So, a quick daytrip from Munich is Neuschwanstein Castle (try typing that without copy/paste). It was built by Ludwig II, who just plopped it atop a mountain. It was the inspiration for the Disneyland Castle and it really does look like something out of a fairy tale. I always wonder about the day someone decides to build something like this - "Yeah, we'll just toss a couple bricks up there and presto chango - castle in the sky!" It's madness.
To access it, you can either take a horse-drawn carriage or hike up a steep hill in the snow. I hiked of course. There were people sledding down the trail at breakneck speed, dodging tourists and staying away from the business side of a couple of cliffs. Germans are great. Once you get to the top, there is this bridge that is pretty amazing in its own right and it provides the main view of the Castle. Take a look (click to make the pictures bigger and to read captions):
Cool. Next on the horizon was Salzburg, Austria. By this point, I am getting a bit tired of the weather. It has turned from beautiful, soft, white snow into dirty, slushy, salty snow. Did I mention that I am woefully underdressed for the weather? Salzburg is a beautiful little town though and like all of the stops on this trip, I would love to return to see what it's like in the summer. Don't have too many photos of it, but here are some:
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All images © Levi Groeneveld - Travel and Fine Art Photographer