The beautiful Bavarian countryside

Sept 19th, 2015

Today will be one of a very few days we drive a lot of miles, so promptly at 8AM all the RV’s pulled out of their sites with military precision.  Not bad, for the first day out!

Our destination is Feilnbach, a 216 mile drive with a stop and tour at a museum called Outdoor Museum Schliersee in the Bavarian region.

We got back on the Autobahn for several hours with the tour leader giving us the “heads up” on exits and construction with our supplied two-way radios.  It was like having a GPS only better- he is actually right ahead of you, giving you honest “real time” traffic conditions and turn by turn instruction!  Sometimes the heavy German accent could be a problem, but not only will he repeat it, but the gentleman in the rear ( Tail gunner ) will repeat it as well ( with less of a German accent ).

We stopped every hour or so at various rest stops, pulling in one after the other so we could take 10 minutes to stretch or use the restrooms.

Norm admired the large field of Hops ( important ingredient for making beer )

Another of Norm’s dreams was fulfilled today!  Driving on the Autobahn with a 6 speed transmission in the company of Porches, BMW’s,Audi’s and Mercedes Benz’s!  Ah, but one minor detail.  He’s in a fiat motorhome! Not much glory there!

There was no construction on the road today, and we breezed right along never exceeding 120km ( 75mph).  All the high performing, stylish European cars however, zipped past us like we were standing still. Why don’t we make cars like that in the US?  Once in a while we would see a Ford and it would stick out like the proverbial sore thumb!

Off the highway and enjoying the countryside of Bavaria

Such perfect flower boxes.  It didn't cease to amaze me!

When we got off the main highway ( Autobahn)the scenery drastically changed.  We drove through towns where the roads were very narrow ( ahh ha!  THAT’S why these RV’s are so small! ), while marveling at the mountainsides.

Homes were “as advertised” with flowerboxes  overflowing with incredible blooms along the length and sides of the chalet-type structures.  What I could not believe was that every single flower box ( and there may have been 100 of them ) were absolutely picture perfect.  None were sparse, yellowing or had dead spots!

We stopped at the Markus Wasmeier Outdoor Museaum Schliersee which is a 60,000m ( 180,000 sq ft )open-air arena where visitors experience Upper Bavaria’s authentic rural past.  Wesmeier, a German alpine skiing legend, initiated the project with the aim of preserving local culture and traditions.

To do this, twelve Bavarian 18th century historic buildings from the area had been restored and relocated on the museum grounds. There also was a working brewery right on the grounds.  Norm, of course, had to buy a beer as a souvenir!

This building was moved from a short distance away, and was, I believe built in the 1500's !

These rooms were so beautifully re-created

We thoroughly enjoyed a tour given by a woman who explained in detail the difficult lives of the early Bavarians. It was fascinating to hear how they would bring the chickens in to live with them during winter so they were warm and would continue to lay eggs, to how the structure of the homes would bring heat from one room into another, or the rising smoke from the kitchen would smoke meats and vegetables in the room above.

They must have a romantic heart to go to such lengths
as to build a roof over this heart shaped tree trunk!

It was a fascinating hour, and extremely well presented.

We all met in the parking lot at a pre-determined time and left for our campground a short distance away.

Notice the large rocks on the roof?  Since metal nails were so preciously used for tools and weapons, they did not "waste" them in building.  They laid large rocks on top of the thick boards to hold them down.  In winter the deep snow helped insulate the building.