of regarding German culuture, the area where Im living and expecially where this cabin was, in Oberstrauf (I believe that was the cities name . . . they are all very hard to remember and pronounce because they are so similar and so long), embodies that culture. The houses are all colored or a cream tint with brown trim and shutters, flowers everywhere, very hilly, and when we drove into one of the small cities on our way a festival was going on with everyone in traditional clothing (like Leiderhosen). I got a little sick on the way out to the cabin given the altitude change and lots of turns. I also believe that Europeans drive faster than Americans do. It also may have been attributed to me gazing out the window very forcefully the entire time. The trees are so tall! and seem even taller given the mountains. The climate is similar to the northshore, minus almost all of the rocks, so it is very green and lush everywhere (überall). It rains a lot as well, but there is more of a clay ground rather than dirt.Given the multiple amount of people Kathi had invited, and the fact that they were German, we prepared a lot of food. I helped prepare some as well, pork slabs that were soaked in mixed eggs and then covered with something like old bread crumbs and fried. I appreciate meat much more here in Germany, they prepare it very differently and it comes from a more local and safe environment. Plus, everyone eats it for everything. They eat it for a snack, for breakfast on rolls with cheese, for dinner, for a 1 in the morning bed lunch.Its actually ridiculous. Germans are very environmentally conscious though, it is extrememly refreshing. I see it more and more as I am here longer. They also appreciate everything fresh, Ulla goes to the bakery each morning for bread for breakfast, and it never goes more than a day old. There is also a lot less packaging.
Back to this Hütte adventure however . . . A farmer lived just below the very risky road to the cabin, the picture of his barn is just above. His cows roamed free over the mountains with little bells on their necks so they could be heard, as well as his few horses which were his mode of transportation among other things. He also had very cute pigs which he had bought from Austria and roamed around in this pen full of mud in a very hilarious manner. He let me go in and pet the baby cows and one sucked on my finger, not knowing I was not its mother. 
Kathi, my host sister, petting some of the farmers (Baur) horses. The farmer was extremely hard to understand, so I was quite proud of my limited efforts, because he spoke with a Bayerisch dialect, or a Bavarian-Southern Germany accent. They like rolling Rs even more than the Hoch (high) - Deutsch northern Germany speaks.
After eating a very large dinner, I got to meet some of Kahtis friends. German teenagers are very talkative, and really nice. They know english quite well so if I wish to communicate, although it is not my first method, I am able to express things I do not know how to express in German. We stayed up late at this cabin hiking a little bit and dancing in the living room area. It was so cute, with fireplaces everywhere and solar lights, no electricity. European toilets are also kind of funny, all they need is a rush of water to flush them which can be controlled, depending on the need. Unfortunately, both of my camera batteries were unkowingly dead so I was unable to squeeze in very many pictures, but I have a few I squeezed out. I have learned my lesson of always charging your battery BEFORE you go on a trip somewhere.
Die Hütte . . .
Dancing to German "Volk", Theresa is in black and Kathi in the gray tank top with blond hair, my two host sisters. The others (except for me on the end) are Kathis friends. This is inside the cabin.
Upon waking in the morning, we ate a huge breakfast with soft pretzels, rolls, nutella, marmalade, hot milk from an Allgäu (my county) Kuh (cow), coffee, tea, cheese, and of course, meat.
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