An American in Germany / Part # 10 / Herrenchiemsee

GAPP Exchange Journal 2012

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 Exploring the Herrenchiemsee Island

Latona Fountain of Herrenchiemsee New Palace

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We had just completed the interior tour of King Ludwig II of Bavaria's palace that had a lot more to do with France than Germany.  Herrenchiemsee New Palace was a physical tribute to King Louis XIV of France and a monument to King Ludwig's unhealthy man-crush and obvious obsession with a man that had been dead for well over a century.  About halfway through the interior tour, I started picturing King Ludwig II dressing up and pretending to actually be Louis XIV in period correct settings!  And I'll bet King Ludwig's French was a lot better than my German.  He had lofty expectations for the sister palace of Versailles but his dream fell short with only the main exterior shell section of the central palace completed.  After the king's death in 1886 several additional sections that were partially started were torn down leaving only the central portion, which is what still exists today.  Some work continues on the site, especially in the gardens where a few of the side fountains were only recently restored to working order within the past several years.  Herrenchiemsee New Palace encompasses a total of 8,363 square feet but falls well short of Versailles incredible 721,206 square feet.  However, it is worth considering just how far King Ludwig would have taken the project... had he lived a long life.  Unfortunately, we'll never know!  

 Herrenchiemsee Royal Dining Room

(Photo Source / Official Site Guidebook)

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Yet it is also worth mentioning that in some ways, parts of the Bavarian Versailles, as it is sometimes known, had surpassed the original palace in France.  For example, the Hall of Mirrors at Herrenchiemsee New Palace was a few meters longer than the original due to the fact that each of the 17 large arched windows were slightly wider than their counterparts at Versailles.  Many of the finished rooms were far more lavishly decorated than similar rooms at the French palace.  Plus, the chandelier above King Ludwig II's dining room table was larger than any that hung at Versailles.  In fact, he ordered his chandelier to be designed as the largest hanging light fixture in the world.  Was King Ludwig II trying to send a message by attempting to "one up" his idol, the Sun King?  Next we went to see the museum rooms where the story of Ludwig was told in portraits, sculpture, clothing, and furniture.  It was a small museum but well organized with some interesting treasures on display.  King Ludwig II's eccentric mind set and dreamlike perspective of the world adds to the romantic aura that surrounds his legacy.  Yet, it is ironic that the absolute monarch Ludwig admired and honored on a pedestal called Herrenchiemsee, would have his powerful dynasty crumble with the beheading of his great grandson King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette on an execution platform in Paris in January of 1793.  Ludwig himself would only spend a total of few days at his partially complete new royal palace on the island of Herreninsel in September of 1885 before his own kingdom would crumble from under his feet less than a year later.  Again, that is a story we will explore in detail when we visit King Ludwig II's most famous castle of all known as Neuschwanstein Castle located in Schwangau, Germany. 

 Sculptured Palace Frontal Exterior

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We hit the museum gift shop that is impossible to avoid since you have to pass through it to enter and later exit the museum exhibits.  I had my eye on a small official tour guidebook of the palace, which Mr. Schadhauser insisted on buying for me as my generous host.  I really appreciated it because I relied heavily on the information it contained as a reference throughout my composition of this blog and it also provided me several of the interior pictures of the palace I was not able to take myself.  It was forbidden... or as they say in Germany... Verboten!  Wow, I learned another new word in German, which would be my favorite one of all.  I used it the rest of my trip, much to the delight of our Warwick students to point out things they were not permitted to do at any given time.  Such as... No Whining... It is VERBOTEN!   I often accentuated my newly found vocabulary word with my really poor German accent and further underscored its delivery with my extended index finger twitching back and forth for effect.   Now it was time to take a break and enjoy some of the surrounding beauty of the frontal gardens of the palace.  An inviting cafe with outdoor tables covered by bright white canvas sun umbrellas was nestled into the left side of the palace facade.  As I went to find a bathroom and got lost twice, Mr. Schadhauser ordered my favorite drink in a tall iced glass... I love this guy!  Diet Coke was obviously not a favorite beverage in Bavaria and probably all of Europe for that matter but it is my favorite choice of refreshment and near constant companion back home in America.  In Europe Diet Coke is called Coca-Cola Light... Did I just learn another German word?  I guess not...  

 

A Great Setting for a Coca-Cola Light

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The day continued to be sunny and hot but there was a refreshing breeze across the veranda cafe of the palace.  Some hardcore historians would probably balk at the idea of altering the frontal facade of the palace to add a commercial space of business but I thought it was a nice touch.  Protected from the sun, enjoying my refreshing Coca-Cola Light on ice, pleasant conversation with a group of friends, with an incredible view of cascading fountains...  It doesn't get much better than this!  Besides, if you really wanted to see the palace without the cafe out front, you could always travel to France.  Bon Voyage...  I had a few minutes to spare before we returned back down the path through the woods to the dock so I decided to check around the back of the palace with my camera.  The sides and rear of the palace were quiet and mostly void of visitors.  As I rounded the backside of the building, I came upon a familiar sight, found on several of my PowerPoint slides shown during my Versailles presentation when teaching the French Revolution.  The rear veranda was a large square space with a black and white checkered marbled surface.  The nearly identical veranda at Versailles would have looked out over the vast cobblestone Grand Courtyard where a constant line of horse drawn carriages dropped off and picked up official visitors to the palace throughout the day and evening hours.   In contrast, Herrenchiemsee's veranda looked out on a quiet tranquil woods with a long cleared central space, providing a view of Lake Chemisee far off in the distance.  It was a fitting view for a palace that never lived to see completion and only King Ludwig II's imagination could have revealed what the view may eventually have contained.  It will forever remain a blank canvas...

Rear View from Herrenchiemsee Veranda

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We reluctantly left the fantasy of France behind us and headed back down the wooded hillside toward the dock to catch the next boat back to the mainland.  With a few minutes to spare before the boat was due to arrive, we had time to check out the small museum within the Herrenchiemsee Abbey where the first steps were taken to create the modern German Constitution in early August of 1948.  Now it was Angela's turn to play historian.  She was an excellent presenter and the two of us enjoyed many political and historical discussions together during my visit.  The Herrenchiemsee Assembly members included representatives from every state in Western Germany and met in what was still known at the time as Herrenchiemsee Old Palace.  Post war Germany in the late forties was a complex political process in the making that involved outside nations, economics, the Marshall Plan, and the emerging Cold War... just to name a few variables.  However, a major step to the political stability and future of Germany was accomplished in a small room within the Old Palace.  The consensus of the states created the foundation for the evolution of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany to begin.  The original document would be revised over time and eventually give rise to the modern country of Germany, which was later reunited with East Germany in 1990.   We then took the boat back to the shores of Fraueninsel or Lady's Island but due to a slight mishap in the boat schedule, we wound up stranded for about an hour.  Oh no, what ever could we do?  Mr. Schadhauser saved the day when he suggested we have dinner to pass the time.  Like I said before... I love this guy!

Interior Courtyard of Herrenchiemsee Old Palace

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We stopped in at a beautiful old traditional restaurant called the Kloisterwirt where we again took seats in the outdoor biergarten to enjoy some more traditional Bavarian fare.  Mr. Schadhauser was still clutching his "to go" bag of smoked whitefish from lunchtime but decided to order from the menu with the rest of us.  As usual, I needed a little help because the menu was once again only in German for some unknown reason?  Even after ordering, I never really knew for sure what might be delivered to our table in front of me.  I really had to put my trust and faith in my sidekick Wendy throughout our trip, praying she would not steer me wrong and order something like stuffed goat's head as a joke!  Despite my fear of the unknown, my delivered Bavarian meal looked delicious and had the taste to match its appearance.  It was a traditional meal of sauteed pork loin medallions with crispy potato cakes drowned in a creamy mushroom sauce... I think!  The only thing I was 100% sure of was it was delicious and contained no visible signs of sauerkraut.  One thing to know about dining out in Germany is the server's monetary tip, which is usually added separately at the conclusion of the meal in America, is actually included in the price of the food.  This practice is to help enable people who work in the food service industry earn a living wage.  However, it is customary to round up the final price of the bill to the nearest Euro, especially if the service was good.

A Bavarian Dish without Sauerkraut

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I liked the fact that the no-tip policy took out the guesswork after the final bill arrived to the table and you knew the total cost of your meal up front.  I will admit I usually defer the tip calculating work to my wife who was once a waitress and has her own complex rubric rating system when it comes to tipping.  I'm not very good at food math.  However, at some of the places we ate during our trip, the service was not all that great and sometimes slow since they weren't going to be rewarded for working to impress you.  I found you had to call your server over to your table when you needed something because they rarely checked in to see how things were going.  Another difference when dining is sometimes meals are delivered to your table at different times, meaning everyone at your table may not all get their food at the same time.  The order is often brought to your table as soon as it is finished being prepared and nice and hot.  It felt a little uncomfortable at times but it is perfectly acceptable to "dig in" while your hungry friends watch.  How about another roll from the breadbasket for the time being?  We finished our delicious meal and then made our way to the dock in time to catch our boat for the final leg of our journey back to the mainland.   

 Leaving Fraueninsel / Lady's Island

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The boat sailed out over the open water toward the far shoreline of Chemisee off to the northwest.  We had one last time to take in the beautiful views of the lake and towering Alps off to the distant east.  We had finally returned to our starting point where I had purchased my awesome German style hat earlier that morning.  It still looked amazing on me!  We were all tired from spending about ten hours touring and exploring the islands and lake.  It was an amazing day where I got to see incredible sights, historical places, and nature's beautiful landscapes.  We hit the bathrooms once more and this time, I didn't get lost... not even once.  We all piled in the car and relaxed in luxurious leather while Mr. Schadhauser piloted his German engineered Mercedes with precision through the twisting rural roads toward home.  It was so cool and I decided to film it from my vantage point in the passenger seat.  You can check out the video along with all my accompanying photographs of our day trip by exploring the link to my online photo album collection of Lake Chemisee, highlighted in yellow below.  Once again, a great big thank you goes out to Mr. Erwin Schadhauser who was a great host and treated Angela, Wendy, and I to a fantastic experience.  Thanks again for sharing one of your favorite Bavaria destinations with us.  It was an awesome day!

  Back in the Port of Chemisee

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Please stayed tuned for the next installment of our adventure!

 PLEASE SEE MY ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BLOG POSTING AT...

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YOU CAN ALSO CHECK OUT THE WHOLE SERIES IN ORDER AT...

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An American in Germany / Part # 9 / Herrenchiemsee

GAPP Exchange Journal 2012

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Bavarian Sea / Herrenchiemsee Palace 

Exploring the Bavarian Sea

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Wendy and I were touring the islands and the waters of Lake Chemisee with my host Angela Schadhauser and her father Erwin.  It was a beautiful day and we had just finished our lunch of smoked fish and had embarked on the tour boat for the second half of our adventure to visit the larger island on the Bavarian Sea.  As we stepped off the boat onto the dock of Herreninsel or Gentleman's Island, I was informed that King Ludwig II had built a palace in the center of the island and we were going for a tour of the interior.  I never knew what was coming up next on the day's agenda and this was quite a surprise!  We walked up a path to a large kiosk where Mr. Schadhauser purchased tickets for the four of us to tour Herrenchiemse New Palace.  Despite Wendy and my best efforts to insist on sharing the cost of our day, the generosity of Mr. Schadhauser won out as he insisted that we were his guests and paid our way throughout this adventure.  We had the option to take a horse drawn carriage up to the hilltop palace estate but decided to walk instead.  The pathway was lined with trees that shaded us from the hot sun.  I couldn't help but think of the Count of Tüßling and now understood and could appreciate the benefit of shade while traveling over the open road.  We entered into the woods and I enjoyed talking with Mr. Schadhauser, who could speak proficient English.  When we hit a conversation roadblock we could seek the help from our bilingual companions of Wendy and Angela who were a few steps behind.
  

 Front Fountains of Herrenchiemsee Palace

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Mr. Schadhauser had worked for many years in the profitable chemical industry of Bavaria, where he helped to design and create durable plastic windows.  He had recently retired after scaling his hours back to part time status the final few years of his career.  In certain industries in Germany, workers have the option to go part time the final five years of their careers for less money, which helps people ease into their retirement years.  Mr. Schadhauser was now enjoying the extra time with his family, grandchildren, and pursuing various hobbies.  I would later discover that he was an excellent cook!  Mr. Schadhauser was a real likeable guy, whom I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know.  Despite some language barriers, we laughed and enjoyed each other's company and conversation.  He was an excellent personal tour guide, giving an oral history of many of the things we saw and pointed out small details I otherwise might have missed.  Again, the friendly people I met along my travels were the best part of my trip.  We continued to scale the winding path uphill through the woods, now longing for the summit.  Thankfully, there was a welcome cool breeze blowing through the trees above.  Suddenly the deep green canopy of trees of the forest gave way to an open sunny space, revealing several previously hidden enormous fountains and gardens.  As I turned around to survey the area, I was once again blown away by what existed right before me.   I appeared to be standing in the shadow of the magnificent palace of King Louis XIV of France known as Versailles.  How could this be possible?  Had the woods been a magical portal to another country...  Had I fallen down the rabbit hole? 

 Front Veranda of Herrenchiemsee New Palace

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King Ludwig II was the last true king of Bavaria and is often known as the Fairytale King who attempted to build several mammoth sized construction projects that grew to be known as the Dream Castles.  Ludwig II became king at the age of eighteen in 1864 but became more and more withdrawn from the world as he aged until he isolated himself from others and became somewhat of a recluse.  King Ludwig II absorbed himself in several expensive building projects for his own personal use, visual monuments of his kingdom.  The first palace he commissioned to be built, which was named Linderhof, was already well under way, designed in the French architectural style he admired.  However, King Ludwig II decided to simultaneously initiate another large scale construction project that would be created as a tribute to fellow monarch, King Louis XIV of France.  King Louis XIV was without doubt, the most powerful leader on the continent of Europe during his reign between the years of 1643 to 1715.  King Ludwig II of Bavaria greatly admired the French monarch's power, wealth, and ambition.  In many ways, he represented everything Ludwig II dreamed he could rise to become over time.  King Louis XIV had constructed the largest palace in the world near a hunting lodge from his childhood known as Versailles.  King Ludwig II had visited the Palace of Versailles in 1867 and then again in 1874, leaving a powerful impression on the young king.  Ludwig II decided to build a duplicate Versailles palace of his very own and selected land on the Island of Herrenchiemsee in the middle of Lake Chiemsee to serve as the desired location for the newly planned palace.  King Ludwig II already had one palace on the island built by his ancestors that was also called Herrenchiemsee.  As a result, the new palace would be called Herrenchiemsee New Palace and the earlier residence was now known as Herrenchiemsee Old Palace.  What if he built a third palace on the island... then whatchamacallit?  

Latona / Mother of Apollo / Fountain

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The end result was an incredible monument to the absolute power of the monarchy and a tribute to King Louis XIV, who was also known as the Sun King.  It was surreal, standing in the presence of a nearly exact copy of the Palace Versailles, sitting in the middle of the Bavarian Sea.  Even the exterior gardens and fountains in front of the palace were near duplicates of the originals...  So much for copyright laws... I wondered if King Louis XIV would have been flattered by Ludwig's version of Versailles or would he have called him a "Copy Cat" and been raging mad?   The strange thing to me was the fact that King Louis XIV had already been dead for 150 years when Ludwig II took the Bavarian throne.  Plus, the two monarchs that ruled France following King Louis XIV, continued to expand Versailles, spending with reckless abandon, which eventually helped cause the French Revolution.  Didn't King Ludwig II put one and two together and realize that Louis XIV's grandson, King Louis XVI, was beheaded by the people of France, ending the French Monarchy for good with one fall of the guillotine blade?  Didn't he see the obvious risks here?  Plus, how would the German people feel about having everything constructed by their king, built in the mirror image of France?   What was wrong with Bavaria after all, your homeland, culture, heritage... remember?  Come on man, you gotta promote the home team!  There was a reason why King Ludwig II was sometimes called Ludwig the Nutter or Mad King Ludwig!   In all seriousness, the king's mental health was brought into question more than once and eventually led to his downfall.  But that's another story for another episode!

State Staircase of Herrenchiemsee
(Photo Credit / Official Site Guidebook) 

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Mr. Schadhauser purchased tickets for an interior tour of the palace in English for my benefit...  Thanks for thinking of me, Erwin!  We had a few minutes before the tour began so I was able to explore the expansive frontal fountains.  The largest fountains were incredibly powerful, jetting water amazingly high above the towering sculptures.  The fountains went through cycles of turning on and off due to the incredible energy and water pressure that would be required to keep them all running continuously.  When they all suddenly turned off in unison, there was an uncanny quiet and emptiness left in their wake for a few minutes.  Some of the fountain sculptures were near duplicates of their counterparts at Versailles, while others were more romantic in design aligned with the personal tastes of King Ludwig II.  It was time for the tour in the English language to begin, which was attended by at least thirty other people.  The tour guide spoke very good English but informed us that this was his first time ever leading a tour group in English...  His first sentence stated the rules loud and clear, including absolutely no photography allowed!  Not Again... Thankfully, I was able to find several images from outside sources to compliment this blog posting.  As soon as we passed through the doorway leading to the State Staircase, I was again in awe!  The room was a near duplicate of the Versailles Escalier des Ambassadeurs (Staircase of the Ambassadors), which was razed in 1752 to make room for additional apartment space during renovations.  The huge dual marble staircase was incredibly ornate, accented with bright paintings, plaster sculptures, crystal chandeliers, framed in elegant gold leaf.  The one added improvement over the original in France was the huge frosted glass roof-size skylight that flooded the room with natural light.  It was too much for the eye to absorb!

 King Louis XIV of France / King Ludwig II of Bavarian

(Image Credit / Herrenchiemsee Museum)

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We scaled the State Staircase to enter the first of the Parade Rooms of the Grand Apartment, which was named the King's Guard Room.  Racks of weapons containing the halberds of the Royal Bavarian Guard lined the wall.  The room was decorated with images of King Louis XIV in military dress and entertaining his court at Versailles, which were all copied from the French originals.  Copyright laws? Next was the First Ante-Chamber room, which served as an entry space into the next room.  Every inch of the four walls were decked out with exquisite artwork, ornate carvings, crystal chandeliers, and a fresco covered ceiling.  The single piece of furniture in the room was a very large wooden cabinet with incredibly detailed carving painted in gold and inlaid with tortoise shells.  It was a beautiful piece of fine furniture resembling one that Louis XIV had commissioned for himself... bet you couldn't have guess that!  However, the cabinet was never used by King Ludwig II, due to the fact that it was delivered a few weeks after he had lost the throne.  Surprisingly, the most expensive and valuable thing in the room wasn't the cabinet but the draperies that were hand crafted using golden and colored silk thread.  Following through the Second Ante-Chamber that was much like the previous room, we entered into the Parade Chamber, the heart of the palace located by design in the exact center of the massive structure.  It was the space where King Ludwig II would prepare for the day and then retire before bed.  One of the artists made the mistake of painting the image of Ludwig II within the Apollo themed ceiling painting but the king insisted they all be changed to resemble... guess who?
  

Herrenchiemsee Hall of Mirrors

(Photo Credit / Official Site Guidebook)

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We continued through the remaining few rooms, including the king's bed chamber, working room, and a few others that were all impressive.  One of my favorite topics to teach to my students for a few class periods each year is the French Revolution, which includes a virtual tour of the palace Versailles.  I have always wanted to travel to France to tour the actual palace in person and now I have... kind of... sort of... accomplished that goal.  It was most evident when we stepped into the Ludwig's version of one of the most famous rooms in the world... The Hall of Mirrors.  The end result was spectacular and even included the two cap end corner rooms known as Hall of Peace at one end and the Hall of War on the opposite end, just like the original at Versailles.  The Hall of Mirrors was named for the large arched sections of mirrored glass that run parallel and match the shape and size of the large arched windows along the opposite wall.  The effect fills the long rectangular room with reflecting light that is further captured by 33 crystal chandeliers and 52 large candelabras, which consumed almost 2,000 candles every evening.  The original Hall of Mirrors was used as a multipurpose room where people in the king's favor may have received permission to use the space to host their weddings, tables were brought in for banquets, the wooden parquet floors supported the feet of dancers at elaborate balls and parties.  It was also the setting for the signing of the Treaty of Paris of 1919 that ended World War I.  In contrast, King Ludwig II intended the space to be utilized for his own personal and private use, remaining hidden from view... until now!  The room was spectacular, a three dimensional work of art I was standing within and walking through... Again, I can't believe I am here...

Unfinished Shell of North Staircase

(Photo Credit / Flickr Common Use License)

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We walked through several more rooms that were decorated to the extreme in the similar French style as the previous section of the palace.  The tour guide may have been a rookie but his historical room descriptions in English were well spoken and easy for me to follow and understand throughout the tour.  We exited into the North Staircase, which was a brick and mortar shell version of the State Staircase, where we started our tour, on the opposite side of the palace.  A total of fifty of the seventy rooms within the palace were never finished and remain today in their skeletal form.  All construction immediately stopped following the death of King Ludwig II in June of 1886.  Several unfinished rooms were part of the tour, providing a view of the blank walls before they were smoothed over with plaster and covered in images glorifying everything and anything associated with King Louis XIV of France.  The two staircases were complete polar opposites but even the North Staircase was beautiful in its own way, reminding me of the simplistic colonial architectural style back home.  In some ways Herrenchiemsee overshadowed Versailles as the design and construction process benefited from advances in technology that had taken place by the 19th century.   King Ludwig II enjoyed the luxury of centralized heating, running water, and a heated bathtub.  The bathroom contained an enormous circular bathtub on the ground floor, constructed of marble plates and embellished with a fresco painted ceiling and matching walls depicting panoramic scenes of Venus and her attendants.  The tub was the size of a small pool and took a total of eight hours to fill with heated water!  I wonder if he had a dinosaur sized royal rubber ducky as a companion?

Frontal View of Palace Fountains

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We walked through the kitchen where a large mechanical apparatus resembling a medieval torture device was front and center.  Apparently, King Ludwig II did not like anyone to be present when he ate his food, including servants.  So a industrial sized gear and pulley system was created to enable the entire platform supporting the four legs of the dining room table on the floor above to be lowered into the kitchen.  As a result, King Ludwig could have his food and drink placed on the table without direct contact with the human race.  Like I said before, the guy had some issues and his mental health and competency to lead the nation was suspect and a topic of debate among the powerful aristocrats of his empire.  Our tour was now complete and the maiden presentation of our rookie English speaking tour guide was now behind him.  He did a great job and was not above asking for word assistance when needed from the crowd when trying to answer questions from our group.  Now, we had some additional time to relax and explore a little further before heading back to the dock for our return voyage to the mainland.  Stay Tuned! 

 Northern Marble Garden Fountain

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Please stayed tuned for the next installment of our adventure!

 PLEASE SEE MY ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BLOG POSTING AT...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjmartin/collections/72157630813208920/
  
YOU CAN ALSO CHECK OUT THE WHOLE SERIES IN ORDER AT...

 https://www.warwicksd.org/teacherweb/module.php?id=7644&tid=241 

 

An American in Germany / Part # 8 / Lake Chiemsee

GAPP Exchange Journal 2012

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Lady's Island / The Bavarian Sea
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View of Lake Chiemsee, Bavaria

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Despite having long days of planned activities and being extremely tired by the late evening hours, I was still having trouble getting a good night's sleep.  I was probably averaging between four and five hours a night and was missing the familiarity of my bedroom back home.  Ever since I was a kid, I have run a floor fan in my bedroom all night long to drum out all the little noises within the house.  The constant steady hum was a soothing sound, which I later learned was officially known as white noise.  I thought about bringing along a small desktop fan but didn't have the room in my suitcase by the time I had everything packed.  Underwear or the fan?  Hmmmm...  However, I had a backup plan!  A few years ago, I was staying in a hotel in Pittsburgh over the Christmas holiday and was really having a tough time falling asleep.  In an attempt to find a solution, I used the iTunes app on my iPhone and visited the online store.  I searched for "white noise" and was pleased to find several choices available, including... rolling ocean waves, tropical rain forest, babbling creek, springtime rain and eventually... fan sounds!  Can you believe it?  I purchased an entire album with the content face of a sleeping newborn baby on the cover that had about 20 different tracks of white noise listed, including six various fan sounds!  I connected to the hotel's WiFi and downloaded my sleep aide within a few minutes.  I selected the track that most resembled my floor fan at home and set it to play in a continuous loop.  With my iPhone plugged into the outlet to stay fully charged and humming away on my nightstand beside my bed, I cranked up the volume and settled in for a long winter's nap.  I was so impressed by my resourcefulness and ingenuity!   

 Angela and Erwin Schadhauser
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My first night in Bavaria I used the same procedure but it just wasn't loud enough so I played it on my laptop but for some unknown reason, it just didn't have the same effect.  Was I just suffering jet lag?  Andy and Angela's first question each morning at breakfast was concerning how well I had slept and I confessed... I was missing my fan and the simulated noise from my computer just wasn't cutting it.  Andy thought his mother might have an electric tabletop fan somewhere, maybe... but fans are not a common household appliance in Germany.   I said it was no big deal, not wanting to appear like a sensitive sleeper needing special amenities and comforts like a big baby... which in fact, I was...  But Andy said he would ask her about it because it would also help to cool off my attic living space during the current hot weather.  Ok... If you insist!   When we arrived home from our long day trip to Regensburg, I was greeted by a medium sized electric fan sitting upright on my bedside table.  I love Andy's mother!  She would spend quite a bit of time and effort during my stay to make sure I was comfortable and content.  The hum of the fan really did help me sleep and cooling off my room was an added bonus.  The next day Wendy and I were scheduled to join Andy's wife Angela and her father, Erwin Schadhauser on a day trip adventure to picturesque Lake Chiemsee, which is often called the Bavarian Sea.  At first, it appeared Andy and Angela were taking turns entertaining Wendy and I but it was actually Angela's father who was the one graciously offering to host us on this trip.  Proud of his country, he wanted to show us what a beautiful place Germany is by taking us to one of his favorite scenic spots.  Lake Chiemsee is the largest freshwater body of water in the region, framed in the distance by the towering mountains of the German and Austrian Alps.

Lakeside Chateau / Dockside Shopping

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Angela's father pulled in to pick us up shortly after 8:00 AM in a brand new black Mercedes he recently purchased.  I think he said it was a retirement gift he bought for himself.  Nice!  I had never been in a Mercedes before and it was awesome sitting shotgun!  Mr. Schadhauser seemed to be enjoying his new toy by driving like a seasoned European living in Germany.  It was a fun, fast, and smooth ride through the picturesque Bavarian countryside.  The fact that Germany had no such thing as a strait road was once again confirmed, as we twisted and turned around the constant curving roadway.  We pulled over along the side of the road shortly after arriving, so we could get out and take in the first incredible view of Lake Chiemsee from an observation point located by a colorful flower garden.  Sailboats dotted the water's blue, flat surface and I was able to get my first view of the famous Alps off in the distance to the east.  I still can't believe I am here...  I really had no idea of the itinerary for the day and was surprised when Angela's father purchased tickets for a tour boat to take us across the lake and even visit several islands.  We had some time in the town of Chiemsee along the shoreline before our boat set sail, giving us a little time for some shopping along the pier.  It was a hot sunny day and I had brought a baseball hat along in my backpack but was looking for something a little more.... German?  I found a great little white woven brimmed hat that fit well and looked fantastic on me... if I say so myself!  The reality was...  I looked like the complete tourist whenever I wore it and the camera around my neck didn't help!   The next day, our kids at school gave me a hard time about it... so, of course... I wore it every chance I could the rest of our trip.  I made one of my first purchases using the Euro causing me to start feeling a little more comfortable in my foreign surroundings.  I can do this... I think!

 
Hey, where did that guy buy that awesome hat?

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During my quick explore, I was able to get some great pictures of the hillside chateaus decked out with flower boxes.  The traditional architecture of white stucco walls, darkly stained wooden trim, red terracotta rooftops, and flower boxes overflowing with vibrant color were my favorite sight to behold in Bavaria.  These Alpine structures were exactly what I had always pictured the rural countryside of Germany would look like and I was glad to find it present in every area we visited.  Soon it was time to cast off for our adventure on the Bavarian Sea, so the four of us boarded the boat and found seats together on the open rear deck of the ship.  The deck terrace gave us an outstanding unobstructed view of the lake and surrounding mountains.  However, it was extremely sunny, making our outdoor location, which was void of any shade, very hot and somewhat uncomfortable.  Wendy had forgotten to bring a sun hat along today but Mr. Schadhauser, being the gentleman he was, forfeited his own hat for Wendy.  I decided to return the favor by giving him the Warwick baseball hat stowed away in my backpack.  It looked great on him... but not quite as good as my new hat looked on me of course... After all, it made me look like one of the natives!  Angela was tough and went without cover.  Andy and Angela were now expecting their third child and her beaming glow beat back and overpowered the rays of the sun...  Congratulations guys!

Fraueninsel Convent Grounds

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We sailed out over the open water, enjoying watching the sailboats darting across the lake in every direction.  There are a total of three islands located within the Bavarian Sea including one that is uninhabited.  The larger of the remaining two islands is named Herreninsel, which is also known as Gentleman's Island that I would later discover contained a castle built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria.  The smaller island and our first stop on our boat tour is known as Fraueninsel or Lady's Island.   The island is crowned with a Benedictine Abbey that has existed since 782 AD and is still in operation, currently housing approximately thirty nuns.  The nuns of the abbey are famous for making their own special cloister liquor spirit called Klosterlikör.  Wow... I didn't expect that!  First on our tour was the hilltop Gothic basilica that contains some of the earliest Romanesque frescoes on the continent dating back to the year 1130, during the High Middle Ages.  We entered the churchyard following the pathway through a small cemetery with graves that were beautifully maintained with plantings and flowers.  I had never seen such a beautiful series of grave site memorials before, which resembled more of a colorful garden than a cemetery.  The grave sites, some of which were hundreds of years old, were regularly maintained by the descendants of the deceased. Later in the trip, I would see other similar beautiful cemeteries in Salzburg, Austria, and even in our hometown of Altötting.

Churchyard Graves of the Fraueninsel Basicila

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Next, we stepped inside the ancient wooden arched doorway, into the quiet calm dimness of the chapel.  The large stone step at the base of the church entrance had the shape of a concave dip that resembled a possible way to drain water from the doorway.  However, the real cause of the concave dip in the stone doorstep was erosion from a different source... People's feet!  So many people had visited the chapel over the building's long history, that the stone had slowly worn down over the centuries of constant foot traffic passing through the entrance.  It was one of the most memorable mental imprints of the entire trip, a visual representation of the incredible length of the region's history.  It was amazing to think of the sheer number of people it would take to wear down a large stone like that over time.  The chapel's artwork, alter, and sanctuary were beautiful and bright.  The wooden pews were unique, carved into long rows of individual seats, separated by their extended armrests.  In the Catholic tradition, a side alter glowed with over fifty white votive candles, lit by visiting parishioners to symbolize their prayers to God.  The chapel did not have the grandeur of the Regensburg city churches but was holy and elegant in its own design and purpose.   It was time for lunch and as we exited the churchyard we passed a beautiful restaurant with a large frontal biergarten shaded by trees.  The inviting cloth covered tables were enclosed by an abundance of floral plantings that formed the perimeter of the outdoor seating area.  It was tempting but Mr. Schadhauser had other plans... We were going the traditional route... Bavarian style... with a meal of smoked whitefish caught that very morning, a few feet away in Lake Chiemsee.      

Worn Step of the Chapel Entrance

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The fish market and outdoor seating area was on the other side of the isle but since the entire island only encompassed a total of 38 acres, we didn't have very far to go.  The G. Ferber Pollfischer fish shack was nestled along the hillside overlooking some fruit orchards just outside the grounds of the convent.  We found a shaded table on the terrace and I followed Mr. Schadhauser around the back of the chateau where there was a counter.  The fish shack was self serve and Mr. Schadhauser made his selections from a glass case and we then carried our catch back to the table.  I had never eaten smoked fish before but I was open to trying new things and this was one meal that didn't include sauerkraut!   I will admit that it didn't appear to be the most appetizing looking meal that was ever set before me but when in Chiemsee...  Smoked whitefish was one of Mr. Schadhauser favorite meals and this spot was a must stop every time he visited the island.  It was hard to believe this thing laying before us had actually been alive and swimming in the lake just a few hours earlier.  It looked like it had been dead for over a hundred years and resembled a fossil from the Jurassic Period.  How exactly do you eat this thing?  Mr. Schadhauser was a pro and demonstrated the multi-step process of consuming such a foreign looking object.  He broke the fish apart with his hands, dividing the fish into four portions with the expertise of a seasoned smoked fish devouring warrior.  He demonstrated how to remove the meat with your fingers, separating it from the sharp bones.   No utensils required!   

Fresh Smoked Fish from the Bavarian Sea

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The fish was tasty with a strong smokey flavor... because... it was... smoked fish!   It was really good and I finished most of my portion in good measure.  However, the fish smell was permanently imbedded within your hands and accompanying fingers for the duration of the day.   No matter how many times you washed them, you were stuck with a nonrefundable aromatic souvenir of your meal that you got to take home with you.  Mr. Schadhauser loves smoked fish so much he got a couple more to take back home with him when we revisited the fish counter to return our tableware.  Now that we were fed and had our essential needs met, it was time to complete the circle of the pathway tour back down to the docks where we would catch the next boat out to visit our next stop of Herrenchiemsee or Gentleman's Island.  Within a short time we were back on board the tour boat making our way across the open calm waters of the lake.  There were several types of water craft traveling about the lake including a small old steamship, several paddle wheel boats, and the ever present sailboats, which seemed to be the preferred mode of travel for most sea captains this particular day.  Within a few minutes we were pulling up to the docks of the largest of the three islands of Lake Chiemsee.  I had no idea at the time but I was about to come as close I have ever been to France right in the middle of Herrenchiemsee Island. 

 G. Ferber Pollfischer Showcase

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