Schloss Neuschwanstein

Although it was a four-hour drive from Salzburg to Scholss (castle) Neuschwanstein with road closures and detours, we did have some beautiful scenery out the window.

We barely got there in time for our tour, literally walked into the gathering area as our tour number was flashing. Whew!

Quoting from a travel book, "This fairy-tale castle was built in 1869-86 for the eccentric 

Bavarian King Ludwig II ... This castle is the archetypal fair-tale castle and has provided 

the inspiration for countless toy models, book illustrations and film sets."

(We weren't allowed to take pictures of the inside.)

We kept looking at the ornate way this castle was constructed and decorated in contrast
 to what was going on in the United States during the same time period, Post Civil War.

From one of terraces, Dave captured this magnificent view of the town below where we started the tour.

Dave and Ward walked up to the overlook to get this view. Gorgeous!

We didn't get home until close to midnight. Dave did most of the driving through construction, holiday traffic and heavy rain and was totally exhausted when we finally stopped.



 View of Neo-Gothic castle of Maximillian II in Hohenschwangau (where we began).

Salzburg - Sound of Music Tour

Mirabell Palace and Gardens

 Karen was trying to get the guys to watch a video clip from the Sound of Music

which showcased some of the places we would visit on the tour. 

Dave looked at it kind of half-heartedly. Then at the end of the tour, when we came 

back to the gardens, he says, ''Look, this was in the movie...''. So funny.

On these very steps, Maria (Julie Andrews) lead the children in the Do-Re-Mi song.

We were so glad that the rain held until today since we were in the bus most of the time.
We felt sorry for the bus load of tourists heading up to the Eagle's Nest 

thinking they probably wouldn't have the beautiful views we had the day before.

The Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg in 1964. It was based on Maria Trapp's story written in 1949.
There are a few discrepancies from what actually happened (about 20% isn't accurate.)

Approximately 8.2 million people visit Salzburg each year.
There are over 70 lakes in the Lake and Mountain District, which includes three provinces.
This cool tree really caught my attention.

Salzburg Day 2 / Eagles Nest - Bavaria

We jumped onto a tour bus with our friends, the Andersons, and headed to Adolf Hitler's Bavarian Headquarters high in the mountains. It has become known as the Eagles Nest.  

The city below is called Berchtesgaden.

These "onion-top" church domes are common in Bavaria and Austria. 

This is the view of Hitler's Eagles Nest from the valley floor as we approached on the bus.  

It was quite a windy ride up on a single lane road.

The city in the distance is Salzburg, Austria. but from this vantage point we are Bavaria, Germany.

It was a relatively clear day and the views were stunning.

The Eagles Nest is accessed by this tunnel that was built for the Nazi leader's use which then leads to a big elevator that goes up through the stone mountain to the building above.

Through this tunnel walked Prime Ministers of France and England, and dictators like 

Italy's Mussolini. The most notorious of Hitler's generals were also visitors 

which included the architects of the Holocaust.

The guide told us that Hitler was claustrophobic and they used highly polished brass panels in the elevator to give the illusion of more space.

The elevator takes you right up to the Eagles Nest which deserves its name.

In a large room inside the Eagle's Nest is a huge fireplace with marble mantle.

It was given to Hitler by Mussolini.

In the picture below you can see Adolf Hitler sitting in front of the fireplace with what looks like Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister, and an outspoken anti-Semite.

We know that some of the greatest evil known to mankind came from these men 

and many others who visited here at Hitler's invitation.

It was a sobering place to be with the conflicting beauty of the surroundings 

and the evil that built this building.

It seemed fitting to include another picture of the fireplace with American soldiers who

captured Eagles Nest at the end of World War II.

 It seems appropriate here to include another picture of the Stolpersteine.  
Real people whose only crime was being Jewish were singled out and massacred by the Nazi regime.  These three died at the infamous Auschwitz Death Camp.

The vistas were stunning.

A light dusting of snow from the night before can be seen on the mountains in the distance.
This cross sits atop the vista overlooking Eagle's Nest.

It was a fun hike up mountain above the building with beautiful views.

Coming down the trail I had to carefully place my feet to avoid slipping on the slick rocks.  

My size 14 shoe got stuck during my descent and the rocks didn't want to let it go.  

Fortunately, Joanne came to the rescue.

Ward and Karen Anderson were our fellow travelers in the long five-hour drive from 

Frankfurt to Salzburg. We really enjoyed getting to know them. 

They serve with Joanne in the Church Communications Department.

Salzburg, Austria - home base for 3 days

The navigation is a necessity for traveling. The streets are narrow and were quite busy when we arrived.
It was nice to park the car for three days and get around on foot.

The view from our window at the NH Hotel. 

Dave had an appointment with a missionary early Friday morning before
we set out for the tour of the Eagles Nest. Those pictures are in a separate post.

Stolpersteine, or "stumbling blocks", were created by the German artist Gunter Demnig 

to remember the Holocaust in a more intimate and personal way.

The project, begun by  in 1992, commemorates victims on cobble stone-sized brass plates inscribed with their name and available information about, for example, where they were killed. 

These blocks are then installed in the pavement at their last known residence.

 Salzburg is on the banks of the River Salzach, at the northern boundary of the Alps.

Walking the streets in the evening was magical.

Notice the reservation time of 1800. We were told we ONLY had two hours for dinner.

No one is in a rush for dinner. You come to enjoy the food and the company, which we did!

The Andersons ordered the Salzburger Nockerln (a sweet soufflé), a typical Salzburg dessert. It was served warm with a delicious raspberry topping (a 'must' according to Gabi in our office) and we shared our Apfel crepes. So delicious!

We picked up a goose egg ornament in this store filled with all kinds of real eggs
decorated for Christmas and Easter.
The detail so was inspiring. SO MANY EGGS!