Couples Retreat Part II

This is Part II to yesterday's blog about our trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen for the Couples Retreat.  Our second day there was a free day and we took a day tour to Neuschwanstein Castle in southwest Bavaria.  The castle was commissioned by King Ludwig II.  It was intended for the personal usage of the King; however it was never completed.  King Ludwig only stayed in the castle for 172 days and then he died.  It was opened to the public shortly after his death since 1886.

During the bus ride to the castle we passed by a huge event in the King Ludwig's honor.  It was a cross country ski race.

The road was ever so winding but oh so wintery white.

And then we saw the castle from a distance.

We got our tickets and our group was tour #458 @ 12:50 p.m.

Now.......I was tempted to take the carriage ride up to the castle but I thought "How can I experience Bavaria if I don't engage with its nature"

So off on the trail we went.  Little did I know that it was going to be below 0 temperatures and the walk was going to be 25 minutes up the side of the mountain.  The castle looked like it was an arm's distance away.

Yep I am smiling here but I was literally pushing myself to get up that mountain.

Sweet Sweet Mercy I was so happy to see the castle.  Oh yeah.

Okay - my hood fell off because I was kind of warm and then found that during the tour of the castle we needed to climb 186 steps.  WHOAHHHHHHHH

Aren't these wonderful photos?  Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos of the inside.

Ohhhhhhhhh what a shot huh?

Okay here is the front side.  Yep I shared a shot of the carriage at the beginning of this blog and it was a sight for my sore feet ha ha ha.

We opted to ride the carriage down the mountain.

The sequence of this part of the tour is kind of backwards but yeah we posed at the carriage sign after the ride.

My next blog will about the yummy yummy meals we ate on this tour.

PUG HUGS TO ALL