Day 10 - Mittenwald

  This has been a week of slow starts.  I don’t think we’ve gotten out of the house before noon.  And last week we were doing so well!  But James and I are still exhausted and Camille is still very sick so doing less is probably a good thing. 

  This afternoon we went to Mittenwald, a cute little town that features a Klamm (a gorge).  We had a little trouble getting there and ended up in Austria on the other side of the mountain.  That was OK because Austria had a walk along the gorge too although it was longer and higher on the cliff than we were expecting.  But the boys had a great time running along the paths and exploring the walkway.

Mommy and boys on the walkway

Can you see us?  We are very high up!

Will along the Klamm

Will

Friday Family along the gorge

Bridge over the Klamm

  The path along the Klamm had periodic signs which told the story of the Spirit of the Gorge.  Luckily these posts had English as well as German and the boys enjoyed the stories of fairies, goblins and the Spirit.  At one point we found a little cave with a statue whose eyes would glow when someone came near.  Poor Will was really scared of it until we explained that it was just a game.

Grandma and the boys

The scary statue

Jon plays the pipes

Will finds a gong

  To get back to the car, the boys and I took the longer path through the woods so they could have a chance to run.  At one point Will and I got a little ahead and Jon came running to catch up to us saying breathlessly, “I heard goblins behind us!”  The boys also found a bit of rock which they used as a map to show where we had been.  I love their imaginations.

Grandma on the path to the Klamm

Will and Jon run up the path

Will and Jon plot our position on their map

  When we got back to Germany, we took a little walk by the river to see if we could get to the Klamm from the other side.  The walk along the gorge was closed but we had a very pleasant walk (run for the boys) and we all waded in the icy cold water.

My sons love to run.

Jonny

James on the path to the German Klamm

   For dinner we ate at a little Italian restaurant where we were served by the same waiter that James remembered from fifteen years ago.  The food was amazing.  Jon ordered tortellini, but when our food arrived he decided that my gnocchi was better so we had to switch plates.  Not that it mattered because everyone was sharing food.  Will didn’t want to share with anyone but he finished every last bite on his huge plate.  What a great meal!  A thunderstorm came up as we left and we had to run to our car while Will happily sang, “Running in the rain”.

Auf Wiedersehen!