Up without any haste or rush today in Innsbruck, it is an easy trip of about five hours down the hill, north and east, to Furth-im-Wald in Bavaria, close to the Czech border, in Germany. No fixed schedule of when to get there as Sonja has already reserved our hotel for us.
After breakfast, we did a bit of shopping. We got gifts for Edith and Franz, Sonja's parents whom we will meet, and for 'Schnoofie' their Rottweiler. Simple gifts, like a can of beer for Franz. Wow, big deal, one can of beer. Ahhh, but not just any can. This is a keg, four or five liters, a 'Canadian sized' can of Austrian beer.
Then, finally ready for the road, we fill up the tank and head out, down the highway, out of the Alps. Ssooooo, the Alps huh. Got any snow? No, none, my worst fears unconfirmed yet again. Beautiful weather on this Saturday morning, and all that happened to us was a traffic jam as cars slowed to a crawl just at the Austria / Germany border. The reason never became clear to us as we passed where the jam had been, but the speeds were back up to 130kmh and that's all that mattered.
Leaving the main Innsbruck / Munich highway, we went along regional highway B20, into rural Germany. Lovely countryside, rolling hills as the mountains are behind us now. Farms, large and small, tractors on the road and in the field, small German towns that we pass through, looking pretty and timeless in the sunshine. Very much like Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley, as a matter of fact.
Arrived at Furth-im-Wald in due course, in the late afternoon. We settled into the hotel that Sonja had reserved for us, then went out for dinner just as it was getting dark. We have to meet Sonja's parents tomorrow at 11:00am, they are preparing lunch for us, so we had better find their home before setting out tomorrow. We got to the town square and looked around. Nothing familiar. Phoned Sonja in Chilliwack and she gave us directions. Those lasted a couple of hundred yards, then we had to phone her again. Her final directions worked out, and we found the house. Complete with a Canadian flag draped out of the upstairs window to welcome us. That was so special and made us feel very welcome when so far from home.
Being oriented now, and ready for tomorrow, we hiked back into the town square and went to a restaurant where Sonja used to work. It was an excellent restaurant, with low prices compared to what we are used to, and HUGE portions. Eating like that, how do people stay under three hundred pounds in this country. No arguments from us, but with the beer and wine with dinner, plus the huge quantity (it wouldn't have been polite of us to not clean the plates, Ja?) we waddled as opposed to walked home to the hotel.
It was a great day, excellent weather, a wonderful dinner, and a very pretty little town that Sonja hails from.
But not a good night for Jan and I, too much good food and drink, too late at night. Who's to blame? Only us.
Tomorrow we meet Sonja's parents.
