Last night we just finished dinner and a thunderstorm rolled in. It rained like hard for a while. In the morning it was back to sunshine and muggy. The first Km out of Steingaden was a steep uphill on a full stomach. Then it was rolling mostly uphill to the world famous Wies Kirche. The Church was built on the site where in 1738 a farmer had seen a wooden statute of the "Scourged Savior" shedding tears .Pilgrims arrived and soon a small chapel was built in the meadow .With many more pilgrims visiting the site a larger church was built The style is Barock and Roccoco. lots of elaborate decorations and gold leaf. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and still a pilgrimage site on the St. Jacobsweg. Wieskirche translates into "Church in the meadow" and we had been there in 1990 and all our pictures till now are in slides where ever they are.
After praying and lighting a couple of candles for some some ailing friends we headed on to Fussen. The trail winds thru forest and across beautiful meadows dotted with large dairy farms. When we got to Unterreitheim we could look out over the valley and could see Schloss, Neuschwanstein, the famous fairy tale castle of Bavarian King Ludwig in the distance. We rode along side Bannwaldsee and into Schwangau and on to Fussen.
Fussen was on the Roman road Via Claudia Augusta from Northern Italy to Augsburg. Today it is known as the southern terminus of the Romantic Road. It is also where most of the people visiting the Ludwig Castles stay. And for that reason we could not find a room for the night. So we hopped the train to Munich. We got another night at the hotel we had reservations for Tues. and Wed. We had dinner at a nice Italian restaurant with Nadine and Felix and their newborn baby girl Paula-Johanna.
Thursday we plan on taking the train to Salzburg and starting the Alpe Adria.
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| Trail thru the meadow |
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| Coming to the Wieskirche |
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| Ceiling of the Wieskirche |
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| Organ and some of the ceiling of the Wieskirche |
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| Alter |
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| Pulpit |
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| Leaving the Wieskirche |
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| Trail signs pointing to everywhere |
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| Johanna riding to Fussen |
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| Well stacked firewood. |
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| Planter along the trail. |
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| Neuschwanstein |
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| Chapel and Neuschwanstein |
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| Johanna writing postcard at cafe in Fussen |
Hi Johanna and Mac! We're caught up on your wonderful blog. Can't wait to hear about the ride to Trieste! Margy and Wayne
ReplyDeleteMeticulously stacked wood! I can't believe the ceiling in the church. Can you imagine doing that painting?!
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