Schloss Linderhof and Kloster Ettal

It was the penultimate day of the conference, but the last day for sightseeing - we would depart Thursday afternoon after the last speaker. Julie had another full day at the conference and wouldn't be able to join me for any expeditions. I had two options, drive to Innsbruck (Austria) or stay close and visit two attractions in nearby Ettal. The weather had turned from sunshine to typical German-permacloud - and given the long trip home the following day, I thought it would be best to stay local.

Schloss Linderhof

Courtyard, fountain below was drained and full of workers

Gazebo

Schloss Linderhof is one of three palaces built by order of König Ludwig II of Bavairia - the other two, Schloss Neuschwanstein and Herrenchiemsee. While an inept bookkeeper, everyone's favorite reclusive king had a keen eye for art and architecture. The Bavarian king revered Louis XIV, designing both Linderhoff and Herrenchiemsee to closely resemble the French Sun King's palace in Versailles. Sometimes called, the Swan King, Ludwig II identified himself with the Swan Knight (Lohengrin) from the opera named after the famed legend, Lohengrin. Features of Schloss Neuschwanstein paid homage to the opera - including the courtyard, path to the chapel, and numerous paintings depicting scenes from the fable. The king's adoration of Richard Wagner was also present at Schloss Linderhof. He had a piano specially built for the composer in hopes of obtaining a private concert through flattery (albeit, they were friends). Linderhof palace is particularly small compared to the others built for the Bavarian eminence and is the only one in which he lived.

Could only get pictures outside

Entrance

König Ludwig II of Bavaria Crest

Pictures were not allowed while on tour, a common restriction (in our experiences throughout Europe) much to my chagrin. My group was small and the walk though the residence took an hour. One of the highlights was the "disappearing table" also called, "Tischlein deck dich." The dinning room was built directly above the kitchen, where a table could be prepared and lifted to the floor above - this way the king could avoid human interaction. The tour ended with a stroll through the "Hall of Mirrors," a garish room worth a thousand words, but pictures weren't permitted, so it is only worth twenty-seven words.

Kloster Ettal

Looking up after walking inside

A ghost town

Something religious

Organ

Fresco and details

Rounding out my trip to Ettal, I stopped by Kloster Ettal on my way back to Edelweiss. The Abbey has a community of (approximately) fifty monks, although, I didn't spot any. In fact, I didn't see fifty people all day. I approached the Monastery curious to see if it was open - having not seen a soul in the the square. While taking pictures in the courtyard, I spotted two human life forms entering the church - confounding my ghost town suspicions and I went inside to confirm they weren't indeed apparitions (and to take pictures). The church is modest (in size), intimate, and beautifully decorated - statues, gilded artwork, and a fresco painted ceiling. I briefly visited the Abbey and had lunch at a restaurant down the street. Driving back to the hotel, the permacloud turned to nimbostratus and would continue the rest of the day.

Organ area

Quaint little church

Confessional

Chandelier

Our trip to Bavaria ended on a high note, we saw our first snow of the season. While exploring the Free State, we experienced a full year's worth of seasons. We arrived to comfortable sunny weather with a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius (~mid 60's Fahrenheit). During our visit to Schloss Neuschwanstein, the weather dropped a little bit and resembled the typical crisp weather of a perfect Autumn's day. The falling snow made for a beautiful drive home, that is, until it turned into rain after leaving the mountains. Bavaria and the Mosel River Valley are easily our favorite regions in Germany.