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Tuesday, May 31, 2011
This morning I woke up early, around half past six in the morning. At seven, I went
downstairs to have a nice breakfast with lots of coffee and a few minutes before eight,
I was on the road again to the main target of this trip, Schloss Neuschwanstein.
The weather report predicted a lot of rain today but when I left, the weather was very
nice so I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and take the autobahn until
the Füssen exit.
At almost nine o'clock, I filled my tank again at the ARAL gasstation in
Leinfelden-Echterdingen near Stuttgart. The fuel consumption was almost
25 km on one liter.
At half past ten, I needed a break so I stopt at Rasthof Ittertal for a cappuccino
and donut (€ 5.20 and not very good!)
Rasthof Ittertal
Most of the time I could ride between 120 and 140 km/hour but just outside Stuttgart
in the direction of Munchen there was a giant trafficjam. I was glad I was on a bike
so I could ride between the cars. After a few kilometers of heavy traffic, I went in the
direction of Füssen while most cars had to go in the direction of Munchen so from there
on the road was clear and I could go a little faster again.
Finaly I saw the mountains in the distance. I know it is not allowed but I had to stop
for a picture
Getting closer to the mountains
My timing was perfect because at twelve oçlock, just before the rain started, I could
park my bike next to Alpenhotel Allgäu in Hohenschwangau while I could see the castle in
the distance.
Alpenhotel Allgäu in Hohenschwangau
After bringing my luggage to my room I walked to the ticket office in Hohenschwangau
to get a ticket to visit the castle.
Neuschwanstein from the road to Hohenschwangau
The ticket office in Hohenschwangau
With a bus filled with tourist like sardines in a can, I drove to the castle but the last
part was to narrow for the bus so everybody had to walk. From that path, you could see the
Schloss Hohenschwangau in the distance. Schloss Hohenschwangau is the castle that the father
of king Ludwig II build. King Ludwig II lived there until het could move to his own castle,
Neuschwanstein but he lived less then a year in Neuschwanstein before he died.
Schloss Hohenschwangau
After a short walk in the rain, I arrived at the main gate of Neuschwanstein. There were
hundreds of tourist there from all over the world.
The main gate of Neuschwanstein
From the main gate, you could see the Marienbrücke, a small bride over a waterfall in the
mountains behind the castle.
the Marienbrücke
I had to wait more then half an hour before my guided tour (in English) began.
It was almost industrial. Big groups of people had the numer of their tour and as soon as
that number came on a display above a gate. As soon as your number was on the display, you
had only a short time to check in or else the ticket could not be used anymore......
I think there were about 50 people in a group and one group after the other was entering
the castle...... Big business !
My ticket for the 14:10 English guided tour
Waiting for the start of the guided tour
Alpenhotel Allgäu seen from the castle
Unfortunately it was not allowed to take pictures during the tour but it is a very beautifull
castle inside and outside. The girl that showed us around told about King Ludwig II and showed
us his rooms. Very interessting but unfortunately the group was so big and there were so many
groups so there was not much room or time to look around.
After the tour I walked to the Marienbrücke to get a good look to the other side of the castle.
Very nice.
Neuschwanstein seen from the Marienbrücke
With the bus I went back to Hohenschwangau and in the rain, I walked back to the hotel.
Walking in the rain in Hohenschwangau
The restaurant of the hotel is closed on Tuesdays so I had to walk to Hohenschwangau to have
a nice "Schnitzel Wiener Art" in the "Allgäuer Stüberl".
The Allgäuer Stüberl with Neuschwanstein in the background
I booked my hotel for tommorrow, s´Wirtshaus Gasthof on Hauptplatz 7 in Ollern am Riederberg
near Vienna in Austria.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Breakfast in Alpenhotel Allgäu is on eight in the morning. At a quarter to nine, I'm on the
bike again. First I go to the Aral gasstation in Schwangau to fill the tank. 9.92 liter for
235,3 km (1/23,7) and then I go in the direction of Vienna in Austria.
As predicted, the weather is bad. A hard wind and a lot of rain. Not the nicest weather to ride
a bike and not much scenery to enjoy because all the mountains of the Alps are covered in clouds.
No mountains on the horizon, just clouds
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