WHAT – its already the end of March? Seems… ah… I’ve been a touch unfaithful
about keeping up the blog. It’s
now almost April and I still haven’t finished our Germany adventures from
December. My bad - I’ll catch you
up as quickly as possible and then move on to our present day activities.
Last time I left you with Heinz ringing Tante Gertrud’s
doorbell in his hometown of Ettlingen.
Her reaction to our arrival is best shown with a photograph.
We spent a week with Gertrud, visiting, laughing, catching
up on family news, eating WAY too much good home cooking, and doing some
sightseeing in the local area. We
tried to get her to go with us as we hopped the local trains to Baden-Baden and
Heidelberg, but she turned us down – so, using the fantastic train system, the
two of us prowled around on our own.
Aunt Gertrud’s Asparagus Crepes and Feldsalat (a winter
lettuce).
The first place we visited was the town of Heidelberg – a beautiful
old city with TONS of history. A Celtic
fortress was built on the Heiligenberg (Mountain of Saints) in the 5th
century BC. Later in 40 AD, the
Romans built and maintained a fort on the same location. The modern city can trace its
beginnings to the 5th century AD. In 863, the monastery of St. Michael was begun. By the 1200’s the Duke of Bavaria began
constructing castles in the area.
In 1386, Heidelberg University was founded. Heidelberg’s library, founded in 1421, is the oldest public
library in Germany. When Martin
Luther proclaimed his 95 Theses against the Catholic Church he was given refuge
in Heidelberg. Gradually the city
became predominately Protestant.
During the Nazi era Heidelberg was a stronghold of the party. However the city was neither an
industrial city nor a transport hub, and therefore was not extensively bombed
during the war. The city is not
large, with a population of only around 150,000.
The bridge over the Neckar River, erected in 1786-1788.
The ruins of Heidelberg Castle on the steep slopes of the
Königstuhl Hügel or King’s Chair Hill dominate the city. Built in 1225, the castle was
repeatedly attacked in the 17th century and finally destroyed by the
French in 1764.
Heidelberg Castle from the far bank of the Neckar River.
Heidelberg Castle
One inner wall of the castle is covered in larger than
life-sized sculptures of the rulers of Bavaria from the 1500’s to the 1700’s.
Close up of one statue.
Gargoyle on the outer side of the castle.
This carving memorializes the sons of the architect. Legend has it that the architect had
twin sons who enjoyed playing around the construction site. One day they fell to their deaths. The architect was devastated and quit
work on the castle. Some time
later he had a dream where his sons came to him and said that they were happy in
heaven and that he should finish the castle. The angels represent the twin sons, the
ring of roses the province of Bavaria, and the compass the architect.
The castle is home to the Heidelberg Tun - the “World’s
Largest Wine Barrel”. Built in
1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor, it housed the wine, paid as taxes, by the
local wine growers. It stands 7
meters high, is 8½ meters wide, holds 220,000 liters (58,124 gallons), and has
a dance floor built on top of it. The
court jester who guarded the cask during the reign of Prince Carl Philip, a
Tyrolean dwarf nick-named Perkeo, was supposedly known for his ability to drink
large quantities of wine. Legend
has it that he died when he mistakenly drank a glass of water.
The Heidelberg Tun.
Note the people standing on the dance floor on top of the barrel.
On our way back to the train station, we walked through old
Heidelberg as the sun was setting.
All the shops were open and everything was decorated for Christmas. The light in the sky and the lighting
of the decorations were simply beautiful!
Sun setting over the streets of old Heidelberg.
After Heidelberg, we took a trip to the city of Baden-Baden,
a spa town located in the foothills of the Black Forest on the border with
France and Switzerland. The Romans
knew the hot springs of Baden-Baden, and the remains of Roman vapor baths can
still be visited under the city. Over
the centuries the city was always known as a spa town. However the current popularity of the
city as a spa dates from the early 19th century, when the Prussian
queen visited the site to improve her health. During the ensuing years the town became a meeting place for
celebrities and the wealthy that were attracted by the hot springs as well as
the famous Baden-Baden Casino, the luxury hotels, horse races, and the gardens
of the Lichtentaler Allee.
The Spielbank Casino is more than 200 years old and the
oldest casino in Germany.
Unfortunately we weren’t able to see inside as we were in jeans and the
dress code is jacket and tie for men and cocktail attire for women - evening
dress is preferred after 9 PM. During
WWII the city was spared being bombed, therefore many of the buildings of the
1700 & 1800”s are still standing.
Portico of the Trinkhalle. Housing the pump house (at the site of a mineral water spring),
it was also a very popular Drinking Hall.
The building was built in 1839 and its 90-meter arcade is lined with
frescos and benches.
Gardens of the Lichtentaler Allee. This was about a mile-long walking path along a small river – has to be spectacular in spring/summer.
The Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche built in 1881. The Salviati mosaic of The Transfiguration above the entrance
was ordered by Baroness Plessen, a close relative of Tsar Nicholas II and is
thought to have been designed by the Russian painter Grigor Gagarin.
However, when most people think of Baden-Baden, they think
of the famous bathhouses, the Caracalla Spa and the Friedrichsbad. The more modern of the two, the Caracalla
Spa, is popular with a more modest clientele – you go through wearing a bathing
suit.
The older of the two spas, the Friedrichsbad, has a “Garment
Free” policy with separate sides for men and women. Built in 1877, the spa is housed in a monumental,
beautifully decorated Neo-Classical building. It is considered by many to be the most authentic and
beautiful spa experience, and self-proclaims itself to be a “temple to the art
of well being”.
Heinz and I opted for the Friedrichsbad and it’s Full Monty
experience. I was more than
a little nervous at first, because like most Americans, I can be kind of
uptight about public nudity.
Especially on this day, since it was the one of the mixed sex days where
one side of the baths closes, and men and women go through the same baths co-ed
style. But on offer was a
17-stage, 3½-4 hour, thermal-powered experience… so we shed our clothes (in the
co-ed locker room) and headed into the inner-sanctum - by stage three I totally
forget that everyone was nude.
Here are the various stages with recommended times:
Stage 1: Warm water shower – 5 minutes.
Stage 2: Warm sauna (129 degrees) laying in very relaxing lounges – 5
minutes.
Stage 3: Hot sauna (159 degrees) – 5 minutes. Sandals (provided) are required because
the floors are too hot for bare feet.
Stage 4: Warm water shower – 5
minutes.
Stage 5: Vigorous Soap and brush massage to exfoliate the skin and
enhance circulation. For 10
minutes your masseuse scrubs you down with a stiff brush front and back.
Stage 6: Warm water shower – 5
minutes.
Stage 7: Warm steam room (steam scented with something very fresh
smelling, couldn’t quite identify it) – 5 minutes.
Stage 8: Hot steam room – 5 minutes.
Stage 9 - 11: Dip in shallow pools with water jets,
temperatures ranging from 76 to 82 degrees - 10-15 minutes per pool.
Stage 12: Warm water shower – 5
minutes.
Stage 13: Cold-water bath (64
degrees) meant to get your circulation going during a quick plunge. We chickened out of dipping into water
this cold!
Stage 14: Warm water shower
followed by wrapping up in a warm bath sheet– 5 minutes.
Stage 15: Crème massage, a 10
minute, relaxing massage that makes you melt.
Stage 16: Visit to the relaxation
room, wrapped in a warm blanket, a great place to grab a nap – 30 minutes.
Stage 17: Visit the reading room to relax in a comfortable recliner
and enjoy a glass of wine – 30 minutes.
One could revisit any stage and stay for as long as they
liked – provided they stay inside the 4-hour limit.
We have to admit that we left the Friedrichsbad feeling the
cleanest and most relaxed either of us has EVER felt – almost too clean for our
clothes!
Heinz leaving the Friedrichsbad feeling warm, relaxed and wrinkled–
sorry, no pictures inside the spa itself per spa policy.
After two weeks in Germany, Heinz’s sister, Suzi, joined us. Picking her up at the airport in
Frankfort, we did a quick fly-by in Ettlingen so she and Gertrud could see each
other. Of course, Gertrud had a
marvelous meal waiting for us.
Suzi settling into Germany.
After lunch we took the train south to Garmisch-Partenkirchen
and the German Alps.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in the Bavarian Alps on
the border with Austria. Garmisch
and Partenkirchen were separate towns that started as Roman settlements (seems
like most of Germany’s cities started as Roman settlements!). For centuries the towns served as major
trade route destinations. However,
when America was discovered there was a boom in shipping and a sharp decline in
overland trade, plunging the valley region into a centuries-long economic
depression. In addition, the land
was swampy; bears, wolves, and lynxes threatened livestock; and there were
several outbreaks of bubonic plague.
This led to several episodes of witch hysteria, especially in 1589-1596,
in which 63 people were burned at the stake, 10% of the population.
The towns remained separate until Hitler forced them to
combine in 1935 in preparation for the 1936 Winter Olympics. He threw out the carrot for the town
leadership – combine or vacation in one of the “camps” – they quickly
joined! In 1936 the town hosted
the winter Olympics - the first to feature alpine skiing. Today, the area is now a favored holiday
spot for skiing, snowboarding, and hiking, having some of the best skiing areas
in Germany. A variety of Nordic
and alpine World Cup ski races are still held here frequently.
The ski slopes on Zugspitze, considered by many to be one of the world's premier skiing spots with snow from November into May. (map courtesy of people check.de)
While in Garmisch-Partenkirchen we stayed at the Edelweiss
Lodge - a U.S. military hotel. It
was established in 1945 as a Rest and Relaxation Center for U.S. Occupation
Forces. The view from our room was
spectacular. Since it was December
the hotel was all decked out for Christmas.
Suzi checking out the sunrise from our room balcony.
Hey Santa, I’ve been a
real good girl this year!
Lobby of the Edelweiss Hotel.
To imagine the size of the lobby, this is a full sized
sleigh that seats six plus a driver.
It’s hanging above a fireplace that would almost hold the sleigh.
Using the hotel’s tour services, we headed out to explore the countryside. Our first tour took us to that oh-so-famous castle, Neuschwanstein. You remember this one - it was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the Disney parks. It is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and paid homage to Richard Wagner. It was meant to be a personal retreat for the reclusive king, but he mysteriously died before it was finished. Immediately following his death in 1886 the palace was opened to the paying public. Since then more than 61 million people have visited despite it never having been completed. An interesting side note – many pieces of artwork (looted by the Nazis) were stored in the castle during WWII. No pictures can be taken inside, but many are available on the Internet.
Neuschwanstein Castle.
Suzi, Heinz, and I at the castle.
A beautiful but somewhat steep 45-minute walk up
to the castle.
That same day we stopped in at the
Wieskirche, a rococo jewel of a church in the small hamlet of Wies. The church is the location of the
statue of the Scourged Savior. In
1738 tears were seen on the face of the statue. Word spread and the original chapel rapidly became a
pilgrimage site of unexpected proportions. The chapel was far too small to accommodate the crowds and
the nearby Steingaden monastery decided to build a larger church. The result is a place where rococo art
reached a zenith.
Suzi and Heinz in front of the
Wieskirche.
Front altar with the statue of the
Scourged Savior.
Close-up of the miraculous statue.
Organ at the opposite end of the
church interior.
While in Garmisch we also joined a
tour group headed for Linderhof Palace, another of Ludwig’s palaces. It is the smallest of his building
projects and the only one he lived to see completed. He actually lived here for the last few years of his
life. The building was designed in
the style of the second rococo period. Ludwig took his inspiration from Versailles. The symbol of the sun can be found
everywhere in the decoration of the rooms and represents the French notion of
absolutism, the perfect incorporation of Ludwig’s ideal of God-given monarchy
with total power.
The front entrance of Linderhof.
The gardens of the palace are
world famous. This is the terrace
built for viewing. In the middle
arch you see a bust of Marie Antoinette and crowning the building is a round
temple with a statue of Venus.
An interesting side note: Ludwig
II of Bavaria was a bit of a recluse who never married and spent most of his
time building castles and palaces throughout the state. Begged to halt his many construction
projects (they were emptying the government coffers) – he refused. Rest of story about how he died - he was a good swimmer and was found drowned
in a couple of inches of water.
Found with him was his personal physician who was found strangled.
That day we also stopped in
Oberammergau, a small town (population around 5,000) renown for its world
famous Passion Play and its woodcarvings.
The Passion Play was 1st performed in 1634 in order to give
thanks to God for sparing the town from the bubonic plague. Having been spared, the townspeople
vowed to perform the play every 10 years.
It is now performed in years ending with 0. It involves over 2,000 actors, singers, musicians, and
technicians – all participants MUST be residents of Oberammergau. The village is also known as the home
of a long tradition of woodcarving.
Most of the buildings in the village are decorated with frescos of traditional
scenes, religious symbols, and festival depictions.
Building fresco.
Freehand woodcarving of a Nativity
scene. The entire box is
approximately 4” tall.
Freehand woodcarving of a peddler,
approximately 24” tall.
Heinz and me in Oberammergau.
On our last night in Garmisch we
headed out on a torch-lit hike through the Partnach Gorge. The gorge is approximately 2,300 ft
long and over 260 ft deep. The
river that flows through it was used for centuries during the summer to move
logs down from the mountainsides to Partenkirchen. A nighttime winter hike heads through the gorge past ice
stalactites and stalagmites shining with the light from our handheld
torches.
Suzi heading down the gorge. You’d never guess it from her outfit,
but it was a tad cold.
Ice stalactite. It’s hard to tell in the picture, but
these were dozens of feet tall.
Heading down the gorge, that's not water dripping down from the rock, those are icicles.
We hope you’re enjoying your
vicarious trip through southern Germany. I’m working on the final installment
as you’re reading this so hang in there and maybe I’ll actually get it out in less than a month. Care to bet on it?
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