pictures of! xo
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Yes, there have been four or five walking days, in amongst the driving. It’s been wonderful to get out into the countryside, and walk in the woods and through the villages. It’s given us a much greater appreciation of this part of Bavaria. And we’ve seen some beautiful sights. We think we might do another Christmas Tour next year…
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