Memories

(First of all a huge big thanks from all the tour members for the lovely comments on yesterday's Blip. Hearts to you all)

Nogbad had been working for me in the UK for a while when I was transferred to a newly set up division in 1988. Luckily I was able to get him to follow me and he started work on 16th January 1989. Apart from locations in the UK, I also had responsibility for some Swiss and German businesses and needed some strengthening of the local employees. So at some point in spring 1989, I had to "sell" Nogbad the idea of moving to Germany. Business Class Gatwick to Munich, staying at the Hilton, rent cabriolet and set off with him on very much the tour we did today.

The Hotel Alte Post in Oberammergau was one of the stops, on a day very much like today and we sat outside probably at the very same table the three are shown on in the Blip. Needless to say, Nigel agreed and it was the beginning of a quite unique experience.

As a result, the Hotel Alte Post has become a place of pilgrimage to us both and recently I used it to post my 1000th Blip, a backdate to our last pilgrimage there in 2009, accompanied by his lovely daughter Jemma. I  like to claim I was partly responsible for her existence as she was born in October 1990 and must have been conceived in Munich. Nigel strongly denies I had anything to do with it. In that Blip, I wrote it was taken in a 1612 Internet Cafe which caused some confusion. Today's Blip maybe clears this up - the hotel is much larger than just this facade and includes a refurbished room for the modern era.

Perhaps it was telepathy but the Hotel Alte Post was probably unwittingly, Nigel and my way of persuading Phil and Paul that they had to arrange another of the annual tours to Bavaria. Phil who is the owner of the annual "Cricket, Culture  & Indigenous Research Tour© "  brand having started it in the '90s, did seem impressed and even fell in love with the 1342m high Kofel mountain peak overlooking the town. Phil a keen light walker will be pleased to know that getting to the summit is even possible for children.

Paul who is the honorary Tour geography professor knew all the details and was anyway preoccupied, gazing somewhat bewildered at the "small" beer Nigel had ordered him. I have never seen a beer in Bavaria that is less than a pint (half a litre) but somehow the waiter managed to find a schnapps glass and fill it with probably no more than half a pint (200-250ml). Luckily Paul, with his educated background, knew that Nigel had made the mistake and this was not a Bavarian "Norm". So I'm sure he will give the nod to a return trip if only in the hope of seeing the waitress they met on their first evening in Munich. I should point out this was after several pints of AirBräu beer consumed at the airport after landing. He still considers this beer, brewed on-site at the airport, is the best so far.

Nogbad has described today's tour on his Blip, so I will save repeating the details but simply make one last pitch for a repeat visit:

1) No Cricket match was attended (there are 11 teams in Bavaria)

3) Despite a relatively high "hit rate" on Culture (churches in Munich) they only managed to enter one monastery (Andechs). There are around 1000 monasteries in Bavaria - 0.001% hits/day is frankly embarrassing.

4) Without going into detail on Indigenous Traditions Research (secretive area)  - they were only on the site of one brewery in Bavaria (of over 600). Now let's assume they tried 20 different beer brand/brews. Alone in Bavaria, there are another 3980 so 0.005%, while an improvement in performance, is hardly heroic.

Perhaps Bavaria, only the size of the Republic of Ireland,  is a number too big for them. They did try Austria briefly today but managed: 0- Cricket, 0- Culture, 1-Indigenous Traditions Research (0.001%) so that was no better. I understand the next event is Chelmsford later this year - I just hope they improve by then.