DAY 102 Neuschwanstein - “Sleeping Beauty Castle”

June 29 – 3 Countries in One Day 

It didn't look like this when we were there, but I just had to post this - what a Winter Wonderland.

 Before we head to Neuschwanstein, I thought I'd do a rundown of our most crazy traveling day.

 5:45 – Alarm & time to wake up; dress, pack, eat muesli, yogurt, and banana

7:00 – Say good-bye to our host, Giorgi, and walk to the bus stop with our back packs, food sack, and mini pack.

7:14 – Catch trolley bus to train station in Salzburg, Austria

8:00 – Buy tickets for train

8:09 – 10:25 - To Munich, Germany

22 minutes to catch next train

10:52 – 11:52 – To Kaufbeuren

7 minutes to catch next train

11:59 – 12:55 – To Fussen

10 minutes to catch next train; buy postcards

1:05 – 1:15 – Take bus up to town close to Neuschwanstein Castle

1:15 – 1:45 – Walk uphill to the castle

1:45 – 3:00 – Tour around the castle & the bridge; take photos

3:00 – 3:30 – Walk down to the town to catch the bus

3:45 – 3:55 – Bus ride to Fussen to catch the train

4:04 – 5:02 – To Kaufbeuren

4 minutes to catch next train; go around and down under and back up stairs (15 sec. to spare)

5:06 – 6:34 – To Lindau

6:34 – 7:27 – 1 hour to tour the town

7:27 – 7:39 – To Bregenz, Austria

10 minutes to catch next train

7:49 – 8:03 – To St. Margarethen, Germany

28 minutes to catch next train

8:31 – 9:18 – To Bad Ragaz, Switzerland

9:18 – Patrick picked us up, we went to his home; ate yogurt, talked

10:30 – everyone to bed, but me

10:30 -1:30 – worked on blog and emails; bed at 1:30 a.m.

WHEW!  So why was Neuschwanstein so important?  For one thing, my grand daughter, Hailey, loves this castle.  Her family has a book of European castles, so while I was at her home one time, we were looking at the pictures and she told me that I ought to make sure I went to this one while in Europe.  Although it was tricky trying to make all the connections, we did it!.  We didn't go inside, because we found out you were supposed to book a reservation time in advance.  Oh well...it was pretty expensive anyway.  We enjoyed taking pictures from every angle and even from across the next mountain and we did it all while it was raining. (at least most of the time).

The 2nd reason this castle is so important is because it is the inspiration behind Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle.

There is definitely a resemblance between the two castles.

  The 3rd reason has to do with Richard Wagner. (We're still celebrating his 200th birthday here in Europe this year 2013).

"Happy Birthday to you."

 Neuschwanstein is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival Palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria (Mad King Ludwig) as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner. Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing. The castle was begun in 1869, but poor Wagner wasn't even able to set foot in it as he died in 1883.  Ludwig, himself only lived in the castle for 172 days.  It was nearly completed by the year 1886 when he died suddenly of an unexplained drowning accident.

Riding the horse and buggy sounds much more fun, but we opted to walk in the rain.

Our first glimpse of the Castle

 At times when the king insisted on particularly close deadlines and urgent changes, reportedly up to 300 workers per day were active, sometimes working at night by the light of oil lamps.

 We wanted to walk to the foot  bridge that we saw in the distance.  But...did we have time and still be able to catch the bus down to the next bus to make our connection?  Sure...we could do it in 30 minutes time, so off we went.

Let's do it - we have 30 minutes!

Getting closer....

And closer....

What a view!!

These guys were most charming and goofy at the same time.

                                           

 Had it been completed, the palace would have had more than 200 interior rooms, including premises for guests and servants, as well as for service and logistics. Ultimately, no more than about 15 rooms and halls were finished.

I'm doing the Princess Diana wave.

 "Thank-you, thank-you for coming to my Castle all you Royal Subjects."