Kim Richards

Monday morning brought the news of my twenty-one year old nephew's death. I tried to post about him but just couldn't. He's a pretty special guy and we miss him terribly. Please lift my family up in your prayers. 

All this vacation and touring around seems frivolous all of the sudden. But I know from experience, the best way to grieve is to find ways to continue living...and so I blog more about Germany.

http://s105.photobucket.com/albums/m203/sharrisselva/Germany%20trip/April%208%202008/

Still in Meersburg on the banks of Lake of Konstance, we also visited the Neues Schloss (New Castle) which has a more baroque design. Construction began in 1710. Inside you see a variety of treasures, antiques and artwork. There’s a few pictures of the inlaid wood design, which continued to be popular for centuries.  The chapel is breath-taking and still in use by the Evangelicals. It’s funny how in these chapels and cathedrals, you can be alone in there and yet, you still walk softly and whisper—unwilling to break the peaceful atmosphere.

For over fifty years, Neues Schloss was the seat of power for the Prince-Bishops of Konstance. Since then it’s seen a number of uses from a girl’s school to a local prison, a sailor’s school, a high school for troubled boys, institution for deaf-mutes, barracks for French troops in World War II and now several museums. It’s a very beautiful place. 

We did not photograph any of the paintings on the upper levels but did enjoy seeing them.  We showed up during the lunch hours and “had” to enjoy a cup of coffee inside the castle before we could peruse the museums. Many of the shops in Germany close for lunch and you just come back. You know what? I actually don’t mind.