The Passion Play finale of this Bavarian coach trip is one of Germany's great shows
Praise the Lord! The Passion Play finale of this Bavarian coach trip is one of Germany's great shows. Max Davidson visits the Roman Catholic Bavarian village of Oberammergau.
As my coach joins the long convoy of other coaches on the outskirts of Oberammergau in the south from Germany, I feel a twinge of panic.
What horrors await us? Scramble at the entrance? Endless security checks?
The passion game has been played in this Bavarian Catholic village every decade since 1633, and it's kept pace with tourists since the 19th century.
The 2020 staging had to be postponed because of the Covid which, like the original play commemorated the deliverance of the villagers from the bubonic plague, gives the performances of 2022 a particular poignancy. Hence the crowd of tourists descending on the village, expectation written on all faces.
For my fellow travelers Léger, visiting Oberammergau in road to Austria (I'm joining them just for three nights), it's the highlight of a ten-day itinerary. They're endearing and, as the jokes roll around the coach, they could be medieval pilgrims on their way to Canterbury.
From Siobhan to the sparkling eyes, from Ireland, who nearly became a nun in her youth, to the salts of the earth Dave and Diane from Yorkshire who welcomed a Ukrainian family into their home, everyone has a great st...
As my coach joins the long convoy of other coaches on the outskirts of Oberammergau in the south from Germany, I feel a twinge of panic.
What horrors await us? Scramble at the entrance? Endless security checks?
The passion game has been played in this Bavarian Catholic village every decade since 1633, and it's kept pace with tourists since the 19th century.
The 2020 staging had to be postponed because of the Covid which, like the original play commemorated the deliverance of the villagers from the bubonic plague, gives the performances of 2022 a particular poignancy. Hence the crowd of tourists descending on the village, expectation written on all faces.
For my fellow travelers Léger, visiting Oberammergau in road to Austria (I'm joining them just for three nights), it's the highlight of a ten-day itinerary. They're endearing and, as the jokes roll around the coach, they could be medieval pilgrims on their way to Canterbury.
From Siobhan to the sparkling eyes, from Ireland, who nearly became a nun in her youth, to the salts of the earth Dave and Diane from Yorkshire who welcomed a Ukrainian family into their home, everyone has a great st...
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