Twainfecta's Log: Part I (Munich - Linderhof)

Now that I’m back from Europe and no longer disoriented by European time zones, I can get back to my favorite pre-Europe activity: blogging it up.

Countries: Germany, Austria, Czech Republic
Dates: July 17 – July 28, 2007
Members: 7 Barkers + Sue, Miguel & Josefina, Derek (guide), Alex (driver)

Munich - There's one glaring memory from our 2 days stay here and that is Courteney fainting in the town square in Marienplatz. Luckily she was able to break her fall with her forehead right on the cement sidewalk. One of the most painful things I've ever witnessed. Fortunately, she ended up OK and may even have some recollection of the rest of the trip. We also saw BMW headquarters and the Olympic Stadium.

Went on a lovely drive up the Bavarian Alps where we stopped in Oberamergau and had possibly the worst meal of my life. 4 courses. Started with Vegetable soup (predominantly spinach I think), then vinegar-cured vegetables, then some sort of roasted lamb that was so salty it reminded me of the times I mistook the salt for the sugar when piling it on my cereal. This is where Crato learned the "No thank you. Thank you." phrase with the accompanying hand gestures. It would come in handy throughout the rest of the trip. We also spotted a fly in one of the drinks so the waitress took it in the back room, spooned out the fly, and then returned the glass. My dad assured us this is not the typical German dining experience.

From Oberamergau we continued on to the Linderhof Castle, the hideaway summer palace of Mad King Ludwig. Here we got to walk through the floral tunnels (a la Secret Garden movie), and cool down in Ludwig's domesticated cave where he chilled in his little pond boat and listened to Wagner symphonies.