Castles, Hiking and a surprise Concert

After a nice German breakfast featuring bread and cheese, we worked on the blog, then headed up the hill to the Honenschwangau Castle where we had a 11:25 tour booked. We took the steeper route up, then hung out until precisely at 11:25:00 (this is Germany after all). Then the machine let 15 of us scan our QR codes and pass into the castle. We got to walk through 10 rooms with a guide, checking out the original furnishings and decorations. Indoor photos were not allowed.

We took a roundabout route back, on small trails with a lunch stop. We even walked down part of the route Nathan and Beau had unicycled in 2005 along the Alpsee.

Next up was Castle Neuschwanstein, maybe the most famous castle in the world. We hiked up quite a bit to get behind and above it for some incredible views. There’s a bridge which was so crowded it had a video sign telling how many people were on it and how many more could fit (max of 200, always full). It’s crowded because the view from it is just amazing. We took the obligatory selfie, then headed up the trail for some higher up views of the two castles and the surrounding ex-fiefdoms.

The crowds thinned out immediately as we climbed. A trail sign said that the trail went to Tegelberg and the hike took 3 1/4 hours. From the map we could see a cable car going back down from the summit so decided to try and make it all the way up. We switchbacked up and up and up, with occasional view stops and a couple of snack stops.

On top, we first checked the schedule for the cable car and found we had time for a beer! We sat out on the deck in the sun, loving the view in all directions.

We took the cable car down, ears popping, dropping 1000m in no time. At the bottom, we were going to hike back home but it was only 4:45 which left 15 more minutes to enjoy the Rodelbahn! It was Katie’s first time enjoying these crazy little curvy tracks where you ride a toboggan-like sled and go as fast as you dare – super fun!! But it was too fast for taking a video.

After a nice 2 km walk home through fields of flowers, we took showers and had a little rest before dinner. We found a second restaurant that was open, a beer garden, and this one advertised vegetarian and vegan food. We both had quinoa bowls with falafel – very tasty.

Instead of just heading home we walked to the lake shore, where we watched some ducks, soaked our feet, then heard a strange horn-like sound. Maybe it was a brass band practicing in a boathouse across the lake? We heard several short “songs” and we applauded with everyone else but didn’t know what we were applauding or where it was coming from. We walked around the lake and up the trail a bit to find out. We soon found three guys in lederhosen in the forest, with giant alpenhorns! After a couple of songs, they changed positions pointing across the lake to the tall mountains for the final number and the echo was so long and amazing! Then they carried the horns down the road and set up in front of the museum, now with a crowd of over 100. It was magical. What a lucky encounter to end an amazing day!