Hi Friends, <BR> <BR>I wanted to give an update on my travel plans to Germany for next June. <BR> <BR>My husband and will will fly into Frankfurt (arrive 4 June) and spend 3 nights on the Rhine in Assmannshausen, just around the corner from Rudesheim. Day trips along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, and hopefully Trier too! Then we'll head to Rothenburg (via a day trip to Heidelburg). Two nights in Rothenburg so we can have a full day there. Then a drive along the Romantic Road heading to our next "home" Schongau or Hohenfurch (still waiting to hear from the hotels so we don't know which town we'll be staying in yet). Three nights to enjoy the southern Bavaria area with its castles and mountains. Then 4 nights in Munich with day trips to Dachau (1/2 day) and Bertchesgaden. <BR> <BR>I purchased our airline tickets through a consolidator, though I don't know if I got a very good price. We decided to fly with out any connecting flights based on the last two fiascos (delay flights = missing the connecting flight). Last 'planning' is getting a car rental. <BR> <BR>I'd love to hear some restaurant suggestions for the areas will be traveling to, especially Munich. <BR> <BR>How about shopping? I'm intersted in crystal and crystal stemware. Is Germany a good place for these type items? Other suggestions??? <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help! Monica <BR> <BR>PS: My next Fodorites get together will be Saturday the 11th. Anyone else interested (besides the 6 of us) is WELCOME - in Fairfax Virginia. Let me know. This will be the 3rd get together in the US (remember the first was in Paris!).

My favorite restaurant in all of Germany is at Pfronten (near Neuschwanstein) at the Burghotel Falkenstein. Toni is a five star chef, but the prices aren't bad, and the view is unbelievable of the Austria alps. It's also a five minute hike from there to see the Falkenstein ruins, the highest ruins in Germany, where King Ludwig II was going to build his next castle (but was arrested instead). <BR>Another good restaurant is in downtown Trier - Zum Domstein, very casual, but very good food. In Rothenburg - the Tilman Riemenschneider.

In Munich try Werneckhof on Werneckstrasse. Great French restaurant near the Englisher Garten near the road leading to Schwabing. Ask for Harry, great waiter with panache! Great food and wine selection, off the beaten path and not cheap...but worth it! <BR> <BR>

Thanks Nickie and Tom for your input. I'd love to hear from others with their suggestions! Thank you.

For lunch, there is a good restaurant in the basement of the City Hall in Munich, the same building where the musical clock does its thing. Lots of atmosphere and reasonable prices. If you are near the Chinese pagoda in the Englischer Garten in the afternoon or evening, be sure to buy a pitcher of "radler" in the beer garden. It's a mix of beer and lemonade. Sounds strange but is very refreshing and contains less alcohol. In Britain, the closest thing is a "shandy" bought in a pub. I've tried pre-mixed, bottled shandy -- not nearly as good-tasting. Must be served cold. We have had meals served in the various beer-hall restaurants in Munich. Generally, quite good. For a marvelous treat, walk through the world's most interesting delicatessen in Munich, Aloys Dallmayr (sp?). Very near Marienplatz. In the Residenz, there is a weinstube. Great place for pre-dinner drinks and people-watching. We would order a cheese plate (mixed local cheeses) and a glass of the house white wine. The place has a motto: "Bayern und Pflaz, Gott erhalts." Bavaria and Pfalz (Rhineland), God Protects.

Mon--- you HAVE to go to Oberammergau and Ettal. Day trips from Munich (about 60 miles southwest), they are just an incredible sight. A lot of the trade people and craftsmen working on the nearby castles lived in Ettal and,today you find outstanding works in wood and pewter for sale at very reasonable prices. GREAT little spot for souvenirs on the main street. Beautiful pewter pins, ornaments and crafts. The Benedictine monastery and baroque church in Ettal is worth the stop. The monks brew their own beer and they supply the restaurant across the street, which has GREAT food (lunch stop!). Oberammergau is just a fairy tale town. Tough to explain. You have to see it. There, your best buys are Christmas ornaments. The linens are fabulous, but quite pricey. Close by is Schloss Linderhoff, to me, far more impresive than Neuschwanstein. Monica, you have a wonderful trip ahead of you and looks like you done great planning. Enjoy it!!!

(slight change in my email address) <BR> <BR>Thanks Al for your great suggestions. We'll definitely have to try the radler, which I have heard of. I'm not a big beer drinker like Tony, but am willing to sample the varieties avaiable. I would like to try some white wines, preferably dry wines. <BR> <BR>Maira, we plan to drive to Ober. but don't know what to expect. We'll be there when the Passion Play is performing. I understand the town will be quite crowded. Someone else mentioned Linderhoff to me. I'll see if I can squeeze it into our plans. Thanks for the shopping ideas of Christmas ornaments. Would like to collect a few. <BR> <BR>Thanks again everyone! <BR> <BR>