More Munich
Left Salzburg in the morning, went back to Munich. Went to Schloss Nymphenburg. Saw Ludwig I's Gallery of Beauties. Lola Montez: striking but not beautiful. He'd have been better off marrying the shoemaker's daughter, who was really quite fetching.
Next day (11 August): In order to save money, I have been subsisting on McDonalds and grocery store Pringles. Surprisingly, it is actually working. Anyway. Went to the Neue Pinakothek. Saw nothing terribly earth-shattering. but did find one of Klimt's portraits. (Have a fondness for Klimt, as it was his work that first taught me the point of actually going to museums to see art.) Saw a room full of Raphael imitations. Honestly. We have enough Raphaels in the world. We don't need another cartload of copycats, who capture all of his ponderous piety with none of the ethereal brilliance. Afternoon: went to Deutsches Museum. Amused myself. Observed people. Gathered more material for the forthcoming Uncharitable Essay.
Decided not to make the trip out to Fussen and see Neuschwanstein. If Ludwig II wanted people to visit his fairy-tale Bavarian castles, he ought to have built them closer to civilization. Besides [snicker] it looks just like the one at Disneyland.
On a slightly related note: Apparently, there is a new musical in Germany: "Lugwig II--Longing for Paradise," in which the the king turns away from actually governing (symbolized by Bismark bursting onto the stage every few seconds and looking menacing) in order to hang around with Wagner & co. Then, as "love triumphs" over Bismark, Ludwig disappears into the lake. Cannot quite see how this symbolizes love triumphing. Perhaps if Bismark drowned in the lake....Well, why not? The producers are not exactly going great lengths to make this a historically accurate production, anyway.
Next day (11 August): In order to save money, I have been subsisting on McDonalds and grocery store Pringles. Surprisingly, it is actually working. Anyway. Went to the Neue Pinakothek. Saw nothing terribly earth-shattering. but did find one of Klimt's portraits. (Have a fondness for Klimt, as it was his work that first taught me the point of actually going to museums to see art.) Saw a room full of Raphael imitations. Honestly. We have enough Raphaels in the world. We don't need another cartload of copycats, who capture all of his ponderous piety with none of the ethereal brilliance. Afternoon: went to Deutsches Museum. Amused myself. Observed people. Gathered more material for the forthcoming Uncharitable Essay.
Decided not to make the trip out to Fussen and see Neuschwanstein. If Ludwig II wanted people to visit his fairy-tale Bavarian castles, he ought to have built them closer to civilization. Besides [snicker] it looks just like the one at Disneyland.
On a slightly related note: Apparently, there is a new musical in Germany: "Lugwig II--Longing for Paradise," in which the the king turns away from actually governing (symbolized by Bismark bursting onto the stage every few seconds and looking menacing) in order to hang around with Wagner & co. Then, as "love triumphs" over Bismark, Ludwig disappears into the lake. Cannot quite see how this symbolizes love triumphing. Perhaps if Bismark drowned in the lake....Well, why not? The producers are not exactly going great lengths to make this a historically accurate production, anyway.