When my blog hit the 10 year mark in 2024, I began to feel the weight of time more heavily than ever. Seven years already passed since my cousin Lisa and her now husband Christoph visited me in New York, when I showed them the best of New York City and we drove all the way to Niagara Falls.

I was going to visit for their wedding and I tried to work Germany into my revenge-travel-summer trip to Greece and Norway. Both plans fell through for various reasons. So, after 12 years since visiting Germany the first time in 2014, I was determined to plan a Euro trip with Germany as the priority.

That’s how I ended up with my Euro trip planned for May.

This post explores my day-by-day back in Bavaria after 12 years. I landed in Munich and from there my relatives whisked me off to 4 days of quality family time. Mixed in, I visited parks, saw incredible German architecture, hiked to castles, explored villages, and ate all the typical Bavarian food. The most heartwarming part?—Meeting my 5 new cousins aged 7 months to 5 years old.

Day 1: Ich bin dein Cousin! / “I’m Your Cousin!”

Since my last visit, my Uncle Ludwig passed away (2018) and Uncle Alfons passed away (2022). Alfons’ wife, Luzia, had a stroke just a few weeks before my arrival so she was in rehab during my stay. This meant my time was really focused on all of my cousins who are my age, their parents, and their children.

Side Note: I’m so, so glad I went to Germany on my round-the-world trip in 2014 when my older relatives were still around and well enough for a visit.

I took an overnight flight, landing in Munich at 7:00 AM. As Lisa explained, her father Ludwig, Alfons’ son, and Lisa’s mother Irene were there waiting to pick me up.

You may remember the last time cousin Ludwig drove me that there was a language barrier. At the time, translation apps were not as accessible. I also didn’t have data on my phone so we struggled through a bit of our communication. This time, I had an e-SIM (Arvalo) and Google Translate helped us understand each other very well. I’d record their speech and it would translate it for me or I’d type out a paragraph and the app would play it back. So handy!

The first stop we made was Anna’s home. Anna is Lisa’s sister and she chose to live in a home right next door to her parents in Rohr, where I stayed last time. Anna married Klaus and they have two daughters, Klara (5 years old) and Laura (2.5 years old). They had a big breakfast spread prepared for my arrival.

After breakfast, we watched them play for a while and then we got in the car to meet my other cousins.

Note: While some of my favorite photos from my time with family was of and with the kids, all photos of children are going to exclude their faces on purpose. The internet is a weird and gross place sometimes. I mean to be respectful to them and their parents regarding privacy!

On the way, we stopped at Kuchlbauer Turm in Abensberg. It is an observation tower that was designed by an Austrian architect. Friedensreich Hundertwasser died in 2000 but others finished his design which now sits in a brewery.

We met everyone at Vogelpark. While I don’t normally support zoos, I understand the importance especially for children to learn an appreciation for animals and the environment. This zoo had mainly a variety of species of birds as well as typical farm animals. This was the perfect place to be outside, let the kids have something to see, and reconnect with all my cousins.

Veronika and Manuel met up with us with their daughter, Marlene (5 years old). You may remember Veronika and Manuel from when I visited them in Dachau.

Lisa also met us there with baby Sophia (7 months old) and Theresa (3 years old). So now it was two sets of parents, Lisa, and 5 littles running around. Such fun! So many new tiny humans to get to know. And it was great having everyone together (sans Christoph) to reconnect. The next generations!

After a much needed jet lag nap back at Lisa’s, Christoph was home from work and we met Anna's family and their parents at a beer garden. The kids played, I got to hold adorable Sophia, and I had some good ol’ chicken schnitzel and spaetzle, which I missed!

It was a great first day.

Day 2 - Upside Down at Waldwipfelweg

We traveled one hour the next day to Englmar to visit Waldwipfelweg, a nature and educational park. I asked to visit a park with walkways above the trees and Lisa delivered with this place!

Spread 30 meters over the Bavarian forest, the walkway meanders up to a 56-meter observation tower with built-in playground elements. Of course, I had to go up the netting with the kids. The views of the forest at the top were amazing and there was plenty to do, including a big heart for couples to place love locks.

There was a slide back down that was for bigger kids and adults. Lisa and I took advantage and went down it. It was thrilling!

All around the park there are trails through the forest with educational information about the local flora and fauna. I was with the sisters, their mom, and their kids—Lisa, Anna, Irene and 4 littles. We had fun walking with the kids as they learned and played. There was a lot of English-German language exchanges as we learned the names for all different types of animals.

Pretty much everyone in my family over in Bavaria can be defined as a cousin. Twice removed, or through marriage, or half cousin—it really doesn’t matter! Regardless, the kiddos started to call me Tante (Aunt) by the end of my trip. This felt fitting since I am already referred to as Tante by my US-born nephew (in honor of Tante Wally).

At one point we took a break for lunch. Something everyone was ordering was currwurst—sausage with curry powder and ketchup. I joined in to try it. Not my favorite but it did the trick. I had it with a salad side instead of the typical “pommes” (fries) that others got.

Before leaving the park, we also visited Haus am Kopf (an “upside down house”). Inside, there are optical illusions to play with so when you flip your camera it looks like you’re running around on the ceiling. This was really fun but also very disorienting—so much that I got a headache after a while!

We finished off the day with a spaghetti dinner that Klaus prepared back at Anna’s house.

Peppered throughout my stay were conversations about everyone visiting me in the US in the future. However, this was always qualified by acknowledging that visiting the US under present political circumstances is not the best. I couldn’t agree more—”Please, don’t come now. Wait until things are better.”

Not only is it concerning for folks to deal with customs at present given some internationals being detained at the border, there’s also a kind of protest or boycott in not giving tourism dollars to the US right now. And I am very supportive of that stance. I’d rather we Americans suffer the consequences of that as motivation to vote and/or vote differently in upcoming elections.

I look forward to a day when they can all visit me in the US when doing so feels more in line with all of our values.

Day 3 - Hike to Burg Randeck

On my third day in Bavaria, cousin Veronika organized a short hike for me and the family. She knew how much I enjoy hiking from following me on social media and this blog—Hi Veronika! So it was really sweet of her to find a hike that we could all do together.

Today, I was with Veronika and Manuel and their daughter Marlene (4 years old) as well as Anna, Klara and Laura. We crossed the Kelheim-Essing River to the trailhead. The upward ascent took less than 1 hour. We made it to the castle by passing by a restaurant we planned to double back to for lunch.

At 490 meters above sea level, Burg Randeck is a hilltop castle that is in tact enough to get a real sense of what it might have been like back when it was built in the 11th or 12th century. We could take stairs up to different levels in the main tower and get a view of the river below from the top.

There was also an complete cellar, a well, and a castle cat!

We had lunch at Ritterschänke where I finally had my very own plate of spargle. Germans, and especially Bavarians, go wild for spargle when it is in season. Spargle is white asparagas and it seemed every menu I saw even in Germany, Switzerland and France had spargle listed as a special on the menu during my trip.

And I understand the hype! Served with a frothy, buttery sauce, spargle is delightfully fresh tasting and doesn’t make your pee smell the way green aspargas does!

On the way back down from the castle, the older kids insisted I walked hand-in-hand with them as they slid down the hill, giggling the whole way.

We went back to Veronika’s house after our hike and had cake in her yard. The house she currently lives in is her grandfathers—my uncle Ludwig’s old house. It feels so good to see these family homes passed down to the younger generations.

I loved getting to see the renovations they did to modernize while at the same time finding the same corner I sat in with Uncle Ludwig looking at family photos 12 years ago. My heart was swelling!

Later on, Lisa’s whole family got together for a big BBQ in their screened in porch. Christoph cooked up the meats and others contributed different salads and sides. I made Kraft Macaroni and Cheese for the kids! I brought it from home. Two out of three kids loved it. They were all together playing and we called my parents so all could say hello.

Every night, I went to bed at Lisa’s—which was on the family farm I visited 12 years ago. Luzia normally lives in the main house, but Lisa and Christoph live next door in an addition they built several years ago. It’s beautiful and modern and I was so cozy the whole stay! I even got to meet and pet their cat, Wetzel!

Day 4 - Wandering Landshut and a Rainbow Goodbye

I went through Cologne the last time I visited Germany. That’s where Veronika’s parents, my cousin Erika and her husband Tom, used to live. Now they live in Mainburg just outside of Munich. I was able to spend a whole, overcast day exploring nearby Landshut with Erika.

Landshut is the capital and largest city of lower Bavaria. It’s known for its festival held every four years for 4 weekends straight called Landshuter Hochzeit (Landshut Wedding). It celebrates the 1475 wedding between the Duke of Bavaria and Polish Princess. The next one is held in June-July of 2027.

The architecture of the city is iconic, with its Gothic architecture and old, colorful town houses. The Church of Saint Martin is one of its gothic structures, including the world’s tallest brick tower. As an archaeologist, Erika was a great guide to all of the city’s history!

The city sits along the beautiful River Isar. Guarding over the city and surrounding land is the medieval Trausnitz Castle, home of the Wittelsbach dynasty in the 1200s-1400s. We walked up the hill for a visit and to see the city views.

My favorite part of this tour was where we stopped for lunch. Cafe am Dom hires predominantly staff with disabilities. The prices are low and the food is amazing. I had a salad with the freshest, crispiest calamari!

Erika said she always goes here when in Landshut to support the place. I’m so happy to know my relatives feel the same about supporting businesses that treat marginalized people like people.

We ended the day back in Mainburg with Tom over cake and tea. They showed me their charming garden and we looked at old photographs of the family displayed on the wall of their home.

Erika drove me to meet Lisa at daycare. It was my last night in Germany, so we drove to Anna’s to say goodbye to everyone. While there, a storm passed through and when the sun peeked through the windows, I said, “I bet there’s a rainbow out there!”

Sure enough, there was a beautiful double rainbow out across the street. We got some great family photos in front of the rainbow.

Then we drove to Veronika’s to say goodbye there and the rainbow held for the whole drive across rural Bavaria.

That night, Lisa and I stayed up late talking as we did the night before. This time, she showed me the photo albums from her wedding. She walked me through every moment so it felt like I was actually there.

I’m so proud of her for who she is as a woman, for the family she has built, and for the responsibility she has taken on to take care of the family farm. And I am so proud of our whole family for the beautiful life they have maintained together.

In Conclusion

My relatives made me feel like a queen or celebrity with their outstanding hosting and consideration of every aspect of my visit. I got to see and taste more of my Bavarian roots. They drove everywhere, cooked, and translated. They didn’t let me pay for anything. Lisa was always checking in with me to ensure the plan was okay, incorporating so much flexibility and freedom into the 4 days.

I am most grateful to them for giving me the best gift of all: Their time. It’s the most precious thing we have to give. And considering it’d been over 10 years since I last saw so many of them, and with so many milestones and new cousins born in that timeframe, I’m so glad I finally went.

Before I left, Klara handed me two beads from her toys to take with me on my journey “for luck.” I kept them in my pocket for the remainder of my euro trip. They currently sit on my dresser next to my jewelry case.