Today we sleep in a little and, after an especially nice breakfast, most of the group heads off toward the train station. After several days of hiking in rain, drizzle, or threat of rain, and with rain forecast for today, the train seems an attractive option. Besides, there's much to see in Kulmbach.
After we arrive, we make our way to the hotel and we're actually able to get our luggage and check in. Then we go to the castle together, past interesting old buildings and the produce market, up a hill overlooking the town. Thomas had believed that an audio guide in English was available for this castle, but the front desk staff is quite horrified by that idea - and they're quite vexed when they hear that English speakers have arrived. It's not possible to do the tour in both languages, but they'd be happy to let everybody in to explore on their own. Or be there for the tour and get a translation.
Soon the tour starts, and James and I attempt to convey some of the very detailed information to our fellow travellers. The tour guide is very entertaining and lively, mixing up the dry facts with what-if scenarios and making history relevant by relating it to our present lives. It's all about the Hohenzollern, a family of noblemen and -women who came originally from Svebia. Through advantageous marriages and diplomacy, they ended up with castles in Kulmbach and Prussia, and included William II, last emperor of Germany, who started the disastrous first world war.
Regardless, the castle was fascinating. We learned that it was originally painted everywhere. Today, only the sundial is being refreshed as needed.
Our guide had a few things to say about the Bavarian government, which is not very involved in maintenance of Franconian cultural heritage (and did we know that with Upper and Lower Bavaria, including Munich, havine 6 million inhabitants, Franconia has 4.5 million?) In half-jest, he mentioned that several of the German Bundeslaender together don't have as many inhabitants as Franconia, but did not go quite so far to suggest that Franconia secede.
The ornate fassade also included stone carvings of the Hohenzollern ancestors, and we were told, in confidence, that 31 of them were made up when the builders found they had more ancestor spots than ancestors.
And we all know what this little room is meant for -- I forget when it was added, but it reminded my of my grandmother's scary toilet on the second floor which went all the way down, a long way for a little girl to ponder.
When the tour was over (and after we'd looked at some of the other sights in the castle (such as the castle chapel), we were ready for some nourishment and made our way back down. We find a pleasant cafe with view of the market square and we each eat an excellent onion soup. James also has some very good cake, but i make do with some juice. Then we look at some stores, and I score a pair of fake crocs for 4.99 euros. This is a great purchase for both of us, James is a little tired of finding that his crocs are often out in the garden on my feet when he needs them. We also go by a shopping center, and I'm a little bit appalled how much cheap crap is for sale in Germany. I remember clothing that was good quality if a bit expensive, now everything is very cheap - and very cheap. There a few stores with things that my mother might wear that look well made, but I don't see the middle ground, fashionable clothes that will last more than 3 weeks and aren't so clearly based on the exploitative practices that caused the many deaths in Bangladesh just recently.
With no additional purchase (and nothing more to carry) we return to the hotel. The weather was wet all day, so we don't regret our decision to skip the hike. I do another round of laundry. It's become our daily routine, socks, (long) underwear, and maybe a T-shirt will dry easily overnight. Then I watch a very enjoyable movie about the staff at the zoo in Hamburg and read a bit. It feels like vacation!
