Are You Asian?

(From Forwarded mail)

45 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU'RE AN "ASIAN"

1. You were/are a good student with very high GPAs

2. You majored in something practical like engineering, medicine or finance.

3. You have more than one-college degrees, especially more than one Master's.

4. If you play a musical instrument, it must be piano.

5. You have a vinyl table clothe on your kitchen table.

6. Your stove is covered with aluminum foil.

7. Your kitchen has a sticky film of grease over it.

8. You beat eggs with chopsticks.

9. You always leave outdoor shoes at the door.

10. You use the dishwasher as a dish rack.

11. You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times.

12. You save grocery bags and use them to hold garbage.

13. You have a rice cooker.

14. You're a wok user.

15. You fight over who pays the dinner bill.

16. Your don't dry-clean cloths, even if they need to be dry-cleaned.

17. You iron your own shirts.

18. You like congee with thousand year old eggs.

19. You use credit cards, and pay monthly bills in full.

20. You keep most of your money in a savings account.

21. You buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off.

22. When you hand wash dishes, you only use cold water.

23. You hate to waste food.

24. a) Even if you're totally full, if someone says they're going to throw away the leftovers on the table, you'll finish them.

    b) You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing.

25. You don't own any real Tupperware-only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinse margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars.

26. You also use the jam jars as drinking glasses.

27. When toilet paper is on sale, you buy 100 rolls and store them.

28. You have a collection of miniature shampoo/conditioner bottles and little soap bars that you take every time you stay in a hotel.

29. The condiments in your fridge are either Price Club sized or come in plastic packets, which you "save" every time you get take out or go to McDonald's.

30. You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (and travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes).

31. You spit bones and other food scraps on the table.

32. Your dad thinks he can fix everything himself.

33. When you go to a dance party, there is a wall of guys surrounding the dance floor trying to look cool.

34. Your house/apt. is always cold in winter and hot in summer.

35. Your mom drives her Mercedes to Price Club, or Shoppers Food Warehouse regardless how far it is, even if Safeway is next door.

36. You always look phone numbers up in the phone book, since calling Directory Assistance costs 50 cents.

37. You only make long distance calls after 11pm or during weekends.

38. You prefer your shrimp with the heads and legs still attached.

39. You never call your parents just to say hi.

40. You think ONLY Japanese can make good CARS!

41. You use a colored face cloth every morning

42. You starve yourself before going to all-you-can-eat places.

43. You've joined a CD club at least once

44. You never discuss your love life with your parents.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

45. You take this message and forward it to all your Asian friends.

Nucha's Note: 

This is sooo true... I did all those (except for the spitting on the table, and chopsticks beating eggs parts). I know there're differences, but when it's pointed out like this. It's so funny!    

Buddhism Explained

(First published in Small World Ezine on 7 July 2003)

 

(Genesis Stock Photo)

I am writing today is because of these two news articles at BBC...

Buddhists 'Really Are Happier'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3047291.stm

This article says that Tests carried out in the United 
States reveal that areas of their brain associated with 
good mood and positive feelings in Buddhists are more 
active, and suggests that -- "Buddhist meditation can help 
calm people." 


UN Helps Rebuild Afgan Culture
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2992760.stm
The rebuilding this article mentions is the rebuilding of 
the world's largest Buddha statues carved on a mountain, 
which was destroyed by the Taliban years earlier.


I think there are a lot of issues in Buddhism that are 
misunderstood or confused and would like to explain them 
from my Buddhist point of view.

 

Do you believe?

No! One of Lord Buddha's popular teachings is, "Do not 
believe." Do not believe even though the person who told 
it to you is your teacher, your parents, a good person, or
even Lord Buddha himself. Do not believe even though it's
believed by people for a long time. And do not believe in 
any circumstances, until... You have considered, 
experimented, and proved by yourself that it is true. And 
you will believe so until you can prove otherwise.

This is like a scientist's theory-proving -- think, observe, 
experiment, and theorize.

Don't get me wrong. When we do not believe, we do not 
disbelieve either. We leave the matter in a compromising 
area. Remember? Before the invention of a microscope, people
thought bad spirits or wrong-doings caused diseases. Long 
time ago no-one have heard about Oxygen, virus, atoms, or 
the planet of Pluto. Nowadays we still cannot see them with 
our bare eyes, but we know for sure they exist. How about 
spirits, ghosts, angles, or heaven and hell?

Lord Buddha says, "Why do you want to know?" , "What do you
gain if you know?" and "What if you don't know?" Sometimes,
it is not necessary to know everything, is it? If you know 
there is another planet after Pluto in our galaxy, is it 
going to change your life somehow?



Buddha images/statues

No, we do not worship the images/statues. We do not feel
anything when the Taliban destroyed the statues except 
sorry for the Afghans who lost the remarkable artifacts.

A Buddhist knows better than getting attached to anything
in the world. For us (actually not me... I mean for the
enlightened ones), things in this world are not real. They 
change status. Where there is a birth -- there will be a 
death. Nothing lasts forever. Things change. People die. 
Even the Earth itself will be gone one day. Uncertainty
is the most certain thing.

No, they did not destroy Buddhism when they destroyed the
statues. Buddhism can only be destroyed by Buddhists who 
misbehave.

We pay respect to a Buddha image because it reminds us of
Buddha's teaching (Dharma), but we don't worship it or ask
for blessing (at least that's the theory... LOL). There is
a rule of Karma to take care of what we'll get in the 
future. No matter how many blessings we've got, if we kill
and lie and etc., blessings won't help!



What exactly is "Karma"?

No, "Karma" is not your past life. "Karma" is a Sanskrit 
term for "action". The rule of Karma simply states that,
"our volitional actions inevitably have consequences for 
us." (Kulananda, 1996). Scientific speaking -- You can 
apply Sir Isaac Newton's third law, "Action equals to 
Reaction," here.



Meditation and Buddhism

Mediation (not Yoga) is one of Buddhist way to stay
peacefully calm, know oneself, focus, and learn from the 
inside. To hear yourself and to consider about things you 
have heard. In Buddhism, study yourself and stay conscious 
are two of the most important things that bring you to the
great enlightening.



Martial Arts and Buddhism

Martial Arts and Yoga are misunderstood to be Buddhist
practices. Actually Yoga was practiced in India long before
Buddhist time. Its original purposes were for meditation and
physical therapy. Monks in China's Shaolin temple developed 
their martial arts from an Indian monks who brought Yoga to
China long time ago. There were times China and the temple 
were threatened by The Mongolian and Manchurian armies. And 
Shaolin monks had used their martial skills to protect the
country and their temple efficiently. They had become 
heroes. But these are nothing to do with Buddhism. How about 
Tai-Chi Chuan? The legend said Master Chang Sun Fong -- the 
inventor of the art is a Taoist master, who left Shaolin 
because of some disagreement.



Vegetarianism and Buddhism

Killing or torturing or harming any life forms (men, 
animals and plants) is completely forbidden in Buddhism. 
However, letting yourself starved is also considered
torturing yourself. So, occasional killing for moderate food 
is accepted. Even Lord Buddha himself is not a vegetarian.
On the other hand, there was a tale of Buddha cutting off 
his own flesh to feed some hungry crows (for exchange of 
the life of a prey the crows were about to kill) as well.

However, most Buddhists believe that vegetarianism is a good 
thing because, doing so, you help reduce killing. There is a 
Chinese saying, "Rescuing lives is a better 'good deed' than 
building a seven-storeyed pagoda."



Nirvana -- The Buddhist Heaven

Yes, "Nirvana" is the most-desired destination of life,
according to Buddhism. But NO... it is not a heaven. 
Actually Nirvana is nothing at all. It is the end of 
the circle. When you are enlightened, you are able to get
rid of all temptation. Thus, you don't have any worries
(or "unfinished business" as regarded in the West). Then, 
you feel free to go and never come back to any life form 
(re-incarnation or re-birth) again. In the other word, you
are done! 

If life is suffering because it gets sick, becomes old and 
dies... then Nirvana is a complete happiness because there 
is no life to suffer!

I tried to explain this to my husband and he could not 
understand. He asked if Nirvana is nothing, why we wanted 
to be there. And I could not explain to him either. This... 
Lord Buddha said, "You have to practice it to feel it 
yourself." It must be like a headache or the joy of eating 
icecream. you cannot explain it to people who haven't had 
it. It is also impossible to explain colours to those who 
cannot see, or tastes of food to those who cannot smell. In 
this case, I've never been to Nirvana myself either LOL...



To Be a Good Buddhist

It is easy (but also difficult -- keep reading) to be a good 
Buddhist. You do not have to believe in everything Lord 
Buddha or the monks said. You do not have to go to temples 
and attend any preaching or ceremony. There are only three 
rules here, which cover all... Commit Good Deeds, Refrain 
From Villainy and Purify Your Mind. The third rule is the 
most difficult, isn't it? You can gather at the presence of 
the Dalai Lama, keep looking down to the ground, walk in 
circle, sit down in a meditating position -- but if you go 
picking up a girl (or guy) in a bachelor club after the 
meeting session... if you just do so to gain respects... 
if you behave yourself only because you are afraid of the 
rule of Karma (or afraid of the punishment), you are not a 
good Buddhist. You have to be good because you'd like to.

More:


I am a Theravada Buddhist (kind of more orthodox) from 
Thailand. My perception and understanding might be different 
from those in Tibet, China, or Japan. And I am just 
explaining this from my point of view. 

I'd like to express my standing here again that I am not a 
religious person at all. My husband and daughter are 
Catholic and we have never tried to convert each other. I 
never have thought that my religion (or any religion) is 
better than others. 

And I am not teaching Buddhism here either. Only if there is 
a misunderstanding, I need to explain. You might have 
remembered that our ezine used to talk about Sikhism and
other religions/beliefs too.

Petra

(First published in Small World Ezine on 22 January 2002)

Today's article is from our Jan 22nd's issue. Then 

we had about 30 subscribers. It is one of my favourite 

destinations, and I want to share it with our new 

subscribers today... Petra -- the Hidden Treasure.

Remember the scene? It appeared in lots of movies 

including  "Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade"... 

Steven Spielberg demonstrated it as the place the 

Holy Grail was hidden.

 

In 1900 an unknown writer wrote "between the narrow open of 
the rocks we saw the most beautiful sight I have ever seen; a 
temple cut out of solid rock, the charming facade supported 
on Corinthian columns . . . and carved with groups of figures 
almost as fresh as when the chisel left them."

"Petra" (Greek for "rock") is an ancient city stood in the 
narrow valley of Wadi Rum (the valley of the moon) in the
desert just outside the southern vacation beach town of Aqaba 
in Jordan.

This place was, by the Nabateans during the late 7th to early 
6th Century B.C., used as a trade post for caravan merchants 
who travelled the silk road to exchange goods (silk from 
China, spice/wild animal from India, brassware/carpets from 
Persia).

The three things that contributed to the success of this 
desert shelter was the very narrow entrance to the valley 
which protected the place from invaders, the promise Roman 
Emperor made to leave the place alone, and, the most 
important resource the city provided, water.

It happened that the Nabateans were excellent hydrological
engineers. They constructed an intricate matrix of dam,
cisterns and clay pipes to not only supply the city with 
water, but also to provide the city with protection from the 
floods which are common during the rainy season ( November to 
April in Jordan). 

   

Petra was included into the Roman empire after the death of 
the king who had made the peace agreement with the Roman 
emperor. The Roman simply cut the water pipes then the 
people surrendered. They stayed under the Roman for 200
years. You can see Roman influences on the pillars in the 
picture.

Petra remained a well-known post until the trade community
shifted to Aqaba, and that's when it declined. And that's 
when the Byzentines, Persians, Egyptians, Crusaders and the
Ottomans marched in one at a time. That's why the place's
with Pompei-styled rock-cut, mosaics, carved, paints, and 
all kind of ancient architecture.

 

After the Ottoman, it was technically "lost", then guarded
by the desert's Bedouins (the Gypsies of the desert) who were 
convinced there must be some kind of treasure hidden 
somewhere inside. The place remained a forbidden secret 
treasure house until a Swissman named Johann Ludwig Burckhart 
disguised himself as a Bedouin and smuggled himself into the 
ancient city in 1812, and Petra's wonders were known to the 
world at large once more. 

Now it's one of Jordan's most popular tourist attraction. 
The city-centre of Petra is located within the modern day 
Governorate of Ma'an (1996 population of governorate 85.300)
of the constitutional monarchy Jordan. It is 260 km SSW from 
the capital of Amman and 180 km NE of the port city of Aqaba. 
Hidden within a fissure in the mountainous desert of Wadi Rum 
located at 30 20' N, 035 26E the protected area of the park 
is 264 sq.km. within the greater conservation area of 
900-1000 sq.km. which comprises Petra National Park. 

When you arrive at the park, you'll have to ride on a horse
through the narrow passage of the valley until the bottom,
which is the supposed treasure house.
      
It's a wonderful view when you are approaching because the
passage is full of curves and you'll never see it until 
you're very close. Everybody goes "VOW". I assure you.


Been there ;-)

 

 

More:

Jordan is a very peaceful middle-eastern country. People are
nice and friendly. Despite the poverty (no oil), there are no 
begging attacks against tourists. The King and Jordanian
government take good care of the people and they have nothing 
to complain.

The average temperature in Amman ranges from 8.1 degrees 
Celsius (46.6 Fahrenheit) in January to 25.1 degrees (77.2 
Fahrenheit) in July" (7). According to the Ministry of 
Antiquities, the highest point in the Petra National Park is 
935m above sea level.

Petra was added to the list of World Heritage Sites during 
the Ninth Session of the UN Committee UNESCO in 1985 with the 
great efforts of the late King Hussein of Jordan and Her 
Majesty Queen Noor (who was graduated from Princeton with 
a degree in Architecture and Urban Planning). 

Hong Kong and the Opium War

(This article was first published in Small World Ezine on 28 June 2002)

 

The Opium War


Two things happened in the eighteenth century that made it 
difficult for England to balance its trade with the East. 
First, the British became a nation of tea drinkers and the 
demand for Chinese tea rose astronomically. It is estimated 
that the average London worker spent five percent of his or 
her total household budget on tea. Second, northern Chinese 
merchants began to ship Chinese cotton from the interior to 
the south to compete with the Indian cotton that Britain had 
used to help pay for its tea consumption habits. 

To prevent a trade imbalance, the British tried to sell more 
of their own products to China, but there was not much 
demand for heavy woolen fabrics in a country accustomed to 
either cotton padding or silk. So the best solution at the 
time was "Opium".

Opium for medicinal purposes was first manufactured in China
toward the end of the 15th century. It was used to treat 
dysentery, cholera and other diseases. Not until the 18th 
century were there any accounts of opium smoking in China. 

In 1729, the Imperial Government prohibited opium smoking in
China, but it seemed to be too late. Numbers of Chinese
people had already been addicted, and the British-owned East 
India company has already monopolized the opium trade there. 

Britain's governor-general of India wrote in 1830, "We are 
taking measures for extending the cultivation of the poppy, 
with a view to a large increase in the supply of opium."


The Opium War of 1839-42 started when the Chinese imperial 
government confronted foreign merchant ships and demanded 
they surrender their illegal cargo. Captain Elliot of the 
British fleet sent in British battle ships from India 
instead.

After the deaths of thousands of Chinese, the first Opium 
War ended on Aug. 29, 1842, with the Treaty of Nanking. The 
treaty forced the Chinese government to pay $15 million to 
the British merchants. Furthermore, it opened up five ports 
to English trade. And that's when it ceded Hong Kong to 
Britain for 99 years, ending 1997.

Meanwhile, the opium trade continued to thrive. It led to 
the second Opium War in 1856-1858 of which result was 
another loss of China. The humiliation the Central Kingdom 
suffered is still remembered and strongly affects important 
aspects of its foreign policy today. 

References, and more readings:

http://www.druglibrary.org/
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/
http://www-chaos.umd.edu/
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/
http://www.infoplease.com/
http://www.hyperhistory.com/

 

 

How to get there... 

Hong Kong International Airport is loaded by International 
flight from all over the world. You can take a flight from 
any big city there. 


To get around...

You can get a taxi or a bus from the Airport to town (kind 
of far). If there are more than three people in your group, 
getting around by taxi is cheaper than bus. Do not try the 
Star Ferry from Hong Kong (the island part) <--> Kawloon 
(the mainland part of Hong Kong that is attached to mainland 
China). It's a historical ferry. Used to be the modernest in 
the region.


To stay...

Better stay in or nearby SOHO or Tsim Sha Tsui area. This 
place is packed with restaurants of different and/or exotic
cuisines from around the world that you can eat 24 hours a 
day. When it's time to eat, Hong Kong is said to be the best 
place on earth.

 

Where to go...

Shop in Tsim Sha Tsui and Stanley Market, visit the most
famous viewpoint of Victoria Peak, meet fortune-tellers at
Wong-Tai-Sin Temple. If you have kids with you, give one day 
to the world's largest reef aquariums (plus dolphin shows &
roller coasters) at Ocean Park. The landscape of the place 
is remarkable. You should visit even though you are not with 
kids. And if you have one or two days left, you can take a 
day trip to Lan Tau Island (with giant Buddha) or Macau
(ex-Portuguese port famous for gambling activities). You can 
also take a train trip into the suburb of mainland China.


Here're some views from live cameras...
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/

Hong Kong International Airport Diagram Digital Map

Royal Plaza Hong Kong

The Chopstick Cultures

(Published in Small World Ezine on 13 May 2002)

"The honorable and upright man keeps well away from both the 

slaughterhouse and the kitchen.  And he allows no knives on 

his table."  (Confucius)

Same tradition as a Westerner should not hide his hands under

the table, Chinese dining table will not allow anything that

can be used as a weapon on it (knives/forks).

Actually the invention of chopsticks is not quite an event as

many believe. They are just the perfect tools for picking 

noodle. Longer chopsticks are also pretty handy deep-frying 

meat and vegetable.

It is believed that Chinese started using chopsticks around

1700s BC. (It's like forever, isn't it?) Now it is widespread

throughout the world.  

"Kuai zi" is how Chinese call Chopsticks. "Kuai" is 

translated as fast ("Chop"), and "zi" means "pick up". 

Chopsticks are usually made of bamboo, wood, ivory, or 

plastic, although more expensive sets, made of lacquered 

wood, silver or even jade, are available.  In martial arts

tales, heroes often carried a pair of chopsticks made of 

ivory or silver when he travelled. According to the belief, 

ivory and silver chopsticks would change colors when there's 

poison in the food.

Slight differences exist between Chinese and Japanese 

chopsticks. Chinese chopsticks are longer, about 10 inches, 

and blunter than Japanese chopsticks, which are tapered at 

the ends. 

Japanese believe that individuals should not share chopsticks

with someone else. If you use a pair chopsticks after 

somebody, you'll be transferred bad luck (in the old time, 

somebody probably used somebody else's chopsticks and turned 

ill with the same disease?). Even in a family, everyone has 

his/her own pair. Never mix. And that's why they use these 

wooden-disposable chopsticks in Japanese restaurants. If you 

have to detach the chopsticks into two pieces, you are the 

first person who uses them.

Actually there are three major ethnic groups in the world

who eat with chopsticks -- Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. The

rest of Asians only use chopsticks when they eat Chinese 

food. Mongolians and Vietnamese also use chopsticks 

while eating.

Being PERFECT tools for noodle, chopsticks are something else

for eating rice. To eat rice with chopsticks, you'll have to 

rest the edge of the bowl on your lower lip, and pat the rice 

into your mouth with your chopsticks. And that's the manner 

too. It's the only way you don't spill the rice around.

Japanese rice is more sticky. You can probably make a ball of

rice for it's easier to be picked up with your chopsticks. 

But to pat it from the bowl into your mouth is also the thing 

to do.

More:

Some "DON'Ts" in using chopsticks.

 - Do not point with your chopsticks (esp. to people)

 - Do not suck, lick or bite your chopsticks

 - Do not stick chopsticks in your food (e.g. dumpling, 

   wonton) in order to pick it up.

 - Do not hold the chopsticks with all your fingers

 - Do not rest the chopsticks on the table if you are not 

   finished with them yet

 - When Chinese offer food to the death, they lean the 

   chopsticks against the side of the bowl. When Japanese

   offer food, they stick chopsticks in the rice bowl

   upright (like inscent sticks). So, don't do those.

More to read on chopstick manners, there is this hilarious 

article at San Francisco's China Town Web Site.

Neuschwanstein

(First published in Small World Ezine on 2 July 2002)

Today I am writing about my dream place. This castle was the main reason I moved to Germany in 1996... To explore its castles, Travel the Romantic Road, and Visit Neuschwanstein. 

 

King Ludwig II of Bavaria (1845-1886) was born in the wrong time. When he became the King of Bavaria after his father's death, his position was more likely just symbolic (at the time Bavaria or Bayern was a sovereign kingdom). Thus, his dream of being Louise XIV of Bavaria was just an impossible dream. 

Inspite of his aspiration of being "Ludwig the Great", he was a shy King. Because he was raised in a sheltered environment, young Ludwig spent much of his youth in a castle named Hohenschwangau ("high region of the swan") and an ancient castle known as Schwanstein. Ludwig grew up there among swan images and icons, and the nearby Schwansee (Swan Lake) featured the real thing. As a King, he withdrew himself from Munich (the capital of Bayern), and spent more time in his beloved mountains in the Bavarian Alps -- that's when he first met Richard Wagner.

 

They said the relationships of these two were closer than friends. Whatever it was, it was unarguable that Ludwig adored Wagner as his music idol. It was known that Ludwig drew much of his inspiration for his castles from Wagnerian opera (particularly Lohengrin and Tannhäuser) -- although he had insisted on the original Germanic mythology rather than Wagner's operatic revisions. 

In 1868 Ludwig began his own building campaign. Much of the Bavarian king's fame is associated with his castles: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, and Herrenchiemsee. (A fourth castle, Falkenstein, was planned but never built.)  Among the three, Neuschwanstein, though unfinished, was the most famous. The castle's unique location combined with Ludwig's "fantasy in stone" creates a special magic. But like any work of art, the more one knows about Neuschwanstein, the more one can appreciate it. 

When Ludwig started the project, he called this castle "Neue Burg Hohenschwangau" ("New Castle Hohenschwangau"). Only later, when the castle was opened to the public on August 1, 1886, just weeks after Ludwig's death, did the edifice come to be known as "Neuschwanstein" ("new swan stone"). 

To execute his dream project, the king commissioned a stage designer, Christian Jank, as architect. Thus, the castle was as beautiful as it could be, but part of it was impossible 
to construct. That's why the project is unfinished until today. Yet, Neuschwanstein's  central heating system and kitchen (barely been used) were said to be ahead of technology of the time. There is no single fireplace in the castle!

King Ludwig II of Bavaria passed away in a tragic and mysterious enigma. Just three days after he was announced "legally-insane", Ludwig was found drowned in Lake Starnberg (der Starnberger See) south of Munich. Ludwig was a fine swimmer and the water was kind of steep. The questions were -- was it an accident, was it a suicide, or was it a murder?


Today, Neuschwanstein and the story behind it are the most magnetic attraction for Bavaria's visitors. If you have a chance to go there, do not miss it.

 

 

More:

I think Walt Disney used Neuschwanstein as the model when he designed the Sleeping Beauty's castle for DisneyLand, did he?

Anyway, here's how to get there...

Easiest way is from Munich (Muenchen). You can drive or take a public bus or tourist guided bus. If you drive... drive south 160 km. or 100 miles towards Fuessen. Look for a small 
town named Schwangau. At Shwangau, which is the small town at the base of the castle, you can take a horse drawn carriage up to the castle. Be warned however, that in the off-season  (September to May), the driver will wait until the carriage is completely filled before ascending the hill (this can take some time). It took me 15 minutes walking up the hill. With the scenery and the fresh air up there (not too thin), I did not feel tired at all. If your health provides, walk.

Hohenschwangau castle is just at the foot of the hill. You can visit it too. For both castle, visitors are not allowed to wander inside. You'll have to buy the guided tour (available in several languages). The fee is DEM 10-15 each. The tour takes 15-20 minutes, but the waiting will take you almost forever. Arrive early. It opens at 8.30am (April to September) or 10am (October to March). Closing time around 5.

Don't forget to bring your student ID (if you are a student). Students in Europe can get special rates in every place they visit. 

If you have time for the day, visit Linderhof too (Drive to Oberammergau. It's as wonderful. I went there during Christmas. Cold but Beautiful!

To stay the night, get back to Munich is the best, but if you are planning to go further to the south (Austria), Fuessen has nice guesthouses you can stay. There is a Youth Hostel too.

 

 

 

Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt: v. 2 - Franz Liszt ; Richard Wagner : Translated by Francis Hueffer - Print On Demand (non-refundable)

 

Richard Wagner: His Life and His Dramas

 

The Rhinegold (English National Opera Guide) - Richard Wagner ; Andrew Porter : Translated by A. Porter - Print On Demand (non-refundable)