Wednesday- Today we left Ulm after another delicious meal. Pancakes with powder sugar, assorted cheeses and fruits and hot tea…. Enough to make any of pavlov’s dogs’ mouths water…bell or not.
We had designated today as our Tour de Castles of sorts. Heading south west our fist destination was Lichtenstein Castle, built and named after the book “Lichtenstein”. Now we had prepared ourselves for some dreary weather because the forecast had shown 50’s and rain but so far the day had been unexpectedly nice. However, when we reached the base of the castle a dark boiling wall of clouds could be seen approaching fast across the valley. When we came into view of the Castle it took really surprised me. The structure was much more majestic an impressive than I had expected. Built on a spire of rock that jutted out of the valley below, the castle, small as it was, stood atop the spire and almost glowed in the sunlight. Did I say sunlight? I meant snow. YES, SNOW. That dark mass of clouds had brought not rain but snow and I’m not talking a flurry….It was coming down in blankets. Instantly I became a little kid, I was fascinated once again with God’s unquestionable uncertainty. I laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. I was dancing in the snow at a castle in Germany in May! What an amazing amount of impossibilities! Descending the mountain we continued south and within the hour our next destination came into view. Now Lichtenstein may have been perched on a spire of rock but Burg Hohenzollern was sitting upon a whole mountain overlooking the Neckar Valley. For a second I fell into the fantasy of my childhood and I truly believed I was finally going to Hogwarts. We toured the chambers of Hohenzollern and I have concluded that I will trace my lineage back and find my relation to the Hohenzollern and thus inherit Burg Hohenzollern. I also concluded that after seeing the treasury I would spend my afternoons in the castle keep strutting around in an ancient golden laurel wreath with a diamond studded snuff box in hand…just for fun.
The last of our castle sampler was Schloss Sigmaringen. Located on the Danube River Sigmaringen sprawls out on the Cliffside. The beautiful tan stone gleams with a rosy vigor in the afternoon sun ( between the intermittent snow showers of course). From Sig we hoped on the road and drove through what may questionably be the most beautiful stretch of country I have ever seen. The Danube river valley/gorge is flanked on both sides be rock faces and fingers that jut up out of the tree line and shine white in the afternoon light. A castle sits atop almost every pinnacle of stone and villages dot the river’s edge. It was a backpacker and climber’s paradise. Miles of wooded land and untouched meadows called to me and my eno but alas! My time is ticking…. We reached the Klauster Beuron Abbey after the closing time but lucky me the doors were open. Now I have seen some ornate frescoes and architecture in my time but I have to say that the Duomo of Florence and St. Paul’s Cathedral have nothing on this place. Ever surface of the arched sanctuary was covered in flowing white vines that twined around columns, split, leafed and blossomed. Cherubs filled the corners and sat among clouds with outreached arms. At the altar a fresco of Jesus crowning the Virgin Mary stood center while two sculptures, one of St. Paul and the other of Joseph stood to the left and right. I sat in reverent awe at the skill of the artist who molded this place and at the skill in the Creator who molded this world. I realized as I looked around that nothing was duplicated. Every flower, cherub and vine was unique, just as everything in this world is unique. The room began to fill with attendees and I realized that a service was about to commence so I bowed out graciously and we headed for the Bodensee and Konstanz. (If I had any knowledge of the catholic traditions or knew any German I would have stayed for the service because I think that would be phenomenal to participate in a worship service 5000 miles from home, in a different language, with complete strangers yet brothers in Christ. And he, don’t we all speak agape?)
I am now in Konstanz, which is on this massive lake called the Bodensee. The Bodensee lies between Germany, Switzerland and Austria and it has an unexplainably warm climate that allows fruits to flourish along with a variety of moderately tropical plants and animals. The local food is greatJ I had my first schnitzel tonight with some delicious spatzle (regional dish consisting of fettuccini like noodles in a crème sauce) and some locally brewed beer. Well, that is up to date… Its after midnight here so I better hit the sack. Goodnight!
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