Jan 29

Jan 29 Gelato Break in Eiscafe Paradiso

OBERAMMERGAU, GERMANY. Whoever says gelato (ice cream) is a no-no when it is cold hasn't experienced yet the bliss of eating one during a cold, winter morning. Taking a break from our long walk along the snowy roads of the town of Oberammergau did we come across this dainty little cafe with Luftl paintings on its facade. We were already freezing outside and in dire need of a place where we could sit down to rest out restless and almost-numb feet while we sip a cup of hot cocoa or coffee and perhaps slurp some soup so we ran towards it the moment we saw it.

Eiscafe Paradiso was the name of the cafe and it was one of the few restaurants open that day after Christmas. It was jampacked when we came in. Were they tourists or locals or a healthy mix of both? I am not sure now but what I am sure of was the teeming variety of food/drink items carefully displayed in front of us. There were sandwiches, fruits, bruschetta, cakes, tarts and what-nots but what caught our attention above anything else was the yummy-looking display of gelato. Yes there were the common flavors like vanilla, strawberry and chocolate but other than that, all else sounded alien to us. Nonetheless, that's exactly what we wanted!

Without minding the cold, we did go for a couple of flavors that looked utterly delicious at that instant: vanilla with lemon and another one that I could not anymore remember. I am quite sure however that you would not go wrong of picking any of the flavors from the bunch.

Soft and hot on the outside but creamy and cold in the inside, this ice cream bun was also something to consider buying. Quite conflicting but good!

If we just had all day to lounge in the cafe and eat whatever we wanted from their selection we would have done so but since it was not the case, we bolted out again towards the snow-filled pavement after 15 minutes or so. By that time, all the coldness we were feeling when we entered the restaurant had already gone and melted away.

Towing and licking my unfinished gelato while I walk towards our coach, a Japanese girl tapped my shoulder and asked me how I was able to still eat gelato despite the cold weather. She can't even stay long outside for goodness sake, more so eat something cold while she's walking outside under the snow! I just shrugged my shoulder and said, "I just feel the cold and let it be" and it is true! I think that statement has helped me more than I could ever imagine, not just in enduring the cold winter days but beyond that.

EISCAFE PARADISO