Today was our first full day with Robert ( bobo) in Neuberg. Yesterday we stayed in an Ibis hotel, which is similar to a Best Western in the states. I had cream cheese pancakes with vanilla sauce for dinner and breakfast, and Troy stuck to his seemingly favorite so far, ham and cheese. After struggling with the hotel manager because our bill jumped 40% from the price we were quoted, we hailed a cab to the train station. At first we tried for the bus, but after standing outside for a few minutes in the 20 degree snow, we decided it was easier to just pay for a direct ride :)

We arrived after a 1st class, quick train ride from Salzburg to Munich.

It was COLD; So cold, Troy and I put on everything we had with us, and it was not enough! While we waited at the station (which is outside), it started to snow...quite heavily. We found a small lounge room which was heated, next to the platform, and inside we met two lovely southern women, from Mississippi. They were amazed we were planning to travel for a year with only small backpacks! Admittedly, they were frustrated with the size of their luggage, and with finding things. One of the ladies said she sent home two boxes of things after arriving :)

They were best friends, widows, off taking a European cruise down the Danube. Due to the floods, the boats were unable to continue on several legs of the journey, and today they returned home to the states today. They let us know that our Eurail passes were good to travel 1st class! Very good thing to know---It was lovely meeting you, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Jones and please keep in touch--

Robert met us at the Munich station, and we took the subway back to his car a few stops away. Then we drove the rest of the way back to Neuburg. He took us to a Gasthaus (guesthouse) where Troy had a Weizenbier, and I had my new favorite, a Radler. A Radler is beer mixed with lemonade....They were invented on accident, after a bar owner ran out of beer. He decided to mix beer with lemonade and so the Radler was born!

Annika and Julia prepared a classic Bavarian dish : Leberkäse ( which translates to Liver cheese, but its not liver or cheese), feldsalat, ( one of Clemens' favorites) with mustard and kartoffelsalat or potato salad....It was incredible! Any German food in the states does not compare with the real thing, cooked fresh over here.

Troy and I ate very well, and then stayed up until 1am chatting with Julia, and Bobo about politics, sports, and travel. We had a lovely time, and then off to our own bed, own bedroom ( what a luxury when you are a budget traveler!)

Today, Robert made us breakfast of meats, cheese, yogurt and breads. Delightful to have breakfast prepared for you before you are even awake :)

Then, after a much needed load of laundry, we headed out on a drive by the Altmühltal, passing Eichstätt, and many other small Bavarian towns, all equipped with token cliffs, forests, castles and church towers. Every small village we passed through looked to be right off the pages of a fairytale. Troy and I both had a blast listening to tidbits of history courtesy of Bobo tours :)

After our long tour Robert wanted to get stuff to cook pasta with shrimp, and we stopped at Aldi. This grocery store is the cheapest I have ever seen. I took a photo of the wine section, which sells wine from 1.19 to 4.99 Euro. Robert says, surprisingly, this is all good wine! The US heavily marks up food and wine. Check our picture site for this photo...

Tomorrow I think we will plan the last leg of our tour to see Erika and Seppe ( Oma and Opa) then to Neuswanstein, Passau ( home of the Peschl Brewery) and then on a slow train to Vienna.

Bis Dann, Tsuse !