Day 1 Around Germany – Neuschwanstein Castle

I hopped the 8:06 train this morning on my way to Hohenschwangau. The weather is a bit gloomy and rainy today but bearable. So it is just me and my backpack on a little excursion around Germany, planning as I go. I arrived in Fussen at about 12:45 and along the way caught my first glimpse of the Alps. Very beautiful! Fussen is a little town in South Germany right on the border of Germany and Austria. I hopped a bus up the hill to Hohenschwangau and got my ticket to tour the Neuschwanstein Castle that is located up on the hillside. It is the most photographed building in Germany and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. Because I am being a little cheap on this trip, I decided that instead of spending ANOTHER few Euros on a little bus I would walk the steep hill up to the castle. It wasn't bad but after completing it in about 20 minutes I was thinking it could have been a lot better if I wasn’t carrying my home on my back. Lets just say I got my workout in for the day and I am now down to one set of clothes after my first day. Ha, I just noticed now that in the picture I am standing next to a big pile of horse pooh. They must have a hard time on the hill too. The tour itself was kind of boring but what I did see was pretty amazing. You really only get to see maybe a 10th of the castle if even. The tour guide made it a bit comical for me at least. I felt like I was on a Halloween tour of a haunted house by the sound of his voice and his slow creepy tone. I was wishing I had someone to join me in the humor. Just picture a guy with a receding hairline, a pointed nose, and circles under his eyes. All he needed was a flashlight to hold under his chin and then it would of really been like Tales from the Crypt. Anyway, after the 30 minute tour, I headed back down to Fussen to catch the train to Munich. I visited with a few nice people from England in my train car so it made it a quick trip. One of them now lives in Munich and gave me a few tips for my visit. I made it here around 8:00 and checked into my hostel for the next couple nights. It is actually a pretty decent one. I am pleasantly surprised. I now sit in the pub downstairs planning what my day may look like tomorrow. Probably take a walking tour around Munich and go from there. Bis Dann!