# T minus 22 hours



## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

Back to the itinerary: April 26

After spending the night at the Hotel Wittelsbach in Oberammergau and enjoying their nice breakfast buffet we were on the road by 9:00 am.



Again I had an itinerary for the day planned in my head and again it all went out the window. Initially I had hoped to go up to the NATO School in Oberammergau to see if I might check out the old WWII underground bunkers that once housed the research facilities for the ME262 jet. The Allies didn't know about their existence until the town was liberated at war's end. On many previous visits to the town I had always seen plenty of directional signs for the school. This time none were to be found as we drove up and down the narrow streets of Oberammergau. A light rain had begun to fall and the temperature was significantly lower than the near 80 degree weather we had had in Munich the day before. It remained cloudy all day but the heavy rains never came.

I soon gave up on that plan and moved on to Plan B. We left the village and headed South toward Ettal then West on St2060 toward Linderhof. All of our previous visits to Mad King Ludwig's hunting lodge had been made in the Winter. This visit we hoped to see the highly praised gardens and grounds of the estate. Hopefully the many fountains that were boxed-up in wood for the Winter would be operating and I might get some pretty photos. When we arrived at the parking lot signs indicated that they would not be opening until 1100 that day due to construction at the reception center.





On to Plan C since I didn't feel like sitting around outside the parking lot for an hour and a half. We continued down St2060 toward Austria. We particularly love this road because we have fond memories of the days when the border between Germany and Austria was guarded. We loved going down the road with a bit of trepidation as we approached the border guards. Usually the German guards would just wave us through as we held up our US passports without even glancing inside our car. The Austrians seemed less happy to welcome us. They would study the passports, ask a few questions and maybe went inside their guardhouse as if there were a problem just to annoy us. We never had our car searched but I had heard of folks that had their suitcases opened, trunks thoroughly examined and seats pulled out when crossing. They might be delayed for hours. The Cold War was a fun time. And the Austrians were on our side...sort of.

This road is fun to drive because it's narrow, deserted and follows the course of the Linder creek. The creek becomes a river during the Spring thaws and we saw evidence of its power all along its banks as tons of gravel and rocks had piled up on the trees and parts of the road. There are plenty of twisty sections as you head through an avalanche zone toward a wildlife preserve. After crossing into Austria this nature park is the home of a wide variety of birds, miniature deer and marmots (?). Today we only saw a couple of black kites circling above. With the ugly weather we opted to continue in the car instead of taking a nature walk along the creek bed. Today we would not get in our 12,000 steps on the Fitbit.



Soon we came by the Plansee, an alpine lake that never seems to warrant a visit by anyone else but us. I think it's emerald green waters nestled below the snow-capped mountains is absolutely breath taking but there is never anyone else on the road when we've visited. In Summer it must be a different story as there are campgrounds and Zimmer Frei signs all around.



Another reason I enjoy this route is that we arrive in Austria without needing the Autobahn Vignette. From the Plansee it is short drive to the town of Reutte. For some reason travel writer Rick Steves is obsessed with Reutte. Back in the 1980's he was recommending it in his Neuschwanstein chapter as the cheaper alternative to accommodations in Füssen, Germany. I can find much cheaper and hotels just as nice closer to Füssen and in towns with more to see and do. One thing Reutte is very good for is cheaper gas. On this excursion we made a quick stop at a Jet gas station that advertised 1.24 for 95 Super which was almost .20 per liter cheaper than the prices in Germany. Sorry, but that adds up when one is on a senior citizen vacation. We only needed 21 liters as we were getting tremendous gas mileage of over 30 mpg according to the BMW's computer.

Of course we had to head back into Germany and on to Neuschwanstein to take the obligatory European Delivery photo. No way was I gonna pay for a highway Vignette to drive the 6 miles from Reutte into Germany. Instead we drove in via the more scenic L396/B17 two lane road which mimicked the Lech river's run through farmlands and mountains. Right at the border there was a scenic overlook with the Lech Falls tumbling just below. We made a quick stop for photos and to view the waterfalls from various angles. It is well worth a stop.







By now the big breakfast had worn off. We found a Lidl store on the outskirts of Füssen where we gathered provisions for our continuing expedition. This was when I discovered the useless cup holders in my 2018 X1. I couldn't fit a medium sized Coke in that tiny space let alone a 32 oz Slurpee back at home. The center console had nothing capable of holding anything more than a 12 ounce can...maybe. Very disappointed. We also picked up some of the food item souvenirs we had promised friends and family. I was amazed by how many people were shopping on a Thursday morning. Does Germany have an unemployment problem?

From here it was on to Neuschwanstein for our new baby's photo op. The place was inundated with buses. We had hoped to stop for awhile to maybe enjoy a beer at one of the restaurants below the castles, but we could barely drive through to the parking lot. Along the way we felt like we were in downtown Beijing. Nearly the entire throng seemed to be vacationing Asians. And most were waiting for the carriage ride halfway up the mountain. People were milling everywhere including the middle of the street. Nearly everyone obliviously posing with selfie stick in hand. Rather than face manslaughter charges and car repairs I decided to get my new car out of there immediately. We headed down the road toward the staging point for BMW ED photos. Fortunately the car was still relatively clean and most of the tourists hadn't discovered this area. But shortly after we stopped and got out to take our pictures, other cars followed and stopped to take theirs. It was crazy.

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Part of my plan for the day was to take a Rodelbahn ride and/or a cable car up the Tegelberg so that we might get a different view of the castles. Naturally the ski area where both operate was closed for the nest two weeks. On to Plan D. After heading away from the Royal Castles we stopped a couple of other times at deserted lay-bys for more photos and no sooner would we stop than another car would follow us and get in our picture. I needed a beer.

Back on the B17 (Romantische Strasse) we drove Northeast to the Wieskirche pilgrimage church. Again there was no one on the road in front of us and we made good time. Here we ran into the first of many pay-to-park lots that didn't used to be there. Not only has the German economy bolstered itself by requiring you to pay to park almost everywhere you go these days, but they are also charging in virtually every bathroom you encounter. Even restaurant toilets aren't necessarily free any more. No wonder the Euro is so high. All the tourists need to get rid of that great German beer and are leaving the facilities a mess. Constant cleaning is necessary. Just as we were putting the stub for our parking ticket on the dash of our car, a bus pulled into the lot. Tourists began to spill out. We nearly sprinted for the tiny little restaurant next to the church-in-the-meadow. We sat and enjoyed our beers and my potato soup until the busload had finished their 20 minute stop at the Wieskirche. Then we were treated to a totally deserted visit of the interior. The inside of this church is exquisite. More pictures then on to the next stop.





I wanted to continue my circular route back through Oberammergau then head South to Ettal monastery followed by ending the evening in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Just outside Oberammergau, right off the B23, my wife spotted a sign for the Sommer Rodelbahn. Despite having some trouble finding exactly where it was we drove into yet another deserted ski area with yet another pay lot. I was reluctant to enter because the place seemed closed but then we saw a group of school kids standing near the ticket booth. We were doubly lucky - not only was this Rodelbahn up and running but the school kids were busy getting yelled at by their teachers when we got to the ticket window. Nothing worse than having a bunch of kids in front of or behind you on one of these rides. They either hold you up on your run or run into your sled as you rocket down the track. I should've known this was a very special Rodelbahn when the cost of two tickets was 22***8364;. We boarded the chairlift with not another soul in sight. I kept looking back to see where the school group might be. Before long I was getting too concerned about the drop below us to worry about who was behind us. I expected maybe a 5 minute ride to the top of the run. Instead it was endless. We just kept ascending. Up up up. Soon we were above the snowline and it was getting very cold. Finally after more than twenty minute we reached the top. After a quick toilet stop (free) we headed over to the start line. These sleds were totally different than any other Rodelbahn or Alpine slides we had taken before. These had seat belts and double brakes. The track wasn't a huge sliding board but more like a roller coaster. And it was incredibly steep. Of course I let my wife go first. The attendant had me wait a full 30 seconds before releasing me to go. Next came the Ride of the Century. It was amazing. My ball cap flew off and I was able to catch it and hold it in my mouth for the rest of the ride. I applied the brakes freely and firmly. It felt like I was doing 60 mph. I wasn't but more than a few times it felt like the back end was coming off the rails. It was a nice long ride with plenty of banked turns, spirals, drops, tunnels and unexpected twists. Well worth the money.







Time for more beer. This will be a common theme from here on out: do something fun for a few minutes then relax with beer for an hour or two. Next stop was in Ettal. At one time I really really loved the Ettal monks' Hefeweizen beer, but my cast iron stomach ain't what it used to be. We stopped at a joint next to the abbey where Gail enjoyed a Dunkel Weizen and I quaffed a half liter of Helles. For most of the trip I stuck with Helles. The few times I strayed I regretted it. I found the Bocks too hoppy and the wheat beers a bit too sweet and cloying. Good old boring Lager is fine with me. After we had been sitting awhile a priest or monk (not Catholic so I have no clue) asked us something in German. When we replied in English that we didn't verstehen he switched over to his limited English and we had a nice little chat where we learned about his experiences as a child just after World War II, his run-ins with US military personnel stationed near his home, our common military experiences, and his affinity for Ham radio. He also told us about Vesper services at the abbey church that would start in a few minutes.







After paying our bill we walked over to the abbey and attended the church service. It was only supposed to be 20 minutes but since it was in Latin and we had no clue what was going on it felt like it lasted an hour. There were two other parishioners in the entire church. When the service ended I was hoping to take some pictures of the magnificent interior but we were quickly chased out by a not so friendly monk. Glad I didn't give an offering.

We went back to the same restaurant we had drunk our beers in and had very tasty and affordable dinners. After praising the chef for the food he comped us each a shot of Schnapps and laughed at our reaction to its taste. We might have stayed longer if we hadn't been the last customers there and the place was about to close. We finished our eventful day with a twilight walk through the streets of Oberammergau. I had never seen the town so empty. Not even in February. It was serene. Church bells tolled every few minutes. The smell of wood mixed with cow manure filled the air. The shops were beautifully decorated and lighted. Best of all, my wife didn't find anything she wanted.


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## akthorp (Jun 16, 2012)

I love reading these travel reports.

I noticed an odd thing on your Neuschwanstein photo. The X1 badge is on the left lower corner of the trunk lift gate. I’ve never seen that on any BMW. The X1 I got on ED 5 months ago has it on the right side just below the window.


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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

I didn't notice that. What I found odd was that the speedometer only showed mph. Most of my recent cars had both mph and kilometers on the analog display. Also saw that almost every BMW I saw in three different countries did not display the model number on the trunk. I once heard that the Europeans have to pay extra to get an emblem.


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## akthorp (Jun 16, 2012)

Gluhwein said:


> I didn't notice that. What I found odd was that the speedometer only showed mph. Most of my recent cars had both mph and kilometers on the analog display. Also saw that almost every BMW I saw in three different countries did not display the model number on the trunk. I once heard that the Europeans have to pay extra to get an emblem.


My speedo has mph and kph. I also notice mine has an x drive 2.8 badge on the front doors and yours doesn't. None of this matters but I'm curious how the same cars built 5 months apart aren't identical. It's as if they were built in different plants or for different markets but that would seem impossible since both were Munich deliveries.


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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

April 27





Another nice quiet rest in Oberammergau. Neither the church bells ringing outside my window nor the cowbells clanging in the distance disturbed me from my slumber. And what followed was another delicious breakfast buffet. These Germans are pros at making the perfect soft-boiled egg. I'm addicted.

Today we had to stick to plan because we had two obligations scheduled. First on the list was an 1130 appointment at Loginout at Munich Airport. Since we would be passing nearby on our way to our next overnight stay in Nürnberg I decided it would be wise to do our shipping paperwork early in order to avoid a rush at the end of our two week trip. Since we had a 0930 flight back home I knew Loginout would not be open early enough to accommodate us then. My concern was that you just never know what traffic was going to be like taking the A95 Autobahn up past Munich city to the airport. My Nav calculated an hour and a half but I decided to allow 2 1/2 hours in case of a Stau somewhere along the line. As it turned-out it took us less than the Nav's prediction. We ended up having to kill time at the airport waiting for Loginout to open and for another American couple to do their paperwork first. The actual transaction took no more than 15 minutes. We gave Kathrin one key, signed a few forms and got out of there by 1145. Not very many US-bound cars in the lot.



Next on our schedule was a tour of the Regensburg BMW plant where my X1 was made. I had arranged for this on my own almost as soon as my car went into production. I had already done the Munich tour, a tour of the Leipzig plant where my 2015 X1 was built and visited the Spartanburg facility when I did my PCD in 2015. I simply went online, booked this tour using my BMW CCA ID (discount) and paid for it with Paypal. When we were back in Munich at the Welt signing all the forms, my Paperwork Lady reached into her desk to give us our tickets for the Munich tour. We said we didn't need them because we had done it before and we were instead going to visit Regensburg. She had a kind of quizzical look that implied "Why?". I wanted to see where my car actually came from. She then pulled out two other tickets that were for Regensburg and gave them to us. I figured I had just wasted $12.00 but no biggie.

The drive to Regensburg took just over an hour. When I booked my plant tour I was sent a confirmation letter advising me to allow for heavy traffic in the area due to construction. We had absolutely no issues. You just never know in Germany. The Autobahns are fine and dandy when they are clear and you can do 100 mph, but you can also end up delayed for hours not moving one inch. This happened to us near Füssen in 2015 and last year just outside Salzburg. For the most part I would be sticking to the back roads on this trip. While my wife dozed I cranked her up to about 110 mph but quickly backed-off. I just don't trust the other guys in front of me. Even when they're Germans. The problem was that many weren't. There are a lot of other visiting Europeans and non-German truck drivers out there. I noticed too many lane straddlers.

The A93 up to Regensburg takes you through some interesting farmland. I saw lots of veggies already growing in the fields - cabbage, lettuce, potato, beets. But most interesting to me was when we entered the Hallertau region. Here was the home of the Hallertau hops which make German beer so perfect. Most of Germany's hops are grown in this geographically tiny area. All along the highway we saw guywires strung up to support the growing hops. At this time of the year they haven't grown much but based on how high those supporting wires stood it looks like they grow at least ten feet high by harvest time.





With some time to kill before our tour, we decided to head into downtown Regensburg. Initially I hoped to find our way to the World's Oldest Sausage Stand along the Danube but traffic in town was a bit heavy and their system of one way streets rather confusing so we headed for the nearest available pay lot. I love the way the Germans and Austrians rather accurately post the number of available parking spaces on big digital signs throughout their cities. We found ample parking in a covered parking lot near the Old City. Not wanting to risk scratching the new car we parked at the very top where no one else would be near us.

We wanted to leave for the Regensburg plant by 1400 just in case the "heavy traffic" was in the vicinity of the BMW Werks. What followed was a rather rushed attempt at finding lunch in the space of less than an hour. The sausage place was blocks away so we rushed up the the nearest street looking for a place to grab a sandwich and beer. Everywhere looked packed. Then we decided we should go to the Kaufhof department store restaurant just as we had done in Munich. They always had a nice selection of food, good beer and most importantly, free toilets. We saw shoppers with bags from there so we knew one would be nearby. We asked for directions in our limited German and learned it was four blocks away. I was a bit winded by the time we found the store's door and ran for the escalators.

The incredible luck we enjoyed on this trip continued. The restaurant was almost empty. I ordered Currywürst and two beers. The beer tap wasn't working but the waiter suggested we head outside to the rooftop area where the beer was flowing. We were doubly rewarded - good beer and an incredible view. Our Franziskaner Dunkelweizens were even more delicious than usual because of the near 80 degree temperature up on the rooftop terrace. I'll let the following pictures tell the rest of the story:







I was getting antsy about making it to the factory tour on time so we sprinted out of Kaufhof and back to the city parking lot. As an extra bonus parking was free because we stayed less than an hour. Germany is the best. Because of the circuitous route we were taking the X1's Nav seemed to be confused about getting us out of the city, but that was only because of the convoluted pattern of one-way and dead end streets around the Old City of Regensburg. We reached the BMW plant with plenty of time to spare.

We had about a twenty minute wait before our tour began. I found it amusing that a pamphleteer from the Communist Workers' Party was standing just outside the company's gates in full view of the rather gruff unhelpful security men sitting in their guardhouse. Just before our tour group was allowed in, a shift change occurred. Scores of workers, men and women, came streaming out through the turnstiles and past the Commie. Most of the workers just ignored him as he tried to hand out literature. The few that grabbed the paper briefly glanced at it then threw it in a nearby trash receptacle. I watched this intently. Not one single employee kept the propaganda sheet. Obviously BMW Arbeiter love capitalism. Once the Exodus from the factory ended we were allowed to walk in past security and up to the reception building. Here we checked in and were given ID tags (not allowed to keep them like in Leipzig), safety goggles and audio guides.

As you all know, there are no photos allowed on these factory tours which is a real shame. The first part of the tour was a nice 10 minute BMW commercial mostly lauding the merits of the new X2 also being produced in Regensburg. When the film concluded one of the check-in girls came up to the two of us and told us that since we had paid for this tour in advance, but not taken the Munich tour that is free for ED patrons, she would process a refund for us. It was only $12.00 but I still thought that was very classy of BMW. Jürgen, the guy who was to be our tour guide overheard this and seemed pleased to know he had some actual BMW owners on this tour. None of the other dozen people in our English tour were Americans. Three were from Poland, two from Thailand, two from Italy, one was a Buddhist monk in full robes and the rest appeared to be from central Europe.

Let it be known I got my 10,000 steps in that day! The Regensburg plant is very spread out and of course, it's very modern and much noisier than the other BMW plants we had toured. There was no safety glass or tour platforms on this tour. We were up close and personal. I won't bore you with all the details but know that we went through the metal press area, the body shop, the paint shop, and the final assembly areas. Two things that really left an impression on me were the fact that when they build an X1 or X2 not every part is created in Regensburg. As they started production on my particular X1 a message was sent to another BMW factory in central Europe where the engine would be built. Within 48 hours the engine was built and shipped to Regensburg. They don't keep inventory laying around.

The other thing that struck me was the seriousness of the workers. Not in the sense that they were automatons but their total dedication and intensity while working. Nobody was standing around the coffee machine while others worked, nobody on their cell phone and no one yucking it up for the tour. The fact that they get breaks frequently each shift helps. They not only have the chance to go eat, but there are stress free zones set aside for them to exercise or meditate while taking a break. They have sports leagues organized by BMW and special vacation packages available when the plant shuts down for retooling. At tour's end we were given free refreshments (no beer).

The tour lasted more than two hours and was probably the most informative of all those I've taken. I'd love to just pull up a chair and watch the workers all day as they add the various components at final assembly. What teamwork. The paint shop is highly entertaining as well. Later in our trip as Mother Nature continually covered my car with fine grains of pollen each day, I was reminded of those robotic spray guns merely misting the car with minute amounts of paint.

We needed to get to Nürnberg where our hotel would be for the next two nights so we hastily downed our soft drinks and returned to our car. There was no souvenir shop at the Regensburg plant nor any free swag to stuff into our ever expanding suitcases. The drive up to Nürnberg was just over an hour once again with not too much traffic along the way. Nürnburg's traffic patterns are also a little odd. It seemed like every time we entered a new city the BMW's Nav would require us to make U-turn. At first I thoughtc*I* was screwing up but some of the roads are simply set-up so that a left turn is impossible and one must drive a bit to the first U-turn intersection.

We had stayed at the Smile Hotel on our 2015 European Delivery. We absolutely loved the place. The proprietors speak excellent English (he worked in a US Army hospital), have a great sense of humor and are extremely helpful in giving advice and directions. Booking.com showed that they were booked-up, but a direct email to the hotel was instantly confirmed for two nights at just over $100 per night with breakfast and free parking.

Once again as I neared the Smile Hotel situated in the middle of a slowly deteriorating Middle Eastern neighborhood I wondered if I had made a mistake. Maybe things had changed in three years. Instead of trying to park on the street I drove straight into the hotel's somewhat hidden courtyard and parked. Our host was waiting for us at the front desk. He showed us to our huge room with kitchenette in the annex off the street and inside the courtyard, offered to let me park my new car in one of their private garages and helped us connect to the WiFi.

 Not the easiest bed to get out of for that midnight pee, but still firm and comfortable
 Our kitchenette which we never used.
 Just one of many "phonebooth" showers we enjoyed this trip.

Naturally it was time to eat and have a beer or two. With our car safely stowed inside our castle walls we walked through the city walls a few hundred yards away and to the banks of the Pegnitz river which divides the historic district from the shopping district in the Altstadt. We returned to our favorite little restaurant, Karl's Brückla (Charles' Bridge). An outdoor table was available. Spargelsuppe, Jägerschnitzel and a couple of Tucher lagers and I was in heaven. My feet were sore and my eyes weary but sitting in the alley way sipping beer and watching the disco ball light show in an apartment across the road made me feel more relaxed than at any other time on this vacation. No more appointments the rest of the trip.




 Unbeknownst to me at the time, the red light district was at the end of this alley


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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

Me530 said:


> Great writeup, I really enjoy living vicariously through these threads and learning new things about Europe. I really miss all the activity on this forum and there used to be new writeups all the time. BMW really messed up ED and Bimmerfest is really lonely compared to the old days.


Thanks. I am really enjoying writing this travelogue as it allows me to relive one of the best vacations I've ever had. I just wish I could type faster and get the stupid pictures posted in an easier way.


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## frank325 (Dec 29, 2005)

Man I hope we get blue skies next week like you've been showing in some of your pictures... the extended forecast for the places we're going, which I should just stop looking at, makes me paranoid.


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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

We were told that the blue skies and warm weather we experienced for the 16 days we were there was unusual, but not exceptional. You might get lucky. Pray for more Global Warming.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

pay toilets crack me up.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Bimmerfest mobile app


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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)




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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

Meanwhile I've been tracking my car's progress, or lack thereof, since drop-off. Three days after leaving her at Munich airport Loginout sent me the bill of lading number, ship name and transport company. I went online to check the K-Line schedules and the Sirius Highway was supposed to arrive in Bremerhavn on May 14 and leave the next day. Using various ship tracking apps I followed the track of the Sirius Highway as she moved toward the North Sea and then on to Bremerhavn. But she has been sitting at anchor just North of the Frisian Islands for 4 days now. Her expected departure from Bremerhavn has been delayed a full week. I wonder if the recent nasty weather in Northern Europe screwed everything up? My car is not expected to reach Brunswick, GA until 22 June. Who knows how long the car might sit there before shipment to the PCD. I leave for Japan June 25 and I won't return until July 5th. Two weeks later we head for Italy and Greece for two weeks. I guess I better ask BMWFS to extend my lease another month or two.

Update: Now the Sirius Highway has appeared in Bremerhavn harbor. Here she is:


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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

April 29

Sundays in Europe can be a tad depressing. Even though the Europeans are even less religiously devoted than us they do still believe in observing the Sabbath. Especially in Germany. Most stores and businesses are closed. Restaurants, hotels and souvenir shops remain open because all the rest of the Germans are out and about enjoying life.. They absolutely love gathering the family to take a ride, or preferably to take a walk in the countryside. Nothing much gets done on Sundays except relaxing.



With this in mind I set up our itinerary to use Sunday for my longest drive of our vacation. Not that the distance from Nürnberg to Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic is especially far, but I planned to take a scenic drive through northern Bavaria to get there. Research recommended either going by way of Amberg, an unspoilt walled medieval fortress town or Bayreuth, famous for native son Richard Wagner and opera. After enjoying another great breakfast and chatting with an older German couple who were bike riding hither and yon this Sunday, we paid our hosts for the room and thanked them for yet another wonderful stay in this historic marvel of a city. I'll take Nürnberg over Munich every day of the week.

As we negotiated our way around the old city walls to head East I still had not decided which of the two towns we would visit along the way. Amberg was directly East of us and Bayreuth ENE. I decided to let the road take us where ever. The Ring Road around the city eventually became the B2. We followed its course and soon began to see yellow signs counting down the distance to Bayreuth. I guess Amberg would just have to wait until the next trip.



As this was a Sunday morning, naturally there were a few little old ladies ahead of us on their way to church. This gave me a number of opportunities to enjoy just how much more power this current X1 had over my 2015 version. I easily got around the slower traffic impeding our way. It might not quite be M version pickup but impressive nonetheless. And from what I could see on the onboard computer, it wasn't effecting gas mileage drastically. Along the way we enjoyed the lush green of the farm fields all around us and started to wonder why the distant hills seemed to have so many yellow dandelions. Spring seemed in full bloom in southern Germany with the blue skies the same hue as the flag of Bavaria. In about an hour and a half we reached Bayreuth.



I'm no opera fan but I do enjoy the many excerpts from Wagner's works that are liberally used in movies and TV shows. I thought seeing where Mad King Ludwig's and Hitler's favorite composer lived and hung out might be interesting. Perhaps a visit to his museum and the opera house might be in order. When we rolled into Bayreuth I immediately looked for directional signs for the "Altstadt" (old city) or "Stadtmitte" (downtown). Meanwhile we kept passing cookie cutter boring modern buildings and vacant lots. When we finally spied a sign for the downtown area we went that way. Here the buildings became even more modern. We passed through a big university campus that had cobble-stoned streets.  But the farther we drove along the ancient looking road the less interesting the surroundings appeared. Consulting both the road signs and my onboard Nav we vainly searched for something of interest. There were a few outdoor cafes open and a handful of folks hiking through town brandishing their walking sticks, but 15 minutes of circling the area revealed no reason to stop. I probably should've done more research regarding what to see and do in Bayreuth but the fact is the place simply looked dull. "Blah". In checking Wikipedia later I learned that more than a third of the town was destroyed in WWII. I immediately assumed that the East Germans must've rebuilt it in their typical pragmatic unaesthetic style but in fact, it was occupied by the Americans at War's end. I was not impressed.



With that waste of time I decided maybe we should simply head East and get to the Czech Republic ASAP. Maybe there would be some interesting towns along the way and possibly even some remnants of the Soviet occupation along the border. The Nav said this would take an hour and a half. The B303 we took was a fairly direct, mildly interesting two lane road to the border. We passed a couple of unexpected castles, quite a few BMW dealerships and acres upon acres of fields with those yellow plants. These turned-out to not be dandelions but something closer to golden rod. It's called "rapeseed" and it's a crop grown for the cooking oil it produces. I guess we call it "canola". It grows everywhere.



Now we come to the dumbest mistake I made during the entire trip. A rookie error. I knew full well that upon entering the Czech Republic I would need to buy a vignette to cover the tolls on the Czech super highways if we used them. In planning the trip I had only taken a cursory look at the route we'd take into CZ. Karlovy Vary looked like it was right on the border with Germany. The roads leading there did not appear to be anything more than two lane thoroughfares like the one we were on coming in from Germany. We blithely crossed the border and came into the Czech Republic without incident. My biggest concern at that point was being stopped by the Czech Policie wanting to check my registration and having to explain the transit license plates. Up ahead I saw a sign indicating that the road became an Autobahn. Just before that a solitary gas station sold vignettes. Guess who didn't have any Czech korunas? I had completely forgotten that they weren't full EU members yet. I had assumed we'd still be using Euros. Not that we had many of them left at this point. I was also in need of gas. The pumps did not accept credit cards. This gas station didn't have a cash machine and I wasn't comfortable trying to ask about them accepting Euros. Plus, did I really want to pay $15 to take the Autobahn less than 10 miles? My Nav system was showing plenty of other roads leading the way to Karlovy Vary just a little further North. If worse came to worst, we could just hit an ATM in Germany and get a few Euro for the vignette.



We reversed course back into Germany then headed North. My Nav was showing me the names of plenty of towns but as we approached them they were nothing more than a scattering of houses with no banks, gas stations or commercial buildings of any sort. We opted to continue North toward the town of "Selb". This was more like it. Selb wasn't an especially quaint little town but there were three gas stations. After putting in 38 liters or around 10 gallons (I knew gas would be cheaper in CZ once we straightened out our currency situation) we tried to find a car wash where I might wash off 5 days of heavy green pollen from my once black car.

We pulled up to the bay of the car wash only to find others were waiting ahead of us. A guy zoomed right into the wash ahead of me. By now I was getting a little irked and pissy. Rather than wait my turn I fumed and left in a hissy fit. We hoped to find another place to spray off the dirt but instead found a big porcelain factory named "Rosenthal". Even I had heard about them. They were a big deal and they had an outlet store. Gail was definitely interested. But this being Sunday it was of course closed. I probably saved a couple hundred dollars and quite a few extra pounds in my luggage by avoiding that temptation.





On this Day of Nonsense and Naïveté we committed the greatest crime yet: we stopped for lunch at McDonald's. *We never eat at McDonald's*. Not even at home. But I was irritable, thirsty and a tad hungry so we stopped for a few minutes. At least they still carried McRib. And I kind of enjoyed eating my fries with mayo. No free refills though. I found it interesting that the high school kids working there in this isolated little town all spoke and understood English. Sitting here now I wonder how I could dare pass up even one genuine German Imbiss and stop at a chain restaurant instead.

Since Selb was right on the border we decided to enter CZ North of Karlovy Vary.. I then followed the road signs toward our spa destination for about 25 minutes. Eventually we returned to that same Autobahn we wanted to avoid. Finally getting smart I set the Nav to avoid toll roads. We were directed back the way we had just come to a road we had passed 15 minutes earlier. When we tried to go down it we saw it was closed with no detour offered. Zooming out on my Nav I located a road that looked like it headed in the direction we needed to go. Once on it I would reset the Nav to take us the rest of the way. This road I took could be better described as a "bike path". Barely wide enough for my X1 it took us through some of the prettiest farmland and ugliest villages I had ever seen. This looked like the Appalachia of Eastern Europe: run down homes with junk in the front yard, kids running around half naked, cars up on cinder blocks, cows and goats in the driveway and no stores that we could see. It looked like what I imagined life would have been like under the Commies. Nobody in Europe seemed to be providing any aid to these poor farm folk. But the countryside was really gorgeous. Miles and miles of that yellow rapeseed everywhere you looked. Wherever there was a stand of trees, nearby would be a huge pile of cut timber. Rarely did a car come toward us and when they did they deferred to us and pulled over. Often as we passed through these pathetic little hamlets we would be routed onto a new road number. Each time I hoped that this meant we would now enter a more primary road but we continued for at least an hour on narrow one lane paths.





Near the town of Sokolov we passed an immense quarry. Here the road widened, probably for the trucks heading to and from the quarry. At first I thought it might be where the material for making porcelain was mined, but apparently this part of the Czech Republic, Sudetenland , once mined iron ore and was the home of many ethnic Germans. It was the region Hitler forced Neville Chamberlain to concede to the Nazis just before the outbreak of World War Two. Hitler needed its resources to build his war machine.

Finally we reached the outskirts of Karlovy Vary. It was here that the BMW Nav system truly shines. It directed us on a looping up and down, back and forth, over and under path through the hilly streets of Karlovy Vary keeping us out of bus and trolley-only lanes enroute to our resort area hotel. When we finally reached the banks of the creek running through the town the Nav system was unable to direct us any further. All around us loomed grand old buildings from the Victorian Age. The opposite side of the waterway dividing the town was a pedestrian-only sidewalk with no access to our little hotel. There were no parking lots or available curbside spots on the traffic side of the "river". We searched in vain on some of the side streets then finally settled on parking in a private parking spot reserved for someone who wasn't around right then. We decided to leave the car there until we checked-in at the hotel and found out where their advertised parking area might be.





It was a short walk to our little hotel tucked away behind the shopping zone and near the funicular that climbed the side of the mountain. When we walked inside there was no reception area. A guest told us to check in at the travel agency next door. That proved interesting as the woman working there knew no English. We conversed in Pigeon Deutsch. We pretended we understood everything she was saying and accepted our key. When we asked about parking she acted like she had never heard such a question before. I told her where we had parked and she said "OK" and didn't offer any more information. Since it was late afternoon on a Sunday I assumed we would be safe leaving the car there until the morning.

Then we walked next door and took the elevator up to the fifth floor. Our room was on the sixth. We decided then that when we went back to the car we would only bring two days worth of clothes and our toiletries back to the room. The Zlatý Sloup (Golden Column) hotel had kind of a Fawlty Towers feel to it as we climbed the stairs to the top floor. Why did the elevator not go to the top? Why were scaffolds and dropcloths on the landing? Why no reception desk? I thought "This is what I get for booking the cheapest in-town hotel". Once we opened the door I congratulated myself for being a booking genius. We had our own apartment all to ourselves. There was a huge bathroom with a bigger than normal telephone booth shower, a kitchen, a dining/living room with a pull-out bed, a separate bedroom and a balcony. We had a full size fridge, a decent flat screen TV and probably the fastest WiFi we experienced during the whole trip. All this for less than $80/per night. The furnishings were rather old but it reminded me of staying at my grandmother's house circa 1965. It would definitely be comfortable.






But we had no time to relax. We were on vacation and sightseeing had to be done. We were soon down along the Tepla riverbank strolling past store after store of designer brands. We took a slight detour to check out the 5 star Grand Hotel Pupp which had its own parking lot. Most of the cars in it were your top end BMWs, Mercedes and Audis with a sprinkling of Jags as well. I almost laughed out loud when we saw a couple of guys dressed in yachting gear (white shoes and ascots) sitting at an outside table. It reminded me of the Two Wild and Crazy Guys from Saturday Night Live a million years ago. The place reeked of snobbery and money. And I was jealous.



We returned to walk along the gauntlet of over-priced shops lining the pedestrian zone. None of this appealed to either of us but watching all the other tourists walking with arms loaded with merchandise intrigued us. First was the fact that all these stores were actually open on a late Sunday afternoon and secondly because all these shoppers seemed to be Russian. They had invaded Karlovy Vary not in the name of communism, but as capitalist pigs buying up all the over-priced Western garbage they could carry home. And the favorite item purchased by the invading hordes? The Karlovy Vary sugar wafer called "Oplatky". As we settled down for dinner at yet another outdoor restaurant we saw scores of tourists with a bag of cookies in one hand and a half eaten wafer in the other walking by.









Once again the dinner wasn't so much about the food choices on the menu but the beer featured at the particular venue. When I saw Budvar (Budweiser) on the menu I was all in. Unlike the American beer with the same name Czech Budweiser is recognized by Zythophiles as one of the world's greatest beers. It was indeed quite delicious after our long day of driving followed by the stress of getting to our hotel. Not my favorite beer ever but it's right up there. Not overly hoppy and without the bitter aftertaste prevalent in today's most popular styles. I had three of them along with my Peasant's Platter of sausage, ham, pork, sauerkraut and boiled potatoes.



After dinner we slowly headed back toward our car via the riverside promenade where we chanced upon a scene out of the movie "Cassanova". Gathered in front of the V***345;ídelní kolonáda or Spring Colonade was an assortment of characters all dressed in 18th Century costumes. Apparently the theme was Baroque Venice because most of the crew donned those cheesy masks one finds for sale in every souvenir shop in Venice. There were quite a few of these posers standing around sucking up all the attention given to them by the enraptured Russian tourists busily snapping photos. Many of the visitors stood alongside the re-enactors taking selfie shots. Those in costume were handed flutes of Champagne by uniformed waiters on the scene. We stood and watched for a few minutes but then started-off to get our things from my car. Just as we got to the other side of the river, Renaissance Faire music started-up. We looked back to the Colonade and saw that a parade was beginning. We hurried back to observe the actors prancing down the street accompanied by three jesters on stilts and a small band of fife and drummers. They proceeded to walk perhaps two hundred yards along the pedestrian path then just as quickly disappeared somewhere. Maybe they headed inside the Grand Hotel Pupp at the end of the Colonade. Instead of watching them we checked to make sure our car was safe and moved it about a block down the street where a building stood under restoration. Safety cones appeared to indicate that this was a no parking area but three other cars were parked there and one big old empty space beckoned me. I eased the car into that space, moved the cones closer to the other cars then grabbed a bag full of clothes and toiletries to take back to our room. I wasn't comfortable leaving the car there but it felt safer than leaving it in someone else's assigned parking space.











Our night ended-up in our grand suite with some catching up with friends and family via the excellent internet. This was followed by a few minutes of watching a ridiculous game show where we had no idea who was the celebrity and who was the contestant off the street. They were supposed to come up with the rest of the words from old Czech pop tunes. It was pathetic. The music they played made ABBA sound progressive.


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## Gluhwein (Aug 21, 2011)

April 30

Today the X1 would get another day off. We would spend our entire day "taking the cure" in the spa town of Karlovy Vary. But first breakfast. Zlatý Sloup didn't offer as big a selection as our German hotels had featured, but it was more than adequate. No soft-boiled eggs but scrambled instead. There were also breakfast sausages and oatmeal to go along with the usual tray of cold cuts and cheese. I left the table satiated.

Lest anyone think I wasn't having a good time here based on my somewhat sarcastic comments regarding our arrival in the Czech Republic, it certainly wasn't that I disliked being here. It's just so different from Germany, especially Bavaria. The Czechs we met in the service industry seemed a rather dour lot. I can't recall any smiling or attempting to be friendly. They seemed so grim. Perhaps dealing with so many former Iron Curtain citizens soured them. Not being around friendly polite folk might leave one a bit grumpy.

Let's just say their Russian visitors certainly have a different conception of manners compared to mine. I didn't hear many "Prostite"s or "Spasibo"s shopping next to them in the stores. After those long cold Russian winters I suppose I can understand their elation at finally being somewhere sunny and warm. But they need to lighten up too. Just because you spend months locked up inside away from the cold doesn't mean you don't need to interact with other humans eventually.

I absolutely loved the Czech beer, food, music, architecture and history. They have endured a lot over the centuries. I think I did my part in bolstering their economy and helping them establish themselves as legitimate players in the European Union.

Outside the hotel our weather was a bit overcast and somewhat chilly. We started our day of exploration with a ride up the funicular to the Diana Tower which overlooks the Tepla river valley.
I've been on a number of these inclined elevator contraptions and have to say this is one of the steepest I remember. It wasn't particularly scary but I did wonder how stringent Czech inspection methods might be.





When we reached the end of the line we felt like the temperature had dropped another 10 degrees. A stiff breeze was also whipping through. We followed some of the other funicular riders to the base of a large brick tower (Diana Tower). Thankfully there was an elevator to the top. From there I think the views over the spa below would normally be spectacular but there was too much fog and a little misty rain hanging over the town. We took a few photos then left. Nearby a zoo was advertised. We went off to look. By now it was getting really chilly. The "zoo" consisted of two ornery pigs, a nasty pony and a couple of goats. None wanted any attention. There was also a peacock wandering around.





With the thought that snow might be on the way any minute we took the funicular back downhill. I was hoping that the thermal waters might warm us up. Up until this time I had been thinking that "taking the cure" in Karlovy Vary involved going to a bath and luxuriating in the hot mineral rich water and/or getting a mud treatment.

Back on the streets of the spa area we decided to first check on my car in its semi-legal parking space. As we walked toward the City Theater where we had left the BMW, I saw an X3 with Munich plates parked in one of those assigned parking spots I had tried the day before. His car had a parking boot or clamp on the driver's side front wheel. Further up the street a crew was already on the scene working at the theater but my car was still there. We nonchalantly walked by. No boot or tickets. The car was covered in more pollen and dust and little cat feet had strutted across the hood, but we didn't slow down as we walked pass. I didn't want someone yelling at me in Czech to move it.



As we continued up the street the sun miraculously appeared. Just ahead of us we could see columns of steam rising from a fountain in front of a large modern building. This was the "Spring Colonnade". It was the biggest and the warmest of the many thermal springs in town. Entering the building I expected to see a big swimming pool or changing rooms. Instead there was a little shop selling these odd flat-sided china mugs. Their were hundreds of different styles and colors but all had the same hollow handle that tapered upward into a straw. What one did in Karlovy Vary was to drink one's ills. Apparently the thermal waters are quite rich in healthy minerals, and maybe some radioactive ones, that can cure everything from headaches to stomach ills to foot pain and everything in between. A patient sees a doctor here in Karlovy Vary and he tells you which fountain to drink from. They all have different properties and temperatures. And they are all free and open to the public. You just have to provide your own drinking vessel. There are souvenir stands all along the promenade selling these porcelain contraptions. Using a plastic water bottle doesn't work well because the water can melt the plastic and leave harmful chemicals behind.





So now our task became one of finding the coolest but cheapest mugs to sample the water. We only needed one because I knew this was gonna taste horrible. I tried the waters at Bath spa in England years ago and nearly puked. I didn't want to get crazy buying an especially nice mug only to have it break on us when taking it home. Something pragmatic would do. First we needed some Czech money. Near the opposite end of the spa promenade lay the real town of Karlovy Vary. We searched a bit for a bank and finally found three next to each other. After getting our funds I suggested we head a little further up the road to the Jan Becher Museum which along with the Diana Tower was supposed to be one of the must-sees.

Becher was the genius who 200 years ago decided to use the therapeutic waters of Karlovy Vary to make booze that would cure you of all your ills. Becherovka is sold throughout the world as a bitter but I never heard of it until I decided to visit Karlovy Vary. Becherovka was run by the Becher family for decades until the Becher father and son were both killed in WWII. When the Russians moved into CZ the company was nationalized. All ethnic Germans from the Sudetenland were stripped of their property and belongings and exiled to the West. Surviving Becher family members moved to Cologne, Germany then began selling a similar liqueur while living in Germany. They called it "Karlsbader Becher". Karlsbader is German for Karlovy (Charles). Lawsuits between the German Becher company and the Czech company in Karlovy Vary ensued. Normalization of relations with the West resulted in an agreement whereby the Becherovka spirits were only produced in Karlovy Vary.



Becherplatz looked to be quite an interesting place featuring a beautifully decorated rustic wood interior with coffee shop, souvenir stands and the entrance to a museum and tasting room. Too bad this was Monday and the museum was closed. The one positive note, besides not having to try the bitter liquor, was that the building also held an intriguing basement restaurant called "Karel IV Pivovar". I know three Czech words, "Prosim" (please), "Dekuji" (thank you) and "Pivo" (beer). Pivo prosim. We knew where we would be eating dinner tonight.


We did some window shopping as we leisurely walked back toward the spa fountains. We chanced upon a bakery making those Oplatky wafer cookies. We stopped at the shop window to watch an unsmiling young lady baking then boxing them. Heading inside we saw the back wall of the bakery stacked with 5 inch square boxes of Oplatky in various flavors. Cinnamon, chocolate, banana, vanilla, hazelnut and even chili. I bought three chocolate wafers fresh off the stove. Then I went outside to a bench where I could sample one. At first my dieting wife wasn't interested. When I took my first bite and she saw the look on my face she asked for a little piece. In a few minutes both of us had finished all three. No wonder the Russians were buying boxes and boxes of them. I discovered later, much to my chagrin, that the boxed ones are nowhere near as tasty as the fresh ones we bought at the bakery.







Back along the promenade we did a careful study of just which mineral water mug to buy. Most featured a picture of the town or the name "Karlovy Vary". Others were shaped like animals, or cars or trucks. I saw a couple with dinosaurs and Smurfs. Some looked like beer steins or bottles. Some had natural scenes painted on them. A few resembled teapots. One looked like a bong. Eventually we decided to go with the "classic" look. We found one with a Delft motif priced at 150 Kc or about $7.00. It looked sturdy enough to survive another week and a half in the bottom of a suitcase.



Near the kiosk where we purchased our souvenir cup was the Pramen Svoboda (didn't he play for the Canadiens and Flyers?). The "Freedom Spring" was underneath a pretty white gazebo. We washed out our little cup, filled it up and found a bench. The mug was definitely hot to the touch. Surprisingly the water was not God-awful. I still made an involuntary disgusted face. It could've used a teabag or a shot of MIO but it wasn't salty or bitter. Better than Perrier I think. We slowly sipped and spent the next hour thoroughly entertained by the procession of other tourists coming up to the fountain and topping off. The crowd ranged in age from as young as three to as old as 90. And not one made that same yucky face that I pulled. No one suddenly jumped and screamed "Eureka" either. No goiters disappeared. No crutches tossed aside. I have my doubts about the efficacy of these healing waters. It sure didn't make the locals a healthy and happy lot, but the show was well worth the price of admission.









By now I was in need of a real drink. It was actually getting rather warm. So much so that I was relegated to having to carry the jacket I so badly needed earlier in the morning. Walking on the opposite side of the little river we passed a couple of creekside al fresco restaurants. I picked the one with the fewest patrons. It turned out to be an Italian restaurant but they served that delicious Budvar beer. The first one went down quickly and smoothly. Then we ordered lunch. On a previous visit to Prague I had really enjoyed the Slovakian sausages called "cevapcici ". Not enclosed in a casing they taste a little like a cross between an American breakfast sausage and meatloaf. But neither this restaurant nor the one we had had dinner at served it. I had to settle for pasta carbonara. It was fine but I regret not squeezing in one more authentic Czech meal. The second Budweiser made up for it.





By now we had pretty well strolled up and down the entire spa section of town five or six times. I decided I really needed to take some Oblatky back home with me. Near the restaurant we found a shop selling a fairly nice selection. We grabbed two boxes of the regulation sized cookies and four of the miniature versions. Once again an unsmiling young lady accepted our money after a couple of long seconds trying to decipher just what coinage we had in our hands. These boxed cookies later turned-out to be much inferior to the fresh ones we had snacked on earlier in the day.

As we made our way back to the area of our hotel we stopped once again inside the Spring Colonnade. Since we now had an authentic cure cup we headed over to the three fountains located in the large lobby. The first fountain spews water straight from the source and served at 163 degrees Fahrenheit. The two other fountains allow the thermal waters to cool to 106 and 86 degrees respectively. Just like Goldilocks and the three bears we found the first one too hot, the third too cool and the middle one just right. Again we took a seat to watch the show go on around us. So many young people looking much healthier than us kept filling up and chugging down this supposedly fabulous elixir. By now I was getting nauseated by just the smell of this sulfurous concoction.





Once that become old we checked once again on the status of our BMW. It was still sitting there in her filthy majesty unticketed and non-booted. We returned to our hotel/apartment where we unloaded our purchases for the day and cleaned-up a bit. We decided to recharge our batteries, both literally and figuratively. I went through and deleted close to half of the hundreds of pictures I had taken so far then worked out our travel plans for the next day. This gave Gail some time to rest before the next meal.

Once again we headed back along the banks of the Tepla past numerous thermal springs. We didn't get to sample each and every one. We'll save that for the next visit. The crowds had thinned out. Apparently most of the day's Russian guests had only come for the day on tour buses out of Prague. There were no costume balls going on tonight. We finally reached the Becherplatz around 7 pm. Down in the basement restaurant the place was packed. European restaurants don't usual have a maître d so we searched on our own for a table. The three that appeared vacant had "reserved" signs on them. Eventually a waiter came over and directed the two of us to a big table with 8 seats. Before we could order our first beers another couple was seated at the opposite end of the table.



After my wife and I ordered our beers in our unique English/German patois the husband at the other side of our table asked us where we were from. The couple were German visitors from Leipzig who had shipped their kids off to Grandma's so that they might have a romantic getaway. The guy was quite a character and kept us laughing for the rest of the meal. He had been a foreign exchange student in Florida back in 1993. He has remained very close with his host family and they alternate visits every year or so. He attends his American high school homecoming every 5 years in September. He entertained us with his stories about skipping school, messing with his teachers, having to deal with American drinking restrictions and the changes that came when the Iron Curtain fell. Like many other stories I've heard, this German said that life under communism was much simpler and less stressful. Everything was taken care of by the state. Freedom meant people had to look for work and prices skyrocketed for the former East Germans. Some lost their homes and property to former West Germans who had legal claims dating back before the division of Germany. But he was quick to add that he was doing fine financially. It was the older generation that suffered.

It was when we told him about our adventures with BMW European Delivery that he really got animated. He was so proud that we bought German cars and bragged that he too had a 1 series BMW convertible that his wife allowed him to drive. Throughout the night we spoke as kindred spirits being fellow members of the BMW fraternity. He wondered if he could go back and live with his host family in Florida for awhile then do an European Delivery. We told him he'd have to leave the car in FL and only use it every 5 years at homecoming. It couldn't be shipped back to Germany.

He apologized to us saying that his wife also knew English but wasn't comfortable speaking it. He said he hadn't practiced his English much lately either. As we drank more beer and got to know each other better his English improved significantly. At the end of dinner his wife also joined in the conversation and was just as good-humored as her husband.

When ordering our beers and food we had been very careful to choose things that would fit in our budget of remaining Czech money. We had 750 koruna (about $28.00) left. Our beer and food was very cheap and by my calculations we were under 700 koruna when our new German friends ordered more beer. I decided to join in by ordering a small beer. Imagine my shock and disappointment when our waiter brought the bill and it totaled 760 koruna. Apparently there was tax or a service charge we were unaware of. It was not a problem to put our bill and the tip I had forgotten about on my credit card, but we had been so careful to try to come in under budget. Had I known I would've bought a round of big beers for all of us.

Our German friends left before us. Meanwhile I had noticed that a group had been seated at one of those "reserved" tables beside ours. From time to time I had heard them jabbering in Russian. One of the women had a very nice designer shirt on and I semi-consciously thought "This must be a wealthy Russian". All of a sudden she came over to our table and in accented, but perfect English asked where we were from. She wanted to know where I had gotten my BMW ball cap that I'd been wearing throughout our trip. She wanted to get one for her husband. We told her about BMW Welt and European Delivery. It turned-out she was from Toronto meeting up with Russian friends here in Karlovy Vary. She was very friendly and chatty. Quite unlike the native Russians we had encountered elsewhere.

It was a long walk back to the hotel but the town was beautifully lighted at night and the streets were nearly deserted. I felt like I was back in another age. I could imagine the splendor and glamour of the town when aristocratic guests arrived by train and stayed in places like the Grand Hotel Pupp for weeks while taking the cure. So many great German and Czech artists had also come to partake of the waters - names like Franz Joseph, Beethoven, Paganini, Chopin, Mozart, Dobrovský, Gogol, Tyl, Barrande, Purkyn, and Freud.


Before long we were back at the hotel. Immediately I switched on the TV to catch the latest game show. The Czech version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" was on. At today's bank buying rate they're only playing for $45,771 but that buys a lot of Budvar and Oplatky. The contestants were a lot more gregarious than their countrymen that I had run into in Karlovy Vary. The audience joined them in the frivolity. Those Czechs were having a great time. It was then that I started thinking that maybe these curative waters have turned the local populace into emotionless zombies.


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