Halbtrocken (Half-Dry)

Half-dry, but mostly soaking wet... After an intense lightening storm, I hopped on a train just as the first rain drops began to fall. Not much of a view as the drenched Bavarian landscape slid by. So I immersed myself in my book, The Sultan's Harem, and imagined the warm weather that I would find in Turkey the following morning. When the train finally pulled into my stop, the rain had intensified and a low fog clung to the countryside, obscuring everything. I waded through puddles and found my way to the front steps of the Kloster Andechs, monastery and church.

In addition to providing a quiet place to worship, the Benedictine brothers of Andechs have been brewing their own beer since the Middle Ages. According to the rules of St. Benedict himself, it is ordained that, “All strangers who come should be received as if they were Christ himself”. The tradition continues into present times, as a house kitchen and brewery run by the monks, offers a hearty meal to "pilgrims" (aka tourists). The Klostergasthof (monastery restaurant) was packed with visitors enjoying the dish of the day with homemade pretzels. In keeping with Medieval traditions, the portions were huge, including the crispy pork which could feed a Viking.

I am told the cloisters are perched on a hill top between two lakes. But due to the inclement weather, there was nothing to see beyond the dripping trees. So I hopped the train to head to the airport, and warmer climates. Next stop- Istanbul.