May 9: This week is flying by and today we visited Neuschwanstein, a castle built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria (aka the Swan King). I personally love learning about history and art history so today was heaven since we also visited Wieskirche, a church in which a painting of Jesus supposedly shed real tears.
It is a shame the castle interior was never finished due to the mysterious death of the king. Every corner of every room was painted, carved, or decorated with intention. I was only upset at how short the tour was since I could have spent hours listening about why the rooms are the way they are. The term Swan King was proven true – they embellished anything from door handles to couch cushions. Upon learning about Ludwig’s life, his reclusiveness, unaccepting family, and lack of relationships, I wondered why he loved swans. Swans are independent when they become adults and are looking for a mate. Maybe he felt similar to them since he was alone and wanted to do what he pleased when he pleased. His closeted sexuality obviously took a toll on his well-being, and the unapologetic beauty of a swan could have been something he aspired to.
It has been a long morning but it’s time for some donuts and food. In a nearby town, I had pizza and a chai latte to get through the next site. We entered the church at the end of mass since it is Ascension Day – hearing the organ and the crowd singing was beautiful. Similar to church back home, the crowd was mostly older people plus children.
These cultural and landmark visits are just as important as the educational ones. I enjoy watching the habits of locals and learning how to interact with them. Eager to see more soon!