Day 1c - Fussen

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Out I go in search of the spot that I have been watching for over a year. The Fussen Homepage has a webcam, which has an image burned in my brain as I have looked at this website almost daily for the last year. So, I know it is located on the Reichenstrasse, and I have a map, so I am optimistic that I will find this familiar site. But, before that a quick stop in the Tourist office is needed to inquire on a tour for Wednesday outside of the Fussen area. No luck on the tour - it is only available for groups. But, I can take the public bus to everywhere I want to go, so I will study the bus routes and plan my Wednesday.

Fussen has the architecture that is typical Bavaria - a lot of wood timbering and red tiled roofs. Most of the streets are cobblestone, as are common in small German towns. This is town is fairly well commercialized, with shopping ample for the sightseeing tourist, but there is also a strong merchant community to support the daily needs of the citizens of the town. Aha - I spot the webcam view as well as the webcam - my confirmation that I have arrived in the right town. I can relax and quit being so checklist-driven now (well, that will probably never happen, but I'm really trying to play it by ear here).

I spot a really pretty church and the Rathaus, the Rathaus being the old town hall. My stomach reminds me that I haven't eaten since a light breakfast on the plane, so I spot a bakery and head in. Bakery's (Backereis) in Germany are all over and it is quite common for people to buy fresh bread daily. They also offer sandwiches and pastries and coffee/tea/soda. I have a ham sandwich and Stollen and have a cup of coffee (kaffee). German coffee is absolutely wonderful - nothing pretentious about it. Hot, black and strong, and with a little fresh cream and some sweetener, there is nothing better.

My belly satisfied for the moment, I head back out to explore a little more. It is close to 4:00 in the afternoon, and there a few people out and about. Most tourists I think are exploring the castles or other regions around Fussen, plus it is a Monday vs. a weekend, so I enjoy just having the ability to stroll in and out shops at my leisure. It is almost dark now, as darkness falls here by 4:30 in the afternoon, and the Christmas lights are strung everywhere, turning this charming little town into something from a Courrier and Ives painting - or maybe more of Thomas Kinkade painting with the warming glow of lights. I head back to the hotel for a quick shower, and down to the hotel restaurant for dinner.

The restaurant has 2 areas - a dark wood-paneled room that feels more like an English pub, and a more open room, with lots of windows along the streetside of the hotel. I opt for the latter, and find a table by a window and next to the Christmas tree. In contrast to America, the Germans are not in a hurry with their meals or meal service. Knowing that I will have about an hour at this table, I take the opportunity to log the day's events in my journal in between my courses of salad (baby spinach with a delicious raspberry vinegarette, fresh bacon and homemade croutons), the entree (rumpsteak and pommes frites - sirloin and fries to us) and my after dinner coffee, a few more entries in the journal and back to my room for a needed good night's sleep.

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Photos

Fussen Church
Check out the artwork on this church

Fussen Bakery
Grabbed a sandwich and coffee in this bakery.

Fussen Christmas Market
Small market, but had "wurst" and "gluhwein"....that's all I needed.