It is almost Easter. But where's spring? It has snowed again today and yesterday. And it is cold. Poor old Easter bunny was turned to ice trying to hide the Easter eggs.

 

There's an Easter special on. Bargain! Anyone interested? And weekend specials too until the middle of May. Just check our facebook site: www.facebook.com/Huberspitz

I have been very busy. Even on the days we haven't got a firm here for a workshop, a private event or something similar. There is always plenty of work to do. Yesterday I went shopping for Audi, which is here for a team-building event. Everytime I get back to the house and park the Defender to unload, the cats are in and on it. They love the car.

Time flies. The other day I met with Helga again. We went for a walk around Schliersee. It was cold, but nice. It must be very nice in the summer too. Everybody tells me how beautiful the lake is, how mediterrean the atmosphere, how clean and transparent the water...

 

Walking towards Sillberghaus, a nice view of "Großer Traithen". I went to Sillberghaus today, to get out and visit my colleagues there. I already know the managers Helga and Maxi, today I also met Norbert and Anja, who work there. We had dinner on the terrace in the sun and I helped them shovel some of the heaps of snow from the tables and benches outside.

That is our defender at Almbad Huberspitz. We use it to go shopping, take away all of the rubbish and shuttle visitors and their luggage. The staff also uses it to get up and down to work in the winter, when it is almost the only car able to get up and down. It has chains all through the winter. It takes a while to get used to driving it in deep snow and ice, but it's fun in the end. I drove down to Hausham station with the defender today, where I met Peter, who took me to the parking place outside Bayrischzell where the path to Sillberghaus starts. I walked and took Birsch with me. It was a nice walk in splendid weather.

Sillberghaus in the sun. A beautiful place with a cosy open fire and nice views of the mountains.

And these are the Sillberghaus cats, Bene...

and Blume in their favourite places...

The sun felt so good and so did the walking, very enjoyable with Helga and the dogs. Helga and I had a lot to catch up with, seeing Sillberghaus was closed for a month and she was away on holiday. It was really good to see her. And walking with the dogs was so much fun.





And Peter's dog Birsch

Momo and her beloved stick


 

When we got up to Gindelalm, we sat on a bench in the sun and chilled for a little while. Watching the dogs and taking in the view of the mountains. And the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, Helga, my colleague from Sillberghaus, came to visit and kidnapped me to go out for a walk up to Gindelalm. The sun was shining, the first time in many days, and seeing it wasn't as busy as the past weekends I went with her and we took the dogs. Birsch and Momo, the sweet dog of Celine, who comes to help out sometimes, especially on Sunday.

Walking up the dirt road, now covered in snow, towards Gindelalm.

 

 

 

It was a lovely walk. And quite exhausting. Not only because I'm in bad shape, but also because I kept throwing sticks for super-energetic Momo all the way up to the alm.

 

 

We have had loads of snow and icicles. And sledgers at the weekend, who come to eat and drink, sometimes more than 200 people on a Sunday if conditions are good.

 

Visitors are meet at the terrace entry by our menue, small, but fine, including freshly made local specialities like Kaspressknödel, Brettljause and home-made soups and cakes.

Not more than a meeting point for smokers and "Glühwein"-drinkers now in the winter, but a lovely place to sit in the summer and a great view point over Schliersee lake.

A view of the lounge area and the bar. Beneath the table is a mat for Peter's dog Birsch, a Viszla saved from near death in Hungary, and of course the cats. You should see them when the three of them lay there together.

During my employment probation I live here too. You can see the balcony of my small flat in the pictures. From the balcony as well as from many of the guest rooms you have a wonderful view of Schliersee. This isn't representative for the view because the photo isn't that good. It has been hazy and foggy for days. But it gives you an impression.

I share the flat with two cats, truly Bavarian cats with truly Bavarian names: Beppi and Batzi. They are really sweet and make my day every day.



Beppi in the snow...

...and in my bed (which consists of two matrasses)

And this is Batzi

Dear readers, I am back again with some news. News about my new job away from the city back in the mountains, not the alpine type, but mountains. It's not really "news news" because I've been here for more than a month now. Here at Almbad Huberspitz at roughly 1000m just above the small village of Hausham in Bavaria.

 

I have started here as manager and work with a team of up to five persons, including Peter, my boss, who is actively involved in day-to-day operations. This is not like walking the mountains, but still it is the next step in my new work life and a good way to communicate with family and friends (and interested strangers) seeing I'm head to toe in work at the moment. And I know that at least one person, my dear ex-neighbour Karin (hello Karin) will be happy to hear from me hear again.