Touring Bavaria in an Electric Car
Buongiorno,
We are making preparations for a drive into Bavaria and lower Austria, We spend some time researching our target stops, so that our trip will be full of interesting things to do, see and taste. One of the benefits of living in the Veneto is that we live close to other countries so that it is easy to cross the border and find places quite different from Italy.
This morning I worked on our first area near Rettenberg, Germany. Google is a big help, showing me highlighted historical castles and high up views. There is also the usual info about towns, and historical places. Using "directions" we can know how long certain routes will take us, by car, bus, train or even walking. Now google notes charging stations to be found for electric car owners. Google helped me find Frankenstein Castle on our last visit to Germany. Some of this modern technical help is quite amazing.
 |
| One of them |
We have been to Rettenberg before to visit our friends and they took us to an awesome bakery which also had breakfast items. We found it on google maps and then looked for an electric charging station nearby. One is two minutes walking, so our car gets a charge while we will go back to enjoy the bakery goodies. You know it takes about an hour to charge these electric vehicles. There is nothing exciting about sitting in a car for an hour while on vacation. You young people, this is what you will be doing instead of a five minute stop for gas. Hydrogen would be so much better than electric, but the oil corporations did their job in convincing governments to push electric.
And while I am complaining I should point out to you another major fact. (My wife's company provides our car so we had no say in electric or hybrid) The major fact we found is that if there is an accident where the air bags are used, the doors and windows are automatically locked shut. You are not able to open a window and crawling out. You are not able to open any doors, and as pointed out to us in a video, the windows are not easy to break open. We saw a big hammer used with no results. Supposedly all manufacturers have this problem for users of their vehicles. Imagine the battery catches fire and the doors and windows are locked shut. They have turned off the electricity for useage. We have purchased a small device to break a window, let's hope it works!
Fueling Up...
Google also provides info to find charging stations that includes the type of power available for a charge. This place had three choices. The smallest charge will be cheaper, but not nearly as fast. My wife charges her car at work and it is on small charge, and I believe it takes her a full work day of time.
I wonder if I will ever get used to sitting an hour to recharge on fast charge. BTW, a usual trip to Croatia that would make us stop once to fill the gas tank to come home, now will take 3 stops. Germany and Austria will be many more.
Once you leave Pasta Land and cross the border into Bavaria the cuisine makes a big change. My wife will endure it as she does not like heavy food. To help her survive, I did some searching and found a highly rated Indian restaurant near our rented house. We both like Indian cuisine and in Germany they do make it spicy, in comparison to Spicyness found here in the Veneto. (Yes, I know spicyness is not a word.) They really tame it down in Italy, still good, but quite different. We both like it as found in India, so at least one time we will make a visit while in Bavaria.
What is so different<?
Some examples are dumplings, spaetzle and meat in a dark sauces. is typically found in Bavaria or Austria. These are something not found much in Italy where we live.
If you have not had spaetzle before here is a photo. They are noodles made by dropping the dough into boiling water through a special cutter. Then the chef uses a special sauce or cheese with it.
What do you think? I would like to know how many of my readers have tasted spaetzle before. I did not until I was in my 60's. I missed out!
Every day I am setting aside at least an hour to study German. I took German in high school way back in 1963. It was by far my most scary class as Herr Rott, the teacher did not use books, or even the chalk board. It was all speaking and I was unfortunate to have entered the class two weeks after it started so I was completely behind. Herr Rott would have us stand to attempt to answer questions in German. I am a visual learner, so I struggled to catch up. I would write German words on a piece of paper, not worrying about spelling, just attempting to understand a phrase or words before my row was placed under interrogation. My hands would get sweaty, my heart kicked up the pace. I always felt under the gun in that class.
However, I learned quite a bit of German and when I studied for my Masters in Music I could go to the university library and find the necessary books in German concerning music composition and how composers like Bach wrote music. Bach's music is quite complicated, so I was lucky to be able to read German.Thank you, Herr Rott!
I also had great respect for Herr Rott as he would attend concerts at the University and would find me after our performances and talk. He was the only public school teacher I ever had that made an effort to find classical music performances. He even brought his family. So my scary hour each day in school came to some good. Danke, Herr Rott.
We are approaching August and this is the month most Italians take their vacation. Workers receive paid vacations here, and my friends are taking advantage of the time to go. We have friends going to Mongolia for instance. That is a long way from here. We have had friends visit Thailand, Morocco, Poland, Norway, Scotland, Turkey and Russia. But I must say that a great majority of Italians head for the beach during August. If you look at a map you will find us close to the Adriatic Sea. There are many large hotels along the coast filled with sun worshippers in the summer, but in the winter they are empty and closed. If you want to see something interesting, google Italy Map and view a satellite shot of the coast of Italy. Zooming in you will see rows and rows of beach chairs, ones that Italians would rent during their time at the beach. Seriously, these chairs cover the beaches for sometimes many kilometers. When I first moved to Europe I was shocked to see this as I was always used to driving to the beach, bringing my own chairs, cooler of drinks and food, and setting up my own umbrella. Nothing like that here, all the good beach fronts are bought up and rented out, complete with guards, snack stands and paid parking.
Meanwhile back in the cities, most shops are closed, bus schedules reduced, and the streets are quiet. Factories are closed as the workers are all on vacation. It is a different life style here. My father, an American, never got a week of even unpaid vacation in all his years. He worked until 75. This is the American way.
I have been thinking towards different subjects to discuss in my next blogs. If you would like me to consider something of interest, let me know. Soon I am going to go shopping and foto items with prices so that you could compare them with your prices where you live. I will also include Italian things one probably will not find in other countries. Maybe you are like me and when in another country you go visit a large market just to see what they have available. We find markets interesting. When we have guests here, we always take them to a large market, especially to see the long pasta aisle.
My castle guard defending my home.
Have a wonderful and peaceful weekend.
Ciao!
Comments