Overwhelmed by a Palace

Guten Tag, Meine Freuden!

Did you know that today is the 100 Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme?  We can all think of unfun things about the early Twenty-first Century, but at least major world powers are not sending their young men to slaughter over land and power.  Look. I don't care for Brexit myself, but at least no one is shooting, and it goes to show that British politics is even More Messed Up than what's going on in the USA.  If that's a comfort to anyone . . .

Thank you for the history lesson, Pil, but that's not why we're here.  Do you know why we're here?

Food.

And drink, too.  How about it?

There's food and drink aplenty in Austria.  I am just here temporarily, so . . .

Don't let us down, Pil.

Well, I got some dark rye bread at the grocery store. I was attracted by the fragrance.  I spread it with soft goat cheese and herbs yesterday for dinner and with hummus for breakfast this morning.  I'm having a wrap this evening with chicken teriyaki.  Sorry.  I'll do better in Austria.  I promise.  I've been drinking beer--which is truly wonderful in Bavaria.  I like Helles and Weissbier.  I think the latter is made from wheat rather than barley.  Don't you want to read about the palace?

Oh.  All right.

I have written about the Wittelsbach dynasty before, and their town palace called the Residenz sits in the heart of Munich.  I visited the place the last time I was here, but I did not remember much or more was open this time.  You really should go, but be warned that this is a project.  I set out in good time deciding to walk as I needed the leg stretch.  But I forgot how far it was--really not that far, but further than I remembered.  I also detoured looking for an ATM from my bank's foreign partner.

I got a combi ticket for the palace and the treasury, and for what the visitor gets it is a bargain.  There's an audio guide included in the admission.  I saw people walking around without one and wondered why?  You can also take a guided tour, but the audio guide is a good one.

One begins in a room with a complex "grotto" constructed entirely of shells.  It is fantastically ornate with shells standing in for flower petals and other decorative motifs.  It just goes on from there--room after room--after room.  Now I happen to love period rooms and furniture inlaid with exotic woods or pietra dura, or marquetry.   Some of the smaller items would sure look good in my condo.  I also enjoy silk hangings, the elaborately decorated ceramic stoves they used to keep warm in winter, and the numerous and extraordinarily beautiful objects d'art. Paintings and sculptures abounded.  I actually overdosed on the gilt stucco work executed by Francois de Cuivelles.

There is a lot to see.  Think Versailles only a lot less crowded and more accessible.  If you want a variety of marble--blue or green or dappled.  It's there.  Throne rooms and formal bed chambers?  You got it.  One highlight is a Renaissance inspired Hall of Antiquities where you can play spot the Roman Emperor.  You can also see where the deeply Roman Catholic Wittelsbachs held their court and private devotions.  The palace just went on and on.

I enjoyed it all, but I am newly arrived and jet lagged and by the end I was brain buzzed and physically worn out.  I took the S Bahn back and stopped at the grocery store for that teriyaki wrap. I think I'll have it now with some good Bavarian beer.

Next stop--Salzburg!