Bavaria

A breakfast of bretzen and cheese was enjoyed before jumping into the car bound for Fussen and the Nauschwanstein castle, built by the crazy king, Ludwig II. It was a fairy tale castle in its truest sense... remote, intriguing, mysterious. The inside was just as captivating as the outside, and left us curious to know more about the king himself. A stroll around the >1000 year old town of Landsburg and the quick dash home in the rain helped us to work off some of the lunch, only to be presented with more food for supper!

Sunday was a day made for rest, and in Bavaria, this means visiting the family, eating, drinking and being merry! So we headed just north of Munich to Rohr, and then on to Stetten, firstly to see how the hopps are farmed and then to taste the end product. Adorned in the traditional dress of a dirndl and leather pants, we arrived at the beer festival in time for lunch - 1/2 chicken and a grilled mackerel (eyes, tail and all!), and of course a lager for refreshment. We wandered through the beer tents and amusement park and flea market, meeting the family and friends en route.

A tour of Munich with Wilfred gave us further insite into more of the traditions of the Bavarians, and of course, more food and drink! The English guide on the bus tour was difficult to understand, but we did get to see the Palace of Justice, Victory Arch and Nymphenburg palace. We had to go to the top of the Olympic Stadium tower - a height of 200m afforded great views of the city, despite the ceiling of ominous clouds. We finally made our way home for a final meal and drink(s) with the family. An early start was required for us to make the train bound for Berlin.