Optometry Conference In Garmisch

Garmisch is a beautiful Alpine town in the very southern part of Germany, which is normally a ski town.  There is a U.S. military resort, Edelweiss Lodge, there where we attended a Europe-wide Army optometry conference.  4 nights in a beautiful town in the Alps is not too shabby! 



Emily as we arrive at the Garmisch train station.



So funny story:  So Emily and I took separate faster trains by ourselves since we had a Eurail pass and it cost us nothing extra so we arrived before the other externs.  Emily and the other externs had rented a house in town and I decided to stay at Edelweiss by myself for a few nights because I wanted to get away from some of the maddness and have a quiet place to study for boards for a few nights.  So at the train station we separate to check-in to our places.  As we go to separate cabs an American man in his mid-40s approaches me, he asks if I'm going to the American resort and if I just want to share a cab.  I agree since he's obviously military and I'm thinking he looks really familiar.  I assume he is one of the other optometrists I met a few days prior at our presentations in Heidelberg.  He asks which part of the conference I'm going to and I say optometry, he says the same, when I go to introduce myself he says "I know, you work in my building."  At this moment I realize he is the Colonel med group commander of our clinic, and I looked like an idiot.  He was actually really nice and laughed it off as a apologized and turned beat red from embarrassment!  In my defense he was wearing glasses and civilian clothes and works on a different floor in the building, if he is not wearing a uniform with his name and a little eagle on it, I just can't recognize him.  Obviously, I felt like an idiot!

Walking down the street of the resort.

Walking into town.

Emily and I ate at a Tex Mex cantina in town that night.  The next few days we spent at the conference, which was actually really interesting.  Got to meet some nice people. 

View from my hotel room!

Looking down at the Edelweiss lobby.

The house the other externs rented, it was pretty awesome!!  5 bedrooms!  I spent the last night here!

The externs at a German restaurant the last night!

The morning before we left we hiked through the gorge.

Hiking through the gorge!

The crew (minus Andrea) wondering around.

At the Olympic Stadium where they held the 1934 (i think) winter olympics!

Obviously I did not take a lot of pics at the conference, but I swear we attended!!!

I think Heidelberg is my new favorite town in Germany!

Heidelberg is a beautiful city on a river and happens to be the location of a large U.S. Army base and the headquarters of the U.S. Army in Europe.  Since their are several optometry externs at a variety of bases in Europe they thought it would be a good idea if we all got together and gave case/topic presentation to each other.  I'm not going to lie, I was kinda of bitter, since I've already done a grand rounds presentation, I really didn't feel the need to do a second one, but whatever. 

So the whole gang including Major Eddis, his wife, and baby Charlotte headed to Heidelberg on a Thursday afternoon.  We got a hotel right in the center of town on the main square which was perfect since it was close to everything!!!  Since we had an odd number I got a single room (sadly this made me super excited)! 

I can see the other externs from my room!

Walking along the bridge!

We explored the town some together by walking along the bridge, eating crepes, and having a few German beers.  This town is a university town which means it has tons of great cafes, bars, and restaurants.  So we explored several places that evening!  My favorite was a little German place we ate dinner with mostly locals and a man playing modern songs on piano!  We called it a night relatively early since we were suppose to do our presentation the next day.



Heidelberg Castle



The next morning was another goregous crisp fall day.  I headed out on my own to explore for about an hour after breakfast and really fell in love with the town.  Great shops, cute streets, and lots to look at.  Since it was a Friday and we didn't have work the next day, I asked the front desk if my single room was avaiable that night, and I decided I would stay an extra night so I could explore more the next day.  All of the other interns had travel plans or didn't have a train pass, so they made plans to ride back to Schweinfurt with Major Eddis.

We did the presentation.  Mine was on "Properly Diagnosing Normal Tension Glaucoma"  (ZZZzzzzzzz.).  It went fine.  It was cool meeting about 7 other Army optometrists from around Germany and chatting with them.  After the presenations I caught a ride back into town and did some shopping!  Let me tell you, this town has some great shopping!  Don't worry about the economy of Heidelberg this year, I took care of that!

The group walking along the main shopping street Thursday night.

Another cute square in the town!

As with most towns in Germany it felt totally safe.  Sadly I feel safer walking the streets of Heidelberg after dark by myself than going to the Walgreens by my house in Houston at 10 am on a Tuesday.  Even though there were lots of people out and about I decided to grab some food and head back to my hotel room pretty early to chill out of the night.

Up at the castle.

The next morning I couldn't believe it...another BEAUTIFUL fall day!!!!  After breakfast I decided to hike up to the castle.  I didn't know exactly where to go, but I could see the castle on the hill so I started walking that way up a TON of stairs.  After I got to the top and bought my entrance ticket they asked if I took the fenicular up (unfortunately, I didn't know that was an option, ooops!).  Castle was very cool!  Great views and lots of Japanese tourists to watch. 

After the castle I walked back into town and did some more walking and shopping around town.  I got things like Christmas decorations and beer steins as gifts, so that was fun.

Most gorgeous fall day ever!

more of the castle

On my cab ride back to the train station that afternoon I had a very interesting cab driver.  When he realized I was American he asked if I wanted to sit up front so we could chat.  I thought this was weird, but I decided it was fine.  He turned out to be a really nice man (he was old, don't worry!).  He was saying that he learned perfect English because growing up he lived in an apartment complex with all American Army families since his parents managed the complex that catered to Americans.  He was telling me about Heidelberg during the war and how people from Heidelberg don't like to admit it, but they are very proud that the U.S. Army chose their town for their headquarters.  So I thought that was interesting.  Of course I didn't tell him I was associated with the military, but when he asked where I was from I told him Texas and he got very excited and showed me how he was wearing American made cowboy boots.  Funny guy. 

Love the smell of chestnuts roasting!

I was actually in Heidelberg for a night when I did my EuroTrip after college graduation, but I was tired that day so it didn't stick out in my mind as such a great city!  This time was a totally different story!  Great town to walk around, cool castle, amazing shopping and restaurants, and several very friendly people.  I think I have a new favorite town in Germany!!!

Looking down at the city from the castle!

Sarah: "I've been keeping up with your blog? Have you?"

Ok, so I can take a hint.  I'm not so good at blogging.  Sorry, out trying to live life, not type about it, just kidding!  No after I'm done with this post I think the world will understand why I haven't been blogging!  In the last 16 days I've gone to Heidelberg for a work presentation, Garmisch for an optometry conference, Prague, and Barcelona...plus, I've worked some in there!  Anyway, everything is good I got 2 weeks left here. 

So I'm looking back through the blog and I realized I never talked about Oktoberfest, the Wine Fest/exploring Rhine River area, or Switzerland.  So I'll try to post some pics of those events as well in future blogs.  I think for the next two weeks we will just be staying locally since we have boards coming up and have already spent enough money!

The other interns are on a quarter system, so they left on Thursday morning.  It's weird being here now without them, things are very quiet.  As a going away festivity (for all of us) Major Eddis and another guy at the clinic arranged for us to have dinner in the old castle thing about 30 minutes away.  It was cool, about 20 people from the clinic came so we had a private room, it looked like a wine cellar with a fire place.  Good beer and German food on wooden plates, so it was a good night!

The 5 interns!

The office!  Minus Sgt Macomber.

After the dinner I went with out Red Cross volunteer, Danielle, to the base gym because a bunch of guys were coming home from a year long deployment to Afganistan and getting to see their families for the first time in a long time.   Since it was about 11pm the night before Veterans Day, I thought this was pretty cool.  Even though I didn't know anyone coming back it was neat to watch everyones reactions/emotions.  Yay for America!