I think Walt Disney was a fan of Bavaria
What makes a place home?
Is it the place where your people originate?
Is it where your friends and family live?
Is it where you work?
Is it where you keep your stuff?
Is it where the sights and smells are familiar?
Is it the place people speak your language?
I recently traveled to what we’ve been jokingly calling the Homeland AKA – Germany.
Previous to that, I’d never been to Germany nor did I have a burning desire to visit – we don’t know anyone there, last I heard they don’t serve cocktails with umbrellas there and it might be a tensy bit expensive. It was my husband that really wanted to, so we did.
I felt strangely at home when I got there. Something about it felt very familiar and home-like. Maybe it’s because my family is originally from Germany and the aesthetic came to the United States with them. Or the food was food I grew up with or that the people all looked vaguely like people I am related to.
In any case, I felt strangely at home somewhere I’d never been before.
For those of you that want to see – a quick trip to the Alps with Hacknbrew:
Day One – Garmish and Partenkirchen
Hello, Bavaria!
The mountains! The architecture! The cute mister!
The gardens!
Flowerboxes everywhere!
Could it be any greener?
Day Two in the Alps: Mittenwald {no, I could not stop calling it “Mitten World”}
The bus/train station - closed for repairs - and yet still beautiful!
There is no such thing as a bad view in Mittenwald.
Meandering meadow walk on the way to the trail UP the mountain.
Me and some random German family that hopped in my photo at the bottom of the mountain. I think they must do this all the time.
The view from just over the Austrian border - did I mention the hike was STEEP? Germans like them some hiking. I wish I would have thought to bring a flask like the guy sitting at a vista point along the way.
The bridge was less scary than I thought and more scary than Jed thought. You do the math.
A beer garden half way down the mountain? YES PLEASE! {PS the cake was mostly for him and the beer mostly for me}
The view. LOOK at the VIEW!!!!
I <3 Mittenwald.
Have you ever found yourself being at home somewhere you’d never been? Tell me about your travel surprises.
Teacher Goes Back to School 
Fab fab fabulous!!!!! Y’all are beautiful, and Germany too.
@erin – thanks sista!
Scratch that, outside of Quebec city, I guess I forgot the drive. Also, according to Wikipedia, it is a “former city” – and now just a neighborhood. ???
There is a little town outside of Montreal (which is also home, but I actually lived there, so doesn’t count) called Sillery. I hope I have the name right. There is a nunnery and you can stay there as a guest. There is a river, one perfect main street with everything you need, and nuns bicycling by with habits flying. I wanted to curl up in my room with a cross and stay forever.
@mads: sounds heavenly {pun *totally* intended}. btw, you give good comment: …with habits flying. LOVE!
Beautiful spot. Yes, the people do look a bit like you. When I visited Terceira, in the Azores I felt the same way about feeling at home. Of course, my parents and brother were born there, so it makes some sense that I would feel that way.
@virginia: thanks for coming by and checking out the pix.
how cool is it that you were able to visit your parents’ birthplace.
Beer, greenery, and cake. This is a recipe for feeling like home! I want to go to Germany!
@copylicious kelly: thank you for stopping by and checking out the bavaria pix! let’s go together! right after belize.