Day 9 Castles of Bavaria; Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau
Gruss Gott (God's Greeting/blessing - the typical Austrian greeting)! I awoke this morning singing a song, I Have Confidence from Sound of music in my head. "What will this day be like, I wonder." With breakfast at 7:30 and departure at 8:15 for the area we will begin our hike. Dimitri recommended this hike and assured us that it would be well worth it. "I really believe that this is a hike everyone will be able to do." So we went to breakfast, a delicious and complete continental breakfast with meats, cheeses, breads, fruits, etc. We were ready to go by the time 8:15 rolled in, and we were outside and waiting. Not everyone decided to go and participate on this hike. They will be joining us later on in the parking lot of our destination. It is funny, we are sleeping in Austria. We started our hike in Austria, but then we took off into the hike and we would eventually cross over into Germany and spend much of the day there.
We were dropped off in some little country town still in Austria. We waved good-bye to Richard (now lovingly called "Little Ricky" from the show I Love Lucy) as he drove off and we started our walk. Just down the road we passed by some lovely gray cows feeding on lush, green grass. These cows were the epitome of happy cows! They were such beautiful and gentle giants! We stopped to say hi before continuing on our merry way. We climbed a few switchbacks until we reached a nice view of the valley below. Green fields, cows, cloudy skies, and the gorgeous Alps just behind. It was lovely. In this area we found our first little black salamander crawling through the grass. A select few of us closed in on him both excited and curious. After enjoying a moment to catch our breaths and enjoy the view we started up again. On the way up we had been passed by an old tractor that took up the whole road (forcing us to climb upon the aged stone wall to block those on the road from falling over the steep edge - great!). That was interesting. When we reached the top of the hill we were reunited with the sight of the tractor as well as a woodsman who was working hard moving woods. Seeing him with his pick axe dragging poles of wood across the road was interesting, it felt rustic in a way. It was around this time when someone spotted some snails on the foliage on the side of the dirty road. These snails were HUGE and super cute! Also, they were everywhere! It was not much further on down the line until we came across a sign which marks the border of Austria and Germany. Hallo Germany! |
Past the sign welcoming us into Germany we ventured into a breathtakingly beautiful forest. You can see where the ideas from some of our fairy tales come from as you walk through these woods. I could imagine hearing the howl of a wolf off in the distance, or seeing little fairies flittering around the tree trunks. It was enchanting.
While walking in the forest we noticed many "tree houses" that were built up off the ground. We determined that these were hunting houses, or little buildings that people climb up into so they can watch for wildlife. I think Dimitri mentioned that these were used for bow hunting. There were at least 10 of us, so other than the little forest critters we did not see much wildlife. I was pretty curious what kinds of wildlife they have here and how it compares at home. It was not long before we broke free of these enchanted woods (filled with more snails and little black salamanders too) to a picturesque placid lake, Lake Alpsee (Alpine). On the opposite shore we spotted the magnificent Neuschwanstein castle sitting above the hill. What a view they must have up there, looking down on us and upon this beautiful lake. Very soon we too will be enjoying that view! I cannot wait! |
The throne room was so lovely. Incredible paintings, shimmering golden tiles were placed behind the throne. A mosaic of Jesus sits above. He had a singers hall built which also had an area where plays could be performed. Ludwig was a romantic. He had a room built for his wife-to-be. From that room he had a secret door built with a pathway to a grotto. With another secret passageway they would have been able to sneak away to the hidden grotto.
Another great thing about Neuschwanstein is that they had developed a plumbing system where one could turn on a sink and get water to come out. In one of the rooms they had a lovely sink where the faucet was a silver swan.
I encourage you to take a look at pictures of the interior rooms of these castles. They are really amazing. Photos are not allowed inside so I do not have any photos that I can share with you, other than one I took looking through the window from inside.
After our excursion through this lovely castle Emily lingered in the shop while Mom and I made our way to Queen Mary's bridge to get the iconic view of the castle. This was another good uphill hike, and unfortunately we were on a timed schedule. Even more unfortunately the bridge is packed with people. Everyone there is trying to get selfies. It was a bit of a nightmare. We ran into some people from our group who were just about to leave so they let us slip into their spot. Thank goodness!
On the way to the bridge we had this incredible opportunity to see a view looking out toward Hohenschwangau (High Swan County Palace) Castle, Alpsee (Alpine) Lake, and Schwansee (swan) Lake.
Another great thing about Neuschwanstein is that they had developed a plumbing system where one could turn on a sink and get water to come out. In one of the rooms they had a lovely sink where the faucet was a silver swan.
I encourage you to take a look at pictures of the interior rooms of these castles. They are really amazing. Photos are not allowed inside so I do not have any photos that I can share with you, other than one I took looking through the window from inside.
After our excursion through this lovely castle Emily lingered in the shop while Mom and I made our way to Queen Mary's bridge to get the iconic view of the castle. This was another good uphill hike, and unfortunately we were on a timed schedule. Even more unfortunately the bridge is packed with people. Everyone there is trying to get selfies. It was a bit of a nightmare. We ran into some people from our group who were just about to leave so they let us slip into their spot. Thank goodness!
On the way to the bridge we had this incredible opportunity to see a view looking out toward Hohenschwangau (High Swan County Palace) Castle, Alpsee (Alpine) Lake, and Schwansee (swan) Lake.
After taking our photos on the bridge we had a moment to breathe before we had to turn around and book it down the hill. I was foolish in thinking that surely the climb down would be less painful than the way up. It was less painful on my lungs, however my feet were aching pretty badly. We passed a group of ladies from our group who were suffering as they were going down. They had made up their minds that the Hohenschwangau Castle tour was out of the question after the hike to Neuschwanstein (it is a really steep hike!).
We continued on down to the bus where Dimitri handed us both our sack lunch (Emily was already back and enjoying her lunch). However in order to make the next tour on time we had to get our tickets from Dimitri and book it up the hill to the other castle (seriously, tired here?!?). I was considering also calling it quits for the day after the long hike to the castles, and then taking on Neuschwanstein. I had pushed myself to get back in time for this castle tour, so I figured I might as well go. Mom and I took our lunches up to our seats on the bus, left them there and took off for the castle along with Emily.
A couple breaks up the stairway later we were finally in the Hohenschwangau courtyard. There was a spot open on a nearby bench, so I happily snatched it up so that I could regather my strength. After a couple of minutes (we still had some time to spare) I was up and walking around to take some pictures of the courtyard and the surrounding area. In the pano below you can see Neuschwanstein on the left side. Down below is the village. You can see part of Alpsee Lake there too. Just below the white houses near the lake you should be able to spot a small black and green bus, which is ours. Perhaps you can see that Neuschwanstein is pretty high up on that hill? No wonder we're all at half battery, or maybe flashing low.
We continued on down to the bus where Dimitri handed us both our sack lunch (Emily was already back and enjoying her lunch). However in order to make the next tour on time we had to get our tickets from Dimitri and book it up the hill to the other castle (seriously, tired here?!?). I was considering also calling it quits for the day after the long hike to the castles, and then taking on Neuschwanstein. I had pushed myself to get back in time for this castle tour, so I figured I might as well go. Mom and I took our lunches up to our seats on the bus, left them there and took off for the castle along with Emily.
A couple breaks up the stairway later we were finally in the Hohenschwangau courtyard. There was a spot open on a nearby bench, so I happily snatched it up so that I could regather my strength. After a couple of minutes (we still had some time to spare) I was up and walking around to take some pictures of the courtyard and the surrounding area. In the pano below you can see Neuschwanstein on the left side. Down below is the village. You can see part of Alpsee Lake there too. Just below the white houses near the lake you should be able to spot a small black and green bus, which is ours. Perhaps you can see that Neuschwanstein is pretty high up on that hill? No wonder we're all at half battery, or maybe flashing low.
In the courtyard they have a swan fountain. Like I said swans are very important to Ludwig and his family line (Could you get that from the translations of the castle names?). Hohenschwangau was the home of a young prince Ludwig. It was built in the 19th century by Ludwig's father, Maximillian II of Bavaria. This castle was built upon the remains of the fortress Schwangau (built in the 12th century) by a family of knights. At that time it was used as a governmental building for the town of Schwangau.
After taking just a couple minutes to start exploring the courtyard (hardly enough time) it began to rain. It was not a sprinkle, but rather a strong downpour that lasted for maybe 5 minutes, give or take. During this time everyone rushed for cover. I was no exception as I hid in the little archway leading into the gift shop. It was still drizzling when our time came up to go through the gate and meet up with our guide inside the castle. We rushed through as quickly as we could to avoid getting too wet. As soon as we reached cover in the castle we were immediately greeted by a tall, narrow staircase (both castles have too many stairs and not enough elevators!). This castle was set up a bit differently from the newer castle. The King and Queen each had their own floors. The kids were located on the third floor. Each of the floors was decorated depending upon who was living on it as well. The second floor was the King's. In the main hall there were paintings on all four sides. These paintings depicted war and triumph. Interestingly enough, when looking at these paintings you notice that something is missing.... that is blood. The artist did not add the blood of the dying and deceased. These paintings were meant to show war in a glory light, or as a good thing rather than something dirty and undignified. This floor was later inhabited by King Ludwig after King Maximillan's death. Another room, a circular room off of this main hall was a resting place for the King. It is here that we saw the telescope set up which Ludwig used to watch the construction of Neuschwanstein. The telescope is encased in a glass box. The funniest thing is that you can see smudge marks on the glass where people have tried looking through to see what the king once saw. I found it interesting that looking into the King's bedroom there were paintings on the walls portraying naked women, nymphs. They told some sort of story, although I still found the decoration amusing. The first floor was the Queen's floor. It was here that she had her dresses brought every day from the third floor down to the first for her to select her outfit for the day. Queen Marie continued to live on this floor even after the death of her husband when her eldest son, Ludwig took over as King. She was allowed to keep her rooms because Ludwig never married. The Queen's bedroom was a colorful room, depicting paintings which King Maximillian had commissioned after his trips to other countries. There is a distinctive oriental feel to the room based upon these travels. In one of the rooms we saw a lovely silver fountain. Looking at this fountain, and feeling the hollow rumble of my stomach, I spoke up saying, "I bet this fountain used to be a chocolate fountain." That got everyone in the room talking about the chocolate fountain. Finally the guide stepped up and said, "No, it was not a chocolate fountain, it was a wine fountain." Above the fountain there was a lovely sliver swan chandelier. The end to King Ludwig's story is not a happy one. He was found drowned in the Starnberger Lake. There are other theories as to how Ludwig died since autopsy results showed no water in his lungs. Other theories indicate that he might have been shot, although there were no signs of wounds on him. Other theories suggest stroke or heart attack. The circumstances surrounding his death are therefore a mystery. His younger brother Otto, meanwhile, suffered from mental illness. The throne was then left to Prince Luitpold, Ludwig's uncle, who eventually left it to his son, Ludwig III. After touring the two floors of Hohenschwangau the tour was over. I made a quick stop in the gift shop to look around before I scampered out. I was eager to get back to the bus to see exactly what was in my lunch bag and consume it since my stomach was gnawing at my insides. After all the stairs in Hohenschwangau I was happy to get back to the bus seat. Back at the bus lunch was exactly what I wanted. The sandwich was delicious and I ate the whole thing happily, along with the apple and the banana. I saved the chocolate for later but was so happily content. One of our travel partners said that the sandwiches should have been smaller. I was so thankful for my WHOLE sandwich. I made sure to tell Dimitri that I was very pleased with this lunch and the size of the sandwich. Food is important to me and after all the hiking around today it was a fantastic lunch! |
|
Once everyone was back on the bus we were able to move onto our next destination. We drove past some dandelion covered fields until we arrived at the luge park. I was kind of nervous about this experience. I was thankful to see that we did not have to carry a sled up a hill though. Emily was in line up ahead of me. Mom watched a couple people go and then decided that this might not be her activity. So she took my camera as well as my backpack so that I could comfortably ride the sled through the course.
My first run up I was stiff as a plank as my sled was pulled up to the top of the course, much like a roller coaster pulling the cars up before dropping you off the top. Riding up I was leaning back and holding onto the stick between my legs to keep me sitting upward When the track dropped me off up top I was still pulling back on the stick (breaking) and came to a complete stop very quickly. I tentatively pushed forward on the stick, testing the speed of the sled. I came around a corner and tried to acclimate to the feeling of the sled's movements. At the end of the course there were red flaps. My first time coming down I threw up my hand in victory. Just as soon as I got off I was back in line again for my second free run. This time I was ready at the top and had my stick pushed all the way forward. I applied breaks around the corners but zipped down much more quickly this time around. The rush of flying down the course was exhilarating! Even after watching us ride down a couple of times Mom still was not feeling very comfortable with going down. Therefore Emily and I both got to go down once more. This final time I took my camera with me, determined to be more careful this time, but also to get some pictures of the flowers on the way up. It is such a lovely time to be here. The fields were filled with lovely flowers of various colors. It really was a beautiful and very fun course! |
After our luging fun we piled back into the bus. Before we were going to be heading back to the room we were going to go and visit one more place. There is this new bridge, the 179 Highline Bridge which measures 1,300 feet long and stretched from an old Roman fortress with the Ehrenberg Castle ruins, which we can see from our room. We were just interested in going up to the ruins so we got to bypass the register and begin the climb for free. We started with some of the group. This is one of those trails where it says it will take you 15 minutes to get to the top... well then you have to ask is this 15 achy and tired person minutes or is this 15 minutes climbing like a mountain goat (or like Dimitri who took off like a jack rabbit)? I keep hoping that this means that I can start on the trail then stop, sit down, and in 15 minutes I will magically be at my destination.
I started up along with Emily and Mom. I did not get very far at all, hardly a eighth of a mile when I realized that this was not going to happen for me. As it is I practically had to be carried up to Hohenschwangau. I realized quickly that I did not have the battery power left for this. I turned around and headed back down to the town and to the bus where some of the other group members were waiting. I snuggled back into my spot with the idea of taking a nap. One of the group members engaged me in conversation keeping me from sleep. Here are a few words from Mom about her Ehrenberg experience: Mom and Emily got the opportunity to hike up to the 700+ year old ruins of Ehrenberg Castle, which overlooks Reutte, Austria. Others in the tour group hiked up to walk the new 179 Highline Bridge, but we wanted to explore the castle ruins. The trail up was steep to the castle, but the views and chance to explore the castle were worth it! The castle was 1st built in the 13th century and later expanded. It stands above the Ehrenberger Klause which separates the Lech Valley area and the Fernpass or Zwishentoren. The other portion of the castle was on a neighboring hilltop and together were planned to be occupied by almost 1,000 soldiers but as largely destroyed in the French Invasion of Tyrol in the early 19th century. The views of Reutte, Austria and surrounding mountains were incredible! It was fun to explore the castle ruins with very few people around. Especially after the morning at Neuschwanstein Castle and the huge crowds we encountered. We practically had the ruins to ourselves. I loved these ruins. Mom later stated that this was her favorite castle that she visited on this adventure. |
|