The Disney Castle, or Neuschwanstein....again

It is taking me too long to get my photos in order and upload them..... I think this second wedding has me going in yet another direction. (And I am happy to travel there!) They always say if you want something done to ask a busy person.  Grrrr. Now it is time for the rest of the trip!

After a great day in the Alps and at the Partnach Gorge, we got a good night's sleep.  Here is a tip for those of you traveling and wanting to save a bit of money... we actually got a lovely 3 bedroom apartment for the night for the same price as a 2 person hotel.  Full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, living room and 3 bedrooms that could sleep two in each room...and two more on the pull out if we had had more people ha ha!  So it was perfect.  It was the second floor of a lovely home with a wonderful couple who owned it, a place to park in the driveway and good advice on where to go for dinner!

Okay then, now we are off to Schwangau, that is where you will find King Ludwig II's castle.  He was an eccentric. He commissioned the castle as a retreat and to pay homage to Richard Wagner. However; he died in the lake near the castle before the castle was completed. Seven weeks after his death it was opened to the public, 1886.

I fell in love with this castle when we saw it for the first time over 4 years ago. 

the snow starting to build and seeing the fog

I had a rather rough go of it over Christmas that year, losing the cornea in my right eye in a mishap in Africa over break and needing emergency surgery back in Germany (but that is for another time) I was ready for this trip. Even after stopping on the way out of town and the way back in, at the Eye Hospital I am still glad we went!

Nothing was going to keep me from it...well maybe a bit of fog!  As we got closer the snow got deeper and fog got thicker.  Snow and Spring usually do that.

And that is just what we got - FOG. And to top it off the paths around the castle were closed. At the time I was still amazed, but after returning back to Dusseldorf, for that is where we were living back then, I became a bit sad.  I just couldn't imagine how I could not get "the shot". David had even told me he would jump the fence and go on but being a bit hindered in sight I was not adventurous.  Move ahead quickly to NOW and it is a whole different story...sort of...the fog was there, and I was beginning to worry about the trip to the top.  A small 30 min. walk straight up a HUGE incline...but hey we had been walking away now for 4 months so what is a little hill ha ha.

in the spring of 2007

fall 2011 - we could see the fog chasing us up the hill

stopped for a quick shot before the fog rolls back in

We stopped on the bridge and sadly it was a cloud of white surrounding the castle.  We decided to go further past the Marien Bridge and see if we could get a better shot.  I had read about a place you could sneak under a fence and continue up and get a great view.  So this time not only did we get to the bridge we got to the spot!

that is the bridge that was the goal

2011 the dreaded fog....it was moving quickly though

grabbing on to the roots we climbed up the side of the hill

WAIT FOR IT.....

My knees where shaking and I just couldn't stop grinning!

There is just something about this castle that has me...If you ever get the chance I recommend you see it.

On an added note. David and I were quite sad that in the short time we had been away it has become so accessible that it makes us sad.  There are railings and paths and roads leading to it in every which way. And while we think it is fantastic and all should try and see it - it is taking away a bit of the magic and shine of the beautiful castle. Maybe that is why the last shot meant so much...not everyone can get to it wink wink!

Time to travel again!

So as I sit here waiting to plan another wedding, our oldest daughter is now engaged, I search the internet to make the perfect itinary for our next trip.  "Two daughters engaged at the same time and I am halfway across the world!"  Yikes. ...okay then...to the Alps!  

I didn't know that this updated but when I posted it  - it was all in snow!

I hate to write about it before hand because today the summit of Zugspitze is in white out condition.  Not good if you want to go to the top of Germany's tallest mountain to take photos.  We have a little over a week, so I am praying hard for good weather and planning away.

 As I was saying, The Germany Alps is on the list.  First we will stop off at Neuschwanstein Castle to hike up around to get, well yes, a good photo!  I have been there before but not having the best information did not get the photos that I have been drooling over here of late.  After hours of digging, I found the path past the Marien bridge to get some great shots.  When I was there the last time the Marien bridge was closed due to snow so to hike up past it was not even an option.

This photo of Queen Mary's Bridge (Marienbrucke) is courtesy of TripAdvisor

this is my shot when we were there in April 07 grrrr

 You should know from my earlier post, I have the boots!  I do love the German shoes they are made for walking, hmmm go figure!  I do, I do, I love the shoes! I think half of my "shoe collection" is German now. Anyway, thank you for indulging me on my rant. Snicker snicker. After a day of up and down at the castle we will head to Garmish Partenkirche to spend the night and attempt ZUGSPITZE.  I am so excited it is going to be grand.  I loved hicking around Pottenstien (another gem I found online that most people don't go to - but oh so worth it)  We are not serious hikers but that is not to say we don't enjoy the thrill of a hard days hike, and the reward of a cold beer at the end.  I think given more time I might scare my husband and become a real live hiker!  But for now the hills around the Bavarian towns we encounter are my training ground.  (When we are in the US, we live in the Midwest and you know there really isn't much to climb there!)

You will have to check back to see if we do indeed make it to the top!  Oh and I found amazing "Socken",  I love the German socks almost as much as the shoes....they have a sock for everything!  And unlike the States you can buy them anywhere, even in the grocery ha ha.  So with..."meinem Socken and Schuhen bin ich fur die Berge bereit!" (with my socks and shoes I am ready for the mountain)