Last week my family and I headed out to Munich, Germany by car. We are glad we did drive because an unexpected heatwave had us heading to the forested Bavarian hills sooner than planned!
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Because this was our first major road trip since our son’s birth, we split it up into half-day drives with plenty of time to stop and stretch our legs. I am so glad we did, otherwise we wouldn’t have discovered Nassau or Heidelberg!
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Our first stop was the tiny hamlet of Nassau, a jewel of a village nestled in the heavily-forested Nassau National Park. It also happened to be ‘birthplace’ of the Dutch Royal family – the Orange-Nassau line. Their first family castle – located on top of a peak surrounded by a thick forest – has been restored to its former glory and can now be visited. It’s a steep yet pleasant walk through the woods to get to the top.
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After two days of exploring nature, we headed off to Munich, Germany.
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The heatwave made walking around the city a bit more tiring than expected, but we were able to see quite a few of the major tourist sites, including Marienplatz, Hofbrauhaus, several beer gardens, and many churches.
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We also found a monument dedicated to the White Rose – a resistance group active during WWII – during our walk to the English Garden.
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The food, wine and beer are truly delicious which made our trip to Bavaria even more pleasurable!
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A major reason for visiting Munich this summer was to do research for two upcoming novels. By sheer coincidence, our hotel was a short walk from the streets and squares I want to use as a main setting for my next Zelda Richardson Mystery (Book 4). If all goes well, it will be out in a few months’ time. 🙂
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After two fun, yet hot days, we took off for Heidelberg. This lovely old city will also feature (briefly) in my next Zelda Richardson mystery. I do love being a writer!
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We spent a wonderful day exploring the Altstadt and riding the Bergbahn – the highlight of this trip for my son! It’s a short train ride straight up the Konigstuhl – a small mountain on the backside of the city. The trip was great and the views breathtaking.
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Our vacation was too short, but a whole lot of fun. I’m glad to have visited Bavaria and look forward to exploring more of the region in the coming years.
Happy travels!
Such great photos!