Europe Trip - Part 16 - Peiting (visiting Schloß Linderhof)

Friday September 5

On the way to breakfast (our hotel actually has two houses next to each other): Bavarian parking!

This gentleman was interested in what we were doing with our gadgets. Had to bring them because this is where the internet is. He (in his 80s) and is wife are from Munich and vacationing here in their 4th week. Seems a long time to me but oh well ...
We had a very nice conversation. I showed him what I could do with my phone ... like taking a photo ... and immidiately being able to see it. They were a lovely couple.

Breakfast and reception.

Every Friday is market. Had to gave a look.

Yup, had to buy some of the Zwetschgen.

A lady was making "Fensterküchl" (window cakes). Forgot what the long ones were called.

And the church too, all right next to the hotel.

It was getting late. We thought if we wanted to do anything we needed to get going. We decided to drive to Schloß Linderhof, one of the three castles of the (sometimes called mad) King Ludwig II.
It was a very nice drive. Around every corner another beautiful picture but of course I couldn't take them all. Comitted to memory!

Arrived. Parked the car. Walked up to where you buy the tickets. Walk to the castle. Wait in line.

Every half hour the big fountain comes on for exactly 3 minutes.

This was the ceiling in the entry. After I had taken this the guide came in and told us that we were not allowed to take any pictures. There were no signs for that. Only signs do-not-touch.
I was disappointed though because I would have liked to. It's quite little as far as castles go but as "over the top" or "gaudy" as you can imagine. Or actually ... you can not! He had admired the French King Louis 14th and imitating is the highest form of flattery.
He must have been a sad and lonely person. Never wanted any guests, ate alone. He didn't want any servants around when he ate so he had a table made which could be lowered into the basement, laid there and raised up again into his room.
The lady from the couple we had a conversation with at breakfast time had told us about it and that he had such terrible teeth that he was embarrassed about them. When we asked our guide whether thus was true she was almost upset and said she had never heard about it.

We were let out a back door and could walk in the gardens.

I was surprised when I saw these. I thought they looked like crocus (which bloom in spring) and wondered whether they might be enzian but later when we saw a huge area of them somebody told us they were called "Herbstzeitlose" and are very poisonous.

We made our way to the Grotto and had to wait quite a while. I was wondering whether it was worth it.

It was quite unbelievable when we were told that the whole huge cave was hollowed out of the mountain and the stalagmites and stalagtites where all artificially created including the lake, the stage, the different sitting areas and the boat. Wagner was played over the loudspeakers. And everything just for himself.

The way back down.

Even so signs where saying not to go on the grass (so German) these boys were rolling themselves down the hill and climbing up again.

James was very happy how well his ankle/leg was doing and even went all the way up the other side.

Wade, this us for you. How about this landscaping?

The guide had told us we could peek into the basement windows ...

... and see the mechanism of the special table "Tischlein-deck-dich".

After all this it was time to find some refreshment. Can't live just from water.
We decided on our way back to stop in Oberammergau. James had been there MANY years ago (1960 for the passion play performed every 10 years) with his father and sister Jane.

Many houses painted on the outside in the typical Bavarian or South German style.

We found a bakery and since we had not had lunch ...

Oh, to decide! Since I had plums in the room, I decided on poppy seed again. Just love that stuff.

We strolled a little more around town. Should we buy Lederhosen for our little boys? Not!

Lots and lots of Schnitzereien, stores with woodcarvings of all kinds.

On the way back I made James stop at the cow I had seen in the morning. Definitely a German cow.
A lot easier to paint than the US flag would be,- but on a cow, is that appropriate?

Back in our village James parked at some shops because my German phone gave me some problems not holding the charge and we were hoping to find a new battery. See what we saw!
I had a fun conversation with the owner and another lady. Quilting is not really a German thing but is now becoming more and more popular. When I asked whether they had some German fabric I was told they pretty much have to import all of that.

I looked at some decorated trees. Had seen that done with lace before.
James looked at the fountain.

Look, James made the fountain man decent.

Really a nice little village. Omi is waving!

For dinner later we found another place. Shortly after we had sat down and ordered a lady came in with her husband and we invited them to sit with us.
We had talked with the lady from Canada the evening before when she had dinner by herself at the next table. She told us that they were living now in Darmstadt and two of her three children were at a summercamp in this village ... a boy and a girl ... ice hockey! Apparently ice hockey is very big here (as in Canada). Her husband was working in Namibia at the moment and coming in for the weekend.
They were happy to sit with us and we had nice conversations. Ha-ha, I forgot to take food pictures.
On the way back to our hotel we stopped in at the reception for the internet. We had a message from Sarah about Timberly, the place we want to sell. There was some excitement. Looking good. Keep your fingers crossed!
And so ended another great day!

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