Tony, Jim, and Mary Beth pause to admire the snow-capped mountains on one of the best bike rides ever
More than just about any trip we’ve done – or any “segment” of travel when we were nomads – this trip through Bavaria is going to be a bunch of two night stays. Basically our sense was that while we wanted to see Bavaria, there wasn’t going to be a lot to see in each of these towns. Two nights will likely be enough.
So after two nights in Salzburg we crossed the border into Germany to Freilassing, a little town that is basically a exuburb of Salzburg. It’s near where our friend Sven grew up and it’s the location of a great little historic inn run by Tony, an old friend of his, and Tony’s wife Beate. So we made the quick drive there to meet up with Mary Beth & Sven.
Here we are outside Tony’s guesthouse with Sven, Mary Beth, Beate, and Tony. There is documentation that the property has been an inn back to the 13th century, though it’s been in Tony’s family “only” for a bit over a hundred years
So we left. I’m too old to waste my time like that.
Freilassing, though, was a total delight. We got there relatively early and headed out for a beautiful walk on really small country roads. Once Mary Beth and Sven showed up we headed maybe 20 or 30 minutes away to have dinner with Sven’s mother, who still lives in the house he grew up in. And not just Sven: apparently they can document that the property has been in their family for nearly 700 years. Seriously.
The property includes a restaurant that Sven’s family used to run, and it’s where Sven first learned to cook. From there he went off to cooking school, eventually becoming a hotel manager and now one of the world’s top authorities and practitioners in hospital hospitality. And no, that’s not an oxymoron; when he started at his current hospital chain he hired a Michelin-starred chef to create meals and menus for patients. I keep praying to get sick enough to go to his hospital!
Dinner at the family table at what used to be Sven’s family’s restaurant. That’s a still sprightly Erika on the end.
There were two highlights in Freilassing. First up was family-and-friend time, dinner with his mother – who is quite the celebrity at the restaurant on her property – and the next night dinner with a bunch of other friends of Sven’s at the inn where we stayed. Great food, great company. Mark and I both felt genuinely honored to spend time with his friends and mother.
And dinner with Friends of Sven at Tony & Beate’s inn
The other highlight was an 18-mile bike ride we did out around the town. It was a perfect day – temperature in the high-50s or low-60s, nary a cloud to be seen – and Sven’s friend Tony gave us a tour of the back roads that was just stunning. I honestly thought it might be the best short-ish bike ride I’ve ever done.
And here’s what’s really amazing: there were so many Germans out biking on this random Friday in a pretty remote place. I can’t imagine there is any rural place in America where you would find tiny paved roads like this being so well-used by bikers of all ages. As we left Freilassing headed up to Munich, it seemed like every country road had a biking/walking/running lane along side. I asked Sven about it and he just said, yeah, Bavarians are seriously active people. I can confirm that.
Next stop, Munich. Oktoberfest. Yikes!
Mark on our walk on little country roads
It doesn’t look like it but that was a really steep hill Mark climbed. I told hi to wave to his mother, so … Hi Mumpy!
It was lovely to visit Sven’s mother Erika in the home where Sven grew up and where his family has lived since the 14th century. Erika served up the best Apple strudel we’ve ever tasted.
The certificate that documents that Sven’s family has occupied this property since 1333
And apparently no breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack in Bavaria is complete without cakes. These were seriously good.
Sven and Mary Beth at the wonderful lunch halfway through our bike ride