Saturday, 6 May

Dolora and I were up early and went to pick up some bread for breakfast. In spite of the weather forecast it looked like it would be another dry day, Nicole and Frank arrived and we had breakfast. Since it looked nice we planned a hike around Hopfensee Lake.

The ride took us towards the Alps. With the Alps in the background we parked the car at Hopfenam See. It is a touristy little town along the lake. We started our four mile hike around Hopfensee. At one point we could see Neuschwanstein Castle in the distance. This is the castle of Mad King Ludwig. Dolora and I had visited this castle with Nicole and Frank on a previous trip. Snow still covers the peaks of the nearby Alps. The second half of the hike included chainsaw sculptures cut into stumps, many dwarfs and animals.

The car was conveniently parked in front of a restaurant that included an ice cream parlor. Unfortunately, I owed Nicole many ice creams as a result of some wagering we have with online chess games so it was my turn to treat. The ice cream made for a nice, sweet lunch.

There was a ride back to Nicole’s apartment to relax for a bit before a trip to the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner. Dinner was some sandwiches and sushi and my final German dark beer. More chatting and coffee after dinner and then it was time for Frank and Nicole to leave. Dolora and I said our goodbyes to Frank since we will not see him in the morning. Nicole will pick us up at 5:30 to go to the airport for the next leg of our journey. Frank and Nicole have been wonderful hosts. Nicole giving up her apartment so we had a place to stay and the both of them providing private guide service. It is so nice to have the opportunity to see and do things that are not the typical tourist activities.

It will be early to bed tonight after a shower and packing.