DAY 1 (8th June 2024) – Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Partnachklamm)
We left Malaysia on 7th June 2024, and arrived in Munich, Germany before 7:00a.m. via Doha, Qatar. Our first order of business was to get to our homestay in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Bro. Ray: Because the name is so long, I will use “G-P” for short in my write-ups), located around 2 hours to the south from Munich, right at the border with Austria.
We only had one thing on the agenda for the day, which was to take a short hike along the Partnachklamm or Partnach Gorge. Along the way we passed by the Olympia-Skistadion, first used in the Winter Olympics in 1936. After paying the fee, we walked on a constructed trail next to the raging Partnach River and then, we took the hilly route back down to G-P where we had dinner and rested early. The jetlag had hit us by the time we got back to our homestay.
Onwards to Garmisch-Partenkirchen…
After collecting our bags and clearing immigration, AS, YH and I enjoyed a nice hot meal at the Munich International Airport, before catching the next available train to G-P. As expected, YH was busy taking videos and pictures – after all, this was his first trip to Europe. After the two-hour long journey, we offboarded at G-P. Turns out, our AirBnb unit was just barely 200m away from the train station. However, we were a little early to check in, so, we walked to the Zugspitze Cogwheel Station first to secure our tickets to the top of Zugspitze on the 10th. The station was was just a minor detour.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen – why such a long name for a small town of 26,000 people? Initially, they were two separate towns but in 1935, the two towns were merged under Hitler’s reign to host the 1936 Winter Olympics. The surrounding hillside and the purpose-built Olympia-Skistadion under the shadow of the mighty Zugspitze, the tallest mountain in Germany, provided a great backdrop to showcasing to the peoples of the many nations who would come here for the Games. Garmisch is more well-known for its modern-city feel while Partenkirchen still holds on to its traditional Bavarian charm.
Mr. Eugen (pronounced as ee-yo-gen, pretty much similar to Jurgen) our host, a retired man in his 60s, was kind enough to allow us to check in earlier than the usual check-in time. He greeted us with a great big smile and almost with open arms, as he showed us his place and made sure that we were comfortable. Told us where to eat and how to take the public transport. And off to lunch, we did right after he left and after we had a chance to put our things away.
We walked around a bit before settling on Berge Café, which gave us the best feels. The ladies in charge of the place were welcoming of us three famished guys who had just travelled halfway around the world. And the food – fantastic.
Olympia-Skistadion
We took a local bus which dropped us off at the doorsteps of the Olympia-Skistadion, which is open all year-round to the public except when there are events going on. Built in 1935 specifically for the Winter Olympics of 1936, the ski jump has seen several improvements over the years, but was completely torn down and replaced with a gigantic ski run measuring more than 100m. It does look imposing, with the natural hill side providing the gradient and the height.
The entrance to the stadia is flanked by two stone sculptures from the Third Reich era, but some of its symbols of the Nazi regime in the hands of the two statues have been removed. However, the two sculptures themselves continue to adorn and stand guard over the entrance to the grand arena.
Partnachklamm or Partnach Gorge
From the Olympia-Skistadion, there is a car-free road which winds its way to the entrance of the Partnachklamm. It’s a 20-30min walk, a pleasant stroll actually. Or if you’re unable to, then you have the option of climbing onto any one of the horse-drawn carriages (Bro Ray: for a fee, of course), which would bring you right up to the gates. We chose to walk as the weather was perfect, and the scenery was very inviting.
The gorge is more than 700m long, with the vertical rock face almost 80m height in some places over the raging torrents of the Partnach River. There are several mini-waterfalls which feed into the river, some of which, falling over the hiking trail. Hence, it is recommended to put on some waterproofing gear and shoes. The hiking trail starts at the gate, where a small fee is required for entry, and then it snakes its way along the gorge with parts of the trail carved into the rockface.
The ceiling does provide some relief from the torrents pouring down from above, but we still got wet from the walk. Looking at the park’s site map we had the option of turning back or taking the hilly route back to the start – we chose the drier (but longer) route, plus we would get to see more of the countryside. The initial climb was quite steep, but it wasn’t a difficult walk.
Somewhere further along the path, near the top, there is a bridge that crosses back over the Partnach River, which gave us a whole new perspective of the river, and exuded much, much more respect to Mother Nature.
Dinnertime
We finally got back to the starting point, and then made our way back to the stadia, which by this hour, the parking lot was already empty. It was full when we arrived. It also started to rain, and we decided not to wait for the bus to get back into town. We took a Grab and arrived back into town shortly, and the first order of business was grocery shopping. Yes, three grown men, shopping for groceries – you won’t often see this. We had to buy provisions for our breakfast – one of the ways to minimize spending when travelling!
When all of that was out of the way, we went for a well-deserved treat for dinner. We found this pizzaria called Colosseo, located on the second floor of a building, and decided that this was the place. Food was great, the beer was excellent. And that was the end of Day 1.
Summary of Day 1
We travelled halfway around the world to be here… And we absolutely loved the start of our adventure. We chose to come to G-P, because it is a great place to venture out from, and not many people even heard about this place. The tranquillity of this charming quiet town serves as the backdrop to the many nearby places to visit and see – far away from the bustling tourist hotpots.
The Partnachklamm is only the start of the great adventure ahead. And what a start it was.
