Meet the Wittelbachs--and Their Stuff

Lots of Wittelsbachs.  LOTS of stuff!
Guten Tag!
Are these Wittelsbachs any thing like the Grimaldis?
Well--yes--except the Grimaldis are still hanging on as ruling family, but the Wittelsbachs--and I am sure there are some still around somewhere--had the distinction of ruling Bavaria for nearly one thousand years, which I call pretty impressive.  One reason Bismarck had to call it the German Empire was the incorporation of the Kingdom of Bavaria in the unified Germany.  On the whole the
Wittelsbach seem to have been a decent lot, but every family has its eccentrics.  Long time readers of this blog have already met Elisabeth Wittelsbach--the Elisabeth of Bavaria known as Sissi, who married the Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. She was fond of her cousin Ludwig II the "Mad" whom we'll meet later.  They shared a depressive tendency.  She grew her hair.  He built castles.
I enjoyed my Fruhstuck once again.  The bread can best be described as sublime.  I cut a thick slice of richly dark rye bread and slathered soft liver paste thickly upon it and that was just part of the repast.
Pil, you are killing me!
But I had gotten some decent sleep and was feeling pretty well, so it was time for some tourist action.  I determined to visit the Rezidence--which is the place the Wittelsbachs and their pals stayed when they were in Munich.  They started with a castle and ended up with probably the most magnificent palace north of the Rhine.  The joint was knocked around quite a bit as a result of World War II, but I would call it the Must See when you come to Munich.
And I really hope you come to Munich.  It's a handsome city, easy to navigate--I have not been lost once.  It's friendly with plenty of everything for everybody.
I walked to the palace--as I have said Munich is easily navigable and got a combination ticket.  This was a genuine bargain--not just because of the spectacular nature of the sights but also because it included the audio guide.
Be warned.  The Rezidence is a Serious Palace.  Some ninety beautifully and authentically decorated rooms on are offer, and they deserve your time.  This does not even count the royal Treasury.
Just give us the highlights, Pil.
I'll try.  One of the first things the visitor encounters is the Chamber of Antiquities.  Now I also appreciated the busts of Roman Emperors, but the real draw is the Renaissance painted vault.  The rest of the palace is a mixture of grand rooms like the Chamber of Justice and a few more intimate ones where members of the family could withdraw from public scrutiny.  In the Treasury, I liked the crowns and the incredibly exquisite yet heroic figurine of St. George Killing the Dragon all done in gold, crystal, and gems.  Audio guides are hit or miss in my experience, but this one was genuinely helpful, and the music it played didn't hurt either.
The visit took a chunk of the day, but I still had some gumption left to return to the Viktualienmarkt.
Yeah.  You are just teasing us--describing all the wondrous goodies but consuming none
No!  I bought something this time.  Several somethings.  Would you like to experience them with me?
Slaver, drool . . .
Once you've wiped off your screen we'll begin.  This is a real German meal.  I have potatoes--small with thin golden skin and a very potatoish taste.  Let's have some Leiberkase--which should translate to liver cheese, but it's not that at all but more of a slab of rich tasting meatloaf sort of thing.
Did you have beer with this?
Er--no, but I will sometime, but I went back to the honey store and got honey wine, so that counts.  It smells and tastes like honey, and has the same pale golden color as the potatoes I devoured. But it's not cloying or sticky at all.  I like it and will go back for more.