Bavaria

Upper Bavaria

I first experienced Upper Bavaria (OberBayern) in the Sixth Form when I spent a term at a German school - the Trostberger Gymnasium.  I stayed with a lovely family. The father had been a soldier in the war. He was now an insurance salesman and a high-ranking officer in the local volunteer FireBrigade (that is a big thing down there).  Knowing I was interested in the fire service he took me along with him on many exercises.  There was an older daughter, a girl a year older than me and a son a couple of years younger.  I went into the Sixth Form with the girl who was a year older. 
I loved it - I was made very welcome, and I loved the weather and I loved the people, and I am still good friends with the family

They took me out and about at times (which they didn't have to do).  On one occasion we went into the Alps with friends of theirs, Herr and Frau Bauer.

Burghausen

When I was studying at German we had to spend a year working in a German=speaking country.  Generally this work was as a Foreign Language Assistant in a school or university. I immediately asked if I could go back to the school in Trostberg.  The English Teacher, Herr Kirchgeorg, said he would love to have me there as an assistant. 
However, I didn't get there - I was sent to Burghausen.  As it turned out this was ideal - it was only about 30km away, so I was far enough away to be independent but close enough to friends if I needed them. 

What a year I had! I loved it.  Upper Bavaria is my spiritual second home.  I loved the food, the beer, the countryside, the people.  I was made so welcome and still have many friends down there.  Some are more family than friends.  If I could emigrate - I'd go to Burghausen.

I was predominantly based in the Aventinus-Gymnasium in the New Town, and guess what - Herr Bauer was a teacher there so already there was someone I knew.  The Aventinus Gymnasium is a modern school, very smart.  They shared me with the other grammar school in the town, the Kurfürst-Maximilian Gymnasium in the Old Town.  The Old Town is stunningly beautiful and the Ku-Max is similarly stunning.

When I was a German teacher I set up and led North-Yorkshire's first work experience exchange - and of course, we went to Burghausen!

Burghausen sits on the Salzach, which is the border with Austria.  Apparently Napoleon called it 'die Stadt unter der Erde' (the town under the earth).  Occasionally the Salzach floods and the riverside properties suffer badly. The New Town is very modern and is high up.  Burghausen's main claim to fame is the castle - the longest castle in Europe at 1.5km long. 

I go back to Burghausen as often as possible to see the people who became family to me - but as often as possible simply isn't often enough.  I miss them immensely and get homesick for Bavaria.  I miss my family there, I miss my friends, I miss the climate, the countryside and the Bavarian beer!

Links

Burghausen on the internet
Burghausen on the Visit Bavaria site
Burghausen official site
Trostberg on Wikipedia

My apologies for the quality of the photos - they were taken before I started to learn photography

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