Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

July 5-7, 2016-

Happy Birthday Jeremy! On the morning of Jeremy's birthday we went into the small, quaint, spa town of Bad Reichenhall and had brunch and explored the Alte Saline, Old salt refinery. Bad Reichenhall is a traditional center of salt production, obtained by evaporating water saturated with salt from brine ponds.

After lunch we headed to Garmisch- Patenkirchen which is right on the border of Germany and Austria. The gorgeous Austrian Alps are the perfect backdrop from any place you stand in the 2 cities. We settled in for a two night stay in the cutest airbnb German style house right in the center of Patenkirchen, walking distance to all attractions. We walked into the Garmischer Zentrum, Garmisch Centre, that evening for dinner and making stops along the way to admire the Oide Kirch, the Old Church, and the newly renovated Church of St. Martin.

After dinner we strolled back down the streets of Garmisch near the city center and heard live music. So we followed the tune and came across a great venue with a outdoor patio that was serving drinks. We sat outside to listen to the music and watch the sunset. They were excellent musicians, very talented, and entertaining with the couples dancing while the music played.

The next morning we ventured out to the Partnach Gorge. A well known hike that starts at the Olympic Ski Stadium. The first ski jump here was built in 1922, initially as the venue for the annual New Year's ski jump. In 1934 a larger jump was built in addition to the smaller one, where the IV Olympic Winter Games were held in 1936. As these two had grown old and worn out the first ski jump in the world ever to be made of steel was built here in 1950. Eventually with the improvements in technology, materials, and technical requirements another new ski jump had to be built in 2007.

The Patnach Gorge was declared a national monument in 1912 with its wild waterfalls, rapids, and ponds. In the past the gorge could only be approached at the risk of your life, but today it offers two safe passages. Right along the water is a path that we walked along this majestic site, used by foresters and hunters in the old days. The gorge is open in the summer and in the winter and is the starting point for numerous hikes as well as mountain tours of the surrounding area.

Made it to the top of the mountain! Barely, lots of switchbacks and elevation gained on our ascent to the top of Eckbauer, 1236 meters... but it was definitely worth these gorgeous views! The kitchen was not open but they did have a a small hut selling sausages and beer.

Date night! Jeremy and I walked down the famous Ludwigstrasse towards Fraundoefer admiring the rows of houses and alleys. It is easy to imagine the history that once lived here, the Romans and the traders walked along the very same trade street. We were in awe of the unique and colorful "Luftlmalereien", a traditional form of facade painting in South Germany and Austria, which depict the patron saints of the people or the profession of the owner of the house.