Blogs from Schwangau, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Today we’ve been to Germany 3 times and Austria 3 times too. Poor Kisbee was quite confused as we kept popping over country borders and being given new instructions about speed limits ! We were heading for Schloss Neuschwanstein at Schwangau which is Germany. We set off from the campsite quite early as we had prebooked our visit and if you’re late you miss it. The drive down from the campsite to the first time we crossed the German border was pure magic. Wild flower filled meadows down to the road from the mountains on either side and there were cows. Lots of them. Roaming freely on the grass but more often on the roadside or in the middle of it. Most entertaining. I greeted a few with a “Grosse Gott” but they ignored my pleasantry ... read more

Inside the Castle photos are forbidden. Neuschwanstein Castle(German: Schloss Neuschwanstein) is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner. Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing, not with Bavarian public funds. The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle and later, similar structures.... read more

Sunday 19th September 2010 Do you remember the castle that featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ? It’s the one uncle Walt got his inspiration for the Disney castle from - Schloss Neuschwanstein built by ( not literally of course ) mad King Ludwig II in 1869. We walked the mile up to the top of the hill and checked out Mary’s bridge over a deep ravine and the best place to get a picture of the castle and its setting - spectacular ! We then took the conducted tour - Ludwig had the castle dedicated to Wagner and even had a grotto built in one room with stalactites ( ceiling )and stalagmites ( ground ) - geography lesson over. Monday 20th September 2010 After morning lessons we set off to ascend Tegelberg at Schwangau. Jack ... read more

We drove to Schwangau from Szczecin for roughly 9 hours. We had to travel above 800 kilometres but advantage fo Germany is very efficient motorway system and no speed limit. We founf our hotel - landgasthof zur Post very quickly, shortly after we could admire view outside. We could saw both most famous castles built by Ludwig II of Bacaria. Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau were visible very well without any restriction because our room was located on the 3rd floor. The Landgasthof zur Post is located in the Münchener Straβe, the main one in town. We paid 37 euros for 1 person per night, breakfast and bathroom & toilet included. We booked multiple bedroom and as we travelled in group of three we needed thre beds. Landgasthof zur Post provided us brilliant service and in dining room ... read more

Tegelberg was again covered in clouds this morning. Still, we decided to go up the hill. Pilots started setting up. But the weather kept on changing. Sometimes, the sun was out, then again we were in a big cloud, and it was even snowing. And believe me, it was freezing cold. Still, a task for the women was set - from Tegelberg west to Falkenstein, then east to Buchenberg, then to goal at the bottom of Tegelberg. 34 km. But there was an occlusion approaching the area, and there was also a storm warning. So finally around two o’clock, the day was cancelled. At least there was the opportunity for pilots to free fly. Most of them did. I was just glad to leave the mountain after six hours up there. I’m still shivering... The Swifts ... read more