THANKSGIVING - A Little Taste of Turkey

(look closely)



Look at this! A blog entry about something I actually did on the day that I write about it!

A few of us American Young Single Adults and a few of the Germans wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving properly. Thursday was impossible for most of us since it's just a normal work/school day here. And so we decided to do our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday (today!)

We planned carefully and made sure that everyone had an assignment. After inviting missionaries and others we planned on feeding about 30 people.

My responsibility: Pumpkin Pies.

Luckily Sam works at the army base in Garmisch and she was able to procure several items from the commissary there that are otherwise unavailable in Deutschland. For example: canned pumpkin and pie tins.

And so yesterday (Saturday) Sam, Andreas, and I made the pies at the church. Of course the crust is the tricky part, but these turned out well...

Pumpkin to the pie!

Oh YEAH!

We baked the pies and Sam made some dinner rolls and so there was bit less to worry about on Sunday.

On Sunday evening the time for Giving Thanks had arrived. Some worked hard in the kitchen...

And others waited anxiously for the food...

And others Wii-bowled until dinner time (they did dishes later)...

We had four small turkeys which Sam, Sister Robinson, and I carved...

And then it was time to chow down. We did it buffet style...

There was turkey, home-made stuffing, sweet potatoes, fruit salad, beans (boo!), carrots, rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. For dessert: pumpkin pie (with real whipped cream!), apple pie, and a few German goodies. We wanted for nothing...

In the end we came out just right on all the food. Most everyone was stuffed and I even got to come home with a pumpkin pie!

It was a great Thanksgiving, much better than last year's (sick in bed), and it was fun sharing our traditions with our German (and other) friends.


Funny enough, in the kitchen of the church there are about a bazillion bowls and dishes. One day we were washing and drying dishes when I happened to notice the markings on the bottom of one of the dishes.

Look closely...

Apparently this dish was made in the 30's or the 40's. Of course back then it was a common thing to stick that symbol on everyday objects, and dish-manufacturers were no exception.

So Thanksgiving is over. You may now start listening to Christmas music and putting up Christmas decorations if you must.

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OKTOBERFEST 2009!

The great Bavarian festival begins in the latter-half of September and actually extends only a few days into the month of Oktober. I did a hefty investigation of the festivities last year and so I didn't feel a particularly pressing need to spend a lot of time there this year. Also, last year our church was just down the street from the "Wiesn" ("Field") and so I was always passing by on my way to the U-bahn. This year that building is being renovated and so I was not usually in the area.

But with such a big and famous event going on in the city where I live, I felt like I had to at least take one evening and have a look...


The U-bahn was packed full as I got out and ascended to the Oktoberfest grounds...

Security was extra tight this year due to a terrorist threat after the nationwide elections only a week before. Most of Munich was actually a no-fly-zone for three weeks...

But inside, things seemed to be as festive and crazy as usual...

This isn't a great picture because I was trying to be sneaky. This was one of two fights that I saw on the same evening walking through the Wiesn...

I visited the under-renovation church to see how things were coming to find a large police van parked in front blockading the road...

A few days later was Melanie's baptism. It was also the last Saturday of Oktoberfest and several of the Young Single Adults wanted to pay a visit. So later that day after the baptism we met for lunch near the Wiesn and then strolled on over to find it totally packed (but all the more interesting!)...

Casey, Kay, Melanie, and Anna-Lena wanted to ride the Wilde Maus. So they did...

A few "Mädl's" all tuckered out...

Did I mention it was packed?

After the Wilde Maus some of us bought some cotton candy and we walked to the Bavaria Statue for a photo op...

The hill was packed with more tuckered-out Oktoberfesters...

It was a beautiful day and interesting as usual watching the crowds and being in the middle of all the festivities...

But as I mentioned in my last blog entry, the contrast to the peace and beauty of the morning baptism was striking. Oktoberfest is interesting and there are many fun things to do and see, many of them even wholesome and nice, but it does not edify.

So read Lehi's dream once more if you haven't for awhile and then take one more look at the "Great and Spacious Wiesn"...

(these two are photos from last year, but not much was different this year from this height.)

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A Special Autumn Day

October 3:

It was a beautiful Autumn morning. The sky was blue and the air was cool. It couldn't have been a more perfect day for the baptism of one of my friends here in Munich, Melanie.

Melanie began investigating the church earlier this year and was quickly befriended by the group of Young Single Adults here in Munich. Her good spirit, Christlike example, eagerness to learn, and willingness to get involved with all aspects of being a church member even before her baptism, were a great example to all of us long-time church members. I was surprised and honored when she asked me if I would baptize her...

She wanted to be baptized outdoors in a river and after a bit of hunting around Munich for an ideal spot, Melanie and the sister missionaries found out about a member who lived in the suburbs of Munich and had a nice little backyard with a stream running through it.

It could hardly have been a more perfect setting for such a special event.

Friends gathered...

Some of the Young Single Adults and sister missionaries in Munich...

I had given my camera to one of the elders and told him to just take whatever pictures he could of the event. I got my camera back with a lot of good pictures but also a lot of pictures like this...

I had forgotten to bring my sandals for the river and so I had to borrow some women's jelly shoes. My feet barely fit into the shoes, I felt like Cinderella, but it was better than socks...

Friends had all arrived and the time was at hand...

There was a very nice program with some of Melanie's friends giving excellent talks. I started to get sort of nervous, I was afraid the water would be cold, that I would slip and fall, that I would forget the words to the prayer (even though it is short and would be in English as Melanie requested), or that I would drop Melanie in the water and she would go floating away. But as the program began I felt a great feeling of peace and calmness. It would be fine.

So after a song, a prayer, and a couple of short talks it was time to proceed with the ordinance. Melanie hopped right in the stream before I could even get to it to give her a hand. We walked upstream a little bit to a spot just after the footbridge where the bright morning sunlight was shining...

The water was pleasantly cool and the sun was warm. Friends gathered to watch from the banks and the bridge. With the sun in my eyes I raised my right arm and spoke the prayer and then immersed Melanie in the stream...

She emerged cleansed from her sins through her faith and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This was also a symbol of her spiritual rebirth and her commitment to follow Christ.

We walked back to the steps and got out of the water...

We dried off and then concluded the program.

The spirit of peace and love shared by friends that morning was a testimony to the importance and veracity of the ordinance performed.

The following week in church Melanie was given the Gift of the Holy Ghost and ordained a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Some of the sister missionaries who helped teach Melanie...

And another one of the Young Single Adult friends...

It really was a perfect morning.

The afternoon was a complete contrast. After going home and cleaning up, a few of us, including Melanie, went to the Oktoberfest grounds to have a look around and ride some rides. The worldly, hedonistic, and superficial atmosphere there was devoid of the peaceful spirit we had felt that morning. It reminded me strongly of Lehi's vision of the tree of life from the Book of Mormon. That morning we were at the Tree of Life and that afternoon we saw the Great and Spacious Building firsthand. The differences were striking.

But more on Oktoberfest next week...

The good news was that after Oktoberfest we were able to go to the church to watch the Saturday morning session of General Conference live.

It was a good day.

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A Tale of Violins, Dewy Webs, Slapdancing, Trout, and the Bergschwein

September 22:

(be sure to check out last week's entry, if you haven't, so that everything here make's sense.)

I woke up to another foggy morning amidst the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, in a farm house in the town of Wallgau.

I brought the fresh milk and rolls up to the apartment of Sybille and Wolfgang where we enjoyed another good breakfast.

By the time breakfast was over, the sun was out in full force and it looked to be a marvelous day...

We got in the car and drove through the some of the small Bavarian villages. Nearly every old building in these parts has at least several fresco paintings on the walls. Most usually depict some sort of traditional scene...

We drove through the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen where I had been many times before, and then on to the base of Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze.

We bought tickets for the cable tram to the top and then rode it up the north face of the mountain to the top. This was actually my second time on the Zugspitze, having been there a little over a year previous with my friend Alan.

We got to the top and had stunning views in all directions. Though the air was clearer this time than when I was here last, there were still a lot of clouds that formed quickly over the high mountaintops and then blew away. Oftentimes we were completely covered in cloud.

Wolfgang and Sybille on top...

View down to Eibsee where the car was parked...

View to the Austrian side of the Zugspitze...

Is Nate the Bergschwein!?

Here is the very peak of the Zugspitze that one could climb to. I climbed it last time and there were a lot more people this time, so I just enjoyed it from a distance...

It was great...

We took the train down the mountain through the long tunnel, through the forest, and back to Eibsee.

After getting back in the car we drove around and through the mountains into Austria. There was some pretty cool scenery as we drove through the Leutasch Valley to the town of Leutasch...

Sybille and Wolfgang knew of a restaurant where Onkel Rudi often took them next to a trout farm...

We had to wait a little while before the kitchen opened up, but it was no problem relaxing by the pond with the mountains in the not so distant distance...

When the kitchen finally opened we each ordered trout (of course!)...

It was fresh and really tasty...

After eating our fill we drove around a bit more in Austria, visiting the town of Seefeld as the sun started to go behind the mountains...

Around sunset we drove to a really ritzy golf course with some amazing views. It was too dark to get pictures, but it was interesting to see a bit of the course (though more interesting for S&W).

After arriving back to the farmhouse that night I slept well.


The next morning we awoke to fog again, though it quickly disappeared as the sun came out. Sybille and Wolfgang had big plans to play a lot of golf this day. I, on the other hand, decided to go on a hike. Sybille showed me where they had hiked in years previous and with the map and a small lunch in my rucksack I was on my way...

It was a perfectly cool and sunny morning. I left the farmhouse and crossed the Isar river. The dew reflected in the spiderwebs...

As I hiked I listened to Mahler's 6th and 7th symphonies. Mahler was a turn-of-the-century Austrian composer who often reflected nature, particularly the Alps, in his music. He even used cowbells in several of his symphonies. As I was listening I would sometimes hear cowbells, I always had to take the earbud out of my ear for a moment to see if the cowbells were coming from the music or from actual cows (or in some serendipitous moments, both!)

After a few hours I passed by one of the huts at the top of a saddle. I was about halfway to my destination...

My trail led off the main dirt road and followed a narrow path hugging the sides of the rock as it curved around the valley...

Before long I rounded a bend and came on a stunning view of mountains, clouds, and waterfalls...

I continued towards the falls...

I then came over the lip near the waterfalls that led to the basin between high alpine peaks. Here was another mountain hut, the Soiernhaus. This hut was built in 1866 by King Ludwig II who loved to come here to relax...

It was lunchtime and they were serving food. I had brought some food with me so I just ordered a large Apfelschorle (carbonated apple juice) and enjoyed my lunch on their terrace with a fine view of the surrounding mountains...

After lunch I hiked down to the twin Soiern lakes at the bottom of the basin...

The first lake....

The second lake (it was September so the water levels were quite low)...

The jagged peaks above were cool...

I came out of the basin and then found my trail again to take me around the valley...

I passed by the waterfalls again...

...and got one more grand view of where I had come from...

...and then I rounded the bend and continued on my way...

I passed by the hut from earlier that day. Of course in Catholic Bavaria there are many small cross stations depicting Christ on the cross. This one even had its own little yard...

A few hours later I returned to the farmhouse. S&W were still out golfing so I just relaxed in my apartment and went through my photos from the day.


The next day was Thursday and we went to the town of Mittenwald near the Austrian border. I was in Mittenwald nearly a year previous, it is one of my favorite little German towns.

After parking our first stop was to visit the violin makers museum. Mittenwald is famous for its violin making and Mittenwald violins are famous the world-round. Those from Salt Lake might remember driving by Peter Paul Prier's violin studio on 200 s. Herr Prier studied violin making at the exclusive school here in Mittenwald (and is even mentioned inside the museum)...

It was actually a very interesting and well-laid out museum. There were some very creative exhibits. Here is the "workshop"...

Some very old violins. Even Mozart played a Mittenwald violin...

They also make some more exotic instruments here including the Viola d'Amore...

Nothing says "amore" like a viola with a grumpy man on the end...

On one of the main intersections in front of the church in Mittenwald there is a statue of one of the great Mittenwald violin makers...

We wandered around the town a bit...

More artwork on the houses...

A fountain of fresh, cold, drinkable water is always nice to come across...

We drove back to the farmhouse in Wallgau and had a relaxing afternoon and evening. They had some rabbits at the farm and when we had extra rolls that went old we would feed them to the bunnies...

The next day was Friday. We played golf in the morning. I did quite a bit better this time around, though I'm still an abysmal golfer.

That evening we went to a special event in the nearby town of Krün. It was a "Heimabend" or "Home Evening." It consisted of a bunch of locals of all ages in their traditional dress putting on a show of traditional Bavarian music and dance. It was great!

We sat in the main hall of a community center and we ate traditional Bavarian food. Pretty soon we noticed a bunch of kids and teenagers in lederhosen running around getting ready for the show. Here's one boy showing some of the others how to do the moonwalk. It wasn't part of the show, but he was really good at it...

The brass band came out and started to play some Bavarian tunes. There was an MC who spoke with a hearty Bavarian accent and told some jokes...

One of the first numbers was a slapdance but on by the kids. If you watch this video without cracking a smile, then you have no soul..

A women's trio came out and sang a song in Bavarian accompanied by a zitar. They were quite good...

There were several other song and dance numbers. One of the coolest was this quartet with a spoon player. He was excellent...

The adult men also did a slapdance...

The teenagers did a dance as well...

When the kids weren't on stage they had fun running around and watching the other numbers...

Now, I have admit that I was by far the youngest person in the audience that evening. Nearly everyone in attendance had gray hair. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the evening and found it especially authentic because these were not professional musicians and dancers, these were just the locals proud of their heritage and putting on a show for us out-of-towners.

The finale of the evening was the woodcutters' dance. This was almost like a choreographed play, the woodcutters came on stage with a big log, axes, and a saw...

The music started and they danced around the log and the took up cutting tools and started to go to work on the log in rhythm...

At one point they "fall asleep" until one of them comes around with a frying pan and slaps them all on the bum to wake up. Then the go back to cutting.

Finally when the log is sawed in two the dance is finished and they take the two pieces offstage and out the door...

It was a great show, and fun to see the real Bavarian culture.

I was the designated driver going back to Wallgau.


The next day we had a fairly relaxed morning, our final farm breakfast...

And then we packed up and S&W drove me back to my apartment in Munich.

It had been an awesome week with my third-cousins-twice-removed in Bavaria!

Here are some of the places I visited that week. The yellow are places described in my last blog entry and the blue are from this weeks entry. Just click on the marker to see what it is...

View Wallgau in a larger map

"Ah the dewy webs we weave..."

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