A Moody Fall Day

The Fall weather is in full swing now as you see from these pictures.  I was gone for almost 3 weeks and came back to Burghausen to a whole new look!

I arrived at the Munich airport at 5:30 in the morning after touching down in a fairly heavy fog.  The two hour taxi ride was very hushed and misty.  The temperatures are now in the 50's during the days and near or below freezing at night.  I am always amazed at how the place "feels."

The street/city sounds were a bit muffled with the damp air and leaves ...all in the coolness...even though there seemed to be even more people out than I remembered seeing in the warm days of Summer. Hats are SO popular here, I've noticed. I guess it is because people spend their lives outdoors and don't just run through it. They need to dress appropriately for it to be comfortable.

 I made these pictures right before noon when the sun decided to peek out a bit through the overcast.

Below:  I got my bike out to go visit a friend after 2pm,

but when she didn't answer the bell at her gate, I ended up taking a bike ride to the castle. (The light was noticably dimmer). There was a touch of wood smoke in the air that seemed very different from what I've been used to in the US - something like sandelwood - kind of spicy. To add to moodiness of the day, everyone (children included) seemed to be talking in quiet tones.

Its very nice to be back. Now I will have to get used to bundling up with a hat, coat and scarf when I go out for a ride.

Deede

Sunday Family Gathering

Sunday the chuch bells rang again at around 9:45AM calling the people of the neighborhood to church as they usually do.  The bells usually chime the hour and quarter hours (So I never have to wonder what time it is!) but at special times they begin ringing and chiming with all the different bells available without stopping for  several minutes. It is a very romantic and charming sound and makes me want to run out into the street to attend services with these people as they pour out of their houses and begin walking toward the church.

At about 11:15 I noticed something a bit different than what is usual and ran to get my camera. There was a family dressed in their finery (mostly black) standing on the sidewalk across from the church waiting for a photographer to take their picture. At the center was a baby carriage. I can only imagine that the 14 or so people were gathered for a christening of a child.  After their picture was snapped, they all began walking down the sidewalk in a group. I lost sight of them after a while, but I guess they were going to someone's home to share a special meal to celebrate the day.  I wonder what delicious German treats they served!

The whole group was so happy and smiling.  There were older people, younger people, kids and grandkids...a very warm and wonderful sight...all from my little apartment window.

The Wohrsee (Lake) in Burghausen

 This is the community "beach" area where everyone goes to swim and sunbathe.

Its a favorite place in the heat of Summer.

There's a great view of the castle above

 

 This is taken pointing back toward the bath house and boat dock from the water

 We rented a row boat...I insisted that Billy paddle me around like we were in an impressionistic painting! LOL

 There was a bit of vegetation in the water; a bit like you can see in our Tennessee lakes.

The age and all the wood.... The bath and boat house reminded me of the set of the movie "Dirty Dancing."  The only thing is...theirs wasn't built into the wall of a medievel castle!

Late Summer at the Burghausen castle

                            

 Here are some various pictures of the castle during a walk I took right before the recent cooler weather set in. You can see that it really does look like a movie set!

Fast Food in Burghausen

 OK...We've been here twice.  The first time was out of curiosity and the next time was when Billy was needing a blast of American comfort!  It's all really very close to what we can get back in The States.

This is the "McCafe" counter that is a separate place to order coffee and desserts. They have the traditional cakes, pastries, and tortes the Germans love so much.  They are beautifully displayed and very fresh. You have to make a special request to have it served on anything but a nice china plate. The coffee is in china also and made by the individual serving. 

This is the only place we've found where ice is automatically served with the drinks! Most drinks are served cool or at room temperature here. I didn't notice how many of the locals opt in for the ice. Though the food is very close to the American version, one major difference is that ketchup is EXTRA!  It's about .20 per packet ...and Billy LOVES his ketchup!