A Quick week in Bavaria

Anna and I made the long-awaited trip to visit her relatives in Germany.  We had a fabulous time in both Bamberg and Bayreuth.  We stayed with Aunt Johanna and Uncle Hans in Bamberg, where Anna was born. Johanna bought fresh bread every morning and served us the famous Bamberger bratwurst! We did all the tourist things: the Old City, the Rose Garden, "Little Venice", the Dom Cathedral (Emperor Heinrich II had the Cathedral constructed in 1002; and it was completed in 1012), and Altenburg Castle.

Oh, did I mention the smoked beer (the original brewery is still there - since 1405)?

Entrance to Old City:

Short video at the entrance to the old city: https://youtu.be/IO_P8BkMKLU

The Rose Garden: https://youtu.be/QDvmpTr7boI

A very brief look at "Little Venice" on the boat ride along the Regnitz river: https://youtu.be/_50TFHLn3NU

DOM Cathedral 

Slideshow inside the Dom:   http://s204.photobucket.com/user/myronfeinstein/slideshow/DOM%20CATHEDRAL%20%20Bamberg%20Germany

Anna's cousin Luvo took us to the highest point in Bamberg, the Altenburg Castle:
https://youtu.be/wPz7xWQThmA

We also visited Levi Strauss’s hometown of Buttenheim.  The house he lived in is now a museum.

Luvo owns a glider repair shop.  Originally, the shop was owned by his dad, "Uncle Hans", and it built gliders. Anna and I toured the shop which now repairs old (wooden) and modern gliders sent from all over the world. And of course he arranged for us to get a glider ride.

Very short video of Anna taking off:
https://youtu.be/6DK-YKuCNPo

Then Luvo took us to his beautiful home where we met the rest of the family - Heike, Ella and Hannes; and Luvo barbecued LOTS of meat. Hannes, who is already taller than his dad, was at tennis and then went to a dance so he's not in the photo.

Next, Anna and I were picked up by another cousin, Hans-Peter, brother of Luvo, and driven to Bayreuth (where Wagner had his own opera house built).  We toured the streets of Bayreuth and then we met the rest of the family, Claudia, Anna and Katia, had coffee and wonderful cake, baked by Claudia, and later went out to dinner.

Wagner Museum:

The next day we had a spectacular breakfast and then did a hike in Franconia (where there is world famous rock climbing) with Hans-Peter and Claudia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBgIkT4435k


Hans-Peter's studio:

Anna had to return to the university:

On our last day, Hans-Peter took us to Nuremburg from where we would take a train to the airport in Frankfurt.  We roamed the streets there and of course ate some of their famous bratwurst.