December 3, 2006
I left this morning at 6:30 a.m. to join Katrina (fellow Clemson student), Aneta (friend from Poland), and Joshua (a recent acquaintance from Minnesota) on the train to Neuschwanstein Castle a.k.a. Walt Disney World Castle. By using the Bayern ticket, we were able to travel very cheaply; however, it was a VERY long train ride. One way, it took about 5.3 hours!! The way there seemed to go by so quickly though; it was the way back that seemed like an eternity.
I did not previously know so much information about the castle, but now that I have been acquainted, I will gladly inform you all. King Ludwig II resided in Neuschwanstein Castle, but not for very long, for he had mysteriously drowned in a lake before the castle was fully completed. It has been thought that he was killed, because people could not stand his lavishly spending ways. He owned 5 castles afterall and made Bovaria very poor with his dream castles!
The castle was beautiful. The castle is built in the Alps, meaning there is a lot of climbing! This was hard for me, for the previous day I decided to do lounges!!! Anyways, every view around the castle was beautiful. There was a bridge about a 2o min walk from the castle, that overlooked a small waterfall.

When you enter the castle, you can see King Ludwig's expensive taste. In a way, it is unfortunate that the castle couldn't fully be completed, so one could see exactly how Ludwig II would have like it. However, his tastes were so expensive that his bed took 14 workcrafters 4 years to make!! You must be thinking, "Well that must be one incredible bed!" It was! We were able to see some of the completed rooms on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th floors.



Another interesting fact: Unlike other royalty figures, King Ludwig II did not have any portraits or paintings of himself in the castle. The only family connection was one painting in the recital room, which I believe was a portrait of him as a child with his family.
The castle was definitely worth seeing! I suggest not going during the summer though, because on our way to the castle we saw posts where the lines would form if the castle was becoming too crowded. I must say, the posts reminded me of disney world! Also, rumor has it that some people start arriving 5 a.m. in the morning during tourists' season, because it becomes so crowded.





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