Mittenwald, Bavaria: Waterfall and More Mountains

Above: A canyon with cool-blue water cuts through the mountains surrounding Mittenwald, Bavaria. Photographed August 7, 2013.

A long day of hiking is guaranteed to make one sore. One way to loosen up is another hike – this time to a swimming pool under a waterfall. A bike ride and a 30 minute trek up a stream bed led to the pool. The water was not warm, but greatly refreshed achy muscles.

A natural shower and a swimming pool to play in outside near the village of Mittenwald, Bavaria.

The stream bed alone was gorgeous, with teal water, smooth stone and tall canyon walls.

Cool blue canyon.

The road between Mittenwald and the stream and waterfall is occupied with farmland. The return trip at sunset gave me a few great photographic opportunities.

Farmers enjoy mountain views at sunset while driving a tractor.

Faded German signs, a biker and mountain ranges.

Mittenwald, Bavaria: Part One

architecture, Landscapes, Photography, Sports, Travel

Above: Alps rise just north of the German-Austrian border. The winding road leads to the summer house of Kind Ludvig II, whose main castle I featured in an earlier post. Photographed August 6, 2013.

Mittenwald is a small village in the German state of Bavaria. It’s situated on the German Alps and shares a border with Austria. A friend of mine lives there, so it was a few-day stop while traveling in Europe.

Mountains are a high-hop and quick-skip away. Architecture follows strict guidelines. Ski hills and mountain bikes are popular pastimes. There’s more to come from Mittenwald.

Breakfast in Bavaria. A fantastic way to start the day.

Bavarian architecture must follow strict codes, this was one of the nicest examples.

Mountains, lakes and vibrant greens in the German Alps.

Fairytale castles and grand views in Bavaria

architecture, Landscapes, Photography, Travel

Above: Neuschwanstein Castle, in Bavaria, southern Germany, sits on a hill high above farmland, lakes and small villages.

Neuschwanstein was the castle of “Mad” King Ludvig II, a reclusive Bavarian King. It’s not an ancient castle like many situated throughout Europe. Construction began in 1869, and Ludvig never saw it’s completion, he died a suspicious death one day after being disposed of the throne. Immediately after the castle was opened to the public for tours, and can now accommodate 6,000 people a day.

The castle has played a role in everything from Disney movies to a storage house and retreat for Nazi SS. It sits on a dramatic hill, overlooking Ludvig’s father’s castle, sprawling farms and bodies of water. Fussen, Bavaria, is the closest town.

A hill behind the castle offers the most dramatic views.

Houses situated along a vibrant green river in the town of Fussen, Bavaria.

Hohenschwangau Castle, the castle Ludwig was raised, he always desired to build a bigger one for himself.

A fellow photographer offers some scale and perspective,.

A swimmer far below on the border of sun and shade.

Munich Streets

Photography, Street, Travel

Above: The Marienplatz, “Mary’s Square” in english, in central Munich. Pedestrains gather with New Town Hall in the background.

München is the capitol of the German state of Bavaria, and the third largest city in Germany. The southeastern city carriers old-world charm with churches and town squares while melding touches of modern style.

Bavaria as a whole holds everything from beautiful, culture rich villages, to the Nazis first concentration camp, to lovely landscapes. I will explore them all in future posts.

Todays post will feature some street shots from Munich.

A half-second exposure expresses commotion at Munich main station.

Party goer with a pineapple.

Theatiner Church in the baroque style.

Circles and squares.

Newspaper reading at a cafe.

Street lights reflected after rain, Munich, Aug. 3, 2013.

Travelers at Munich main station.

David E. Sanger lecture at UAF.

Alaska, Photography, Portraits

Chief Washington correspondent for the New York Times, David E. Sanger, recently visited University of Alaska Fairbanks to meet with journalism classes and give a public lecture.

Over 100 people attended his lecture in Schaible Auditorium as he spoke about his most recent book, Confront and Conceal: Obama’s Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power. Critics and pundits consider the most important section of Sanger’s book a chapter titled “Olympic Games,” the codename given by the White House for the stuxnet computer worm. Though still never admitted by U.S. officials, stuxnet was determined a collaboration between the U.S., Israel and Germany, its goal – to inflict severe damage on Iran’s nuclear centrifuges.

Other topics included the dichotomy between covertness and admission with the U.S. drone operations, as well as surrounding legalities and ethics. Foreign policy triumphs and blunders in Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, North Korea and handling of the Arab Spring all came up in discussion.

Sanger spoke about his books, Confront and Conceal and The Inheritance.

A diverse crowd turned out to hear Sanger speak on March 25, 2013.

Sanger has been to Fairbanks on multiple occasions, but admitted this was the first time he wore a tie in our town.

David Sanger was brought to UAF through a endowment by Helen Snedden in honor of her late husband, former Fairbanks Daily News-miner owner, publisher and journalist, C. W. Snedden.