Thursday, 19th December 2013 - Hohenschwangau, Germany

Another day of travelling, but of the more enjoyable kind. I discovered with the aid of the increasingly indispensable tablet that trains to Fussen, today's destination left from Munich every hour but only didn't require a change of train on every second one. So we decided to target the one leaving around midday which was direct and, being a two hour journey had the advantage of getting us to our destination at a time we could check in.

Surprisingly (?) we arrived at the Munich Hauptbahnhof with plenty of time to spare

which it turned out we were glad of when we had to queue for ages (admittedly in the dedicated English speaking queue) to get our tickets. I could gladly have throttled the very ditzy party of four kiwis in front of us who each insisted on paying for each of many bookings separately and slowly - and just when you thought they were all done and sorted and about to move on when then say in a very kiwi accent  " and while we are here ......." and off they would go for another 10 minutes of questions, more questions and long drawn out fumblings for cash and passports (the ones with

Hohenschwangau

Hohenschwangau Castle

Hotel Muller, Hohenschwangau

Neuschwanstein Castle (up on the hill in the background)

More castle

Alpsee

the pretty silver ferns on).

Finally got our tickets and made it on to the train time and thoroughly enjoyed the train trip through the countryside.

The further we got from Munich the higher we seemed to get and finally there it was ...snow!

The tiny town of Hohenschwangau is only a short distance from Fussen where we left the train so were checked into the hotel quickly and found something reasonable but unexciting for lunch. Then walked to the nearby lake and admired the two castles from afar - Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. King Ludwig's two little abodes. Guided tours through yet more glitzy castle rooms holds little appeal but having come all this way it would be silly not to. So we have booked for tomorrow morning and will get our dose of culture then.

In the meantime I can't help feeling that Neuschwanstein is, in the flesh as it were, somewhat underwhelming, a bit like the pyramids.

We'll see tomorrow.

Anyway a few snow filled pics follow to set the scene.

Oops they have put themselves in the middle of the post. Not sure how this happened. But I'll get better at it eventually.