I had been looking forward to visiting the castle since planning this trip - the huge poster at the travel agent and all the pictures I`d seen made it like the ultimate fairy tale castle.
After lazing half-guiltily in the tent all of saturday afternoon (with it raining on and off) reading Maeve Binchy`s Light A Penny Candle, we decided to visit the Neuschwanstein early the next morning. Of course we woke up sunday to the sound of heavy rain. We had no food left in the tent as we`d picked at it all the day before (dinner had been plain bread and dried fruit).
We spent the morning phaffing around the campground, hoping the rain would ease. Finally we had to leave - checkout was midday. So we packed up in the rain and headed off to the castle in the rain. It was teeming with rain and people. We didn`t realise the tickets were for a guided tour for a set time so we had another 2 hour wait for our tour time. We had all our luggage on our bikes, so we had to find a `safe` place to hide the bikes. We wandered around the back of a hotel and were going to lean them against the wall when we saw, just a bit further on, a covered passageway with staff bikes and scooters. Feeling very cheeky I put my bike alongside theirs. It`s easier to ask forgiveness than permission.
The Neuschwanstein was really cool. It was designed by King Ludwig II himself, and a stage designer. Apparently it is too heavy to support itself so has steel bracing bars running between the walls on the top floor. How reassuring....
The guided tour wad very rushed, barely time to marvel at the amazing painted walls and ceilings - the next group was always on our heels and our guide rushed ahead. I loved the painted walls - I guess because the ceilings were so high the bright gold and coloured painted patterns didn`t seem OTT. well, the whole thing was Over the Top but surprisingly tasteful.
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