Have Master's Will Travel: Oh Little Town of Oberammergau

A hunting we will go; a hunting we will go; to find nutcracker, to Bavaria we will go!

Anne had been looking for one to add to her nutcracker collection at home, and we decided today was the best day to go in search of her new friend. Not that in barging or anything, but Anne and I have become quite adept at maneuvering train systems in Germany and France! We didn't have much practice in Italy, and we had hosts during our stay in Switzerland, but she and I can pretty much figure out where we want to go and how to get there very quickly.

Such was the case as we made our way to Garmish, a small Bavarian town in southern Germany. We had been told we might find nutcrackers there and when we arrived we headed to the tourist information center to ask about the best place to purchase them. We were told that Oberammergau would likely have them, but it was a town about 45 minutes away by bus. Since we are now becoming very well at managing spontaneous changes to our trip, we walked around Garmish for a few minutes before getting on a bus headed to Oberammergau.

We walked around this small town and enjoyed the sounds of coockoo clocks going off at random "on-the-hour" times (i.e., the clocks were off but reached their top of the hour marks anyway). We also enjoyed some very delicious gelato, courtesy of an Italian man who appeared to be very cautious of his customers. My flavor of the day was Hazelnut, just because I don't think I had it since Heidelberg, which now seems like an eternity ago.

Anne finally found her nutcracker in a small shop away from the tourist section, and with it it hand, we boarded a train back to Munich. Once there, we headed over to a cultural fair that was happening in a big open area reserved for Oktoberfest. It reminded of the Del Mar Fair minis the rides -- yes, I know it isn't called the Del Mar Fair anymore, but I have not kept up with its name so it will be the Del Mar Fair for me until I die (or learn the actual name). There was food from all over the world, and we got to taste a lot of it! We had some marzipan jam at one stand, tried to soothe our stress with calming Moroccan stones, and then we also tried some type of spread. My favorite was the Sicilian spread, and no, it was not a biased decision.

We walked around looking at the many creations, and as I walked around the shops I quickly thought about different item I could get for my loved ones back home. Throughout this trip, I've been searching for the ideal toll gifts to being back home as a token of my appreciation and to show my friends and family that I've missed them as much as I have. I wish they could all come with me in this adventure and this is just a small way to let them know they were always on my mind.

At one point on our walk, I had found a perfect little gift to bring to one of my friends from university, when Anne mentioned that I should also purchase one for myself. I was quick to shoot that idea down, explaining to her that I really wanted most of my spending money to go to what I would take back home to my peeps. As I walked away from that shop, I thought about how my hard earned money would be better spent selflessly, rather than on things for me. Then walked to another shop and found the perfect gift--for my friend. I walked up to the store owner and asked to pay. "Those will be perfect for you," he smiled in what I assumed was his best please-buy-at-my-shop smile. "They're for a friend," I said. I thought he would suggest me purchasing a second item, as any good salesman would do, as I had experienced while buying items in our other visited cities. I remembered the man in Venice, telling me to buy another item for my boyfriend, or the woman in Lyon asking me if I wanted to get my mother-in-law a knitted handkerchief as well as one for me, or the little boy selling shot glasses in Nice telling me my husband would enjoy a "French a Riviera" vodka shot. (Side note: why do all my salespeople experiences revolve around significant others?) Anyway...

What happened next I really can't explain, but it was as if he looked right at me and knew my inner dilemma. "The window to the heart of others must first be opened through the key that holds acceptance for the love they have for you," he said, as he quoted one of my favorite Chilean poets. "Go," he said, handing me the single purchase, "and don't let your heart keep hardening towards yourself." This I had not expected. I was ready to answer with, oh I will get myself something at another place, oh I've already bought too much for myself, anything to shoot down his offer.

Instead of something from his shop, he offered words of wisdom and a quote that is not widely known. I take quote rendez-vous very seriously, as I once met a sailor who had my favorite quote as his signature--blew my mind. Needless to say, I walked away from that shop reminded that in all the chaos of trying to get something for family, I need to remember to love on myself a little. That does not come naturally or easily to me, as I have for very long struggled with making my well-being, both emotionally and physically, a priority. That being said, I'm excited to enjoy the last few days of our European adventure by taking with me the advice of this Chilean author and the shopkeeper to heart. In the words of Donna Meagle, the spunky parks and recreation employee, I'm giving myself the following advice: Nich, it's time to treat yo' self!

Going to a Biergarten tonight, and I'm definitely going to enjoy myself!

Breakfast at Amelie's. Some müstli with flakes and almonds.

Mountains are back in view! This is on our way to Garmish.

Once in Garmish, we found this chocolaterie and inside...

...were really tasty-looking chocolate confections.

On our way to the bus headed for Oberammergau. We roll with the cultured and experienced crowd, Anne and I. I think we were one of the only young tourists in these small towns.

The church at Oberammergau! I don't know why but the rings of this church bell were very lovely to hear. The pitch varied with each ring which makes me think there were several bells involved.

Behind one of the shops in Oberammergau was someone's house. I think one day I will end up like this, with a home in a small town, but I hope there's a bakery and not a shop by my house!