As you look across the valley to the fairy castle of Neuschwanstein, you fully understand the reason that the Disney castles are modeled after it.

We left Oberstaufen by train at about 730 am in order to reach the castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau by about 1130. I believe that was the only mistake we made that day as there are several great souvenir shops and restaurants around Schwangau. We unfortunately had to get back to the train before we could explore them but through the windows we could see beautiful beer steins, cuckoo clocks, music boxes and all manner of gifts and souvenirs. There are, however, small shops in both castles as well as kiosks with postcards and smaller items on the way up to the castles.

Back to the trip. This was one of our primary goals for this week in Germany. The trains were efficient getting there although we had a minor problem getting back. The train, however, was standing room only with almost everyone we spoke with being from the US. We met a family from Aspen, Colorado who put meaning to the old saying that "You are never lost if you don't care where you are." They each had a carry on size bag and were just taking the train from place to place throughout Europe. They would find a hotel or bed and breakfast to stay in each night and plan the next day's trip. The train drops you in Fussen where a bus picks you up for the last seven miles to Schwangau, the village at the base of the hills that hold the castles. From the drop off point, it is a 100 meter walk to the ticket booth. There you buy tickets for either castle or the royal ticket for both. The tickets have your tour time on them and you must be in the courtyard of the castle when the tour is called.

There are three ways to get to the castles. You can climb the hill which takes about 20 minutes for Hohenschwangau and 40 minutes for Neuschwanstein. You can also take a bus that takes you to the parking area below the castles. The third choice, and the one we chose, was the horse drawn carriage costing about 6 Euros ($8.40) going up and half that coming down. The tours are about 35 minutes long so the ticket house will help you plan how much time to allow between the two castles. I will also warn anyone interested at this time that there are a lot of stairs to climb in both castles and there is nowhere to stop and turn back or to rest on the stairways.

The Castle Hohenschwangau was built on the ruins of a Medieval Castle from 1832 through 1837 by Crown Prince Maximilion, later King Maximilion II of Bavaria. He and his wife Marie of Prussia had two children, Ludwig, later King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Otto, later King Otto I of Bavaria. Although Ludvig has gone down in history as Mad King Ludwig, his brother Otto was actually the mad king in the family, suffering from schizophrenia. Ludwig was considered mad due to his extravagant lifestyle. The boys would grow up in Hohenschwangau where Ludwig would assume the crown and begin building his dream castle. Each day he would watch the progress from a telescope which still sits at the window where he gazed from. Unfortunately, Ludwig would not see his castle completed. He was declared insane, removed from his fairy castle home and taken to the castle Berg near Munich. A day later his body and that of his psychiatrist were found in a nearby lake. The circumstances remain a mystery.

Neuschwanstein is a longer, more strenuous hike if you are going to climb to it. Most do, by the way. Once there, you will climb the winding road to the entrance. A restaurant is just above the carriage drop off area and a souvenir kiosk is just before the entrance. Once your tour is called, you enter a large courtyard and move into the castle. I mentioned earlier that the castle was unfinished when Ludwig died. It was not ever completed so you actually do not see the entire thing, only the finished areas. The real difference between the two castles is built on the friendship that Ludwig formed with Richard Wagner. The rooms of the castle are decorated with scenes from Wagner's various works. Wagner was also the only non-royal allowed to sleep at the castle with his own bed in a guest room. A theatre was also built in the castle so that Ludwig could watch the operas of Wagner.

Unfortunately, I can only show pictures of the exteriors of both castles as photography inside was prohibited. One very impressive thing in both castles was the gifts given by the barons throughout the country to the kings on their birthdays or coronations. Massive silver centerpieces plated with 24 carat gold. Huge chandeliers of gold plated bronze with crystals serving as gemstones. There was extravagant furniture in each room. Artwork continually stressed the legend of the Swan King and the Bavarian Kings close relationship with God.

The artwork in these 19th century castles does not have the grandeur of some of the medieval castles and churches often show. The paintings are more two dimensional in my view whereas the artwork that you will see in the Tower of London and Warwick Castle in England are much deeper and richer.

This was a highlight of the trip. Even though the castle was not completed, it is still impressive and the setting and views are phenomenol. The red squirrel that greeted us on the way down was just an exclamation point on the day.

As we headed back, we only wished we had more time to explore. Be sure that you allow for that and remember to enjoy your Treasured Pasts.

Stuart