A Memorably Picturesque Village Not long ago I lived in a small Bavarian village along the Loisach River and which was nestled in the foothills of the German Alps. I remember the very first time I arrived; I was on a Deutsche Regional Bahn. The Regional Bahn is not as fast as the Inter City Express (ICE) trains, but with the beautiful scenery, it didn’t matter. The scenery and landscape distracted me from the constant clanking sound made by the train. “Die Nächste halt, Garmisch-Partenkirchen”, announced the conductor over the intercom as the train glided and wobbled along the track. I had to pry myself from the window to listen again and make sure it was my stop. The scenery as we headed south through the valler was so quaint and peaceful to this pristine village. The train passed over the Loisach River that divides the city Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I entered the city and everything seemed surreal. The crisp blue sky accentuated the snow-capped peaks and the river was nearly full with the winter’s runoff. As the train crept into the station, I thought to myself, “Is this place real?”

My first summer in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was the most memorable. I was surrounded by mountains with lush green slopes and rocky peaks. I had never been hiking, but I was adamant I was going to try it. With several mountains to choose from, I chose the Kramer. Not only did it have the best view of the valley, but it was also the most reasonable choice for a beginning hiker like me. It took six hours to hike to the summit and with the sunset several hours away I decided to set up camp and enjoy the view. When the full moon was out, it traversed from the left to the right along the Austrian Wettersteinwand range and into the Alpspitze and Zugspitze range. As the moon passed over the ridge, it moved out of site with the different size peaks. Finally, it made its full appearance to the night sky. It dramatically peered out from behind the Zugspitze, illuminating its granite wall that plummets into the waters of Lake Eibsee. For a person from a large city, I was amazed at how clear the stars were visible from such an altitude. It was also the first time I had seen fireflies. A person searching for a mountain hideaway that yields beautiful views and peaceful surroundings, I would suggest a visit to this picturesque Alpine village.

I. A Memorable Place

A. Getting to the Alpine village 1. the Loisach River 2. the economy class train ride 3. mountain scenery

B. Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1. surrounded by granite mountains a. Kramerspitze, Zugspitze, Alpspitze, Wankspitze b. Light snow caps 2. green trees / flowing river a. trees line the mountains b. Loisach River full from snow runoff 3. the season of spring a. thickening trees b. people hiking

C. Hiking the Kramer 1. 2,800m hike a. 6 hours to get to the summit b. Panoramic view of valley and to Munich 2. Full Moon a. traversed over Austrian mountain range b. dipped in and out of site c. appeared off the face of the Zugspitze d. the Eibsee Lake 3. Camping out a. stars magnified at the altitude b. peaceful c. fireflies 4. Conclusion a. Wonderful place to relax without distraction