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

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.