Friday, July 18, 2008

GERMANY - Mittenwald

MITTENWALD
For nearly 200 years, the town was the center of trading for all of Europe. Starting in the late 1400s, merchants from all over world went there to exchange gold, silver, spices and silk. Evidence of that time still exists today. Some of the town's homes, for example, have extra-wide doorways, which were built to leave room for the carriages to pass through so the riders could unload their goods and feed their horses.

Violin-makers:
Bavaria is well-renowned for its craftsmanship. The violin-making tradition in Mittenwald goes back over 300 years. The craft is very time-intensive; it takes around two months to finish just one violin.

Hiking: Karwendel Mountain Range: The mountain range is 6,500 feet high, and the climb is steep, so if you're not up for it, you can catch a 10-minute cable-car ride to the top in Mittenwald. Two countries share the top of the mountain: Germany on one side, and Austria on the other. The mountain air is clean and fresh, and there are lots of great outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing, skiing and snowboarding. Hiking is particularly popular, with more than 80 miles of hiking trails.