They say pictures are worth a thousand words. I think that is especially true for the trip we went on today. Neuschwanstein is one of the castles built by King Ludwig II, and it is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever laid eyes upon. The weather today was perfect for seeing everything the castle has to offer. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a crystal clear lake at the base of the mountains. We had the perfect view.
Opposite the lake stand the mountains upon which Neuschwanstein is constructed. The castle is quite high in the mountains, so from far away it appears rather small. However, the castle is much larger than what it appears from a distance. We began our journey up the mountain to get a closer view. The journey was quite the hike, and rivaled yesterday’s climbing of the Ulm cathedral in terms of exercise. However, I found travelling through the woods quite peaceful and enjoyable.
Once we arrived at the gates of the castle, I was instantly captivated by the scenery around me. On one hand, you could see the impressive walls and structures of Neuschwanstein up close. On the other, you could see the Bavarian countryside sprawled beautifully beside the shadows of the mountains. Words can barely describe how amazing this place is.
Next, we toured the castle interior, which only had a few rooms finished. Only a couple of rooms in the castle were finished because King Ludwig II died before the castle was completed. His successor decided that finishing the castle was unimportant, and left the job unfinished. Unfortunately, photos and videos were prohibited inside of the castle, so my descriptions will have to suffice. The castle interior was ornately decorated, with impressive works of art and expensive chandeliers. Many swan-themed works of art were incorporated into the castle’s features, including door handles, wood carvings, faucets, and fixtures. The castle even features its own artificial dripstone cave, which I found particularly cool. The technology that the castle utilized for its time is very advanced. For example, there was running water in the king’s bedroom, made possible due to the natural water pressure created from utilizing mountain streams at differing altitudes. I think I could live here (if they added some WIFI of course)!
On our way down the mountain and back to the bus, we stopped at a little donut shop. Here I got to try my first German donuts (or at least that’s what I think they were). The ball-shaped pastries were delightful!
Finally, we ended the day by visiting a church outside of Füssen, a small town near Neuschwanstein. The church was decorated in the Rococo architecture style, which features ornately decorated walls and ceilings. I found the interior of the church to be calming, as the still air and bright colors brought peace to those who visit.
Today was probably one of the best sightseeing days of my life. However, I’m sad that today was the last day of organized visits on the Plus3 Germany program. I wish I could continue going on adventures with this amazing group of people for the rest of the summer. Germany has so much to offer and explore, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I’ve had on the Plus3 program. Tomorrow, we have our company presentations and a “goodbye” dinner. I’ll see you all tomorrow!