Oberstdorf and more, 28 May 2022

I really didn't feel like going to the rink to watch skating this morning, but we had various friends skating who we did want to watch. I really think another year I will give myself permission not to watch but to enjoy the town! 

Anyway, we didn't need to be there until 11:30 this morning, so we tidied up and got things ready to leave, gave back our Kurkarten and got our deposit back. Then we went to the rink and basically sat and chatted with friends, and and watched the people we wanted to see, and not really those we didn't. We grabbed a roll from the café during a resurface, and later I had a banana. 

Once the last person we wanted to see had finished, we gathered our stuff and went back to the motor home. I refilled our drinking water containers while the SW emptied and refilled things. 

On our way out of town we called in at the Edeka to shop; I wish we'd gone to Lidl, as the latter's range was better and cheaper, and one can pay by card! Oh well, we'll know for next time. 

We got away at about 16:30, and had a wonderfully scenic drive over to Neuschwanstein

and Hohenschwangau

castles, which we could see and photograph from a local church

car park. 

The Swan Whisperer said, too late, too late, that we should have found an overnight stop on that more southerly route to the Achensee, rather than north again to Peiting, and I wish he had said that earlier, because when we got to Peiting the place was full. We could have squeezed in, but we decided not to as if people take too much advantage of what is offered, the privileges could be removed. 

Park4Night found this aire, about 4km away, in a town called Schongau, which is very nice and all found except electricity for €8 per night. Also very crowded, but there is room for us! 

Oberstdorf and more, 27 May 2022

The thing about walking up and down to the rink is that it boosts one's step count enormously! I have been >5k every day since we arrived. Frightfully good for me - I wish it were as easy at home!

This morning I ended up having breakfast in my dressing-gown as the hot water doesn't heat up on "mix" - I think  that is just for the heating we have  not needed so far this holiday. And the Swan Whisperer had a cold shower, which I was not about to do! But after breakfast the water was nicely hot and I showered and dressed and then went to Norma for milk and stuff. I do love the way hens in Germany lay white eggs.

Then to the rink for the first few classes of the day, and then there was a gap in what we wanted to watch, so the SW went for a walk and I went back to Norma to get rolls and stuff for lunch.

After lunch we went back to the rink, but then there was another gap and I persuaded the SW that he didn't really want another walk so we went back to the van and both fell sound asleep! I have stayed here ever since, reading and drowsing and wishing I wanted to watch the livestream, but I don't, so...

The Wohnmobilstellplatz is rammed for the long weekend - I hope we can get out tomorrow! 

Oberstdorf and more, 26 May 2022

Today is Ascension Day, and a public holiday here in Germany, so all the shops are shut but the tourist attractions reopened - not only the posh new Nebelhornbahn, but also scooter hire, a road train round the town, a horse and carriage ditto, and the hang-gliders were out in force.

As has often been the case on Thursdays at Oberstdorf, there was nothing we really wanted to watch until the afternoon, so we spent a quiet morning doing various chores around the van. The Swan Whisperer could have gone for a long walk with our friends, but he was tired and I'm really glad he didn't as I met them coming home and they were exhausted!

We went out to lunch in a local restaurant. The food was delicious, but spoilt by too many flies. The waitress stuck a piece of tape on the end of the table which killed them, but we were still swatting them away every other mouthful. I should say this was out of doors - the weather has been lovely today and it was much too nice to sit inside.

So we didn't have pudding there but walked into the town to the ice cream stall which does sell lovely ones. Then we wandered back to the van - I did get the bus one stop but the SW didn't have a mask with him so he walked up to the bus stop and waited for me. We had about 15 minutes to organise ourselves before heading on.

And that's when I discovered that my new-found fitness had abandoned me; either that or they had made the road up to the rink steeper overnight! Had to stop three times to get my breath - very unimpressed. And after watching the Gold IV and Silver III women's artistic, I realised I wasn't going to be able to stay to watch the dances, which was a real bummer as it is my favourite discipline. So I went back to the van, stopping quite legitimately to talk to friends en route, and have been watching the dances on live stream, wishing I wasn't quite so tired and aching. Tea and chocolate has helped, but I think paracetamol will help more! ☕🍫🍵🦋

Oberstdorf and more, 25 May 2022

Still wet when we got up. But the clouds gradually cleared during the day,

and the next two days are supposed to be fine and dry. 

We went to the rink to watch a couple of friends skate, and then there was a gap, so the Swan Whisperer came back to the motor home to use the services and I went for a walk through the tourist section of the town, which I had not yet visited. Nothing much has changed, although they have moved the wool shop, and some of the shops look newer. Still lots of do-the-tourist places, though, and I was tempted by some wooden fridge magnets shaped like skated with Oberstdorf on them. But at €3 a pop, a bit dear for tossies! 

I got to the station in good time to catch the bus back - getting out at the right stop this time - and then the Swan Whisperer came with me to Norma as I wanted him to carry beer back. Of course, we met up with our longest-standing skating friends and spent too long catching up with them and missed the first couple of skaters we wanted to see! Oh well.

I stayed in the rink for the rest of the day - we grabbed a sandwich from the cafe for lunch - although the SW went for another walk. We sat with our friends for the big Bronze Women III class, and then the SW and I went and had dinner in Zorans, above the rink, sitting with yet more old friends, one of whom had skated in that class.

After which, I had had enough and came back to the van to watch the really good skaters on the livestream, but the SW stayed on to watch them live.

The Nebelhornbahn doesn't open until tomorrow, but they have been running empty all week. This morning this car was sitting quite still above the road - I suppose to test breakdown procedures.