Fussen/Schwangau

We left Munich early Sunday morning and drove southwest to the alps and the Austrian boarder. Our goal was Fussen/Schwangau, home of Ludwig II's two palaces, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwanstein - perhaps the biggest tourist attractions in Germany. The drive was beautiful - we drove through small, quaint Barvarian towns - mostly farming communities in this flat southern part of Bayern. Then looming in the south were the alps! Stunning!

And, there, nestled in the mountains, just like a fairy tale was Schloss Neuschwanstein! It really was something surreal!

We toured Schloss Hohenschwangau, Ludwig's boyhood home, first.

The rectangular wing to the right was where the children lived with their nannies. They rarely saw their parents. Joseph and Daniel thought this would be pretty sweet because they could play gameboy and PSP all day and night and we wouldn't know so wouldn't tell them to turn them off :) !

Pictures were not allowed inside either castle but I found a way to get a few without a flash - they're not very good but it's for the memory of it.

Wagner played on this piano!

On to Neuschwanstein...

The ski slopes were green. The small ski resorts in the lower to middle altitudes are really suffering economically this year!

The kids recognized Neuschwanstein immediately by this red gate from the movie "Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang".

Again, they did not allow photos inside the palace but I got a few.

As we toured both palaces we learned a little about the sad history of Louis II. He built many lavish palaces, was engaged but never married (she broke it off) and was declared insane. But, when they came to take him away he was found dead in a boat with his doctor on the lake. Whether it was murder or suicide has never been determined. He lived in this amazing palace only about 100 days. It was never completely finished.

Next we headed for this amazing bridge (Marienbrucke) and a spectacular view of the castle.

It was a beautiful walk!

What a great day! Thanks again Matt!