Hitler wouldn't have happened without bier.

So, I lied. Dinner did not turn out to be light. We left the hostel late, due to a game of cards, and we wandered the neighborhoods, and much on the main paths in the city, looking for a resonably priced dinner. We ended up back at the Weisses Pub we ate at on the first day. There was very little seating, and we had to go eat inside. There are long tables inside, at which more than one group ends up sitting. The table we were seated at was empty, except for one elderly gentleman. Jeff, being the only male ended up sitting next to him. When sparking conversation, he asked the old man what was good. The start of a 2 hour conversation. The man, called Peter talked up a storm about the city, country, and Europe in general. He spoke 4 language fluently and was a retired filmographer. He gave us one of the best history lessons, i can remember, but his attachment to his bier stein, and his self deprecating manner might have helped. There were so many one liners about germany, spain and munich residents in general, that i wish I had recorded it for a laugh on a later day. He told us how each place we were going to be and then discussed Dachau and Hitler, a can of worms none of us would like to open. As we were told, there was a definite tone of guilt to anything concerning that war, and his discription of Dachau left him very teary eyed. We paid our bill and Jeff bought his bier. As we walked out, he pointed to the exact location of where Hitler got started and said. "Hitler wouldn't have happened without bier."

Today we went south, basically as super-Uber-tourists. We took a tourbus to two castles, they were both built by crazy Ludwig (LOODVIG) the second. The first was a very small one, almost cabin sized, if a palace can be that, called Linderhoff. The interior was extremely ornate, either baroque, or racoco, maybe some combination of the two. The walls were covered in guilded work, and there was a chandelier which took the death of 50 elephants, and 4 years to make. We did not spend too long there, but got to enjoy the view a little before we headed off to my dream castle, Neuschwanstein.

Neuschwahstein sits on the top of a hill, overlooking a valley and a lake. Unfortunetaly, due to the odd winter germany was having, the lake is almost dry...very shallow lake. We ate a small lunch before we took a tram to what is called mary's bridge for a view of the castle before our tour. We did not get to take the hour long hike up higher to see the view i really wanted, and we were crunched for time as it was. I love this castle. It was one of those places, that i have found here in europe that just makes me smile. I can't help it. The paths wound through talls forests and up hills. Marys bride stand about 200 to 300 feet above a waterfall that winds under the base of the castle. We then basically sprinted from the hill, to get to out tour on time. Now, you have to realise, sprinting is something i rarely do, especially on mounatinaous paths. But of all tours weve had, i didnt want to miss this one. The views both of the castle, and from the castle seemed almost surreal, and it makes me sad that they would ever have to photoshop any picture of it. The tour was ok, the interior overdone, and decorative, maybe pretty if you like that kinda thing, but the views are what i was there for. I had been informed of, but still depressed by the stripping of the interior third floor for a gift shop, so I boycotted it and walked straight through passed the finiished kitchens, and out.

We rode the 1.5 hour bus ride back to Munich, and I sewed my greece patch onto my bag I bought there, and then took a much needed map.

BTW, for the next time your in there Alpine snow melt makes for deliciously cool tap water when running in the mountains.