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, 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?)