Day in the Snow

The day after Christmas, we set out to explore some of the area for a family day (with me playing the part of the adopted 5th child, of course). The main destination was Linderhof, one of the castles built by Ludwig II. I'd actually been to Linderhof in the summer of 2004, but the castle was under construction at that point so I had never been inside.

First stop: the beautiful Wieskirche, a famous Rococo church and pilgrimage destination

You can just barely see the organ (which we were lucky enough to catch being played) above.

On the way from Wieskirche to Linderhof, we drove through Oberammergau, the picturesque city where the Passion Play is performed every ten years. I'd love to see it someday!

On to Linderhof! 

I just love the architecture in Alpine regions!

Snow!

And in this picture, you can tell the snow is giving way a bit. Je n'ai pas l'habitude!

Linderhof was built by Ludwig II in the place where his father had a hunting home. Ludwig II was King of Bavaria from 1864-1886. He commissioned three extravagant castles (Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, and Herrenchiemsee) before his mysterious death in 1886. His story is pretty interesting, and you can't travel to Bavaria without seeing at least one of his castles!

Linderhof has really beautiful gardens, which we could obviously not see this day. I am glad that I got to see the beautiful gardens in the summer and then come back eight years later to visit the grounds in the snow and to get to tour the building! The whole family took a tour in English on my behalf, which was so sweet. Linderhof is a small castle, but it's beautiful. We particularly liked its Hall of Mirrors with vases displayed within the intricate gold-plated mirror frames and decorations.

In the summer, these fountains run, but not today! :)

December 2012

August 2004

We then headed to this adorable restaurant for some coffee (which translates to "hot chocolate" in Katy language).

Terrace seats, anyone?

my cheesecake, Irene's apple strudel, and my hot chocolate - delicious!

The Fam - I love this picture!

view from the window (seriously)

We headed to another church nearby, and got a peek of the sunset.

At yet another church, we got a peek of the moonrise!

This church was very different than the others we saw - clean, simple lines and very little embellishment. When the Baroque and Rococo styles became popular, many churches were redecorated to embody the new style, while this church refrained from renovation.

dusk, and the closing of a wonderful day!

Well, almost the closing. After our day of exploring, we headed to a restaurant in a neighboring village and ate together; I had pork roast, a dumpling, cabbage, and a beer, and it was all delicious! This was our last day with all seven of us together; I had such a wonderful time with the whole family for Christmas. I truly felt like I was part of the family. It's wonderful to feel cared for while you're so far away from home, especially during the holidays! I am (and will always be) so, so thankful for these days that I spent with Irene and her family celebrating, eating, drinking, and adventuring, Bavarian style!