The picture above is of the Bavarian castle, Neuschwanstein. It is in this castle where we found most of the dragon statues and paintings (photographs were prohibited so I can’t show you how cool they were). The coolest one was a solid gold statue of a dragon. He was being stabbed. By Saint George. For no actual reason. We always hear about how the amazing and wonderful Saint George (known as the dragon slayer) stabbed the dragon and saved everyone. But what did the dragon do to him? We never hear about what the dragon did to make everybody want it dead.
But aside from that, the dragons around Europe are really cool. I wish we had gotten a picture of the gold dragon, because almost everyone would recognize it. The castle, too, might look familiar. That is because Walt Disney bought the visual rights to use the image of the castle after a vacation to Bavaria. He had at the time been making a huge bet that would make or break his company. He gave it the name “Sleeping Beauty.” Disney used the dragon in the scene when Maleficent becomes the huge purple-and-black dragon and attacks the prince. He rejected the scene at first because the castle used looked too much like his logo and he didn’t want a scene that “violent” to be associated with his company logo. But since he had just bought the rights from the castle, he used that one instead.
Back to the dragons…
The very first dragon that we saw was in Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen. It was a huge Chinese dragon that was right underneath the Demon roller coaster, probably to give it a creepy effect. It didn’t really work, though, because the dragon was really cute.
The next one was also in Copenhagen on a giant billboard advertising Virtual Reality. It was obviously fake and was really weird-looking.
We didn’t see any in Munich, but we did come across those dragons in the castles near Garmisch, on crests and stuff. It really is too bad we didn’t get any pictures.
Lueftlmalerei traditional mural, peasant couple, and St. George and the dragon, on a facade, Adolf-Baader-Strasse 7, Mittenwald, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe
Now, here in Switzerland, I found a really cool sketchbook in a little shop with a really cool dragon on it, but other than that, there hasn’t been any dragons in Switzerland. *Sadness Tear*
From,
Piper, the Most Amazing and Coolest Peron Ever
As it turns out, we haven’t done much sitting still since the last post.
We left you all last on the eve of a travel day, leaving Copenhagen for Munich and then the next day on to Garmisch in southern Germany. Yes, we are still getting over leaving Denmark and are sensitive that we may bore you with our many comparisons and references to all things Danish. But we know there are many wonderful adventures ahead so, Yay, for a good start.
Munich was celebrating “the anniversary of its foundation” (mid 1100’s sometime) which would be equivalent to our Independence Day. People flooded the streets of Munich, filling the plazas concert-style, with different bands in each plaza. Grown men, all ages, in their liederhosen, sweaty, happy, celebrating their Munich pride. We will reserve all judgement until Munich is sober and not in mid-festival. One night. In a hostel across the street from the train station. (The next sentence could go many different directions.)
Heavy catholic influence in Bavaria, which we did not associate with Germany. Kids really loved these big churches. Piper and Aidan in particular would walk right in, pick a pew mid way and sit down by themselves. That’s Piper in the center. She said she really loved the paintings.
Had to hit the Munich Hofbrau even though we were told that a local would prefer something less tourists and choose one of Munich’s very nice beer gardens. Pretzels as big as a frisbee (tasted fantastic!) and the beer; how can it taste this good?
Father’s Day brunch at a little French bistro in a Munich Hotel (best breakfast to date on the trip). For example, an actual frame of honey comb from a bee hive was displayed nicely next to the many exotic and homemade jams. Why don’t I have a picture of that? Not fancy, just Sunday.
Graham is actually sitting on the floor of our hostel room. This must be what happens, one becomes desensitized. Watch, next I’ll take a picture, and proceed to actually post it, of the family at a lovely fountain or something while Graham picks up a half-smoked cigarette butt from the ground and asks for a light. (Denmark only sells cigarette packets with cancer victims’ photographs.)
Munich station (after brunch). See how happy and relaxed everyone looks. Read the board, find the track, it’s all good. Little did we know our next travel day was going to be completely void of relaxation, but I’m getting ahead of myself. That’s a story for another day.
I present to you,
Garmisch
The Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak. We can see this from our little window and from points all over Garmisch. We loved the spirit of the mountains, huge blue sky and rugged, intense peaks. This will prove to be good pre-party exposure for what is to come in the Swiss Alps.
Neuschwanstein Castle (for real)
Two castles in this photo. Totally wonderful day of history lessons with our tour guide, Jake. We are all still talking about the mystery of King Ludwig II who built Neuschwanstein. Was he crazy? Was he shot? Did he drown?
Other than proximity to a few highly swagalicious* castles, and the sordid history to go with, this particular Bavarian region has some other little tricks: host of the 1936 Winter Olympics (yep, THOSE Olympics), impressive hiking like through a lovely mountain gorge and fabulous recreational mountain area with exhaustive summer and winter sports. Garmisch had such an unusual mix of tourists, mostly older European couples, totally tricked-out mountain bikers… and the Reichels.
Aidan got somewhere in the neighborhood of 26,000 steps on his Fitbit the day we hiked to an intermediary peak, half of it vertical. Temps were in the 90’s that day. (Denmark would have had a breeze.)
This is the original ski jump from the 1936 Olympics. I didn’t listen to the answer of ‘is it still used today?’ because the previous statement had just been ‘hitler sat here and watched the events’ so I have no interesting information to impart. We walked past the ski jump and Olympic village on our trek through the gorge and then up to the peak. Rode the gondola down. wahooo!
Why don’t I have any photos of the luge riding? We are sampling the luge offerings kind of like wine- tasting. Each purveyor has its own feel and track layout and design. One wove its track amid the goat’s pasture. No helmets. No seatbelts. No waiver.
Among other luge highlights, Graham brushed the (unmarked) electric fence for the goats that ran an inch from the track (it was dialed to the heifer setting). The shock ran up his arm, transferred into my hip where his elbow was resting and shot out my gluteal into the seat of the luge cart. “HaHa! Mom shot lightning out her butt!” How does one NOT raise their voice about that? We hooped and hollered every luge ride… with or without the application of electroshock therapy. (Decidedly not Danish.)
Nope. That’s not even Bavarian, is it?
Partnachlan Gorge
Little town of Garmisch nestled way back in the distance. That’s a shocker to see how far we hiked out of town. We enjoyed this town.
Pretzels with every meal, what’s not to love?
If it weren’t for the bread, insanely good bread, cheese, beer and chocolate (discovering chocolate late in life) I am certain I would have lost 20 pounds by now from the hiking, walking and sweating. This is different from our introductory European week (Denmark, shall I even say her name?) in which vegetables were featured prominently. Bavaria was a treat for its crazy good beer but also wieners, wursts and brats. We loved our evening strolls, kids loved the gelato ritual.
I am developing an opinion about the coffee however.
Our inn, Gasthof Fraundorfer, on an ancient cobblestoned street, Ludwigstrasse. Very traditional and authentic Bavaria. This is actually popular cultural restaurant first and foremost that happens to also have guest rooms. Nightly accordion music in the dining room with drindl and liederhosen customary. For real.
This is the window of our top floor room. Top floor means used to be the attic, I think. It’s been in the same family, operated continuously, for 8 generations. Do not ask questions.
Gathering out front our last morning before we clomp down to the train station.
Last memory…
This little taxidermy home job, while disturbing, gave me hope. Maybe the Bavarian people have a sense of humor. Note: swan feet, squirrel tail, miniature antlers, and human teeth. This creation was prominently featured in the window of the main pharmacy which somehow makes it less a prank and more a work of art, but is still wrong.
Copenhagen is all about “highlights” and so am I! From the Danish National Museum to restaurant menus, highlights are featured everywhere – that’s cheery.
Getting bikes organized
We rode to another part of Copenhagen to visit a lovely park-like cemetery (that’s an oxymoron maybe) where people have picnics amid the grave stones of Soren Kierkegaard, Hans Christian Andersen and Niels Bohr to name just a few of the historic and celebrated figures buried there. The bike riding reality is no joke in Copenhagen, like other European cities. No one has cars so they commute and have rush hour traffic just like cars in New York. As with cars in New York, you do not take crossing the street lightly with these commuting cyclists. So why, you may ask, would we rent 6 bikes and join the raging torrent of bikes flowing through the streets of Copenhagen? It looked quaint. It seemed a great way to cover a lot of ground. We had been on our feet constantly for twelve hours both of the previous 2 days, cycling had to be a welcome alternative. We were lucky, very lucky. No one was divorced or otherwise injured but we did our share of disruption, a caravan of 6 with inadequate arm signals and illiterate danish street etiquette. Unlike NYC, no one swore at us, crashed in to us just to prove a point or even raised a voice at our bafoonery. We love Denmark for this if nothing else. The sheer loving tolerance of our assholishness, innocent though it was, is what is at the root of their national values and thus their pride. We learned on our first day that no one raises their voices in Denmark. Kids don’t. Parents don’t. Dogs don’t. Drunk twenty somethings don’t. Try as we might, and we really tried, Reichels just about fit in. I think with practice we could be fantastic Danes.
Trains got us out to explore Denmark
Viking ship museum – you may have heard, we all have Viking roots, turns out.Kids really got into it. The museum has an incredible collection but it could be so much more. Thinking they need a smithsonian visit. Could have been there all day and in the small town of Roskilde, the original seat of power for Denmark centuries ago.What we know of the Vikings is a fraction of their story – they were and are a bit impressive! Sank 5 ships in roskilde bay to prevent imminent attack, discovered in 1950s. That is the impetus for the museum. The replica Viking ship (and modern day re-enacters) did a reenactment sail through Scandinavia. And for the record, they now let everyone climb on their exhibits in Roskilde. Just kidding, not everybody, just the obvious descendants. Actually, they offer a sail tour two times a day on the replicas where you actually have to work like a Viking sailor. Hmm. Our 4 Vikings don’t need any encouragement. Pass on that, thank you. We have many more days of adventure ahead and watched our little Vikings decimate the yard games instead.Hamlet’s Castle, actually called Kronborg, but Shakespeare’s setting for Hamlet. A strategic defensive castle and not many frills. host Shakespeare’s skits daily.Kronborg tower steps, hand hewn stone from 1600s.Collected harbor trash made up this sculpture. Aidan, not fully appreciating the art form, thought there had to be more to it… “is it in here?”Another train ride into the countryside. This is the fancy palace built by King Christian IV, and later inspired Versailles. Wow… now serves as the national treasury of art. Cute ancient yet spritely docents drive the little motor boat around the moat to drop you off and help you navigate the “highlights”- critical when you have an hour to get through the damn thing.
Roskilde (same day as Viking museum) church. Viking king named Roar, a bigwig for Denmark in 1500s, converted to Christianity and built a timber-constructed church. As the first seat of power for Denmark other kings built, rebuilt, expanded the church – it is a crazy mix of domes and spires and very tall. School kids were having summer school as we passed (their English was better than ours). We did not ask them what they thought of US politics.
The boys, in our flat on the top floor of an ancient Danish building.
“Fart” = speed. But we can’t stop giggling; it’s everywhere…TiVoli Gardens!! Wow! This photo looks like a mini Taj Mahal mock up and does not do justice to this incredible amusement park in the heart of Copenhagen!! It’s the 2nd oldest amusement park in the world and although it has retained the old world charm it is a relaxing delight met with the latest exciting rides (another oxymoron) with something for everyone. We were taken by its cleanliness and charm, never recognizing the vortex effect until we emerged 6 hours later.
Wait, where are the kids?
Island of Hven!! Since we were so close to Sweden we did a day trip to an idyllic island.Hven (conveniently, rhymes with Sven) has changed hands many times over the past several hundred years and today survives mostly on tourism but it’s farming roots continue. Really, it was surreal.
Upon arrival, right off the ferry onto a dirt road, we felt like time travelers. Until we came upon the bike rentals. Over 1000 bikes we counted. The island can handle the nearly 5000 daily visitors in the peak season because of this bike rental outfit. I imagine the 450 year round, permanent residents, hide when they hear the ferry dock.This’ll be nothing like Copenhagen bike riding, piece of cake… we got this. Ian promptly landed in a ditch. Piper met up with a tree… We raised our voices a little bit.Part of the Reichel peloton. Don’t they look GREAT?! In time for our ferry back to Copenhagen, we circumnavigated the whole island, stopped for ice cream, had an incredible lunch during a torrential downpour and made some friends.Piper reminded us that swans, the Danish national bird, mate for life. We loved finding this little family as a nice salute. Thank you, Denmark!! We love you!
The long brown path before you, leading wherever you choose.
Say only to one another:
Comrado, I give you my hand!
I give you my love, more precious than money
Will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?
Whitman
Ok, so here we go. The above was read at our wedding October 6, 2000. We have been trying to live our lives in accordance with the spirit of that passage but today we are really taking it on. Two years ago I took a little trip to New Zealand with a friend. The trip (and the friend) convinced me that the time for adventure is always NOW. So the planning for this trip was born out of that.
As the man said in the Shawshank Redemption……..you have to make the choice. It is either time to get busy living or get busy dying…. So here we go. Keep you posted.
Follow along as we Get Busy Livin’ this summer; it’s been a long time coming. The six Reichels, Taylor and Julie, Aidan (14), Piper (12), Ian (10) and Graham (7), have been planning this trip, in its various iterations, for years.
Through planned and unplanned, thrilling and relaxing days we will make our way from Denmark, through southern Germany and the Swiss Alps; through Croatia and Italy, before heading to Barcelona.
There will be beaches, picnics, hikes, viking museums, ruins and cathedrals, many castles (too many?), gelato and other assorted carbs, great coffee, poor air-conditioning, dancing, probably some laughing, high likelihood of crying and various forms of transportation. Stay tuned. Keep in touch. Wish us luck. Say a prayer. Brush your teeth. (Sorry, it’s the company I keep.)
Departure is just days away on June 9, landing us in Copenhagen for a week. Pets have been farmed out, bedrooms cleaned (loose definition) and backpacks packed and then thinned. There’s a game of touch football happening in the front yard; Piper’s reading in the hammock; soon these students of life will become students of the world.
Copenhagen is all about “highlights” and so am I! From the Danish National Museum to restaurant menus, highlights are featured everywhere – that’s cheery.
