Our first stop of the day was the most dramatic. We visited Castle Linderhof, a small castle that King Ludwig II had built in the mid-1800s. What it lacked in size it made up for in pure opulence – WOW! The décor inside (which we were not allowed to photograph) was very ornate with lots of detail, 24 karat gold plating, porcelain, and other rare and precious materials.
A bit up the hill from the castle, King Ludwig had a grotto built to look like a very opulent cave. The grotto used to host operas for an audience of 1 (Ludwig), who would listen to the performance while floating in a boat in the small pond in front of the stage. GYC sang a few impromptu songs in the grotto, and the acoustics were phenomenal!
Our next stop was the stunning Basilica and Monastery in Ettal. There are about 60 monks currently in residence there, but they were taking their mid-day prayers when we arrived so we didn’t see them.
The kids sang 5 songs in the Basilica and, again, the acoustics were amazing. The last note of each song reverberated throughout the huge dome for 5 seconds after the singing ceased.
Another highlight of the day was a visit to a cheese haus. They make several types of cheese there in fairly small batches. It’s an interesting mix of technology and craftsmanship. We tasted 6 types of cheese, each of which was fantastic because it was so freshly made! After the cheese tasting, many of the kids treated themselves to a slice of cheesecake or other delicacy made on the premises.
The evening brought our last formal concert in a nearby town hall. There were about 125 people in the audience. GYC performed with a German adult choir – we alternated sets of songs with them.
The large crowd LOVED the singing of GYC. They were clapping along to Rock Around the Clock and gave the kids a standing ovation after an encore. It was a fantastic way to end the formal concerts!
Our next stop was the stunning Basilica and Monastery in Ettal. There are about 60 monks currently in residence there, but they were taking their mid-day prayers when we arrived so we didn’t see them.
The kids sang 5 songs in the Basilica and, again, the acoustics were amazing. The last note of each song reverberated throughout the huge dome for 5 seconds after the singing ceased.
Another highlight of the day was a visit to a cheese haus. They make several types of cheese there in fairly small batches. It’s an interesting mix of technology and craftsmanship. We tasted 6 types of cheese, each of which was fantastic because it was so freshly made! After the cheese tasting, many of the kids treated themselves to a slice of cheesecake or other delicacy made on the premises.
The evening brought our last formal concert in a nearby town hall. There were about 125 people in the audience. GYC performed with a German adult choir – we alternated sets of songs with them.
The large crowd LOVED the singing of GYC. They were clapping along to Rock Around the Clock and gave the kids a standing ovation after an encore. It was a fantastic way to end the formal concerts!
So now the blue dresses and vests are packed and we prepare for the last day of the Tour!
