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| Munich - Germany |
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| Society - Extraordinary |
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| September - 2003 |
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6
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and Stripes® |
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The approach to
Munich airport was as if the giant Airbus floated downward on a cottony cloud,
unhindered by all outside natural phenomena. Our 're-entry' into the real world
was gentle and calming and the flight crew continued to busy themselves with
the comfort of the
Upper
Class passengers as we awoke to a new experience and preparations for
landing.
Munich airport is large and modern, providing for many
different ways of traveling to the 'Zentrum' and my ultimate destination, the
Bayerischer Hof. My plans included a 2 night stay at this famous German
landmark during Oktoberfest, the annual beer bash that brings Germans together
with many other visitors from all over the world.
The idea is to
celebrate autumn's harvest with one of history's oldest brews which clearly
makes it all happen, and just about nobody does it better than the Germans. In
fact it is rumored that they coined the phrase "Germans Gone Wild" before it
became a cliché in modern times.
As I exited the customs area,
I glanced up to see my name printed clearly and correctly on a framed poster
being held by the driver who was scheduled to meet me. Helmut the driver now
led me to the limo that was waiting nearby to deliver me to the Bayerischer Hof
in opulent style. My contact Christina Graf-Eckhard the Public Relations
Director for the Bayerischer Hof, would be there to greet me and check me into
the hotel so that I could wait comfortably for my colleague Thorsten to arrive
from Hannover with a brand new
VW Phaeton TDI.
The newly released Phaeton is to become part of our tour throughout
Germany, Switzerland and Austria in search of the ultimate award recipient for
the Seven Stars and Stripes Global Award for excellence. As the limo wound its
way through the city streets the driver Helmut began to give me a little
history lesson about the famous Bayerischer Hof. It seems that in 1839 at the
behest of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, a small guesthouse was purchased on the
Promenadeplatz in Munich and eventually turned into a first class hotel in a
matter of a few years. Just before the turn of the century the Volkhardt family
acquired the property and entertained many prominent guests such as Empress
Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria.
Under the directorship of Herman
Volkhardt the Bayerischer Hof prospered and survived several wars and the Great
Depression. It seems he bestowed upon his son Falk the same vision and ethics
that drove the business toward success and allowed it to prosper in the post
World War II years to become the dominant force in the business of guest
services. Current awards include "Business Hotel of the Year" and "Hotel of the
Year" in 2000 & 2001, "Business Woman of the Year 2000" and "Hotel Manager
of the Year 2002" awards for
Innegrit
Volkhardt the family's contemporary leader.
I felt well prepared
by the time we reached the front entrance to the historical landmark. The limo
door was quickly opened by a uniformed doorman, I was warmly greeted and all my
belongings were efficiently moved into the lobby.
I entered looking in
all directions at once, as I couldn't help noticing the incredible grandeur and
elegance of all things around me. Ms Graf-Eckhard was waiting at the superbly
designed Front Desk with kind words and a genuine concern for my well-being
after my long trip. An invitation to have a quick chat and a welcome glass of
Fürst von Metternich Riesling Sekt at the "empore"
seemed like an offer I couldn't refuse. This is a well-balanced and harmonious
sparkling wine produced from Riesling grapes from the Johannisberg region of
the Rheingau in Germany, established in 1720.
I explained to Ms
Graf-Eckhard that our plans were to experience the Bayerischer Hof with all its
amenities and ambience also do a cuisine review in the premier restaurant of
the hotel while combining all this with an Oktoberfest experience at the famous
'Kaefer Haus' located directly on the fairgrounds where all the action is.
Before I checked into my room I arranged for a guided tour of the premises
for when Thorsten arrives, to get a true feel of this famous location that has
played such a big part in the history of Munich. In the meantime, I was shown
to my room and decided to relax for a while as I waited the arrival of my
colleague. |
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| The suite
was laid out nicely with luxurious feather down comforters and large soft
pillows to match. The television was on and when I glanced around to view it I
noticed a message displayed that personally welcomed both Thorsten and myself
to the Bayerischer Hof with a warm greeting. Upon further inspection of the
suite my eyes fell upon a lovely deluxe fruit basket (and the necessary knife
to slice them) with premium German chocolates and large cookie heart fashioned
out of gingerbread. Apparently the gingerbread hearts are a traditional gift
during the Oktoberfest season and are often worn around your neck, in
particular this one being emblazoned with the name Bayerischer Hof written in
blue icing. Along with that there was a ceramic 'bierkrug' (beer mug) adorned
with the hotel logo reportedly left for us in the event we wanted to start the
Oktoberfest celebrations a little earlier than planned. |
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Christine Graf-Eckhard & Thorsten
Piosczyk |
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The suite also
hosted a control and command center located in the telephone system by the bed.
You can turn the lights on and off, set a wake-up call, turn on the TV and
control the volume and much more.
Suddenly, a knock on the door and a
bellman entered with smiling Thorsten in tow after which a spirited
conversation ensued with much talk about the drive down from Hannover to Munich
with the VW Phaeton TDI over Germany's speed limit free autobahns.
It
was time now to meet with Christine Graf-Eckhard for our pre-arranged tour of
the premises and after quickly admiring the suite and the gifts including the
excellent bottle of Bouvet Samur Saphir Brut Vintage 2000. "It was very zesty
and full of flavor with a sort of sparkle in the bubbles. It reminded me of
granny smith apples when it encountered my taste buds", remarked Thorsten after
a sampling and a toast to our upcoming day of discovery.
Our
VIP-TOUR
of the historically eminent hotel with Ms Graf-Eckhard began in the lobby,
which includes a business center, beauty salon and concierge. |
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Thorsten
reminded me that our next morning's excursion to the fair grounds for
Oktoberfest would require a pair of 'lederhosen' for the photo-ops at the
legendary Kaefer Haus. The concierge, having overheard us immediately sprung
into action and before we understood why, he began a series of phone calls
inquiring at the local men's stores for 'trachten', a traditional costumed
shirt, leather trousers and a Bavarian felt hat complete with pom-pom. This was
proof of the dedication and professional commitment to fulfilling guest's needs
above and beyond the call of duty. |
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Next was the
Palais Montgelas, which is directly adjacent to the Bayerischer Hof and had
become part of the hotel in 1972, just in time for the Olympics. It was built
in 1804 and although refurbished many times, has retained a certain uniqueness
with its own character gracefully reflected in its judicious use of prized
antiques and the retention of the original wood paneling to create a princely
ambiance. From there we proceeded to the penthouses on the roof and magnificent
views of the city and all its splendor.
It seems that the truly
fortunate who can experience living at the Bayerischer Hof can choose from one
of many different theme suites in which to play out their fantasy. Guests can
select one of the "Bavarian suites" which reflect traditional Munich life in
genuine country style with open fireplace; or the "5th Avenue" suite which
contrasts precious woods and fabrics in ambient light together in harmony; or
the art deco "Paris"
suite with subdued light and a fountain by the bed; or seduce yourself with
exotic fruits and flowers in the "Paradise Island" suite with a bathroom of
glittering sand and wait for the bellman to shout "De Plane!, De Plane!" as you
arrive.
Thorsten was so inspired by what we saw on the rooms tour,
that he was ready to trade in his new found 'lederhosen' for a sarong and a
flowered lei. American Dream Hot Tip: Suite #535 to experience a tropical
Shangri-la in the middle of Bavaria. Our tour ended in style and we were now
ushered back to our room to prepare for our upcoming dining experience at the
Garden Restaurant under the guidance of Cuisine Director Pierre Pfister and his
capable team. |
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GARDEN RESTAURANT
Hotel Bayerischer Hof |
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| Munich - Germany |
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Extraordinary - Society
September - 2003 |
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5
Stars & 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| As we entered the
Garden Restaurant at the Bayerischer Hof, Restaurant Manager Sigmund Biel
greeted us immediately. His demeanor was warm and friendly and we were escorted
to our table surrounded by an international crowd of happy guests seemingly
savoring their dining experience. We strolled past a decorative table piled
high with all kinds of attractive food items designed to enhance the appetite
by giving you a peak of things to come. Later in the evening this table with
its unusually tall bottles filled with 'schnapps' will play an important role
in the winding down of a tastefully done cuisine presentation. |
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| As Thorsten and I were
seated and began to scope out the menu, we were attended to by so many people
that it almost made our heads spin. The sommelier brought us two Bellini
Champagne cocktails, one made with fresh raspberry puree and the other peach.
Then Restaurant Manager Biel came back to announce that our dinner had been
planned and laid out by Executive Chef Pfister and soon after the first course
of Warm Bavarian River Crayfish over Deep Fried Arugula and aged Balsamico
arrived. |
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| This creative
and tasteful appetizer was followed by the above pictured Lobster Tail and
Papaya with twin sauces and Bean Sprout Salad. Both selections went well with
the accompanying wine selection of 2001 Rheingau Riesling Weingut Robert Weil.
Cover crops, exclusively organic fertilizers, and a complete absence of
herbicides are particularly important to the production and excellent quality
of the Weil wines. Aromas of hay with citrus, light-bodied fruit with lively
acidity, flavors of bruised apples, light mineral notes. |
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With the finishing
touches being applied to the first two courses by Thorsten and myself, dinner
was beginning to look like the gourmet Olympics. The superb quality and
architectural designs of each course reminded me of works of art that were
amazingly palatable. Our next course arrived of Sliced Loin of Bavarian Venison
in porcini au poivre demi-glaze and thyme potato croquets and it was eagerly
received by Thorsten. The ruby slices of venison offered a slightly wild aroma
and delicately tender texture, while the porcini contributed just enough
earthiness blended with the zest of whole black peppercorns. |
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A glass of
"Owen's Estate" Shiraz, South Eastern Australia Geoff Merrill, Mount Hurtle
Wine Estate was offered as the perfect accompaniment to this artfully crafted
main course. It was well balanced and appropriate for this game entrée
and the wine produced a very dense display of dark red color while blackberries
and currents wafted from the glass.
We paused briefly after the
outstanding presentation of culinary mastery to continue to savor the
wonderfully smooth lingering texture of the Shiraz. This wine should reach its
full potential in another few years to come. |
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Clearing the table was a
tableside performance as the servers cleverly moved in sync with each other to
remove dishes and crumbs and reset with suitable tableware and stemware for the
dessert course.
Caramelized pear tart with hazelnut gelato and
champagne sabayon arrived with fresh berries and sugared red currants. A fluted
glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose Reserve Champagne was presented and this sparkler
was created by blending Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Petit Meunier grapes to
produce a balanced nose of apples and pears. |
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| Espresso and
petit fours ended this evening's activities in the Garden Restaurant, or so we
thought until
Restaurant
Manager Sigmund Biel arrived tableside with one of those very tall bottles
we had seen upon entering the restaurant. The bottles, though decoratively long
and ornate, contain a special distillation of fresh fruits such as apricots or
raspberries. It must be poured into tiny glasses very carefully as the bottles
being so long must be held at a distance. There is much tradition and pomp
involved in the consumption of this liquid, which is reminiscent of grappa and
one must look in each other's eyes and toast to a 'shoenen abend' or fine
evening in order to complete the custom. |
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Sigmund Biel & Pierre Pfister & Thorsten
Piosczyk |
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A perfect time for a
photo op presented itself when Executive Chef Pierre Pfister joined together
with Restaurant Manager Sigmund Biel to have an event ending toast to a great
dinner and a new and exciting day at the fairgrounds tomorrow for Oktoberfest.
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| For those with
enough energy and determination to continue the evening in style and elegance,
there are several choices. Your instincts may lead you to the only room in the
Bayerischer Hof to have survived the Second World War undamaged, Falk's Bar
named in memory of Falk Volkhardt one of the family that has owned the hotel
for over 100 years. |
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Maybe you feel
like having a 'Tiki Puka Puka' cocktail at Trader Vic's Bar, the exotic
Polynesian palace for an easy going evening till 3am? Or watch live concerts
with Jazz greats without leaving your seat at the Night Club Bar? Quite
possibly if the mood dictates you may wind up at the Piano bar to watch famous
pianists entertain you from Thursdays through Saturdays. So many choices and so
little time!
After a delightful night enjoying a creative and
fulfilling cuisine experience at the Garden Restaurant, it was appropriate to
sleep in the following morning and not worry about our next meal. Or was it?
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| The smell of freshly
brewed Jacobs Kaffe Kroenungs Mischung drew us like moths to a flash light. We
walked zombie like to the direction of the aroma and somehow landed comfortably
in a brightly lit, cheerily appointed breakfast room with a wrap-around view of
the city. Most prominently featured almost everywhere you looked was the famous
'Frauenkirche', the large elegant cathedral and veritable icon of the city of
Munich. Coffee was served immediately upon being seated by a well trained staff
eagerly responding to our every request while uttering 'gerne!' or 'with
pleasure!'. As I looked around the room and out to the view I failed to notice
that Thorsten had snuck away and was eagerly wolfing down several
'weisswursts'
at the buffet table. |
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He later said
that this delicacy automatically caught his eye when we entered and since it is
only made for special occasions such as Oktoberfest he just had to have some.
Germans really love their breakfast and it is reflected in the sumptuous
amounts and varieties being offered at every buffet. There was an enormous
selection of house baked breads representing most of the local varieties along
with copious amounts of fresh and aged cheeses and cold cuts of Bavarian meat
specialties such as Black Forest Ham and wursts, all exquisitely prepared by
the Bayerischer Hof. I particularly liked the selection of yoghurts and
toppings that often resulted in a gourmet debate each time I approach the
table. Usually I just take a little bit of it all and then come back for more.
I glanced over my shoulder to find Thorsten still in the 'weisswurst mode this
time dipping it into 'susser senf' or 'sweet mustard' and expressing his
pleasure with a "cat that ate the parakeet" smile.
After indulging in
some fresh black currant juice and more Jacobs Kaffee, we decided that it was
time to step outside on this glorious day and see a little bit of this historic
city. The very capable concierge at the Bayerischer Hof supplied us with a
terrific itinerary that would take us past some of Munich's most important
features and edifices. |
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It was probably the
balmy bright sunny day that brought out the masses as the old town was crowded
with many strollers, all looking up at the magnificent structures all around
us. The most prominent being the intricately fashioned Rathaus (city hall)
where each tower, window and portal resembled a castle made of sand just
waiting for the ocean to claim it.
MUNICH
VIP-TOUR
Munich's most sought after destination has to be the
infamous 'Hofbrauhaus' beer hall where patrons can enjoy large glasses of fresh
draft beer in the same place that has existed for years as the pre-eminent
meeting place for the local literati and artisans. Infamous I say because of
Adolf Hitler's failed 'Beer Hall Putsch" during the 1920's. |
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The streets were
lined with happy people in various stages of eating and drinking at the
numerous coffee shops and restaurants offering sidewalk seating. Thorsten
suddenly detoured from our unspoken direction and could be seen off in the
distance waving for me to come right away. I found him posing next to a bronze
sculpture of a wild boar seemingly mimicking his version of the same expression
fostered by the creator of this beast. We headed next in the direction of the
'Frauen Kirche' the famous cathedral located in the heart of the city. On the
way we heard lively music coming form a side street very close by and we
decided to investigate. We followed the music for a while and turned several
corners only to find a large crowd of people completely encircling a rather
rag-tag looking bunch of musicians in a park. It turns out that this was a very
animated group of Swedish students from a marching band playing for the public
and passing the hat to pay their way across Germany. Ah, the innocence of
youth!
It was now getting time to get back to the Bayerischer Hof so
that preparations could be completed for our evening's Oktoberfest experience
at the Kaefer Haus. Upon entering the lobby on our way to our room, the
concierge called us over to the desk to inform us that a package had been
delivered and was waiting in our suite. It was now evident that someone had
taken the initiative to insure that the appropriate traditional 'lederhosen'
had been procured for Thorsten for this special evening. Talk about attention
to detail! The entire costume fit down to the socks and was accompanied by a
personal note from the Director of Sales and Marketing wishing us 'Einen
Shoenen Abend' |
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| A call now came
to the room to tell us that our taxi was waiting in front to take us to the
fairgrounds. Thorsten and I beamed with excitement and anticipation at what was
in store for us at the famous Kaefer Haus, the only wood framed structure
allowed at the Oktoberfest except for giant tents. As we approached the area
designated for the events, the crowds obviously became larger and much louder.
Like colonies of carpenter ants, people swarmed everywhere carrying liter sized
beer steins, funny hats logoed with their favorite beer companies, German and
Bavarian flags and more obviously the German national obsession, BEER and
WURST! |
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Although
many people were obviously having a good time with their friends and families
it was refreshing to notice that having fun did not necessarily translate to
making trouble. The atmosphere was one of enjoyment of the moment, the events
taking place and an unspoken respect for the strangers next to you. It was
impossible to try to carry on a conversation without shouting to each other and
the people around you and most of what you heard was just plain laughter.
Thorsten enjoyed
showing
me around the grounds and as we searched for the Kaefer Haus we couldn't
help but marvel at the tremendous variety of local fast foods and the
selections of beers available at every corner. We wound our way around the
tents and amusement facilities stationed there until we found ourselves at the
entrance to the establishment we were looking for. |
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Michael & Thorsten & Klaus |
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Michael Kaefer is
well known in Germany as somewhat of an entrepreneur and head of the global
company call Kaefer Feinkost, whose special expertise is arranging events from
an exclusive intimate dinner for two all the way up to epicurean dining for
10,000 anywhere in the world. We caught up with him soon after arriving at the
door, but every time we managed to start up a conversation, we had to move to
let somebody pass as they were in the process of serving approximately 10,000
discerning patrons on this particular day.
Michael invited us to sit
with him in the main dining room which was tastefully decked out in the
traditional old fashioned elegant Bavarian wood trimmed décor. Even
though each table had been reserved ahead of time some for as much as a year,
Michael assured us that the American Dream Team was of course always welcomed
even on such short notice. He began to explain to us his philosophy of a
successful operation: well prepared gourmet comfort food at a reasonable price
delivered in a reasonable time, in other words good value. It was obvious that
his formula was a winning one considering the sheer volume of people scurrying
back and forth all around us, many of them from all over the world. |
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| It was time to
sample some of the local specialties that the Kaefer Haus had to offer. Michael
recommended a 'fleisch braetl' for Thorsten to try as this was a sampling of
various meats such as duck breast, cured aged ham and of course 'wurst' along
with hard boiled egg, pickle, radishes and a hunk of black farmer's bread. For
me we decided that I could try the 'kaiserschmarren',
a sort of egg rich pancake that has been chopped up and sprinkled with powdered
sugar and served with a sweet fruit compote made from plums. WOW! |
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Thorsten Piosczyk & Sabine
Käfer |
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And what would all that
food be without a couple of giant sized liters of fresh brewed Oktoberfest
beer.
Thorsten needed no excuse to find the most beautiful girl in
traditional costume to pose for a picture with the beers only this time it was
Michael Kaefer's wife Sabine a former fashion model.
Good taste
Thorsten! |
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| By this time it
had become almost impossible to remain in the dining room as many more happy
patrons began filling up the tables and so we made a move for the kitchen.
Michael was proud of this part of the operation more so than the front of the
house as the necessity for assembly line -like techniques was essential and
after many years of operation well perfected. The Executive Chef Klaus Geimann
greeted us over the din of the well oiled machine hitting on all cylinders and
made an effort to be heard. |
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He assured us that the
volume of food that gets produced in his kitchen does not mean that the quality
or taste has to suffer. We could certainly attest to that since our own
experience was one of inspiring satisfaction.
Our curiosity peaked as our
host allowed us to photograph actual orders of food being set up for delivery
to the guests before being sent out. |
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| The selections
that we photographed all had one thing in common: they were well prepared,
earthy and simple fare sometimes called comfort food back home. The pictured
dish consisted of
roast
duckling with red cabbage, potato pancake and fresh made apple sauce. In
the center was a small cruet with the pan drippings ready for dipping with a
hunk of your favorite 'bauernbrot' or farmer's bread. |
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A lot of Bavarian food
can trace its tradition back to the time when the people lived off the land
literally by eating the wild foods of the forest and prepare them freshly each
day at home.
The loin of venison pictured on the left is one of the
favorite foods of the hunters of Bavaria past and present. This filet was
grilled, sliced and served on top of 'spaetszle', a sort of gnocchi made from
egg and flour. |
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| Thousands of
people pass through the doors of the Kaefer Haus each day and the food remains
consistently good to the gustatory satisfaction of the masses. Of course what
could possibly go better with all this earthy, old fashioned country food than
the national beverage of the land, beer. |
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Thorsten
figured it out right away that it would take an awfully special beverage to
accommodate special flavors of the Kaefer Haus menus.
The beverage of
choice was a 'no-brainer' of course since at this time of year, more beer was
being consumed here at the fairgrounds than in some small countries during the
course of a year.
Since Thorsten never does anything in a simple
manner like just ordering a beer from the waitress, he called her over and
issued a serious challenge. |
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"How many liters of beer
can you hold at one time?" he dared and promised to drink them all if she could
hold ten or more.
It was obvious to everyone but Thorsten that this
time he may have met his match.
It seems that he picked on one of
the
most experienced employees at the Kaefer Haus who promptly rushed away to
make him drink his words and returned with ten nicely foamed Oktoberfest drafts
ready for consumption holding approximately 40 pounds and smiling no less!
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| It was very
exciting to be in the midst of such a bee hive of activity and see things from
the perspective of behind the scenes with the well-known owner himself, Michael
Kaefer. Everyone that we spoke to in Germany knew about this legendary center
for celebration and although many have tried to get in for years without
success, it seems that they just keep on trying. |
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John
Lomitola & Thorsten Piosczyk |
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It was time to move on
and Thorsten suggested that we find another fun filled location that we might
be able to sit down with some people to have a few 'Lowenbraus'. We walked from
tent to tent observing thousands of well behaved people mostly complete
strangers, sitting next to each other with only one thing in common, that is to
enjoy the moment with your neighbor and your friends. Our biggest dilemma was
where to sit and as we moved through the crowd the sound of Bavarian Um-pah
music and the sight of people dancing on the tables filled us with joy as we
tried to figure out who might be the most fun to be with for a few
brews. |
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We felt way too
overdressed for the occasion since we had just finished our wonderful event at
the Kaefer Haus but some party goers motioned us to sit with them and the two
of us borrowed some hats to have our picture taken.
The
smiles tell the whole story!
As we left the fairgrounds, we felt
that the partying would go on throughout the night and although there was a
fairgrounds curfew of 1am, most of the people would carry on well afterwards at
some of the local 'Gasthauses', pubs and 'Brauereis' in the area. Even the
police seemed happy and Thorsten managed to get a hug from a female officer as
we left the Oktoberfest to head back to the Bayerischer Hof for a
nightcap. |
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Our taxi dropped us off
in front of the great hotel located on the Promenade Platz, and we wobbled
slightly as we entered the grand lobby. Many guests were also arriving back
from the fairgrounds and everyone seemed to have the same idea to have a
midnight cocktail at Falk's bar. This ornate bar was the favorite location for
one of the originators of the Bayerischer Hof, Falk Volkhard who loved to sit
there after a hard day and have glass of fine cognac.
The tall
ceilings and faux art walls give it a regal look and window arches remind one
of a secrete monastery somewhere high on an alpine meadow. The bartender works
behind an ornate rectangular bar, and many superb cognacs and brandies line the
shelves. |
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| Both Thorsten and
I noticed the King Louis XIII brandy at the same time and couldn't resist for
this was a truly special moment. We toasted to the success of this fabulous
place and to the great experience of joining with the locals and international
visitors during this unique celebration of joy. |
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| The next morning
as we prepared to leave on the second part of our journey to Lago Maggiore in
Switzerland, we were obliged to have an early morning swim in the
pool
on the roof of the Bayerischer Hof overlooking the magnificent city of Munich.
Although eager for some serious laps for exercise, much of our time up there
was spent gazing out over the city through the large glass windows retracing
our previous day's tour through the historic city center. |
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Thomas
Gottschalk & Thorsten Piosczyk |
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After drying off and
freshening up, we quickly made our way down for a last sumptuous breakfast
buffet of unequaled scale. Thorsten was the first to recognize the person
standing next to him as we waited for the elevator. He began an animated
conversation that resulted in a photo-op with "The Gummi Bear Guy" himself
Thomas Gottschalk, the one that made every kid on the planet a fan of that
colorful, rubbery, flavored candy. |
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It seems that
more than a few celebrities have enjoyed the facilities of the Bayerischer Hof
over the years and continue to come back time and time again. The list
includes: Dalai Lama, Franz Kafka, Nelson Rockefeller, Christian Dior, Phil
Collins, Luciano Pavarotti, The Beatles, Andre Agassi, Muhamed Ali, Sir Sean
Connery, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
As we stepped outside to say our
good byes to Ms Graf-Eckhard and her staff we stood in front of the Bayerischer
Hof for one more photo of the
VW Phaeton in front of
this magnificent edifice. While we were posing, a rather serious looking, no
nonsense policewoman approached to move us back to the curb from our double
parked position. A quick smile from Thorsten and the recognition by Ms
Graf-Eckhard that they went to school together, bought us 5 more minutes to
complete our assignment. We promised to meet again and slipped into the vehicle
to continue our journey to Ascona, Switzerland and the
Eden Roc on Lago Maggiore and
then north to Vienna, Austria and the
Grand Hotel
Wien. For much more on those stories, follow the links below. |
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by John Lomitola
and Thorsten Piosczyk
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2003 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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