The Most Beautiful Day - Part 1 (Day 4)

The wakeup call came too early after the loud, smoke-filled night in Innsbruck (this is immediately following that wedding reception). Kellie and I had barely 30 minutes to shower and pack our bags for pickup. We stumbled downstairs to work our way through breakfast by 7:15 to be on the bus for takeoff by 7:30. The coffee was bad, and it was not a good morning.

(Kellie is my roommate from Australia, and bags have to be to the coach 1 hour before leaving)

Soon we were navigating twisting, winding narrow, snow-framed roads over the mountains. Fortunately, I was two seats back from the front, as I understand it often appeared that the bus was driving where there was no road.


We were destined for Höhenschwangau and the castle Neuschwanstein. The nearly two-hour journey was accompanied throughout by snow, and we were informed that the temperature was -8 degrees celsius. It was a winter wonderland to be enjoyed from the comfort of a bus. We saw beautiful guesthouses along the way built in the typical Bavarian style.

We came down onto a plain or into a valley past some timbered houses and had our first look at the castle, its white exterior acting as camouflage against the snow covered mountains. Only its gold-colored trim belied its presence.

You all have to understand, I am fairly obsessed with this castle. We used to watch films in German class, I read about it, and I have a framed 1500 piece puzzle hanging in my bedroom. As I stood in line for the carriage ride to the top of the hill, even the frigid temperatures didn't dull my nervousness. What if this wasn't all that I expected?

Fortunately, the people on my carriage were a funny lot, cracking jokes about the racehorses pulling us up the hill. (It was about the same speed as walking, but much less tiring. Much less.) We disembarked, and set off for a 10 minute uphill both ways walk to the castle door.

The first view I had of the castle was the view in my pictures. The red brick front wall with the white main building behind. I walked to the wooden gate and stepped inside.


(Part 2 - The Castle; Part 3 - Taking a Chance)