The Past Two Days
We have been blessed with glorious weather most of our stay here. Being close to the Alps means our weather is changeable and as I gaze out our window I see clouds forming heralding the arrival of rain later today. Right now it is warm and our songbird companions in the trees outside are providing us with a free concert. Not a bad way to spend a morning.
On Tuesday, Matt, Jenny, and I drove to visit King Ludwig's unfinished castle Neuschwanstein. Construction began in 1868 and was not complete when Ludwig died in 1886. The circumstances of his death are still debated. His body was found in a lake, the question being whether he committed suicide or was he murdered. The construction project bankrupted him, hence the controversy surrounding his death. In all,
he lived only about 6 months at the castle. This castle is said to be the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland. The drive was beautiful and took us into a bit of Austria and then back into Bavaria. Once we arrived we bought tickets for the tour. Many tour busses were there so the wait in line was not unlike the line for Radiator Springs, but without the single option. Our English tour was not until 3:10, so we ate lunch at a hotel and after lunch started our 100% uphill about one mile climb which quite honestly was not easy. I had to stop a couple of times to allow Matt and Jenny to catch up with me .That's my story, and I am sticking to it. Reports that I stopped to take a break and catch my breath are distortions of the truth. There was an observation deck from which stunning views were abundant. The tour began promptly at 3:10 and lasted about 45 minutes. If you have difficulty climbing stairs, this is not the tour for you as elevators are not an option. Ludwig was a fan of Richard Wagner and so the various paintings on the walls and ceilings depict various Wagnerian operas. The throne room, which was never used, was quite ornate and was designed to resemble a Byzantine church. A massive brass two ton plus chandelier is designed to replicate a Byzantine crown. Ludwig believed very much in the notion of the divine right of kings and the throne room enforced his belief. His bed chamber was very dark and filled with intricate wood carvings that were worked on for four years by master woodcarvers. Everything was very opulent and very fitting for a king, I suppose. Like most museum tours, this one ended at not just one, but two gift shops. I successfully quelled my well documented shop til I drop urge and emerged with no overpriced souvenirs. We drove back to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Dianne and I went out for a light meal just up the street from our apartment. Certain that my legs and back would be talking to me the next day, I took 2 acetaminophen pm and am fairly certain I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
We spent the greater part of yesterday relaxing and doing a bit of grandkid shopping. Remember when we used to travel and would buy gifts for lots of people? Yep, so do we; but then we became grandparents. Sorry Peter and Gina 😜. We made our purchases and then had lunch at the same restaurant at which we ate Sunday night. One benefit of eating here? Coca Cola in a glass WITH ICE!!!!, not the norm in Germany. We were close to St. Martin church so I walked over, prayed for friends and relatives whom we support in prayer, and took some photos. The church dates from around 1720. We found out by going to Mass on Sunday that the pews definitely discourage slouching because the horizontal portion of the seat is minimal while the vertical part that supports your back forms a perfect 90 degree angle. There is no option other than sitting ramrod straight. We also learned on Sunday that Communion resembles a stampede. People approach the Eucharistic minister from all angles . It was very peaceful in the church and there were numerous reminders of how the clergy and the laity related to each other about 300 years ago, particularly the ambo which was mounted high on a wall halfway down the church, thus forcing the people to look up to the priest while at the same time being talked down to. Afterwards we found a tree with a bench that surrounds it and sat and did a bit of people watching, one of our favorite ways to relax when traveling. We then made our way to the sommerodelbahn, a summer toboggan run for my tryout for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Suffice to say toboggan career was short lived. It was fun, but I was satisfied after one run. It is also here that I ran afoul of the law. When we pulled in to park I did not notice there were pay machines for parking. As a result, I now have a 10 Euro parking violation which I am supposed to be able to pay once I get back home. I suppose I should clear it up for if I ever intend to enter Germany again I don't want an unpaid parking ticket to land me in the slammer. We dined last night with Matt, Jenny, and Caellum at a restaurant in the Partenkirchen pedestrian zone. The food was good, but the service left something to be desired. I ordered a beef
steak with fried potatoes, but it took so long for my dinner to arrive it had morphed in to roasted pork with mashed potatoes. I ate it and it was delicious. We did not tell our waitress I had received the wrong meal, fearing another lengthy delay might cause us to spend the night there and Jenny to miss her flight this morning. We bid farewell to Jenny and wished her a safe trip to Dulles today. We made our way home, and after allowing our food to digest a bit, called it a day.
On Tuesday, Matt, Jenny, and I drove to visit King Ludwig's unfinished castle Neuschwanstein. Construction began in 1868 and was not complete when Ludwig died in 1886. The circumstances of his death are still debated. His body was found in a lake, the question being whether he committed suicide or was he murdered. The construction project bankrupted him, hence the controversy surrounding his death. In all,
he lived only about 6 months at the castle. This castle is said to be the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland. The drive was beautiful and took us into a bit of Austria and then back into Bavaria. Once we arrived we bought tickets for the tour. Many tour busses were there so the wait in line was not unlike the line for Radiator Springs, but without the single option. Our English tour was not until 3:10, so we ate lunch at a hotel and after lunch started our 100% uphill about one mile climb which quite honestly was not easy. I had to stop a couple of times to allow Matt and Jenny to catch up with me .That's my story, and I am sticking to it. Reports that I stopped to take a break and catch my breath are distortions of the truth. There was an observation deck from which stunning views were abundant. The tour began promptly at 3:10 and lasted about 45 minutes. If you have difficulty climbing stairs, this is not the tour for you as elevators are not an option. Ludwig was a fan of Richard Wagner and so the various paintings on the walls and ceilings depict various Wagnerian operas. The throne room, which was never used, was quite ornate and was designed to resemble a Byzantine church. A massive brass two ton plus chandelier is designed to replicate a Byzantine crown. Ludwig believed very much in the notion of the divine right of kings and the throne room enforced his belief. His bed chamber was very dark and filled with intricate wood carvings that were worked on for four years by master woodcarvers. Everything was very opulent and very fitting for a king, I suppose. Like most museum tours, this one ended at not just one, but two gift shops. I successfully quelled my well documented shop til I drop urge and emerged with no overpriced souvenirs. We drove back to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Dianne and I went out for a light meal just up the street from our apartment. Certain that my legs and back would be talking to me the next day, I took 2 acetaminophen pm and am fairly certain I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
We spent the greater part of yesterday relaxing and doing a bit of grandkid shopping. Remember when we used to travel and would buy gifts for lots of people? Yep, so do we; but then we became grandparents. Sorry Peter and Gina 😜. We made our purchases and then had lunch at the same restaurant at which we ate Sunday night. One benefit of eating here? Coca Cola in a glass WITH ICE!!!!, not the norm in Germany. We were close to St. Martin church so I walked over, prayed for friends and relatives whom we support in prayer, and took some photos. The church dates from around 1720. We found out by going to Mass on Sunday that the pews definitely discourage slouching because the horizontal portion of the seat is minimal while the vertical part that supports your back forms a perfect 90 degree angle. There is no option other than sitting ramrod straight. We also learned on Sunday that Communion resembles a stampede. People approach the Eucharistic minister from all angles . It was very peaceful in the church and there were numerous reminders of how the clergy and the laity related to each other about 300 years ago, particularly the ambo which was mounted high on a wall halfway down the church, thus forcing the people to look up to the priest while at the same time being talked down to. Afterwards we found a tree with a bench that surrounds it and sat and did a bit of people watching, one of our favorite ways to relax when traveling. We then made our way to the sommerodelbahn, a summer toboggan run for my tryout for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Suffice to say toboggan career was short lived. It was fun, but I was satisfied after one run. It is also here that I ran afoul of the law. When we pulled in to park I did not notice there were pay machines for parking. As a result, I now have a 10 Euro parking violation which I am supposed to be able to pay once I get back home. I suppose I should clear it up for if I ever intend to enter Germany again I don't want an unpaid parking ticket to land me in the slammer. We dined last night with Matt, Jenny, and Caellum at a restaurant in the Partenkirchen pedestrian zone. The food was good, but the service left something to be desired. I ordered a beef
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