Picture perfect

From wooden chalets and schnapps to breathtaking lakes and endearing hospitality,Bavaria is an eclectic delight.

Well hit 140 km and make it flat in an hour! exclaimed Markus,our lanky Bavarian friend much to our disbelief. But as we got on to the feather-smooth six-lane autobahnGerman for freewayout of Munich,his words made sense. With no speed limits,the levitating drive into southern Bavaria the largest state in Germany was gloriouspristine hillsides,woods carpeted with wild flowers and the majestic Alps.

We hit Gmund,a picture-perfect,tiny hamlet that reminded us of vivid illustrations in our school books. Here,we met Andreas and Anna Maria Liedschreiber,a couple that runs a world-class boutique,Alpine Edelbrand Destillerie,which produces fine schnapps. Wilkommen German for welcome,they greeted us with genial Bavarian grace. The distillery is run from their home,a traditional Alpine wooden chalet with floral embellishments. The whole setting was very fairytaleAnna was wearing a dirndl,the traditional dress that consists of a tight,frilled bodice and a full-length flowing skirt,while Andreas was in a lederhosen,embroidered Bavarian shorts with stockings.

The couple treated us to obatza irresistible Bavarian cheese-garlic-chilly-onion spread,home-baked crusted loaves,fresh veggies and schnapps flavoured with green apple,black currant,almonds,pistachio and strawberries. Schnapps are carminative and help promote blood circulation in the freezing climes of a country that relishes meat and bread.

More than schnapps and its scenic beauty,Bavaria is known for its country warmth and hospitality,a contrast to the staid and reserved German stature wed seen elsewhere in the country. Evidently,Bavarians still carry on the legacy of the Hapsburgsage-old values of cooperation and harmony with neighbouring regions.

Bidding goodbye to the Liedschreibers,we headed southwards into the lap of the Alps,characterised by waterfront villages,pinewood Alpine chalets,70-year-olds mountain-biking or carting water sailboards or trekking on the grassy inclines. We reached Rottach Egern,a town on Lake Tegernsee. Mirroring the scenic beauty of the small destination,the lake is the focus of outdoor fitness activities.

We checked into Park Hotel Egerner Hofe,a five-star boutique chalet resort. Here too,with typical Bavarian warmth,traditionally-attired attendants ushered us to our comfortable suite. The welcome drink,a chilled glass of 2007 Silvaner Schlossberg Castell Franken white wine ,stirred us on and we quickly got up and got on to a cruiser that awaited us on the pier.

Chilly winds made us skittish on our cruise,but the breathtaking views of viridian slopes and church spires comforted us. Terns and gulls swooped gracefully over the aquatic playground; anglers and amblers coloured the walkways in a calm manner. That looks pretty and neat,ah? exclaimed Klaus,a bearded,blue-eyed co-passenger. This part of Bavaria is so peaceful that I come here once a month to relax and revive my nerves.it is instant therapy. I work with BMW maintenance in Munich, he continued. Rottach Egern is a tranquil respite for people from Munich and the neighboring regions.

Story continues below this ad

Our cruiser stopped at the century-old Brauhaus on Tegernsee pier. Brauhaus is a grand beer hall and eating house of yore,where we cheered our brief friendship with Klaus by guzzling Bavarias celebrated Konig Ludwig Dunkel beer in steins. Here,we saw the boisterous side of Bavarians,as they occupied hyper-sized timber benches and exclaimed,Prost! while cheering the golden froth in excitement. There was also a bunch of young girls and boys announcing their forthcoming seasonal Alpine mountain-biking adventure. Bavarian women looked prettier than their north German counterparts,their freckled rosy cheeks and dazzling eyes exuding mirth with each swig.

From the noisy hall,we went to the serene Dichterstubn,the restaurant at the Park Hotel Egerner Hofe. It was a journey into quintessential Bavarian gastronomy,with delicacies such as braised beef roulade with red cabbage and mashed potato and molten Tilapia fish on caramelised cabbage and bacon sauce waiting for us. To match excellence,our well-chosen 2008 Baldauf Domina Franconia red wine raised the gourmet bar.

That evening,we strolled down quiet lanes and handsome Bavarian chalets painted with traditional folk art to Lake Tegernsee. The lapping waters drew us closer,the snow-capped Alps glowed. The glittering reflections of chalets on the Alpine slopes cast a tapestry on the mirrored lake,a lone anglers boat crept past,a soft whistle flittered into our ears. Zum Wohl,we murmured softly. To life.