Germany - Day 54

18-Jun-2007

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Germany - Day 54

 

Day 54 - Thursday 23rd June 2005

Left Salzburg and headed for our next stop, Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps.  Lovely drive.  We checked into the Renaissance Hotel with a great view of the alps.  After settling in we headed off to see Mad King Ludwig's Neuschwanstein Castle.  This involved a short trip through the Austrian Tyrol with chocolate box villages scattered along the way.  The castle was spectacular, just as fairytale looking as in the pictures. We caught the bus up to Mary's Bridge, this is  footbridge over a deep gorge with a beautiful view of the castle, then we walked down a track to the castle itself.  You can only take guided tours inside and you have to book a specific tour time.  The castle was unfinished when Ludwig died and I still being completed.  The completed rooms were very opulent with beautiful frescoes and wood carvings.  Ludwig's bed was particularly extravagant.  We then took a cable car trip up the side of the mountain in front of the castle.  There were a few parasailers taking their gear up in the car with us.  Views were marvellous.  We watched some of the parasailers take off from ramps over a cliff at the top.  One of them had his wing twist and collapse on him halfway on his run down the ramp, a little heart stopping.  He managed to stop and tried again successfully.  Walking back to the car at the cable car station we could hear bells from the woods nearby so we went to investigate.  It turned out to be a heard of cattle all with cow-bells on collars.  Actually they should have been called bull-bells as we were confronted with a group of belligerent looking but fortunately not belligerent acting belled bulls.  Dinner was at the hotel with a zither player in the background and a very nice white wine.

 

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