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. We 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:
I did have one of the strangest experiences of my life here though.
There was an odd woman looking longingly into the window of this very swanky cafe Mozart used to go to. I thought it was an interesting scene, so I took a picture. Then I noticed she was basically sobbing and kinda pawing at the window. Okay, that's weird. She kept doing that for five minutes while I waited for my wife. Then I saw her walk across the square and it looked like she was washing her face in an icy snow drift. Normal.
Then we walked for 5 mins because it's our last night here and I want to check out this church. Get to the church, walk around (nice frescos!) - no one else is there. I hear the door open and some strange, guttural voice gibbering. Turn around and it's this same crazy lady. So we try to very casually walk out of the church, but she kind of blocks the way. I walk towards her as if this isn't strange at all and sorta shuffle by and she crosses her arms and puffs out her chest at me, somewhat mockingly. I turn my back and she either spat at me or the ground behind me. I'm not sure if that was called for, but okay.
So now she's behind me and between my wife and I. I go to the door to walk out and my wife is kinda freaked and doesn't want to walk past this psycho lady. Her face is a bit bloody (probably from the facewash) and her hair is all plastered to her head and face. She is staring down my wife and kinda danced a weird jig for a second (seriously). I ask if she speaks English and she stares at me with bulging eyes a slowly shakes her head. I start to feel uncomfortable at this point.
My wife gets around her while she is preoccupied with me and heads for the door while I kinda stay between them. I inch out the first of two doorways, which was glass, and hold the door shut while watching her the whole time. She is now sticking her tongue out at me and baring her teeth like a dog licking its chops or the kid in the exorcist. Behind me, my wife can't figure out how to open the main set of wooden doors so we can get out. She is fumbling with the door like the girl in the horror movies who keeps dropping the keys to her car.
Eventually she gets the doors open and I back out and this lady spits at me again and her crazy eyes are giving me the howling fantods. I get out on the street and my wife has ran halfway down the block hah!
So this lady was obviously on drugs (or off them) or unstable mentally or maybe both. It was a very odd experience. Being a photographer, I do have a picture of her, but it doesn't really feel right to post it. Whatever her deal was, I hope she has found help.
Other than that weirdness, I did enjoy our little jaunt to Germany and Austria. Back to Paris!
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments, or send me an email. Any photos that you see here are available for purchase in the Levi Groeneveld webstore or by request.
All images © Levi Groeneveld - Travel and Fine Art Photographer