Germany 2010 Trip

September 30 Traveling Home

pastorjaneanns — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:08:20 +0000

We were up bright and early and had to repack bags to meet airline standards.

Our flight was delayed an hour after we had boarded, due to overbooking the flight, the captain reported. So it was actually 11:45 am before we finally took off and 8 hours later we landed in Chicago; however at Chicago, it was 1:40pm.

The airport was crazy at Chicago with many people going through customs and changing planes.

Here we had a real God blessing. One of our party forgot one of their bags in the train between terminals. A young man jumped out just before it left, shouting, “Someone left this bag! Whose is it?” We all looked around wondering. He dropped it on the ground and jumped back in the train just as it was pulling out.

Those near recognized it as belonging to someone in the group, but were not sure whose. We held it up and yelled, “Whose is this?” and it was claimed. It was a strange overwhelming kind of relief because there would have been panic when the loss was discovered. As it was, the item was returned before we even knew it was gone—and in the middle of all the chaos in the Chicago airport! I think we all realized that we had been blessed at that moment.

The rest of the trip was thankfully uneventful. We arrived in Minneapolis about 6pm (Central standard time) and for Paul and myself, finally arrived home at 8:30pm.

The trip had been fantastic; everything went well and we were thankful and grateful to God for the many blessings we received through it.

Sept 29 Eve in Frankfurt

pastorjaneanns — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:04:45 +0000

This was our last evening together as a group. We gathered together to have time to share with each other and to say goodbyes. The wakeup call is at 5:45 am with bags out at 6:15 am, and the bus leaving at 7:15 am tomorrow morning.

Sept 29 afternoon Rothenburg

pastorjaneanns — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:03:15 +0000

Rothenburg is a city which is a picture of medieval times. Used as the backdrop in many movies, including Walt Disney’s Pinocchio, the old part of the city of Rothenburg is picturesque and charming, with many shops and restaurants. It was fun to take time to wander the cobblestone streets.

The walled part of the city is still in place including the gates. Pictured below is one of the gates. The little door you see is called “the needle’s eye.” As you can see it is a very narrow space through which one person at a time could pass after the gates were closed. However, people would be allowed to pass only after an interrogation and would also receive a fine. And here is an interesting fact: the position of night watchman only stopped in 1920.

sept 29 am Leaving Oberammergau

pastorjaneanns — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:00:20 +0000

We left Oberammergau about 8 in the morning with the sun peaking out behind the clouds. However, as we traveled on what is called “the Romantic Road”, it became increasingly cloudy and then rainy. We had a glimpse of the alps behind the cascading hills, but then the clouds and rain settled in, so we became our own cozy world within the bus. Every morning in the bus, one of the pastors led devotions, which gave all each day a wonderful start.

Sept 28 Passion Play in Oberammergau

pastorjaneanns — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 22:10:05 +0000

Oberammergau, has since 1634 performed the Passion Play every 10 years involving over 2000 its residents (about half of them). This is an entire community effort as others are involved in offering hospitality to guests, like our group, who came with others from around the world to view the Passion Play.

Beginning at 2:30pm and ending at 10:30pm, there is a 3 hour dinner break. On this day, it was cold and windy in the afternoon, so we dressed warmly. Because the play is performed entirely in the German language, we followed the dialog in our English translation or just watched, for we knew the story.

Photographs are not allowed during the performance, so I have included an image that the Oberammergau Passion Play website has posted and a link (click for more pictures) for the rest of the site.

Viewing this play was an incredible experience for the entire community had to cooperate, not only in the production of the play, but also in the organization of it all and the hospitality required to host the 4700 people attending each performance.

It was also awesome to be a part of a promise made to God over 300 years ago when during the time of the Black Death plague, the people promised to portray the “Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ” every ten years. From that time on, not one person died from the Black Death. We were blessed through this promise and its fulfillment.

By the time we were back to our rooms, it was very late. I think we are somewhat overwhelmed by all we have seen and done.

Sept 28 am Linderhof Castle

pastorjaneanns — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 22:09:23 +0000

We had an option to visit Linderhof Castle this morning, the smallest of the three that King Ludwig build and the only one that he finished in his short life of 40 years. The interior was extremely ornately painted and elaborately carved, covered with gold leaf. Most of the time this castle was used, however, King udwig was here alone with 4 of his trusted servants to wait on him. He must not have been too close to his servants either, for the dining room table was on an elevator system, so the servants would prepare his meal and when it was ready the prepared table would come up. When the table (and floor) had been lowered to the kitchen, identical inlaid floor panels slid together to form the floor. There were many ingenious ideas in this castle and around the grounds, on which he had a grotto, gazebos, numerous fountains, a water falls, a hunting lodge, a Moroccan type house, and other curiosities. Ah, what money can buy,
Our tour guide put it well: if you are rich one theoretically can do anything one wants to do. Most kings don’t. King Ludwig did.
For the photo of this castle, I walked up the hill to take it. When I examined it later, I noticed some people right in the middle in front of the castle. Guess who they were? I will see if I can include a close up following the castle picture.

Sept 27 Mountain Morning

pastorjaneanns — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:43:27 +0000

It is early on Monday morning. An entire week has now passed with each day being filled with activities, places and stories. We have three days left here in Germany and then on Thursday we will fly home. Today we will go to Oberammergau, but on the way we will stop at Neuschwanstein and tour at least the grounds and for those who wish, the inside of the castle. There are at least 300 steps involved on the inside of the castle to see 6 of the rooms. From there we proceed to Oberammergau where our group will be split between pensionnes, guest homes, and some in a hotel. In all there are 5 different places, so that poses challenges.
The photo is from our breakfast at the ski lodge and convention center that we are at up in the mountains. This is one of 5 or 6 buffets of all different foods. Yes, we are being well fed.

Sept 27 eve Oberammergau

pastorjaneanns — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:06:00 +0000

We have arrived and all been delivered to our various destinations. In the photo below you can see some of our party entering one of the pensionnes. (I’m not sure what makes this different from a guest house.)
After we settled in, we had ample time to browse in the small shops, for our supper time was set for 8pm, due to the fact that those viewing the play today would eat first.
Oberammergau is high in the mountains, and a relatively small city with a population of 5300. It is clear that the entire community cooperates and works to do this production.
Most of us, wandered the streets and shopped in the many shops, and once again we were well fed.

Sept 27 4pm Scourged Savior

pastorjaneanns — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:02:54 +0000

We stopped at the small village of Wies, which is home to a huge baroque church due to one artifact ant that is a statue of Jesus Christ in chains (as he was being flogged). It was created in the 1600s by the locals as part of an Easter parade, but then put in the attic of a local inn, as it was rather crudely made and ugly. However the mistress of the inn took to going into the attic and praying in front of the statue. One day she noticed real tears coming out of the statues eyes.
People began to flock to the small village, so they built a small church. As it’s fame grew, architects were hired to build a larger church more appropriate for such a statue.
You see in photo the statue ensconced behind the center of the altar and an inset of Pastor Denny sharing his inspiration when he viewed the statue, as he told me, of MFM (Mortgage for Ministery) and GFG (Generosity for Generations). For those of who are outside of Glen Cary, these are both programs that Pastor Denny inspires regularly, and we look forward ton learning his inspirations.

Sept 27 noon Neuschwanstein

pastorjaneanns — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:02:25 +0000

We left at 9am and received our vouchers and explanations for Oberammergau. The Maryland group will be in one location; 16 of our group will be in a hotel, 8 in a pensionne, 4 in one home and 4 in another. The voucher contains tickets for each of our meals telling us at which restaurant we are to eat, and a coupon which we give to the people where we are staying to received our ticket for the Passion Play. Some may have to walk, and transport is arranged as needed. Once we arrive, we will all be separated, so it is important for everyone to understand procedures, etc.

An interesting thing about some of the churches we are seeing in the Bavarian countryside is that their bell towers are topped with onion shaped domes. This was a favorite architecture feature of one of King Ludwigs, I’m not sure which. But I do know that it was King Ludwig II who built the castle Neuschwanstein.
The story around it is fascinating and deserves some scrutiny, which I have not been able to give it thus far. We arrived there about noon. Some wanted the inside castle tour and others only a stroll around the area, which has shops, restaurants, hiking trails, horse and buggy rides up to a mid level and hiking trails all around. There is also near by a second castle where King Ludwig grew up with his parents. I think we all enjoyed our time here at whatever level of participation we were able to manage.