On to the Land of Black Forest Cake and Cuckoo Clocks

Today we left Oberammergau and went to see King Lodwig II’s palace.  Only a 20 minute drive, we made good time and enough time to ensure that we were on the first tour.  Apparently this tour is not nearly as popular as the one of the castle Neuschweinstein that we saw yesterday. I must say however that I liked this tour much better than yesterday’s.  There were more rooms completed and more history behind them.  The grounds were finished and the statues, waterfalls and other pieces were quite

impressive.  I am still amazed by the expense of all of the things in the palace.  For example, all of the gold work was 22 or 24 karat flaked.  Additionally, the wood floors had inlays for the details and the grain of the inlay matched that of the grain of the wood around it.  There was a chandelier that weighed 500 pounds! 

We also saw the cave that King Lodwig had made so that he had a place to go and relax away from everyone.  In the cave, he had his own pond and he had that pod heated to about 92 degrees Fahrenheit so that it would keep the “room” warm while he was in it.  He also had the first lighting of its tie including the ability to change the colors of the lights to influence the color of the room.  The man was completely eccentric and some say crazy.

We then traveled to Lindau to spend lunch along Lake Constance.  Lake Constance is so big that it gives the aura of the seaside.  In the background, you could see the Alps.  It was quite a sight.  

We then traveled to the Black Forest where we spent the night.  The hotel we are at has a nearly life-sized glockenspiel that rings and plays its music on the hour.  Unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures because they turn it off between 8:30 pm and 8:30 am.  We go to Heidelberg to see the woodcarving tomorrow.  Maybe I will find a cuckoo clock I like.