Munich, the Klamm, and other freakishly cool shindiggs

This posting is dusted with photos from a few of my recent excursions - enjoy!

Okay, for those who may not already know... I have the greatest gig ever. I am currently working for the recreation department here at the resort. Today, I walked to work (in the rain) and clocked in around 8am. I then proceeded to get PAID to take a tour of Munich. I have serious reservations concerning the sanity of any person that does not like, nay love, this damn town.

We walked around for about an hour while I tried to contain myself. The architecture is simply amazing. Munich is one of those cities that I have only read about or seen on the travel channel. Now, having been there, I feel like I watched a travel channel special in IMAX... it doesn't seem quite real just yet. I was not able to take my camera because I was "working" but there will certainly be return visits.



I ate at the Hofbrauhaus during my visit. Great food, flawless beer... 'nuff said, as words are wasted in trying to describe the party that took place in my mouth. Afterwards, I had coffee and dessert on the roof-top patio of a cafe. From where I was sitting I could see the booming market, the Glackenspiel in the Marienplatz, and nearly every church in the city. AHHH, words failing me again here, so you will just have to wait until I can post some pictures of this amazing place.

Tangent: This is a look at what I see as I walk/ride to work every day:I love going to work these days...

Yesterday, I had an unexpected day off and decided to go hiking to a place called the Partnachklamm. The Klamm is a gorge that has been carved through a section of the Bavarian Alps. After I emerged from the gorge, I decided that the day was too pretty to be over with and hiked up a mountain and had a beer at the restaurant I found on the top.









The Gorge was impressive





















And the hike was tiring... but certainly worthwile!

Germany!

About a week ago I hopped on my very first plane and landed in Central Europe. The 18hrs spent traveling may prove to be the most anxious and exciting time of my life. Upon walking out of the Munich Airport, the air was cool, crisp, and clean... a welcome change from Charlotte. The bus ride to Garmisch was uneventful, that is until the shadows of the Bavarian Alps came in to view. Luckily enough it was a crystal clear day and I could see every craggy mountain-top in full detail. The other people in the vehicle with me were chatting and passing the time with no regard to the freakish natural beauty around them. Me, I sat silently, head upturned in awe at the treeless mountain tops sprinkled with waterfalls.


My first week has been nothing short of (for me) totally unbelievable. I have already taken a bike ride with my new roomie, Tom. We climbed one of the smaller mountains in Bavaria and visited King Ludwig's castle at Linderhof. On the way back we stopped at a monastery called Etal and enjoyed one of the beers that the monks brew there. On Thursday, only 4 days after my very first time in any country other than the U.S. I went on a tour into Austria and got paid for it. As if that wasn't enough, a few people invited me to Maastrickt, Netherlands for a few days. I accepted, of course. Maastrickt was amazing, as everyone in the city was wearing the most fashionable garb available. I was certainly out of place, not to mention very high... legally!

For the past few days now it has been rainy in Garmisch, and the city is picturesque as ever. This morning I woke up to walk out on my balcony and see that the Alps are now capped in snow... gorgeous!

Pictures will be available soon... and sorry for the long time between posts. This should become a steady thing now that I have settled in a bit.

Auf Wiedesehen!

Oktoberfest here I come!!

I just got in from Washington DC and thought I would share the news: I am soon be leaving for Germany! I had my interview for the position in DC yesterday morning. It went extremely well and I was offered a job... I took it. Now All this left to do is to:

Graduate in August (easy)
Work relentlessly (easy)
Pay off almost everything I can (difficult)
Stash away about 1000 bucks for my first month in Germany (impossible?)

I hate money. I suppose most people who don't have money feel the same way. I really just hope that something as useless and petty as dollars and cents doesn't keep me from this.

It certainly feels very good to actually have a plan though. Ambiguity is hard to live with I have found. Now that I know that the door to Germany is sitting wide open, I only need to be careful not to kick it closed somehow.

Ok I need food.

Wilson's Creek

Due to laziness and lack of time at home lately, these photos are long overdue...


We went to the Wilson's Creek area of the Pisgah National Forest last Sunday


There were more waterfalls and lagoons than you could shake a stick at














For once, it was sunny and the pictures nearly took them selves

Up's and Down's....

Life if full of 'em! Here's an example from recent days:

Wednesday was the first mountain bike race of the season! Woohoo, so I'm cranking around this 15 mile race course in 2nd place and feeling great. That is, until the chain pops off the bike and sets me face first in to the blackest dirt on God's green earth. Enraged at the situation, I actually pick up the bike a run it for about a mile before I found someone with the tools necessary to fix me up. Back on the bike, I end up in 5th place.... out of 5. But I did finish and get some points.

up, down, up-ish

After the race I cheer myself up over the idea of snagging a pizza and watching LOST with the crew. In the Little Caesars' parking lot I shred a tire on some metal monstrosity and change the tire while the pizza cools beyond enjoyable temperatures with the entire staff of CVS looking on. One guy actually said about 10mins into the operation: "Get a flat?"

I pointed at him and in the most candid ass-hole voice I could muster shot back: "you must be the manager"

LOST, once I got home and out of eye-sight of the damn car, was great as usual. I went straight to bed to prepare for a new, better day.

down, up

Untitled April Chowfest

Today is this month's potluck dinner and it promises to be a good one! As always, I am excited to have a day to do absolutely nothing at all.

This past week has been a little hectic. I found out on Wednesday that I had some 12 page journal due on Thursday. Got it done, but it certainly reminded me how I am ready to graduate.

Apart from the spontaneous paper I had to write, I worked the rest of the week away with a few bike rides in between shifts.

I have been listening to the Avett Brother's new album and little else. I love these guys. If you haven't heard of them I strongly encourage you to check them out.

Soon, I will have my mountain bike fully operational and will be racing again. My first race will be this Wednesday and I will post pictures of it as they become available to me.

No pictures in this one however, as I am too lazy

Emotionalism and other fun things

It has been a few weeks since my last posting, but I'm back!

Yesterday, a friend (Dustin) and I went hiking into Linville Gorge. It was a pretty long and tedious hike, but so worth it. The trail was deserted, as it had been raining off and on all day. This was perfect for me! I dont like seeing anyone else on trails - I hike to get away from people.

In any case, we checked out the falls and then headed into the Gorge itself. The hike to the falls was short and easy, so I took the camera along:





These were taken from the trail to and from the falls' area. I always seem to go hiking of the dreariest days possible...











I didn't take the camera down into the gorge because it started snowing. That's right, snowing. The gorge was magnificent! We are planning a camping trip in the near future.

As you get to the river at the bottom, you notice that the valley acts as a wind tunnel and the breeze becomes a gale.

There is a huge rock in the middle of the river that acts as a crossing point with the help of a few primitive log bridges built there. Standing on the rock itself is quite an experience with the rapids on all sides rushing past. I will certainly take the camera next time and let you all see it.


Now, the reason for the "Emotionalism" in the blog title is because it happens to also be the title of the newest album being released by the Avett Brothers on May 15th.

As an intern of a talk radio show that has had and will have the Avetts as guests, I got the CD today! Of course, I will be listening to this for weeks on end. So far I love it, of course.

Please check them out at www.theavettbrothers.com