We now return to the city of my fame (see blog entry Famous in Ingolstadt) for a more complete picture of that town, known internationally as the home of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (if known at all - this fact escaped me and was only brought to my attention by Patricia). According to Patricia, Shelley never visited Ingolstadt nor did she pick it for its dark aura (which as you'll see it doesn't have one iota of) but rather the fact that it was making headlines at the time for being home to a famous medical research laboratory - the perfect context for her mad scientist!
The Lang Siblings + Girlfriend. On our way to do some serious drinking at the Nordbrau (Italian Gelato in hand).
The site of the Nordbrau "Octoberfest"-style festival complete with beer tents and lederhosen-wearing band. The Danube, which runs through Ingolstadt, lies calmly at the shore.
What German town would be complete without some medieval looking castle-thing looming large and making for picturesque scenery (hence the picture).
Prost on an empty stomach. Disaster imminent!
Third-party evidence - courtesy of the Delight Showband who brought us a delectable mix of Bavarian staples and American pop! Not everyone in the crowd was so engaged - as you can see most are sitting. Probably Radler drinkers...
Many hours and litres later. Patricia and school-hood friends laugh it up. Maybe laughing at the inebriated cameraman???
Ingolstadt at Night Photo Series
My Russian Beauties (The blue-shirt is a bit of a Grushenka). I'd like to think these lovely ladies were smiling at my charm but I think they were laughing at my drunken state.Altmuhltal Park & Ingolstadt - July 29, 2006
So after Patricia carried me to her parents home, a short bus ride out of Ingolstadt in one of the tiny villages that make up the bulk of traditional Bavaria, I slept off that night's toxins and awoke up bitter and grumpy for a day of exploring Altmuhltal National Park!
The Altmuhltal Park contains the Danube river, traditional park land as well as a number of towns and villages of central Bavaria. One such village was made of a monastery (still functioning). This was the monastery's (Catholic church -Catholicismm still dominates in Bavaria unlike the Lutheran north).
The ceiling's relief is made of gold.
The Danube narrows between the cliffs.
The Befreiungshalle overlooks the Danube and Altmuhltal parklands.
An old monastery - dating from medieval times - sits between the Danube and the steep cliffs.
Looking back from the Befreiungshalle on the Danube.
The Befreiungshalle or Liberation Hall, erected in the 19th century to celebrate German victories overNapoleonn and the resultant union of the independent German states into a loose confederation that anticipated Bismarck and Wilhelm I's Reich, was commissioned by Ludwig I of Bavaria.
The glossy marble interior of the neo-classical Befreiungshalle is in stunning contrast to its otherwise nondescript exterior.
Angels of victory mark specific battles - this one from 1815 - the year ofNapoleonics ultimate defeat in Europe.
Crest in the floor's centre. Meaning unknown - probably never forget how we kicked some ass (last time the Germans could say that - ha).
Obligitory picture of me as proof of life. See, I'm not just posting photos off the Internet and pretending I've been to these places (ignore the photoshopping).
The entrance of the Befreiungshalle - which in retrospect looks very much like a wedding cake.
An abrupt turn - but here we are in a cave somewhere nearby but also in the massive Altmuhltal. One of the neatest things about this cave was that its acoustics are so unique its used for classical music concerts with a lightshow. They also found some prehistoric remains of something or other here but I was too busy looking for bats to notice - and they were speaking German so I wouldn't have understood anyway.
Autobahn and country - still and serene for a country of 80 million people in a state half the size of British Columbia.
A Bavarian kitchen, and that of my hosts the Lang family. All original woodwork created by Patricia's father whose part-time carpentry molded their home.
Ye Olde Ingolstadt.
Cobbled streets - a remnant of Frankensteinien times.
Ye Olde Church of Ingolstadt.
Ye Olde Gate of Ingolstadt.
Ye Olde House of Ingolstadt (Bob Villa inside).
More of ye...
Ye Olde Castle of Ingolstadt.
Ye Olde Town Wall of Ingolstadt (no longer delineating the end of town) and flower garden.And that, ladies and gentlemen is the result of trying to combine two days (really one and a half) into one entry! The sheer enormity of has likely abused even DSL subscribers connections, nevermind my poor parents dial-up. My humble apologies!
1 comment:
Ah, good times
It seems like your trip was the perfect combination of getting drunk and dragging yourself from site to site. To be honest I'm a little surprised that you remember any of your trip since you seem to be hammered a good 75 or 80 percent of the time.
Cheers
Shayne
p.s Would it kill you to smile? Your parents spend thousands of dollars on your teeth, you need to start flaunting them like a rap star.
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