Munnich

Our first big adventure came just a few weeks after our Jeep arrived. Family travel in our car was a big step for us. We decided to go to Bavaria and check out Munnich and the Neuschwansten Castle. We planned for a few days to make sure out big American Jeep would be able to park and drive in a city. So we went out with some excitment and trepedation.

Then... less than 30 minutes out of Heidelberg there was a stau (traffic jam) on the autobahn and we were rear-ended. After, feeling really awkward trying to learn the how to drive here, the autobahn, teeny tiny parking spaces, low parking garages and zippy little European cars, It made me finally feel good about keeping our big, American car. Tess was way back in the third row, and didn't even know that we were hit! She was safe and we are thankful. Unfortunately for the other driver it smashed in the front of his car. We had been warned that Germans can be pretty irate and crazy when in a car accident. Lucky for us he was pretty mellow. He didn't speak any English and we have a very limited Deutsch vocabulary. With minimal damage to our car we got the gentleman's information and continued on the trip.

When we finally arrived in Munnich, all of our worries about our car being too big were put to rest, when our parking was outside! We were actually staying in a Holiday Inn (because we could book on-line and pay in dollars rather than euro) at the edge of town, but within a quick walk to the train to go into the city and see the sites. The first thing we went to see was Marienplatz, where the town hall stands and we could see this great clock tower! At a certain time each day (which we were there for on one of the days) the chimes toll and then music begins and these figures in the clock move. It was made to celebrate the end of a plague. Below are a few pics of the clock tower and town hall, the one to the far right is Graham at the top!

Just by coincidence, as we were on our way to find the Hofbrau Haus, our kids were distracted by these giant metal lions and started climbing on them. After a minute or two Erik looked over to see two of the people that he worked with at Ft. Gordon, watching their son climb on the same lions! There was a great beer hall, an oompah band, pretzels, gingerbread, food and don't forget the bier!

We did the touristy thing and took a tour on the top of one of the on/off double decker tour buses without a roof. We had an English guide and were able to learn a little about the city, saw Olympic Park, Surfers on the river, and visited the palace. Here is a picture of Erik looking all Rick Steves with his guide book and another one of the children getting along!

The next day we drove through the beautiful Bavarian countryside, saw the Alps in the distance and reached Hoanschwagen and Neuschwanstein Castles.

When Tess saw her walking around on the grounds of Hoanschwagen,

and was sure she was a princess. She wanted to have her picture taken with the princess. As we approached her, it turns out it was the Bavarian Milch Queen. She gave Tess a square of cheese which Tess promptly popped into her mouth and posed for the picture.

King Ludwig, mysteriously died as Neuschwanstein neared completion and the castle became a tourist attraction shortly after. It was not built as a fortress like most castles. The Cinderella Castle is modelled after this one. The King had a very close relationship with Wagner, and many of the rooms follow the storylines of Wagners Operas. Hoanschwagen (the yellow castle) is where Lidwig actually lived most of his life and where he watched Neuschwanstein being built from.

Graham snapped this picture as we were leaving to head back to Heidelberg, we all agreed it was a really good shot!