The morning we woke up to signs of sunshine! We haven't had much while we have been in Germany but it looked promising so I packed us up and loaded bags into the car. We ate a nice breakfast at our hotel, which really has turned out to be a winner and couldn't believe they did a week of laundry for less than $40. We decided that since this area was covered in bike paths and scenic paths and picturesque lakes we needed to take the bikes for a spin before we left. We went out for about 90 mins and road on bike paths through meadows, past another perfect church in the middle of fields and out and around part of a large lake in the neighboring town. It really felt like we were in a fairy tale. I just couldn't get enough, could have ridden for hours.
We set off to Linderhof Castle, the only castle built by Ludwig II that was completed in his short 40 years and 21 years as King. This was his real retreat and they said during the tour he spent later in his life as king 2 weeks a month here. He liked to hunt and it had been the sight of his father's hunting cabin, which he had moved and then placed his mini Versailles on the majestic spot with fountains and gardens encompassing the small but opulent palace. Inside I had forgotten how over the top Rococo in style the little castle was. It had the most amazing Meissen mirrors and ivory chandelier and gold embroidered wall tapestries and curtains. It felt very different than the other castles we saw yesterday and it was all French with several images of the man he idolized, Louis the IV, who had built Versailles and was a larger than life, almost an operatic figure. We did a tour of the castle and then made our way to the Grotto. He had built a grotto modeled after one that was in one of Wagner's operas. It is a large manmade cave with stalactites and stalagmites, a painted tapestry backdrop a boat shaped as a shell that he could ride around on the small like inside the cave. It was all fairytale like an elaborate commitment to this fantasy world which he had created to live in. He also had several small houses on the property where he could visit- a Moorish and a Moroccan retreat and his father's old hunting cabin. There was a little church that had been built by his father that was tucked away too, which added to the dream like quality of the whole setting.
We enjoyed a full German lunch follow by apple strudel before hitting the road for Munich. Despite more construction and a few crazy turns through Munich we made it to the Airport Marriott which is in a surprising charming town of Freising. I was happy to be staying in a small town and not in a big city and we walked from the hotel to the town center and ate a tasty German dinner at one of the town's old beer gardens that has been around since 1870. We enjoyed dinner outside in the garden area before walking back and taking advantage of the hotel's good internet.
Thank you Germany for a great visit. It is a country of order and beauty and despite its difficult and dark past of the last century, its present highlights the best of its past, its on the cutting edge of design and technology, and you're surrounded with landscapes and architecture which transports you to the fairytales you read as a youth. We have loved our stay. Now off to Spain and Portugal.
Just feels like we are riding through a fairytale
Morning bike ride out of Hohenschwangau
Gardens at Linderhof
Grotto- go big or go home
Feels like Sound of Music
We set off to Linderhof Castle, the only castle built by Ludwig II that was completed in his short 40 years and 21 years as King. This was his real retreat and they said during the tour he spent later in his life as king 2 weeks a month here. He liked to hunt and it had been the sight of his father's hunting cabin, which he had moved and then placed his mini Versailles on the majestic spot with fountains and gardens encompassing the small but opulent palace. Inside I had forgotten how over the top Rococo in style the little castle was. It had the most amazing Meissen mirrors and ivory chandelier and gold embroidered wall tapestries and curtains. It felt very different than the other castles we saw yesterday and it was all French with several images of the man he idolized, Louis the IV, who had built Versailles and was a larger than life, almost an operatic figure. We did a tour of the castle and then made our way to the Grotto. He had built a grotto modeled after one that was in one of Wagner's operas. It is a large manmade cave with stalactites and stalagmites, a painted tapestry backdrop a boat shaped as a shell that he could ride around on the small like inside the cave. It was all fairytale like an elaborate commitment to this fantasy world which he had created to live in. He also had several small houses on the property where he could visit- a Moorish and a Moroccan retreat and his father's old hunting cabin. There was a little church that had been built by his father that was tucked away too, which added to the dream like quality of the whole setting.
We enjoyed a full German lunch follow by apple strudel before hitting the road for Munich. Despite more construction and a few crazy turns through Munich we made it to the Airport Marriott which is in a surprising charming town of Freising. I was happy to be staying in a small town and not in a big city and we walked from the hotel to the town center and ate a tasty German dinner at one of the town's old beer gardens that has been around since 1870. We enjoyed dinner outside in the garden area before walking back and taking advantage of the hotel's good internet.
Thank you Germany for a great visit. It is a country of order and beauty and despite its difficult and dark past of the last century, its present highlights the best of its past, its on the cutting edge of design and technology, and you're surrounded with landscapes and architecture which transports you to the fairytales you read as a youth. We have loved our stay. Now off to Spain and Portugal.
Castle Selfies
Such a fun gift waiting at the hotel for Sam from the Ritz in Berlin
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