Bad Wiessee

To accomplish great things,

we must not only act, 

but also dream; 

not only plan, 

but also believe.

       - Anatole France

Bad Wiessee certainly turned out to be a great choice for some well earned diversion from cancer treatments.  The weather started off cold with snow and sleet but this turned out to create  beautiful winter scenery on the mountains around us and gave us a unique trip, for the time of year, up to Wallberg with it's spectacular views.  I love the silence and softness of snow as well as the lovely crunch underfoot.  The views were spectacular with a clear day, could see all the way to the Austrian Alps.  Spent several hours up there soaking in natures beauty as well as having a lovely hot chocolate at the restaurant. 

Had time for lunch of the delicious fresh white asparagus soup that seems to be very popular in southern Germany at least.  Had it a few times at the clinic in Hallwangen.  We had this at a lovely old restaurant at the base of Wallberg with a bit of time left over for a short walk through some forest before we caught a bus back to the hotel.  Buses are free here for tourists which is great.  They run very regularly.

The next day was much warmer and nice and sunny so we spent time along and on the lake.  We caught a ferry across to Tegernsee where we had lunch near the big monastery that is also a brewery.  Lovely old building right on the lake. The chestnut trees are in flower and stunning, I have never notice these flowers before and only really remember the fruit.  Lilacs are also out, there are more here than in Hallwangen and I don't need any reminders to stop and smell the flowers. After lunch we got back on the ferry and continued our trip right around the lake.  Some lovely old buildings along the edge, snow capped mountains in the distance and the colour of the water was a sparkling bluey green.  Unfortunately not captured on photos.

The following day was also sunny although there was a cool breeze.  We went for a lovely walk through some forest and then along the lake, stopping off at a cafe for a cuppa along the way.  One of the great things about pretty well any walk we have done is that there are lots of seats for sitting and enjoying the surrounds and for me to give my back and feet a rest.  These are really my main somewhat debilitating problems.  Severe back pain and peripheral neuropathy which makes my feet sore, this really restricts how far I can walk.  So lots of little rests giving a wonderful opportunity to soak up the views. My cousin, Joke,  left on this day.  We had a wonderful time with her and were very glad she came.

The next day we moved to an apartment we had stayed in when I was attending the clinic when it was still in Bad Wiessee in 2009.  It is in Abwinkl which is really just on the outskirts of Bad Wiessee and has a lovely backyard, the landlady is delightful and the other bonus is that there is a dog, Fraulein Lisa, very friendly and active.  Has a dachshund face but normal body proportions.  I was worn out and feeling quite unwell after several very active days and rested most of the day other than wandering a few minutes down the street to have dinner at a restaurant as we didn't have anything to cook and the shops were closed.

On the 20th I was feeling much better and we decided to try and walk up the hill to a cafe we had been to in 2009 (driven up by other patients from the clinic).  We ended up taking a side track which turned out to be a good choice.  It was a lovely walk mostly along a creek in the forest of pine trees, beeches and oaks.  Many birds could be heard, but not  many seen, very cheerful sound.  With lots of rests on the predictable seats along the way we got up quite a way and found a beautiful old farm building that was now a cafe with views over meadows, goats grazing in the distance and then hills with lovely dark pine trees.  After a rest and a refreshment we found a different trail to go back down to Bad Wiessee.  The wind had picked up and was very bracing in the meadow until we got back into some forest.  My back is less sore going downhill so that was easier.  Again we had lovely flower filled meadows interspersed with forest with a large variety of trees creating a patchwork of greens and textures.  It was certainly a highlight, same sort of feeling of contentment and satisfaction as the longer forest walk in Hallwangen and the last 3 days in Bad Wiessee.  It wasn't until the following day that we did the walk to the other cafe and into the forest beyond that.  Very tired again after those two excursions and very grateful that I was able to walk as far as I did.  I remember when we were at that cafe on 2009 and we walked about 50 meters into the forest wishing that I could walk further into the forest.  I was much too sick at the time but my wish did come true. 

Medically I am going quite well to this point.  Have manage to give myself the Faslodex which is a 5ml injection into muscle.  Painful but I managed.  I am having some problems again with nausea in the mornings and muscle cramps mostly at night.  Have bought extra magnesium powder so am taking 4 times the recommended dose.

Nest stop Aichach for our friend, Sabina's wedding.

Surviving and thriving

Linda