Andechs and ludwig

Now there's this friend of mine in Portland.
He's been around Europe in his days. When I top over for a visit ( after4 pm) or a professional consultation on home repair minor dilemmas, sometimes he'll say would you like a beer? Why sure..
Well I stopped over the spialty beer store and bought these beers from germany "Andechs" monestary brewery. Well those are some pretty cool Benedictine monks, they been brewing and selling beer for 500 yrs. Really. So We split a $5 bottle of beer, and we make happy noises and happy faces, and we enjoy the beer.
So he says if u get a chance when I germany check this place out....
So we head that way about 1 he west of munchen, wow we can we the small town church steeple high on a hill , yup typical, we follow signs, pull into a huge park lot. Walk over look at the layout map and don't ya know it once again written In german...map bunch of buildings, marked with words that have at least 32 consanents in each word. Ok head up the hill. Now the chapel is incredible, there must be a couple hundred pounds of gold and as much sliver all over the alter, the place is spectacular, ceiling domes are all painted with dozens of beings in each one.
As we wander around enjoy the rolling hills view. We see they have a huge seating area for lunch... We step in grab trays walk over to a guy in a chef hat that has a scowl that could scare Halloween away. He sputtered something in German I pint to a pile of fried things, he points to Liam and makes a chopping signal, yes split it! It's a huge deep fried pigs knuckle then he slips on a pile of tater salad, the slippery kind and tosses a 6" pretzel o n each plate. I order a pint of andechs beer, the only kind served. The pigs knuckle has craklins, and it's good, it's all good.
I buy a mixed 6 pack for$12 and over The next few days drank them and they were good!
Liam for some reason didn't want t stay and join the order....

Off to Ludwig s castle supposedly the prettiest castle in Europe. We drive 1.5 hrs west there on a hill it sits, oh yeah right next to a ski area.
We start the mile walk up the closed road and the ski opens up, it pours, we wait, then walk.
We get there it's very picturesque  it's a tourist trap, we look, take pictures and walk down
Walk across the small valley check out the neighbors castle, get in the van, another massive downpour.
Ok enuff drive a couple miles to a campground, rent a spot rain stops.
We Eat at the restaurant, good german food and beer. In the covered beer garden there's a band!
It's a traditional german oompah band. Liam can't believe this, he buys a shirt, buys their CD, goes up on stage, puts on lederhosen and starts dancing, I think hes found his niche.( ha ha).
Off to bed dreams of pigs knuckle and oompahs...