The Begleys in Germany: A visit from my family

My last post ended with Lois and myself eagerly looking forward to the arrival of my Mum, Dad and Sister, who were to visit for the second week of the Easter holidays. And as the second week of the Easter break draws to a close, all I can say is what a week it was.

A welcome breakfast

Lois and I welcomed our guests on Saturday morning (my family had arrived in Regensburg on the Friday evening, but after a long day travelling got an early night at the hotel) with a breakfast fit for kings. A fresh fruit salad, bagels, toasts, yogurts, eggs, bacon, cereal ensured their stay in Germany got off to a good start. Welcoming them into my flat was a surreal experience but it was so so nice to finally have them here and show them where I have been living. Being able to chat face to face without technical glitches as experienced on our Skype calls was something I had really missed and chatting and catching up with each other was just simply the best. Fortunately the sun was shining as we caught the bus into Regensburg. We wondered around the city as I explained where and what everything was and it gave them a chance to see, what has been for the past 8 months, my home town. We had a look in the cathedral, which even after all this time, I still find breath taking, I pointed out the famous 'Historische Wurstkuchl', where we bought some of the famous sweet mustard as a souvenir, and also showed them the well-renowned stone bridge. Perhaps the nicest thing to do in Regensburg however is just to stroll through the small little alleys and passageways, which we also did. It didn't take long for Mum and Dad to fall into the German way of things, as we soon found ourselves having the standard afternoon beer sat out in the sun. We took them up one of the church towers which gives a fantastic view over the city and after more exploring, a little shopping, and an obligatory ice cream break, we made our way to L'osteria - A great Italian restaurant in Regensburg, which serves perhaps the biggest pizzas you've ever seen! 3 pizzas were more than enough between the five of us and it was tasty! The restaurant was full and even some of my friendly Year 10 students were there with their football team, which Freya seemed to enjoy ;) We left the restaurant and caught the bus back to mine, said our goodbyes and looked forward to the next day.

On Tuesday morning we hopped in the car and made our way to Eichstätt to see where Lois has been living. Lois and I are making the most of the visit by sending home all our heavy winter clothes in order to make the packing at the end that little bit easier. The car was loaded up with Lois' clothes to be sent home and Lois gave us a tour of her accommodation as well as taking us around the town, which included a cake stop at our favourite café in Eichstätt. Once again the weather was lovely and the park and market square looked beautiful. With much of the afternoon still left we made our way to Augsburg. I had heard that the Augsburg Volksfest had just started so suggested we go and show Mum, Dad and Freya some real Bavarian culture. The festival wasn't well signposted and we actually ended up at a flea market thinking that that was it! I was convinced this was too small and relaxed for an annual beer festival, so we set off again and after asking for directions, successfully reached our destination. The Volksfest is similar to a fair or gala and this was the first day. It was great to see so many people wearing the traditional dress of Lederhosen and Dirndls. We soon found ourselves in a very lively beer tent. Beer was being served by the litre, huge pretzels were being munched by those who had already had a little too much to drink and a band were singing party songs - from chart toppers to German nursery rhymes. The atmosphere was electric so we sat ourselves down to soak it up. It was fantastic for them to experience something like this. A few beers and a pretzel later, we moved on to sample the food. Obviously, since this was a German fair, we had to have Bratwurst. Freya was intent to go on one of the rides and Lois and I were persuaded to go on with her. The ride swung and spun and really went quite high. A good 4 minutes and several stomach churning turns later we hobbled off the ride with the Bratwurst - Beer mix still spinning in my stomach. We left soon after as we had a drive back to Regensburg, but we were all buzzing from our experience and I'm really glad we were able to see so much!

The Begleys in Eichstätt

Eichstätt made a good impression in the sunshine

Dad getting into the German spirit with a 1/2 metre Bratwurst

The beer tent was alive and kicking!

If you look hard enough you can see us!

Monday was Easter Monday and was therefore a national holiday. I'm sure you're now aware that Germany enjoys a nationwide shut-down on Sundays and national holidays but fortunately we learnt that Nuremburg was hosting an Easter Market, so we decided that was our best option. It also gave us the chance to use the train and using the Bayern Ticket meant it was extremely good value. In typical German fashion the train was late (due to hitting an animal on the way to Regensburg believe it or not!) but it didn't dampen our spirits. We soon arrived in Nuremburg and explored the Easter Market which was in the main market square. The market had all sorts of gifts and products and was a hive of activity for a national holiday. Lois and I took Mum, Dad and Freya to the castle which overlooks Nuremburg. It gave us a great view over the city, although I'm pretty sure Dad enjoyed listening to the Czech band playing at the top a lot more than the view. After descending from the castle we made our way outside of the city to visit the former Nazi party rally grounds. To be able to see such an iconic piece of history and be able to actually stand in the spot where Hitler himself once stood was both fascinating and eerie, but was interesting for all. It was here that we also discovered another festival - The Nuremburg Volksfest had also just begun. It was warm, we were tired, so we enjoyed another beer break at the bustling festival before going back to the city for our evening meal. The train back was fortunately on time and we were soon back in Regensburg.

 

On Tuesday we once again found ourselves spending the day in Regensburg. Dads car had been experiencing a few issues and with plenty of miles still to travel, we decided it was best to get it checked out. And since Germany are so well known for their quality cars, why not make the most of being here! We took the car to the mechanics in the morning and after a few hours waiting around and some friendly German hospitality consisting of free coffee, we were given the all clear and made our way to the city. We did some shopping at the modern shopping centre before sampling some typically German food in the form of 'Döner Kebaps' and Leberkäse Sandwiches for lunch. Then it was back to the old part of the city to soak up the atmosphere as well as the sun. Mum and Dad enjoyed browsing in some of the more luxurious shops the city offers whilst Freya, in typical girly fashion, bought herself some shoes. The sun was energy sapping so by the time tea time came around we were all ready for it. Tuesdays venue for our evening meal was mine and Lois' favourite Mexican restaurant - Margaritas. We enjoyed a full round of cocktails (it was happy hour after all) before Nachos to start and then five huge main meals. As a little surprise at the end, we were given five free shots of Tequila. Mum was driving and Freya is too young, so being the good souls we are, Dad, Lois and I had the five shots between us. I never expected to be doing Tequila Slammers with my family on their visit to Germany! The food at Margaritas lived up to expectation as always and it was really nice to show my family where Lois and I often eat. We were left the restaurant full up and had an early night in preparation for our next busy day.

Thursday was set to be a long day as we decided to visit the famous Neuschwannstein Castle in the deep south of Bavaria. With a 3 hour drive ahead of us, we were up and out early doors. Mum did her stint as driver and got us there in great time. Neuschwannstein Castle is in the foothills of the Alps in Füssen. You can see on a map that it lies almost directly on the border between Austria and Germany but it's definitely worth the drive. I had been before with Lois and her family when they visited and it was just as spectacular the second time around. Fortunately we had booked tickets for our tour inside the castle, so managed to avoid the huge queue that had formed. We picked up our tickets, took a deep breath and began the steep, one mile walk up to the castle. Freya and Dad stormed ahead leaving Lois, Mum and myself to sweat it out at the back. Once at the top we made our way to Marienbrücke which offers the best vantage point of the castle. It was here that Lois and I had a very important task to fulfil. Several months ago I bought a lovelock for us and we decided that this is the spot we would like to put it. We locked it around the bridge, shared a kiss and threw our keys into the gushing water below. It was so special and just how I imagined it. The lock looks striking with the view of the castle in the background and the thought that our love is forever sealed at this beautiful place, with such a magical castle in the background, is a very warming thought indeed (no matter how soppy I sound) After our little romantic moment and the obligatory picture taking we proceeded across the bridge to a 'secret' woodland opening which offers even better views of the castle. It was now lunch time and with our packed lunch in hand, what better place than this to enjoy our sandwiches. It was so cool eating our lunch with such a spectacular view - a definite once in a lifetime moment that I'm really glad I could share with my family. We made our way back to the castle entrance and after a quick refreshing drink at one of the restaurants located close to the top, we entered the castle for our tour. I had never been in the castle and it was really interesting to be able to see this part of it. We were told stories of each room and given interesting information about King Ludwig, the owner and only inhabitant of the castle. The castle was as expected lavishly decorated and bigger than I thought it would be. The views that can be seen from many of the rooms mean this castle is totally unique and if not the most, one of the most, wonderful castles in the world. With our tour complete and after seeing the castle from almost every angle possible we made our way back to the car and then drove into the serene town of Füssen for our evening meal. Füssen is, in itself, a beautiful town, yet the castle located on the hillside just above the town steals most of the attention. It was evening so we didn't get much chance to explore this pretty little place but we did have chance to enjoy some Bavarian food in the form of Schnitzels at a cosy restaurant. As we made our way home we enjoyed the stunning views of the Alps and alpine lakes for the last time and another super day, which included several unparalleled experiences, was over.

Our lovelock

 

A picturesque picnic

 

This was the view we had from our picnic vantage point

Thursday was the final day in the stay of my family and we had planned to go to Munich, my favourite German city. Again we went on the train (Mum, Dad and Freya were far too excited about being on the upper deck of a train!) and this time, it was on time. The sun was blazing and we were all looking forward to another day in a city. Our first point of call was however something a little more sombre. Dad and Freya were keen to visit Dachau, the concentration camp located just outside of Munich. We spent the morning here and although it was mine and Lois' second visit, all of us found it very interesting. The hot weather and bright sunshine made it hard to imagine the atrocities that took place there. The amount of information that is available is staggering and far too much even for a whole day, so unfortunately we had to brush over a lot of it. I'm glad we visited as I think it really gives an unmatchable insight into such a difficult part of history and something that can only be done here on the continent and something that books or films in England just can't compare to. Once we dragged Dad away we then made our way to Munich. Everyone was blown away by the magnificence and beauty of Marienplatz, the very centre of Munich, as well as many more of the 'German-esque' buildings. We enjoyed delicious ice cream and a refreshing drink before splitting up to explore the city. Mum and Dad enjoyed looking along the expensive Maximillian Straße whilst Freya enjoyed the fact that there are 5 H & M shops all within walking distance of each other! After being entertained by some typical Bavarian knee slapping and spoon tapping in Marienplatz, we made our way to the central institution in Munich - the world famous Hofbräuhaus. No other beer hall can compare and if you want real Germany, this is the place to come. As we entered the band was already playing the typical German beer hall songs and we sat ourselves down in close vicinity and got into the spirit with a huge one litre 'maß' each and some typical Bavarian food of 'Schweineshaxn' , 'Schweinebraten', 'Spätzle' and 'Brathendl'. It was delicious and the atmosphere was incredible and my family loved it. Yes, it is a little touristy but I think it's great and you simply have to visit if in Munich. This was the perfect end to a fantastic week.

'ARBEIT MACHT FREI' on the gates into Dachau

The town hall in Marienplatz looked amazing in the sun



Bavarian food all round!

The Hofbräuhaus is a must in Munich!

On Friday morning we said our goodbyes as I filled the remaining space in the car (Mum and Dad had bought a crate of German beer to take home amongst other souvenirs) with my winter clothes and anything else I can survive without for the next 6 weeks. It was hard seeing them leave, especially since the week went so fast, but knowing I will see them again in just over a month makes it a lot easier. The week was incredible and I wouldn't have changed anything. I had been counting down to this week for so long and it definitely didn't disappoint. I really feel they got to experience 'real' Germany and they were able to learn a lot. Being able to show them where I've been living and the country I've been living in meant a lot to me too. Me and Lois are used to life here now, but having guests from home made us realise just how cool many parts of German culture are and we've come to appreciate these things again. Being able to order in German for a family and ask questions when needed also gave me a new found confidence in my speaking ability.

One of the other highlights of a visit from home

The weekend that followed didn't consist of much. We spent the time recovering from our busy week and finalising the last bits of our essay ready for submission during the week (boy, that's a relief!). This also marks the end of our 2 week Easter break. It's gone fast but at the same time it feels like we have done so much! We've both agreed that this has been the best two weeks of our Year Abroad so far. But now it's back to what we came here to do. We only have 5 weeks left in our schools, which isn't long at all and I know this will go fast. The home run has begun!

Until next time,

Tschüß