Convoy Ops

September 4, 2010

Neuschwanstein Castle is a castle that is approx 3 ½ hours away. Disney’s sleeping beauty castle was derived from Neuschwanstein. Caelyn has been wanting to go since we got to Germany. Today she got her wish.

A relatively new castle, Neuschwanstein was built in the late 1800’s. The king died before the interior of the castle could be completed. Only 18 of the 60 room of the interior were ever completed. After the kings death the castle was turned into a museum.

The castle is very close to another castle, Hohenschwangau. The town is very touristy. Probably the most tourist driven place that we have been too.

We left Hohenfels just after 7 am in a convoy with two of the guys that Ryan went to basic with at Fort Benning and their families. After a quick stop for fuel and the ATM to get some Euro we were off.

With a five year old, three year old, one year old, and a 34 week pregnant woman along with four other people we made it there with only one pit stop (not including gas as we left post).

After we got there we had to go buy tickets to get into the castles. They assign you a time based on what castle you are going to and what language you wanted to have the tour in.

We had about an hour before our first tour. We went and had lunch at an outdoor café. I told Ryan to surprise me when he ordered. He ordered schnitzel. It was alright, not something I would have to have again but it was ok.

We then hiked up to the first castle, which is called, Hohenschwangau. The castle was relatively close… just straight up the side of a mountain. About ½ up was paved path the other half was steps. Eli was in the stroller so Ryan and I had to carry the stroller up 1000 steps… alright, maybe not 1000 but it was a lot.

The first tour lasted about 30 minutes and went though a good part of the castle. I cannot confirm or deny that a little boy drooled from a top his father shoulders on to a 1000 year old golden serving platter, as his dad leaned over for a closer look. I have no knowledge of any such event ever happening…

Moving right along… it was very interesting seeing a complete castle with the interior still decorated. The castle we have seem up unto this point have been mostly ruins. The interiors were not exactly as they were when the kings would have been living there but they had a lot of the decorations and furnishings that were original.

Hohenschwangau:




After the first castle we exited via a long ramp/path that we realized we could have come up instead of carrying the stroller up all those step. But at the very least it we got a good work out.

We caught a bus to take us ½ way up to Neuschwanstein and had to walk the rest of the way up to the castle. The majority of the walk was downhill from where the bus dropped us off. The castle is huge. Exterior was completely finished. The tour went though the 18 completed rooms of the castle. Eli was pretty much done for the day and let me know it was well past nap time. We just hung to the back of the group and I pointed out different things that interested him (horse paining on the walls, ect.)

Neuschwanstein Castle:



Cliffs next to Neuschwanstein



Bridge looking down on Neuschwanstein (we didn't make it up to the bridge due to the rain)



Us at the entrance to Neuschwanstein




As soon as we exited the castle there was a torrential downpour. Eli was mostly covered by the stroller. He actually fell asleep on the way back to the bus. For the other 8 of us we weren’t so lucky. The two girls had their jackets. I tried to give Caelyn my umbrella but she was a danger to every eye socket within a three foot radius. While that might night seem like many endangered eyes you must remember that we were now walking up hill with a flood or tourist trying to get back to the bus and a new herd of tourist coming off the bus at us. Needless to say I feared for the eyes of all who were around and she didn’t get to keep the umbrella very long.

I was already soaked so I gave the umbrella to the Shaylyn (who is pregnant). I felt so bad for her. Even if I hadn’t been on bed rest though the end of both pregnancies there would have been no way that I would have been climbing up the side of mountains. Thankfully we made it back to the bus without labor being induced.

After a short wait in the rain the bus returned us to the bottom of the mountain. It was cold and windy and rainy. We ended up stopping at an indoor restaurant to warm up a bit as we dried off.

Me and Ryan decided to get a couple of the local dishes and share them. Ryan got red deer goulash and I had roast pork with sauerkraut and a “potato noodle ball thing” (as Ryan calls it). Both were awesome! Hands down the best “German” food that we have had since we’ve been here. After Eli finished some spaghetti he was still hungry. I decided to give him a bite of my sauerkraut to see if he would like it. He devoured it! He loved it.

It was a long, wet ride home. But overall an awesome day with friends and family despite the rain

Boxes still remain unpacked for another day.