A Day Onboard

Just a few more great pictures to wrap up our 2015 season.  These are courtesy of our travelling companion JKip (Thanks, John D) and include photos, that for us, are often impossible to take.

Another very early morning start. Heading out Canal di San Marco, Venice

Some of the best views from the cockpit. (This is Pula, Croatia)

Getting in a little camera action
on a windless Croatian coast

Yes folks - all 3 sails out at once. 
Unbelievable but it does happen!

A hard day at the office...

Time for a little turistico-ing in Kotor, Montenegro

While those (crazy) boys scale the ridge on a hot day

And make it to the top for some great views. 
Now, can you spot WJ3 at anchor?

Not-So-Bitter End

Although a shorter season than most, this year’s ambitious “Travels with the Windjammers” has been quite the marathon and action packed.  So, the blog and photo fest is over and we must return to our every-day island lives.  Reminder to self:  It’s goodbye then to glamorous swans and hello to those bush bad boys, the kookaburras!  

This year, our 8^th season if you can believe it, has taken us on quite the voyage.

Santorini caldera
from our balcony

And history everywhere

• We started from Athens for a quick visit on a big blue ferry to the Greek islands of Santorini and Crete;
• Then caught a coach to Preveza in the Ionians to splash Windjammer (and fix just a few more things!!);
• Before running into a real weather experience travelling in Croatia.

WJ3 in Dubrovnik

The lads at large in Pula

• We were determined to achieve an up close & personal experience in fabulous Venice with plenty of time to get to know this sultry city;
• Before taking a quick slide back down the Croatian coast, ably assisted by Mr Kip, dodging wildfires, heatwaves and nudists;
• With spare time for a quick visit to Montenegro and Albania before hauling out in Preveza again.

The sun was scarce in Germany but friends aplenty

• This year our land-leg wanderings took us to Norway for a tour encompassing eight counties that surround the Baltic Sea, finishing in Berlin, with a sad goodbye to Sanni;
• And finally, trying to see the best Germany has to offer in only a few oh, so short days…

Taking photos in
out of the way places

of fabulous scenery

And the Cap'n now notices a
missed opportunity in Bergen...

Somehow the speed at which we travelled and with so much to write about this season, our sailing log has been totally neglected.  Never mind, the yearly figures come in as follows:

From: Preveza, Greece Lat/Long: 38:57.087N 20:46 .092E  Date/Time: 12/05/15: 1800

To: Preveza, Greece Lat/Long: 38:57.087N 20:46.092E  Date/Time: 13/08/15: 1230
Time Taken (this year): 246 hrs  Distance (this year): 1407nm
Distance Total (since 2008): 16,030nm   
Weather: Clear skies, calm seas & the occasional big blow to mix it up
Fastest Speed: It’s the Med!  Motoring continues.  Winds are generally too much or too little and always it seems, from the wrong direction!
Map & Tracker: If you want to see all our sailing stops along the way, here is the MAP.

Now of course, it is time to plan for next year.  We’re anticipating a rather-too-short foray into Italy and hope to cover the best of this country (always spoken of in terms of superlatives), before hauling out - perhaps in Spain.  Who knows…watch this space!

Sunshine, colour and character cottages in Venice Lagoon

Follow the Rhine

Frankfurt, Germany

View from the cable car over Rudesheim

Back from Dachau, we gathered our luggage from the hotel and hot-footed it to the ICE (Inter City Express) that would take us, in a mere 3 hours, to Frankfurt, home of big business, bankers and car shows.  Frankfurt is to cars as Annapolis is to boats.  Luckily, we had booked accommodation well in advance – sometimes planning pays off!

The area near the station is said to be a seedy red-light district but as we wandered past nearby eateries in the pouring rain to find dinner, we felt damp rather than in danger. 

Next morning our friends, Karin and Tony, collected us from our hotel and took us on a “Cooks Tour” of the famous Rhine Valley, an area long known for its spectacular scenery and excellent wines. 

Visiting with Karin & Tony

We stopped for a delightul lunch at Eberbach Abbey (1163)

First stop was a hearty lunch (with wine!) in the Eberbach Abbey (1136) a vast and evocative Cistercian monastery with a common thread of wine making throughout its history.  Whilst wine-making continues, the complex, now owned by a charitable organisation to preserve its historical significance, serves as a venue to celebrate the arts, with musical events being held in the grounds.  Significant buildings include the church, cloister, refectory and dormitory.

Rudesheim, colourful and touristy

Next stop was the busy tourist town of Rudesheim where we took a cable car up to the Niederwald Monument.  Despite the inclement weather (yes, again!) we were still able to take in some stunning views over the famous Rhine Valley. 

The monument itself is a 38m statue of Germania (1883), commemorating the Franco-German War (1870-71) and re-establishment of the German Empire. Although the area is also well known for its scenic hiking trails, we floated over masses of tidy vineyards back to Rudesheim.  

It was time to head for the Frankfurt Airport – but not before a bowl of Karin’s warming chicken soup to give us strength for our red-eye flight back to Oz.  

Yes, we've finally reached the end of the trail for this year...

It's the end of the ride, cowboy!

Quietly spectacular - Germania stands proudly
 on this Monument (1883)

Camp Despair

Dachau, Germany

Dachau bears the unfortunate attribute of being Nazi Germany’s first concentration camp.  The grounds have now been converted into a sobering and silent memorial to those who walked through its stark iron gates and suffered.  More than 200,000 inmates and 43,000 deaths are chilling statistics.  The Museum deserved more time than we were able to give it; its exhibits offered perhaps the most gruelling evidence of life and death under that regime.  The facts are presented honestly, absolutely black and white, and as a valuable lesson for us all. 

Entrance to Dachau Prison Camp (Wiki) with 
 delusional and chilling words "Work Sets You Free"

Foundations of the rows of accommodation barracks

A Confectioner’s Delight

Oberammergau, Germany

A little local colour in the main street on an overcast day

I can remember (rather too many) years ago looking over my shoulder as we left Oberammergau to admire that fantastic alpine view.  I wondered at the time if I would ever return to this magic scene, a setting as romantic as “The Sound of Music” (1965), a film my mother had taken me to see countless times.  This stunning vista has stayed with me and it was a highlight (in a year jam-packed with them) to be able to re-visit Oberammergau this year.

Spot the fairy tales.  Too many quick "snaps" from the bus though!

Crammed in between our visit to Ludwig’s two castles, we made a brief stop at this fairy tale village.  Oberammergau is home of the famed Passion Play, the fulfilment of a contract with God drawn up after the villagers' release from the plague in the 17^th c.  Performed by locals and held every 10 years, we were either five years too early or five years too late for the performance.  Never mind, this luftmalerei painted confection of a village is a sight to behold any time; that and shops stocked to the rafters with hand carved wooden souvenirs.  The village has been home to a wood carving school for over 500 years and even today, some 60 woodworkers live in the area supporting demand, both local and international, for their intricate craft. 

A quiet little park outside the main theatre area

Given that our own little patch of paradise is already a bird haven (an early, early morning rise is always guaranteed!) we felt little need to add to this cacophony with a cuckoo clock!  Thus, armed with this argument, the Cap’n avoided yet another attempt to improve upon his (recently) self-imposed 15kg luggage limit…

(Besides, just don't ask why that beautifully carved little rabbit is upside down....  Yes, a cuckoo clock for all seasons/reasons!  Even so, isn't it just magnificently decorative?)

A Vision Most Splendid

Bavaria, Germany.  Castles & Dragons

Firstly, just a wee bit about King Ludwig II of Bavaria:

Mad or just plain gifted, King Ludwig II of Bavaria (1864 – 1886) was, by virtue of his royal crown and capacity to fund extravagant projects, one of the world’s most fascinating characters.  His life story is full of intrigue, mystery and sadness; a man out of step with the machinations of a roiling political system and the lofty ambitions of others.  Yes, he was decidedly odd but when confronted with the drama of his famous architectural achievements, you want to hail this most creative spirit and be grateful that he was given the space to develop them to (almost) fruition.

Schloss Neuschwanstein (Wiki)

And nearby Schloss Hohenschwangau

Ludwig II's Coronation (1865) (Wiki)

King Ludwig spent his early years with freedom to explore one of the world’s most picturesque corners, the Barvarian Alps.  His home, the fabulous sun-yellow Schloss Hohenschwangau (built 1832 - 1836) was no ordinary structure, and in many ways set a precedent for Ludwig’s castle concepts.  His father, Maximillian II, rebuilt this Neo-Gothic palace over the ruins of a stronghold held by the former Schwangau knights.  It is decorated throughout with frescoes depicting German history and legend, the swan a key motif.  The story of the Swan Knight, Lohengrin, and the operas and music of Richard Wagner were to be major influences on young Ludwig.  

Upon attaining the crown, King Ludwig II was considered an enthusiastic leader.  He had schools and colleges built to improve the educational level of the Bavarian people, supported arts and crafts through various programs and had a charitable heart, being one of the first to support Henri Dunant’s “Red Cross” movement.  Following the creation of the German Reich in 1871, Ludwig was increasingly isolated and thanks to Bismark, kept busy with pots of money.  

His obsession with the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, drew him to plan grand castles, lavishly decorated - all inspired by Louis’ absolute power and extravagant tastes.  Similarly inspired by Wagner’s operas, he also explored grand themes of legend and romance wanting to create and retreat to, a spiritual paradise.

So, with all this in mind, it's off to our first stop of the day, Schloss Linderhoff.

Schloss Linderhoff

Schloss Linderhof seems bigger (& certainly grander) than it looks

Schloss Linderhof, a Rocco vision completed over nine years (1878), was our first stop of the day.  Built on the site of his father’s hunting lodge (moved only a short distance away), this tiny palace is Ludwig’s only completed dream.  Set in landscaped grounds manicured to perfection, this fascinating palace speaks volumes of Ludwig’s artistic capability - he was a set designer extraordinaire.  

The grounds include a lake (with resident evil swans attempting to improve their annual statistics of wounded tourists), man-made waterfalls, grottos, follies, fountains and mysterious kiosks.  Diminutive Linderhof takes centre stage and somehow, the short guided tour of this wondrous gem is over oh, so soon.  It is said that Linderhof was Ludwig’s favourite, that he spent much of his time here surrounded by its beauty.  Who could not?  One of his favourite pastimes was to ride around the estate at night.  His plans for a fantastical swan sleigh were sadly never realised; at least we are left with the drawings.

Schloss Linderhof (Wiki)

Gardens at Linderhof

And grand sculptures too

Our tour ended at the Gift Shop, where GS managed to find a tiny swan in the Fabergé style as a memento of this grand adventure.  The cap'n was not pleased!  On to our next Castle then!

Schloss Newschwanstein

Romantic Schloss Neuschwanstein (Wiki)

Building commenced on nearby Schloss Neuschwanstein in 1869.  It is easy to understand the magic Ludwig felt, not only for the area but its magnificent scenery.  His castle, built perched high on Swan Rock, would celebrate these surroundings with its romantic, medieval (Romanesque) style.  Ludwig imagined this palace as a stage to celebrate his intense feelings for Wagnerian operas and medieval knights.  Sadly he died (was murdered) before this vision could be realised.  Schloss Neuschwanstein however, was opened to the public almost immediately in order to recoup at least some of the vast amounts of monies (both public and familial) expended.  The tour through this fabulous fairy tale castle is worth every cent; the detail is exquisite but the memory (mine) poor.  How I wished there was time to see it all again.

Do these fairytale views remind you of another?  Yes, Walt Disney based his magic kingdom castle on Neuschwanstein!

Another borrowed shot.  The Castle is
incredibly difficult to photograph

A 40 minute walk uphill to the Castle
(or take the easy way!)

Castle Model - one of the few interior
photos we were allowed to take...

This ornate (Swedish) heater is
in what was to be the pool room

Sadly, we did not have time to visit the magnificent Schloss Herrenchiemsee (1878). Created after visiting the palace at Versailles in 1867, it is said the Ludwig's "vision splendid" improved on the original.  (I’m not sure Louis would have been too happy about that and is probably still rolling about in his grave!) Incomplete, this palace is set on a forested island amid carefully clipped garden landscapes.  

Neither did we find time to explore another palace in Munich with Ludwig associations. Schloss Nymphenburg is described as one of the loveliest park and palace ensembles in Europe.  This magnificent estate is where Ludwig was born. 
 
Plagued by accusations of insanity, isolated by friend and foe and undermined by his family, Ludwig II was ultimately “arrested” and imprisoned at Berg Castle. Only one day later (13 June 1886), his body and that of his physician, was found in Starnberg Lake.  Mysterious circumstances, inconclusive evidence and outright deceit led to a host of conspiracy theories, yet it only saddens the ending of a wonderful if not, ill-fated, fairy tale.  We are left however, to celebrate his absolutely stunning legacy.

Back in the village we found time for a little chat with friends

And GS scared the Cap'n again with her talent for spotting expensive fripperies