Germany Adventure - August 6 - Neuschwanstein Castle

     On this day, we drove up in the Alps to see Bavaria’s Neuschwanstein Castle. It is said that Walt Disney modeled Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland after this landmark.

        When we arrived, it was rainy and cold. One way to get up the mountain is a 45-minute hike, but we decided not to risk that long in the rain and took a bus up the mountain. The views from the top of the mountain were magical, blue lakes, dark green forests, and more alps.  Across the valley was another castle King Ludwig II had built for his mother-in-law. I teased Stan that after several days spent together he might wish his mother-in-law was on another mountainJ. 

    There were many tourists there who appeared to be of many nationalities. While waiting in line for the W.C. (water closet), I met a woman from Ireland who brought her young daughter to see the castle. We did not buy tickets to go in the castle. If you want to tour the castle, it is better to buy tickets online or risk waiting in line for some time, and even then, they can be sold out.

     We started walking back down the path. Josie bought some kind of pastries at a stand and shared them with us. They were puffy little clouds of deliciousness. 












     Seeing horses and a carriage nearby, we hurried over and waited to climb in. The carriage held about 10 people plus the driver. How fun to ride from the “Disney Castle” in a carriage! I am sure the trip downhill was a much easier trip for the horses than up. Our driver had to apply the brakes to keep us from descending too fast.

     We met up with Hans and Linda and went to a nearby town to a restaurant and inn that served traditional German dishes. I had a salad and spaetzle, Stan had sausages and kraut, and Vanita ordered the wienerschnitzel, so the three of us could sample a little of everything. It was all delicious.

     Stan and Logan visited with the owner of a meat shop that grew the cattle it butchered in pens and a barn right next to the shop. Back we went to Hans and Linda’s house where Naomi’s friend Maribelle came for a visit.

     It was another beautiful day with amazing sights, delicious food, and good company!

Logan thought he was a little too close to these tourists from Ukraine on the bus.

This is the mother-in-law's castle across the valley.

Another view of the Neuschwanstein (New Swan) Castle.

You can see the tourists and the scaffolding. The castle is still being completed.