Reflections — An Elegant Sufficiency

Now we are home again, reviewing photographs and recounting tales of the trip, we all agree that we had a wonderful few days in a grand city. We smiled when we read a previous blog post, when upon saying Auf Wiedersehen to Bernd and Birgit, we agreed not to leave it so long before getting together again.

And noted that it was ten years since that day.

Though it’s easier to keep in touch now, with WhatsApp and email, there is nothing like being together for real; sitting around a table and sharing memories, laughing together and occasionally shedding a tear, for of course, some people were missing. We knew, though, that our parents would be just as amused by Bernd’s photographs, would tell the same old stories and certainly join in the fun.

When planning our January Jolly, the weather is always at the back of our mind. There are some places we’d like to visit, but perhaps not in January! We had been quite relaxed about Munich, keeping an eye on the weather forecast and feeling confident, though packing warm clothes in anticipation of low temperatures.

We didn’t expect snow.

It didn’t spoil any of our plans, however and in several instances, made the experience more special. Some footpaths were icy and we were surprised that, even in the city centre, paths were not cleared and care was needed when walking.

We were most aware of the snow when we visited Neuschwanstein. My Hero had been concerned about the drive there - would the roads be icy? (They were fine, though the visibility was not so good at times) Generally speaking, I’d say that the views were enhanced by the snow and the weather made our visit more memorable.

The Marienbrücke was closed, though I’m fairly confident that neither my Hero nor I would have been in a rush to go over there, however good the view (and the photographs) might be.

Neuschwanstein Castle in September 2012, taken on our previous visit

The views were still spectacular and this time, we didn’t see the castle wrapped in plastic and covered in scaffolding.

There were similarly large crowds waiting to enter the castle in 2012

Reading the story of our previous visit, I recognised so many of the same shortcomings. I was amused that I had forgotten most of those and remembered only the spectacular interiors, though I had also forgotten that those are very small in number! Chatting to friends about our experience prompted one or two reflections, however.

The first question was the one we chatted about over a beer that afternoon, on the drive back to Munich and in several conversations since. Was it worth the effort?

I think we’d all agree, a wholehearted “yes”, though perhaps that’s tempered with a couple of caveats. There’s no doubt that the sight of the castle and the surroundings do not disappoint. The views are spectacular and the setting simply breathtaking. Though Hohenschwangau is less spectacular, it adds to the scene and is in a similarly striking setting.

Most of my misgivings centre on the number of people visiting. Surprisingly, this does not appear to be affected by the challenges involved: the costs, the difficulty of getting tickets and of reaching the castle at all, given that there are few concessions made for those with restricted mobility. Only eight rooms were ever completed and when we visited, just seven were open to the tour for the King’s bedroom was under renovation. Navigating a group of thirty people through fairly tight spaces at five minute intervals can’t be easy and the “no photography” rule surely arises as a result. The jewel-like interiors are spectacular, the details magnificent and the colour and pattern utterly breathtaking.

And in fifteen minutes we found ourselves out in the corridor to make our way downstairs again to the exit. Yes, there was a cafe (the views!) and a rather pedestrian film showing some background information, but nothing that couldn’t be watched online or read about later. The exit route takes visitors through the kitchens en route to the souvenir shop.

All of this prompted a thought about the potential of “virtual experiences”. Given the circumstances here, the accessbility challenges, the limited space available and the number of people wishing to see inside the castle, surely here is an opportunity for an alternative experience? Having made my way up that steep access path twice now, I very much doubt that I would make the effort a third time. Yet I would dearly love to spend a little longer in those seven - eight - rooms, to take a closer look and to draw or at least make notes of the detail that I missed on our brisk walk through. There’s no reason why the “real thing” couldn’t still be open to those who were willing and able to reach the castle, but for others? A virtual reality set up, such as the one we experienced at the Story of Gardening at The Newt, where we “walked” through some of the most renowned gardens of the world, would be a relatively straightforward solution for those like me.

I’m thinking that such a facility would not be an “instead of” but as an “alternative or in addition to” . The Bavarian State appears to have no problems bringing visitors to their attractions and the price of the tickets suggests that they might have the funds to create such a thing.

In the meantime, I’d still recommend a visit, albeit with the knowledge of what to expect. Oh, and if it’s rich interiors that you’re after, then The Wartburg needs to be on the list, for it was the inspiration for the decor here and it’s a quieter and I think, an altogether richer experience.

Whatever the season, though, Munich is always a grand place to be, even in the rain if you fancy revisiting a couple of old posts from an earlier visit.

We will try not to leave it another ten years before we return!