As due to the global warming big parts of southern Bavaria received catastrophic high amounts of snow the “Katatastrophenfall” (disaster situation) was declared in several counties (Berchtesgadener Land, Miesbach, Garmisch –Partenkirchen, Bad-Tölz Wolfratshausen, Miesbach and Traunstein in the area. Which is a formal act and means that the situation is dangerous for the lives and health of the population and might cause immense damage on property.

The German Armee was deployed too and they used „Hagglunds Bandvagn“ tanks on which Dieter and I were able to ride on too in June 2018 close to Straubing in the Gäuboden-Kaserne.

Especially flat roofs are a big problem, I remember the big perilous disaster in Bad Reichenhall 2006 which killed 15 people. The Ice hall in Bad Reichenhall collapsed.

 

So the swarm decided to go to Ettal and Oberammergau and check the situation and of course also to get some nice pictures of the high snow which one doesn’t get to see often now in the times of global warming. Driving there was no problem, the roads were in good condition and comparatively empty, maybe because of the disaster reports. That probably saved many lives on the streets. Only some smaller amount of snow in the branches of the trees along the way was sometimes falling down but that was not really a problem. We also went to monastery “Ettal” (Ettal Abbey) to get some spiritual help and enjoyed the still visible artistic woodwork nativity scene in the church.

A small package for the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) blessing which I brought home was available in the church for a donation and of course the swarm had to get one. Now we are trying to figure out how it works. A piece of chalk is included which is probably provided to write the magical letters C+M+B and the current year on the door of your home which might be interpreted as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, the names of the Three Kings but also as Christus Mansionem Benedicat (Christ, save this home). Some nice smelling crumbs are also included, maybe on the base of frankincense.

When we opened it ahead of the game of the KC Chiefs against the Indianapolis Colts we were hoping some of the blessings would also reach Kansas City. The Chiefs branded ducks are still sold out. Unfortunatly and unfairly the Chiefs did not make it into the Super Bowl but they at least provided for the most valuable player, Patrick Mahomes.

Ettal Abbey was founded 1330 by Wittelsbacher Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian. It was dissolved in the Secularization 1803 under Wittelsbacher Duke (later king Maximilian I.) Maximilian V. but refounded by the Benedictines of Sheyern (site of the ancestors of the Wittelsbachs) Abbey 1900.

As sufficient supplies are essential in such a dangerous situation Sheila insisted to go to coffee shop “Café & Konditorei Hohenleitner” (with pastry chef Martin Hohenleitern being the Vice World Champion of pastry chefs in Brasil 2012) and to build up stocks. So Sheila had to get a Blackforest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirsch) right on the spot and to take away some more pieces of the sensational tasty cakes for emergencies on the way home. The looks of the cakes suffered a little bit in the car on the sheer Serpentine mountain road „Ettaler Berg“, but they still taste gorgeously and  turn out to become a disaster for Sheilas very nice figure.

 

Talking about very nice figures and disasters let’s hope, that the locker/calender pictures visible in the background of the room exposing more than expected, where Bavarian Ministerpräsident (Bavarian President) Markus Söder met helping, deployed forces  and which made it into the Web yesterday , „Ganz Bayern steht in Solidarität„, don’t become a disaster for Söder.

We also went further into the Graswangtal which brutal bear Bruno (Problembär a good example of a manager talking about something of which he doesn’t know beans) afflicted in 2006. Bruno was born in the Trient region in Italy. The bear (who could not be hunted because of legal reasons at first) killed sheeps and chicken. And therefor caused a lot of controversies before and after he was shot dead.

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