Miesbach, Munich, Bavaria snow, 2003

The first time I saw snow, or perhaps  hale, was in December 1987, in Amsterdam or The Hague, Netherlands. I attended a 3-months political history seminar in Amsterdam that time. The second time I went back to Europe, first in Sweden for my 7-weeks training seminar on sustainable agriculture, then I went back to the Netherlands by bus (via Denmark and north Germany), then I visited my German friend with his Filipina wife in Miesbach, in the southern state of Bavaria, Christian and Astrid Beil.

It was getting cold that time, 3rd week of October 2003, but no snow yet. So Christian brought me to a ski resort in another city in Bavaria. My first time to visit a ski resort, it was awesome. I don't remember its name though. There were no other visitors that time yet, it was not the regular ski season yet, although there was snow in the place a few days earlier.

Like a child, I ran, jumped, lied down, and sat on the remaining snow. I was very happy that moment. See the grin from ear to ear in my face, hahaha.

3rd week of October, there were already frost on the leaves of plants and crops in south Sweden, temperature was falling to around 3 to 5 C but no snow yet. Bavaria being a hilly to mountainous state of Germany, got snow days before I arrived there.

Really very happy to stand and pose on the snow. I did not make a snowman though, just walked through the soft and slippery ice.

After having been acclimatized at the area, I felt that it was not too cold anymore. First I removed my gloves... could endure the cold. Then I removed my thick jacket, could still handle the cold.

Then an idea popped in my head....

I removed my sweater then t-shirts and posed topless, hehe. Just for a minute perhaps, for photos.

I think Christian was laughing as I posed this way and taking my photo.

Sige pahh...

The day before that, Christian picked me up at a bus station in Munich. Then he toured me to some places of the city, including the famous Munich cathedral, the BMW plant, the Olympic stadium, and many more.

Then we went to the Oktoberfest. The real Oktoberfest in Munich.

German music...

German beer. Thanks again, Christian.

See also: 
Trip to Gummersbach, October 26, 2008
Gummersbach, Germany, November 14, 2008
Cologne, Germany, November 14, 2008 
Miesbach, Germany, February 17, 2009

Bavarian Mountain, Germany, March 07, 2012

Beil Family, Miesbach, Germany, December 25, 2012

Gummersbach, Germany, Part 2, October 13, 2013

Salzburg, Austria, February 16, 2009

Kitzsteinhorn ski resort, Austria, February 16, 2009 

Kitzsteinhorn Ski Resort, Austria, June 10, 2012

Beil Family, Miesbach, Germany

I have a very good family friend in Germany, they live in Miesbach in the southern state of Bavaria, Christian Beil and his Filipina wife Astrid, and their two sons Luis and Simon. This family has hosted me twice in their house in Germany, in October 2003 and in November 2008.

Christian briefly worked here in Manila as a consultant for GTZ, then he met Astrid, his officemate, and several Filipino divers. One of such divers, Mark Agaloos, is a good friend of mine, my "best man" actually in my wedding, and he introduced me to Christian and the other divers. I was the only non-diver who used to hang out with the group then, way back in 2000-2001 I think. 

Last week, Christian emailed us and sent these fantastic photos, below, for their Christmas greetings. Simon is probably 11 years old now, Luis is about 6 years old.

The boys are big now, am happy for Christian and Astrid. Miesbach is at the foot of the mountains of Bavaria, so they near the snow area. The boys love the ice.

Upper photo below, I think this is in Salzburg, Austria. Christian brought me there too in 2008.

Look here, a huge lego car, by Hyundai, not BMW or Benz or Audi.

In 2008, after my week long seminar in Gummersbach near Cologne, organized and sponsored by the FNF, I took the train to Miesbach. I arrived there evening. The next day, Christian immediately brought me to a nearby mountain! What could be a one hour hike became nearly two hours as my legs and lungs were in deep rust for such a hike.

And the next day after, Christian brought me to a glacier in Austria, my first and last visit to a glacier! It's 3,029 meters above sea level, much higher than Mt. Apo, the Philippines' highest mountain at around 2,990 meters.

The two boys in November 2008. Lower photo, with Christian's father (leftmost) and mother (between me and Christian) and their friends. I think that was my last day in Germany that time and would fly back to Manila the next day.

Christian, Astrid, thanks again for all the hospitality. See you again here in Manila, or I hope to go back to Germany again in the near future.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays.

See also:

Salzburg, Austria, February 16, 2009

Miesbach, Germany, February 17, 2009

Bavarian Mountain, Germany, March 07, 2012

Kitzsteinhorn Ski Resort, Austria, June 10, 2012

Kitzsteinhorn Ski Resort, Austria

In early November 2008, my German friend Christian Beil and his family, hosted me for the second time in his house in Miesbach, Bavaria, Germany. The first time was in October 2003, when I came from Sweden, then Netherlands, to Germany.

In my second visit, Christian brought me to a glacier in Austria. I have never been to a glacier before, so I was super-super excited for that trip. Here, the base of the ski resort, just outside the parking area. We were going to a place that is more than 3 kilometers above sea level in elevation. Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines, is about 2.9 kilometers high above sea level.

To reach our destination, we have to ride 3 different lines of cable cars. Below, views on the first of 3 cable car rides to the top.

I can't remember now if this is the 1st or 2nd of those 3 cable car rides. Austrian technology in cable cars I heard, is among the best around the world.

A ski shop after the 2nd cable car ride, going to the 3rd and final ride.

And we were climbing higher and higher...

Photos before reaching the summit -- via cable car, not by foot :-)

More photos while inside those cable cars, going up.

Finally, the main structure of the ski resort, I was super-super happy to reach that place then. At. 3,029 meters above sea level. I told Christian that I felt like hungry or tired or dizzy or what, at the top. So I ate and rested for a while. I only realized later that it was sort of an "altitude sickness". At more than 3 kilometers above sea level, oxygen level is low, the heart has to palpitate more, that's why.

It took me about 20 minutes of rest at the top, before I got used to the new environment. Ahh, the chance to walk outside, step on those ice in a glacier -- priceless for someone coming from the tropics.

Stepping on a glacier, one of my most memorable trips last decade.

* See also, Kitzsteinhorn ski resort, Austria, February 16, 2009

Bavarian Mountain, Germany

My German friend who hosted me in his place in Miesbach, Germany, Christian Beil, brought me to a mountain, I forgot its name, but it's not far from his place, also in Bavaria. My legs were so rusted, I have not climbed a mountain for several years before that, I nearly gave up on our way up but I was ashamed to tell Christian that I wanted to go back.

Some of the steep portion of our climb. Fallen trees, most likely due to old age. A mountain house or cottage, upper right.

The house or cottage not far from the summit. Or perhaps it's a backpackers' hotel during summer. Lower right, the other side of the mountain, opposite Munich side.

Ahhh, the summit! I thanked Christian profusely for pushing me then because he already noticed that I was having a hard time walking further. Behind me is a lake and further behind that is Munich city.

More views below the mountain.

On our way back to Miesbach.

I think it was the last mountain that I have climbed since then. Up to now, I haven't climbed a mountain yet, whereas in 1993-95, I used to climb a mountain once every two months on average, I think.

Austria Highway

My photos in my computer could be gathering "rust" now, have to publish them as I may not be able to visit these places again....

After my seminar in Gummersbach, Germany in late October 2008, I visited again my German friend, Christian Beil, and his family (wife Astrid, a Filipina, and their two young sons) in Miesbach, Bavaria, southern Germany, 1st week of November 2008. Christian picked me up at the Munich central train station then brought me to his place, about an hour by car.

It was a nice trip. From Miesbach, me and my co-participants to the seminar were brought to Cologne. Some took the plane out, I took the train. Cologne to Mannheim. It was the regular train that was fast. Then I transferred train for the Mannheim-Munich, this time, the ICE train, and it was running very fast! Should be at 200 to 300 kph on a straight path.

Miesbach is not far from Austrian border. Christian brought me to Austria twice during my 4 days stay in their house. First in Salzburg, famous for the background scene in the movie "Sound of Music", then in a glacier. Below are my photos of the highways between Germany and Austria.

I was fascinated by their fantastic road infrastructure, well in almost all parts of Europe I guess, and other developed countries. Huge trucks and many cars would be whizzing by 24 hours a day on those highways crisscrossing many European countries. Here, the scenes are more mountainous, should be on our way to the glacier.

The white tops of the mountain are not snow, not yet.  These were rocky mountains, no vegetation.

Lots of mountains to see on our way to the glacier.

I am really lucky to have friends like Christian who went out of their way to host and tour me. Heck, he filed for leave in his work, he's a lawyer, just to show me around.

Kitzsteinhorn ski resort, Austria

November 2008

The pinnacle of tour given to me by Christian, is a visit to a glacier in Austria! Upon hearing the word "glacier", my ears clapped like those wide ears of an elephant. I see only glaciers in the movies and tv documentaries, for me to see a real glacier will be a great treat of my life!

Christian brought me to Kitzsteinhorn ski resort, in northern Austria not far from the mountainous areas of Bavaria, Germany. He said it's more than 3,000 meters above sea level, and there are thick snow there.

It's nearly 2 hours from Christian's place in Miesbach, we passed by small towns and winding roads. At first the scene were those of rocky mountains, no vegetation or snow. As we approach the area, snowy mountains began to appear. I was grinning already.

The jump-off point is about 900 meters above sea level already. There's a big and wide parking space for hundreds of cars. The fee in the afternoon, after 2pm, is lower by about Euro 5 compared to morning fees. From the base, we have to take 3 cable rides to reach the top.

The first cable ride was from 900+ meters to around 1,450 meters elevation. There were plenty of cable cars moving, and there are a few pockets of snow on the ground. The second cable ride was from around 1,450 to about 2,500 meters elevation. Here the snow was thicker and plentier. The third cable ride, the cars are big, could take up to 15 people, probably more, and there's a cable car operator riding with us.

I wore 5 layers of clothing, including a winter jacket that Christian lent me. Also a winter glove, but I was only wearing a maong jeans, and a pair of subber shoes! To compensate for my thin rubber shoes, well it's my walking and jogging shoes actually, I wore 2 layers of thick socks.

Upon reaching the landing at the end of the cable ride, it says, "Felhaus Kitzsteinhorn 3,029 m"! Oh my, oh my! I pondered, we climbed Mt. Apo, the Philippines' highest mountain at around 2,990 meters elevation, for 10 hours in 1994, when our legs and lungs were still a lot younger and stronger. Here, I reached more than 3,000 meters and I did not even hike!

But I felt weak at the top, maybe I was hungry and thirsty, I was just tired or sleepy, I didn't know. So we immediately ate our snacks. I got full, but I still felt a bit dizzy. I realized it was the thin air at the top! I moved slowly as I was gasping for some air. I think I was able to adjust to the thin air after about 20 minutes. My pictures at the top though, belied that I was gasping for some air, really awesome feeling to be in a glacier, in a high mountain and all snow around you.

I repeatedly thanked Christian for bringing me to a glacier. It was a great "farewell trip" as I was flying back to Manila the next day. I ponder, I am very lucky to have a friend like him, plus his Filipina wife and 2 handsome sons.