There is nothing like anticipation of a good holiday. For the past three months I have been anxiously looking forward to my August trip to the mountains. Our journey began, as it does for everybody, at Malta International Airport, after an exhausting week of unbearable heat.  The site of the humongous queue at the check in was scary at first but thanks to Visa Diva’s Fly Pass we managed to bypass it and get the whole emergency row for ourselves.

People may say what they want but I think Air Malta is great airline.  The biggest thing for me when flying is the ability to get the seat in the emergency row – as this is the only seat that can comfortably accommodate my legs. Usually if the check-in lady messes this up, the attentive flight attendants correct it. This was always my experience with Air Malta. And I am eternally grateful for it.

I am traditionally reluctant to praise any airline simply because I think that by definition air travel is cheekily overpriced , however I started  seeing Air Malta with different eyes  ever since my connecting flight to Brussels was delayed  due to Rome air control strikes some time ago.  The Air Malta official in charge (unfortunately I don’t remember his name) went to  great lengths to ensure that I made it to my next flight. I was utterly impressed with this dude’s attitude. He remained cool as a cucumber after literally being chewed by three stranded Romanians who couldn’t speak English.  Trust me this was not a mean feat.

He was organising another connecting flight for them for an entirely new destination, arranging the transfer of their luggage and speaking to their boss, all of this simultaneously on a land line, walkie-talkie and the Romanian’s mobile.  It was an impressive sight. In fact I always found Air Malta staff to be extra friendly and accommodating.

This time we boarded on time and landed to Munich in 2, 5 hours.  Munich's Franz Josef Strauss is definitely my favorite airport. It is new, extremely well organised and most importantly very comfortable.   It has ample smoking areas, free coffee and tea of all sorts every 20 or so meters, and it tells you in exactly how many minutes your luggage will be spewed on the conveyer belt.

Daggie and Lisa collected us and next minute we were riding their Toyota SUV through stunning landscape bound towards Schwangau.  This small village in the Bavarian Alps is close to the Austrian border, situated on so called Romantische Strasse or romantic road that runs from Wurzburg to Fussen.  I was convinced this name comes from the majestic feelings the surrounding nature evokes but the road actually lays on the former Roman via Claudia Augusta, hence the name.

As the golden rays of the setting sun were tickling my eyes through the high three tops, fresh pine and meadow scented air filled my lungs, my brain switched to Theta mode. Instantly I forgot it all - my patients and clients, heat and dust, all the hustle and bustle of our little rock.

By the time we reached our hotel it was already dark and I had reached nirvana.

Hotel Ruebezahl looks like a typical alpine village house, but once you step in you realize it is anything but typical – in every sense. We got a full board for reasonable 90€, but we booked as early as April. At this time of the year prices run up to 150€ per day.

As soon as I stepped out of the car I reveled in the silence you can never experience in Malta. Only stars, birds, crickets and the freshest of air.

The receptionist stepped out to greet us together with the Italian waiter who picked some of our luggage. With a heavy German accent and a face full of smiles she guided us : “You been traveling long must be very hungry, jaa? Leave your luggage here. I will take you to toiletten to refresh yourself and then you can sit and eat, jaaa? Our chef is waiting for you”.  At this point I was stunned: even in some 5 star hotels one does not experience such a welcome.  Ruebezahl is a 4 star hotel but it wears this distinction with a pride.  As soon as we sat down for dinner I realized this was not going to be ordinary stay in any hotel.  The chef proved to be real artist and hence our gluttony-fest began.  I still cannot make up my mind as to what was better: the Swedish buffet-style breakfast with literally every possible food available from finest prosciutto to fresh blueberries, or the four-course dinners with such an amazing attention to detail. For the sake of testing, I tried them all, over and over.

Although it doesn’t have a swimming pool the hotel also sports the kind of spa which would put most 5 star hotel spas to shame, . The best means of transportation around Bavaria are bicycles and in line with their ‘good value for money’ reputation hotels around here offer bicycles as a part of full accommodation service.  You get the key for your bicycle which is parked outside and you can use it to your heart’s content and until your legs start to hurt. These were not just any old bicycle, but sturdy German bikes on which you can change the gears as much as you like and never screw up the chain.

If you like outdoors and nature this is the right area for you.  There is simply no end to activities around here and you will find yourself meticulously planning your days not wanting to miss out on anything. Well, at least I did.

You can cycle around the Forggensee Lake which is approximately 38 km ride. It took us 3,5 hours to complete it, and it was the most amazing ride.  This does require a certain fitness level.

The route is well-marked and it will take you through an amazing array of landscapes, from little neat towns with lake promenades, through picturesque mountain villages, tall and ancient coniferous forests, deciduous forests, cattle-grazing meadows and rolling hills, as throughout, huge cumulus clouds reflect on the Crystal Lake surface.

The area is full of lakes and Forggensee is one of the biggest in the area.

If you feel more adventurous you could take the Romantic Road towards the Austrian border through the larger town of Fussen with its beautiful historical center and good shopping opportunities for the ladies. Stop and have a picnic at Alatsee Lake at an altitude of 842m .

On that day I updated my facebook status: “The natural beauty of this place is so grandiose it instantly opens one’s heart. It makes you want to shed the tears of joy”

Alatsee Lake is my favorite of all lakes, a crystal-clear mirror amidst ancient forests and bright green meadows.  The water is quite cool but you have to swim and dive amongst water lilies to experience its beauty to the full.

One of the biggest selling points of Ruebezahl Hotel is its location directly in front of the Neuschwanstein, the fairy tale castle built by mad king Ludwig II at the height of Romanesque revival craze of  19^th century.  Bavaria is full of such fairy tale castles but this one is the most stunning, its location half-way from the high mountain peak. You can admire this castle from your room terrace together with what Bavarians call ‘Alpine glow’ - granite mountains turning a glowing red, reflecting the rays of the setting sun.   Otherwise, you can admire it during the breakfast on the hotel patio while alpine heifers frolic in the grass just a meter away from you.  To see it up close, get on the bicycle and ride for 30 minutes to the foot of the castle hill. There you can leave the bike and hitch a Haflinger horse ride in the big carts up to the castle or you can go on foot. Whatever you decide make sure you book the tour of the castle in advance. The place is crowded with tourists from all over the world and it looks quite hectic compared to the peacefulness of surrounding areas. On the busiest days the castle sees up to 6,000 visitors per day and most of the castle tours are sold way in advance during the busiest season.

The Bavarians of the 19^th century mostly hated mad king Ludwig who decided to build this castle on the most rugged mountain slope. He was driving his architects and workmen insane with constant whims and changes of plans; it took 20 years to build it. Nonetheless, it seems that the mad king was a great visionary as these days the castle generates an enormous amount of cash for the whole area.

If you get all the way up to the castle, make sure to walk further to Marienbruecke, or Mary’s Bridge where you can get a great view of the castle and the waterfalls. If you suffer from the fear of heights, don’t.

On the way down from the castle you can cool your aching feet in another mountain lake called Alpsee. The sunset boat ride on this lake is quite an experience, a combination of ultimate peace and oneness with nature.

Those who want to experience real alpine heights can hitch a cable car ride to the very top of the mountain (1900m). The last part is a steep but comfortable 30 min hike. Whatever you do when you get up here, do not pick any flowers. This is strictly prohibited.

Adrenaline junkies can paraglide or parasail from here.

Then there is also horse riding, kayaking, berry picking, forest hiking: the list is endless.

Writing this in the midst of the Maltese heat wave, sweat dripping off me, it seems as if it was all a dream, a visit to some enchanted land. This is what the Bavarian Alps in fact are – fairy tale land, wonderful combination of nature, culture and hospitality. I cannot wait to return.

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