Want to spend your Saturday at one of the most famous castles in the
world, anyone? Casey and I had been looking forward to doing just this since we
arrived, so this weekend we headed out to the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, the
striking 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace that inspired the
Walt Disney Castle and draws over a million visitors each year.
The castle perches above the village of Hohenschwangau (try
pronouncing that one) in southwest Bavaria. We planned the trip this weekend because
for weeks the weather man had been telling us that the days would bring
temperatures in the forties and “abundant sunshine”. Casey and I even left our
coats at home in anticipation of the lovely springtime day! We were surprised
to step off the train into a sea of black clouds, falling snow, and
below-freezing temperatures. After getting over the initial disappointment (and
adjusting to a numb body) I was able to appreciate the foreboding and Gothic feel of the place; I felt like I had fallen inside an Edgar Allen Poe poem, and
the ravens perched here and there reinforced this feeling.
While some chose to take a horse and carriage, we decided to
climb the snowy mountain to reach the castle on top. The castle was just as
striking and beautiful as we had anticipated, with pointed turrets framed
against the winter landscape. Near the castle was a shop selling Glühwein, a
delicious mulled red wine that was served steaming in mugs. Yum! This proved to
be the perfect medicine, warming me to the core.
After exploring the castle and the village in the frosty
air, we settled down to finish our day in a cozy restaurant with a meal of
Käsespätzle, a scrumptious onion and Emmentaler cheese pasta, the sophisticated
German version of mac-and-cheese. Another beautiful (and delicious) day in
Bavaria!
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