ROMANCING THE ROAD – SUMMER ROAD TRIPS

Leavenworth, a small German township some 134.5 miles (approx.) away from Seattle is a great tourist attraction and I’m sure that everyone visiting it takes home a bag full of great memories. For me, visiting Leavenworth was like living a dream, as I had always wanted to visit a place full of history, rich culture, good food and loads of other stuff to cherish.

So forgive me if I’m unable to hold my excitement and happiness as I take a trip down the memory lane and re visit the place that made me ecstatic the moment I went there and the thought of which continues to put a smile on my face.

There’s no particular time to visit Leavenworth, since it is open all year round with various activities to suit each season. So, like 99% of the people residing on the west coast, my husband (Swaraj) and I along with our friends Vishal and Pratiksha, too decided to go in summer, mainly because the days are longer and there’s a lot of sun giving us ample time to enjoy and explore the place, unlike the winters when it is mostly dark and gloomy.

After having driven for almost hour and a half, we reached the Stevens Pass Mountain Resort, a snow resort for various winter as well as summer activities, which we were told by Prats (our travel expert and encyclopedia) ranges from British Columbia in Canada all the way into the Washington State in the U.S. The snow on the mountain brought out the children in Prats, Swaraj and myself and in no time were we on the snow having a whale of a time making and throwing snowballs at each other.

Once back on the road, the drive kept getting more and more mesmerizing as we passed by towering ice capped mountains which gave the feel of this strong, sturdy over powering personality as if we were being ordered by an Army Marshal; a river, which represented a woman having PMS, as it would turn from a raging water body, ready to swallow you to this vast expanse of calm waters inviting you for a swim and not to miss our friend, the smooth and broad road. There was never a dull moment with us singing and taking pictures and I got ample time to daydream, which by the way kept getting shattered with Prats trying hard to annoy me.

By the time we reached Leavenworth, it was close to lunchtime and not only were we were famished but also needed a chilled beer to beat the summer heat and cool off. So began the hunt for a good eating joint, to simmer down the hunger volcano, ready to burst in our tummies. It was like children hunting Easter Eggs or trying to locate a treasure chest.

Fortunately for us, we very soon stumbled upon a nice Hotdog and Beer joint named Munchen Haus. Being authentically German, we devoured the World’s Best Hotdog and a pint of chilled beer while enjoying the warm sun and the cool breeze mixed with the fragrances of freshly grilled sausages, sure to make your mouth water and tummy growl.

Once we had succeeded in pacifying our wailing stomachs, we headed out on what I like to call: Mission Exploring The German Township of Leavenworth. We started by window-shopping, simply walking into a store followed by a session of non-stop photo shoots while wearing funky hats, pretending to eat fake pretzels and so much more.

 Amidst all of it, the one store that took my breadth away and made my jaw drop was Kris Kringl, a store dedicated to Christmas. It was magical and I felt as if I was in a wonderland with elves, fairies and soft winter lighting. Even the Customer Service Representatives were dressed as elves. Huge Santa on his sleigh adorned the ceiling, while fake snow carpeted the floor and tall Xmas Trees stood majestically covered with beautiful and delicate ornaments. It was like Christmas in summers.

After feeling Christmassy, daydreaming and a nice photo shoot, it was time to move on and explore more. The thing that intrigued me the most about Leavenworth was the beauty of the place with blooming flowers, Victorian carts and not to miss the paintings on the walls of the buildings along with calligraphic text on the sign posts. It gave a nice laidback 60’s vintage look, which believe me set it apart from the rest of the towns and cities.

 Well once again, before we knew, it was time for us to say goodbye to a place that gave us many memories to cherish and also an insight into the German way of living. Looking back, all I can say is: Ah! Leavenworth, you not only gave me a great time, but also a reason to fall in love with everything German.