Southwest Bavaria, Southern Germany
June 30 - July 10

The 60 miles from Salzburg to Munich is filled with rolling fields, forests, swoopy paved roads, and lots of small towns. We spent 10 days in Munich and took several day-trips to the outlying areas. Here's a few sights.

Burghausen is on the far east border on the Salzach river downstream from Salzburg. This river was a major trade route back when salt was a major industrial product (Salz means salt).

This pretty town is dominated by a castle up the hill that was first built by Heinrich XIII, the first Duke of Lower Bavaria, in the late 13th century to control the river traffic. It was expanded by the subsequent dukes through the 15th century until it became a rambling series of fortresses over a kilometer long (the longest castle complex in Europe). Today the castle buildings are used as apartments where school groups and tourists gawk and walk past people's houses.

 Almost every town has a pole that shows the professions of it's citizens. This one in Dorfen is quite busy with figures of teaching, farming, cobbling, machining, auto repair, blacksmithing, butchering, lumber and more down the left side. On the right side we can identify a guy climbing an electric pole, one with a jackhammer, a preacher, one drawing beer from a cask, a woman sewing, a brewer, a baker, a mason, a farrier, and a carpenter.


The Dorfen Rathaus

Just a decorated building in Wasserburg.

Erding isn't a big town but it has a big main square. The Erdinger brewery gasthaus is just behind the photographer below.


The Rathaus.


A fountain praising barley.

 
Trees with rose bushes wrapping their trunks.

On Saturday, July 9th, we went to see the Weihenstephaner brewery in Freising and on the way back came across a sign to Landshut. Remembering there was a brewery there, Bob asked Terry to look it up in the 10-year old beer book. Yep. Then she reads "The longest and most perfectly preserved medieval street (Altstadt) in Europe" and "the tallest brick church tower in Europe at St. Martin's 14th-century church (133 meteres, 436 feet)". The kicker was "Every three years the town stages a huge festival and fancy dress parade (the next one is in 1996) re-enacting a royal wedding of 1475. The town's breweries help celebrate by producing "wedding beer".

Quick math. 2005 is a celebration year. Bob yells "That has to be today", turns the car around, and off we go the 42 kilometers to Landshut. Heck, that's only 25 miles. We pull into town, find Neustadt, a block away paralleling Altstadt of course, immediately find the only parking place within blocks (we are Ostranders after all).

Turns out Bob's right. All 8 blocks of the Altstadt are filled with bleachers that are filled with people watching people in costumes play fanfares, juggle, do acrobatics, sing, tell stories, sell wreathes, and walk back and forth with thousands of people who aren't in costumes - we fit right in.

None of the acts were professional but many were very good, especially the trumpet bands and one set of acrobats that teamed up to walk off with half of them being held upside down - you'll see the picture below. All of them performed at random spots in front of the audience and patiently waited so as not to compete with other acts. Really cool.

At the end of every performance, feat, or fanfare, the audience would, as one, shout "HALLOOO" and applaud vigorously. Most costumes on men included a belt and holster carrying a brass beer cup. Many women wore braided holly wreathes. Charming.


We'll get to the festival but first you need to see Neustadt
and the Trausnitz Castle on top of the hill.


The other way down Neustadt.


Here's the Altstadt, looking north.


And south.


Three different brass bands played fanfares.
Sometimes trading riffs but always waiting for the HALLOOO for the other guys.


These jugglers knocked a cigarette from the woman's lips.
Surely this tradition goes back to 1475.


A great exit.


The church is impressive, and truly tall.


The interior is also impressive
but the supporting towers are painted to look like blocks, it's really plaster.

There's some neat technology around if you notice it.


Adjustable height lights that hang from
the power cord. Probably a code
violation anywhere in the US.


The compact sink trap in our hotel room.


Plastic mesh pressed into dirt keeps it
from being sloppy when wet and allows
grass and moss to grow. The white dots
outline parking places.

Highlight foods:

At the Schweiger Brau Haus in Markt Schwabing. Staciatella Creme auf Walbeerog Hurtsauce. Not exactly a raspberry sherbert with a red sauce that isn't exactly raspberry, cherry, cranberry, or strawberry. Served with pineapple slices under powdered sugar and cinnamon with little red Johnannesberrys.