Castles in the Bavarian Alps

Posted Monday, July 27, 2009 - photos same day

Somedays are almost perfect, and today was one of those days. Clear blue skies, no rain, temperature in the low 80s, and a trip into the German countryside with the Bavarian Alps always in sight.

Our bus tour took us a couple of hours out of Munich to the castles of King Ludwig II - Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. The king was eccentric, and preferred to be alone, so both castles were in remote mountain settings.

Neuschwanstein, the largest of the two, was unfinished at the time of his death - but was the model for the castle at Disney World. Ludwig spent only six months in this mountain retreat.

It took a 30 minute hike up the mountain to reach the castle - or a ride in a horse drawn carriage. (No need to ask - I love horses!!) The walk back down was a piece of cake.

There were approximately 200 steps from the bottom floor of the castle to the top floor. The castle was not as ornate as Linderhof, but was an enormous structure. No photos allowed, and I didn't risk it this time.

Linderhof, where he lived for eight or nine years, was ornate and elaborate. The walls were covered in gold carvings.

Grotto on the grounds of Linderhof Castle.

"Stolen" photo of settee in Music Room - I really wanted the photo of the ornate piano, but just couldn't risk two. (And, Bob was giving me really dirty looks about this time.)

Ginny in front of the Grotto at Linderhof.

Bob and Sarah in front of Linderhof Castle - this one is for Robbie. She wasn't seeing any photos of her mom and dad, and was afraid I'd left him in the 'Red Light' district in Amsterdam!!

The houses in the German villages have their own style - and most have paintings on the outside wall - like the one above.

Almost every home has flowers in window flower boxes - absolutely breathtaking.

This cottage displays the Fairytale of 'Hansel and Gretel' on the outside wall.

The German countryside is almost perfect - as if one were looking at a picture that had been drawn. The houses are all the same style with red roofs, flowers in windows boxes and fields that look manicured. This area of Germany has long, cold winters as demonstrated by the stacks and stacks of firewood already stacked in place.

A perfect day - full of memories.