Frozen in Freising

[atuk]

Normally Mrs C and I go to Bavaria annually around her birthday in September however last year was an exception. As I was there earlier in September we opted for the end of November and early December allowing us to visit the Christmas Markets instead of October fest when the. Hotel prices were simply too expensive.

So cue an EDI departure to LHR then onwards to MUC we flew on elderly 320 UI followed by sister airframe UZ to MUC. Landing in a light snowfall should have given us a clue as to what would follow but yours truly was too interested in the stripey 321 parked on an adjacent stand - you’ve got it: Condor blue socks!

Having settled into our usual hotel we made plans for the next few days. Munich was first on the list for the following day with Augsburg the day afterwards. Munich was lovely but crowded whereas Augsburg had all the charm and even more Baroque architecture and on a much smaller scale and easy to navigate around. If you’ve not been there it’s easy to visit and only 50 minutes by train from Munich HbF.

So far, so good.we spent Friday in Freising, a university town near MUC, with a brewery at one end and a Cathedral and Monastery at the other. Like Augsburg it is one of the Prince Bishop towns of the Medieval times. The snow started to fall, lightly but constantly and all the town gritters, roadmen with shovels and shopkeepers were busy keeping their roads and entrance ways clear. Everyone ensured that pavements and roadways were safe and navigable. Cue dinner in the hotel on Friday night with an early start to Salzburg planned the next morning.

We woke up to a white world. A very deep snowbound white world.

Nothing moved and few folks were out and about. We took a taxi to the station to find crowds of folks,no trains, no buses and all roads impassable out of town. Cue a trudge back to the local bakers; hot chocolate and cakes followed by an even more treacherous journey uphill to the hotel. Well that was Saturday scuppered. Mrs C had her embroidery kit and I went to the pool and sauna. Salzburg was off the agenda. But then so were our return flights the next day. I fully realised that nothing was flying or would fly on the Sunday but we expected a return flight on the Monday. No: in came the email- Tuesday instead. I spoke to reception and explained our situation. No problem BA would pay for the hotel and we wee booked in until Tuesday. Sunday saw us attempt to go down town and visit the Cathedral. And pray for a miracle. Tuesday was replaced by Wednesday then Thursday then Saturday.

Thankfully we were able to return on Wednesday, BA did a sterling job and we were rebooked with LH on MUC-FRA-EDI. Thanks goodness I’m familiar with Disruption Transfers and their requirements. By this time we really didn’t care if we flew home via Timbucktoo, we just wanted to get home and catching up on the the things we should have been doing at home from the previous Monday.

LH were in a total mess at MUC as was everyone else but even their staff and airport staff were taken aback at the volume of snow and then the freezing rain which followed. Anyway we were given seats in LH 105 to FRA on elderly 321 AISR followed by 320 ZS operating LH1526 from FRA to EDI. The flights were very good and it was good to see Condor new 330-900s in striped garb even if it was dark and gloomy day in FRA.

Once back in EDI it was over to Ferrytoll to drive our car to Monifieth and hope that we didn’t see snow again for a long time.

[bill]

Nice TR atuk. Mustv'e been some snow right enough if it stopped the Germans. I've been to various parts of Germany quite a few times but always on business, never pleasure. I've vowed to go back to Bavaria for the latter especially Lindau on Lake Constance. Beautiful part of the world.

[atuk]

Nice TR atuk. Mustv'e been some snow right enough if it stopped the Germans. I've been to various parts of Germany quite a few times but always on business, never pleasure. I've vowed to go back to Bavaria for the latter especially Lindau on Lake Constance. Beautiful part of the world.

Thanks Bill. You’d enjoy Germany; good food, beer, scenery and transportation excellent. I haven’t been to Lake Constance but Linda looks lovely - it’s on the bucket list. I remember one Saturday morning in Düsseldorf waiting on the Cologne train which had started much further north going to Constance full of German pensioners on their “Saga Holiday” by rail.