Day 8: Linderhof and Oberammergau

 On Tuesday, we headed out early to catch a train and then a bus to Linderhof Schloss

 Having walked through one castle, we elected to bypass the tickets and just enjoy the views from the outside.  Not only did this save us entrance fees, it also saved us from having to wait for a specific time to enter the palace.  We could meander around the grounds at our own pace.  Which we did. 

 John's by far favorite aspect was the fountain which went off every 30 minutes.  He requested I take a video so he would not need to wait 30 minutes to watch it in the future. Guess who else has videos? YouTube.

 King Ludwig who commissioned Linderhof (as well as the much more famous Neuschwanstein and lesser famous Herrenchiemsee), was a little nutty.  But, his palaces and palace grounds are amazing to walk around. 

 Situated in beautiful surroundings...maybe he wasn't so nutty afterall.  Who wouldn't want to have these breathtaking views in every direction and live in luxury?

 We also found a large snail (Schnecken!) along the path...which diverted John greatly.

 Flowers bloomed all over Germany and I could not get over the fields of wildflowers that stretched as far as the eye can see.  Purples, yellows, whites, and occasionally reds mingled with one another.  As someone who regularly kills flowers in her own yard, I was amazed at all of it seemingly thriving with very little input from humans...if any. 

 And, again, the majestic mountains.  In all directions.  I do like the beach, but the mountains are awesome.  They just take a little more work to enjoy. 

 After spending a couple of hours touring the grounds, we caught our bus back towards Oberammergau.  Making a stop per Rick Steve's suggestion in Ettal to visit a monestary from the 1300s.  We had noted a pizza shop near the bus stop, and figured that would be an excellent idea for lunch...guess what was closed on that particular day?  The Pizza Shop!  This is becoming quite comedic.  Luckily, we had swiped some rolls from the breakfast buffet and had a jar of nutella that kept us nourished for the time being.

 We entered the Monastery grounds and headed into the Basilica. 

I grew up going to St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center which is beautiful in its simplicity.  Using light and wood for decoration.  So the ornate Cathedrals were never my cup of tea.  But, as I entered the Basilica in Ettal, my eyes were drawn to the dome and all of the art that covered every inch of the building.  And, not for the first time this trip, but for the first time of visiting churches across the world, I was aware of how glorious it all was.  These buildings are free to enter and worship for all walks of life.  One didn't need to be a king or wealthy merchant to enjoy the splendors.  As opposed to the palaces, these places were intended for all to come and worship and give glory to God.  All could share in the wonderment.  These sacred places are meant to be something extraordinary in our ordinary lives.  To fix our eyes on heaven.  That really struck me this trip.  And for centuries faithful have been given the opportunity to enjoy and participate in liturgies in these exquisite sites.

We took a stroll around the grounds.  Listened to cow bells...one can always use a little more cow bell in their life.  And caught the bus back to Oberammergau.

 Where finally succeeded in getting pizza!  It was delicious.  As was the Radler I had with it.

 (no actual alcohol was consumed by underage children)

 Oberammergau is most famous for the Passion Play it puts on every decade.  This is not that year, so it was pretty quiet.  We walked and found some painted houses that depict Grimm Fairy Tales. 

 Found another fountain to take a picture with...not as cool as Linderhof, but beggars can't be choosers.

 Got more Eis.  The lady was super generous with her servings. 

 Checked out the Cuckoo Clock display, hit up a grocery store, and found a playground. 

 We elected to take a bus back to Bad Kohlgrub as we spent several Euros on the bus day pass to get to Linderhof...so it was already paid for.  We shared the bus with a large group of English Tourists here on a walking tour.  Sounds like a solid retirement option for us one day.

Turns out, we could have requested free bus passes from our hotel, but that was not something we realized until it was too late.  Next time!

I bought some crisps, crackers, cheese, salami, peppers, and wine at the store.  Party Supper for the last night in Bad Kohlgrub...and it was wonderful.  The next day we will board a train that will take us to see my family...but, first: Neuschwanstein!