springtime in the alps part I: Berchtesgaden...the perfect long weekend getaway

There is an enchanting place tucked away into Germany's most south-eastern tip. Just a fast 2-hour drive from Munich, through rolling hills and cute villages, lies the Berchtesgadener Land. This unassuming place, and its people, is like the gorgeous girl next door who doesn't know how beautiful she is. And not that the people who grew up here (my father included) don't appreciate its beauty, with mountains greeting them each morning, guiding them to and from school, it's that they are too busy living the grandest outdoor lives...come snow, come sun.

 

Bordering Austria, the line between the two countries is barely noticeable through mountaintops and forest trees. Amongst these alpine villages nobody much cares about the politics of a borderline.

This is the perfect place for solitude, the purest air, and good, clean hiking fun. In the spring, the snow's retreat leaves the greenest alpine pastures and cosiest mountain huts laying out their welcome mats.

Berchtesgaden is just 30 minutes away from Salzburg, which along with the numerous historical and tradition-rich sights in the area, will leave even the non-hikers with plenty to do.

There is a real personable quality that the Bavarian mountain folk have...possibly it's found in all mountain folk.  Doors are open, coffee invitations are freely given, and hard work and hard play is as routine and ordinary as the German train timetable.

But, since this is still Germany, everything is spotless...homes, farms, fields and gardens are immaculately cared for, with traditional touches, making it all oh so pretty.

Home town girl...my aunt leading the way.

HIKING:

With a national park covering more than 200 square kilometres, and mountains towering towards 2500 metres, your wandering opportunities are endless. Your best bet is to visit the tourist information and get a hiking map to plan out your day tours.

One excellent tour close to Berchtesgaden is through the Almbach Klamm (ravine). When you come out on top you are greeted with this sight - the 'Maria Heimsuchung' (Maria searching for home) Church. It's well worth the climb.

In Germany, the hiking (wandering) trails almost always lead through farmer's pastures, which I love. It brings you up close and personal to people's lives without being intrusive. And at the top of basically every mountain top or alpine meadow you will surely find a gastwirtschaft (a small pub)...for a drink or two.

A weizen bier or a radler (beer with lemonade) will be the best thing you'll have ever tasted. Trust me. Delicious. A meal in itself.

Ahh...these two clowns. My bf and pa.

DRIVING:

The alpine roads here, while treacherous during some times of the year, provide the most incredible scenery. The Rossfeld Panorama Strasse (Road), is the highest continuous road in Germany. Before WWII took over my grandfather's life, he was one of the civil engineers on the building team.

Pack a picnic and take a little road trip through the mountains...stopping whenever you want. I like springtime here the best, because it's warm enough to wander without a jacket, but snow still lays out like it's enjoying its last days of vacation before going home for the summer.

BERCHTESGADEN:

The town of Berchtesgaden is shadowed by the Watzmann, Germany's 3rd hightest mountain. In the winter skiers flood the villages, and in the summer, skis are replaced by carabiners and climbing ropes.

But aside from the impressive outdoor activities it supports, Berchtesgaden is also an incredibly picturesque town. The Schlossplatz (palace square) is surrounded by the pale pink walls of the palace. Houses are painted in all shades of pastel, while overflowing flower boxes sag under the weight of bright geraniums hanging from almost every window.

Traditional Bavarian folk painting adorns houses, often telling opulent, dramatic stories. I tried to figure out the meaning of the series of pictures on the house below, but art is sometimes difficult to decipher. I would hazard a guess that it's a parody...turning things as they are, upside down. Or it might be a very politically-incorrect statement piece. Or it just might be pretty.

This area brims with WWII history. Hitler loved the Berchtesgadener Land and spent a lot of time on the mountainside above Berchtesgaden. He built his Eagle's Nest here, strategized with his cronies here in his Berghof, and his SS troups had a large camp here. Now, there is a very detailed documentation centre on the Obersalzberg - a kind of museum to all that went down in this area. It's hard to take in at times, but really important to do. You can even enter the massive bunker system.

RAMSAU at KÖNIGSSEE:

One of the most photographed Bavarian scenes, the St. Sebastian Church of Ramsau, is found 20 minutes east of Berchtesgaden. You need to stop, take a photo, and take a breath. Also, take a walk through the cemetary gardens behind the church...it's like no cemetary you'll find in North America.

Königssee is filled with tourists, many of whom stop to buy (or at least try on) a traditional dirndl or lederhosen. I didn't buy mine here, but trust me when I say, a dirndl is one comfortable dress!

A very deep, natural mountain lake, Königssee is very popular with hikers and daytrippers. Boat cruises, waterfalls, an island church and many watering holes in the village entertain young and old easily.

SALZBURG:

Directly 25 km north of Berchtesgaden, but on the Austrian side, is the incredible city of Salzburg. With an impressive white burg (castle) as its central focal point, the touring of historical monuments (ie. Mozart's house) around the town centre will easily fill a good part of the day.

The baroque Salzburger Dom is right below the castle walls and well worth a pop inside. Built in the 17th century, its ceiling is magnificent, with the most incredible detail.

But, my favourite part of Salzburg (it's not the Sound of Music tour - which I've never been on), is the horse well (Pferdeschwemmer) located in the Altstadt (old town). Every time I'm in this city, I make for this gorgeous piece of art. The huge frescos were painted in 1732 by Josef Ebner, and the central statue created by Michael Mandl. Back in the day, the Austrian prince stabled his horses here, but now it's all just for show. A perfect show in my opinion.

Planning a long weekend, or a long trip, to this small corner of the world is a treat. You won't be disappointed. I'm already planning my next trip...this time in fall! Servus!

a whole lot of fairytale.

As great guy enters his third smoke-free week, his mood deteriorating with each clean breath he takes, I decide to head south for a couple of days.

Do you ever think you could use more fairytale in your life? I do. And, I knew just where to go to find some. The mountain town nestled high in the Bavarian Alps, of Schwangau.

Take a crazy king, one large swan, a hint of grail; drizzle some hollywood, throw in a splash of Disney, add lots of fresh spring air, pre-heat with Celtic folklore and Roman ruins, and you’ve got yourself plenty of fairytale.

This region has been enchanted, long before Clooney or Disney or even the mad King Ludwig himself drew attention to it. Maybe it's the thin mountain air or the laid-back ease of the people, but to call this place magical does it injustice. Schwangau has seen the likes of one or two fairytales in its time; Ludwig creating the most jaw-dropping building as their setting.

Once upon a time… there was a young king who was shy, tall, with dark hair and blue eyes. He could have been a real hit with the ladies, but he was from all accounts, a recluse with a wild imagination. His parents summered in an old castle nestled in the Bavarian Alps on the shore of a deep, mountain lake. Also known as the fairytale king, Ludwig’s favourite place was here. Hohenschwangau.

Ludwig wrote to his friend, Richard Wagner of his dreams for a new castle: “It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin of Hohenschwangau near the Pöllat Gorge in the authentic style of the old German knights' castles, and I must confess to you that I am looking forward very much to living there one day…the location is one of the most beautiful to be found, holy and unapproachable, a worthy temple for the divine friend who has brought salvation and true blessing to the world…This castle will be in every way more beautiful and habitable than Hohenschwangau further down, which is desecrated every year by the prose of my mother; they will take revenge, the desecrated gods, and come to live with Us on the lofty heights, breathing the air of heaven.”

Castle of the grail.

With traces of human habitation in the area from as long ago as 14000 B.C, the region was settled by a Celtic tribe long before the Romans ruled over it. In 54 A.D. Emperor Claudius built the Via Claudia, a road still navigable through this area, leading from Venice all the way to the Danube River.  

As Ludwig grew older he identified more and more with Parzival, the medieval Grail King. Ludwig was obsessed with topics of sin, purity, faith and redemption. He had Neuschwanstein’s rooms designed to reflect this never-ending conflict; the ultimate quest for good. What would have been the Throne Room turned into the Hall of the Holy Grail, and plans were made to create a bath hall in homage to the ritual bath of the knights of the Grail, but they were never finished.

The Hall of Singers - Wikipedia

The Swan Knight.

The swan, which was already an important symbol within the dynasty, became a figure of purity for Ludwig, beginning in childhood. In Neuschwanstein, Ludwig covered huge walls with romantic scenes from Wagner’s opera, Lohengrin, about the Swan Knight. And his patronage allowed Wagner to avoid bankruptcy and created the now wildly popular Bayreuth Music Festival.

This is Wagner’s prophetic account about meeting King Ludwig: "… Today I was brought to him. He is unfortunately so beautiful and wise, soulful and lordly, that I fear his life must fade away like a divine dream in this base world … You cannot imagine the magic of his regard: if he remains alive it will be a great miracle!" Ludwig only lived to be 41 years old, dying under mysterious circumstances in Starnberger See after being declared insane by the Bavarian government and stripped of his power.

Monuments Men.

Hitler's stash of more than 20,000 stolen pieces of art, was rescued in 1945 just before the castle and contents were to be destroyed by the retreating Nazis. Over a six week period, members of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section of the Allied forces (in total 350 men and women) found and removed paintings, drawings, and statues from Neuschwanstein; including Rodin's bronze The Burghers of Calais.

I saw one of the original castings of this impressive statue at the Met in New York City years ago.

A casting of Rodin’s “The Burghers of Calais” stands on a farm cart in an Allied collecting point- photo www.magazine.williams.edu

The casting found at Neuschwanstein was recovered in this account: “I was heading for a remote castle in some woods, but I couldn’t get to it with the Jeep because it was perched high on a rock. So I got out and started walking through the forest. Soon I spotted some woodsmen who looked as though they were taking a break, standing around in a group talking. As I got nearer, it occurred to me they were standing quite close together and looked rather dejected … and they weren’t moving much. And if they were talking, they certainly were being quiet about it. Then in a flash I realized I had stumbled on The Burghers of Calais, Rodin’s famous bronze grouping of six men about to be martyred, just sitting in the woods!” — Charles Parkhurst (www.magazine.williams.edu)

Cinderella.

Shortly after the end of WWII, Walt Disney toured some of Europe’s most romantic locations looking for inspiration for a new little movie he was working on, Cinderella. He found just what he was looking for when he saw Neuschwanstein Castle. Disney and his engineers copied Neuschwanstein’s multiple turrets and white, fairytale magnificence to create the perfect backdrop for Cinderella’s triumphant good over evil ending; perfectly in line with Ludwig’s whimsically, romantic dreams. 

The real thing. When you come to visit the area of Schwangau, you will find the real fairytale in the freshest mountain air, heavy with the scent of newly dunged fields (okay that's not so fairytale) and the comforting smell of wood-burning stoves throughout. Tiny white flowers burst into the cool spring air, dotting the fields, while a lone white church makes itself heard with a gong, gong of its bell. Mouth-watering, hearty German cooking will greet you in each brauhaus and braustüberl, to accompany home-brewed weizen beer; perfectly thirst quenching after an afternoon of hiking in the footsteps of mad men. Watching over it all, perched on the side of the mountain, is Neuschwanstein.

As the sun moves to sleep and dusk settles in, the mountains create a safe, silhouette cradling castles and crazy on three sides, tucking everything safely in. Now, I will head to my tiny, attic room in Haus Martina, my head spinning with weizen-filled wishes and fairytale dreams......I feel good here.

Sources:

http://www.neuschwanstein.de
http://www.fussen.de
Neuschwanstein Castle information
Schwangau tourist information materials