Heidelberg from above
Heidelberg Castle
The courtyard inside of the castle compound was a great place to close your eyes and imagine a scene from the past.
Viewing the city from the top of the Cathedral. One of our very first views of the red roof tiles so prevalent in Europe and so picturesque.
One of the oldest bridges in Heidelberg. We later enjoyed this pedestrian bridge up close;
The largest wine cask is housed in the cellar of the Castle.
Relaxing by the Neckar river.
A view from on the bridge. It's amazing how much artwork there is in structures such as this.
Griffin and Pamela looking for bottlecaps and exitement on the banks of the Neckar. We all really enjoyed Heidelberg and would love to return to this historic and beautiful university town. Also, it was where we bought the best gummies we ever had!
The village of Rothenberg aub der Tauber was our second stop in Germany.
The ancient gothic cathedral in Rothenberg
The following photos of the streets of Rothenberg bear out how photogenic it still is.
This medieval walled city has been carefully preserved after almost being destroyed during WW2.
One of the gates into the city.
The Rathaus had a tower that we climbed, which gave us a wonderful view of the verdant countryside surrounding Rothenberg.
The area in front of the Rathaus was a busy square with a weekend market.
The Rathaus in the glow of the setting sun.
Inside the Rothenberg Cathedral. The accoustics were wonderful. . .
and the artwork was magnificent. This alter piece was painted and carved with a great amount of detail and gilding. The cathedral was a place with great presence.
The view over the top of Rothenberg from the spire of the city hall.
Looking down the walls of the city of Nordlingen.
In Munich we visited the Hofbrau Haus for dinner and a beverage. Yes that is a polka band in the background.
The drinking age in Germany is determined by parental consent, so we let these guys have a taste of the local brew.
Orr last stop in Germany was Fussen where we visited the castles of King Ludwig. The following photos barely do justice to the beauty of the castles that he created.
This is the smaller and older of the two castles, and the one where Ludvig grew up.
This is the stuff such that dreams are made of. This castle, Neushcwanstein, was built according to King Ludvig's interest in legends. It is elaborate, beautiful, fanciful and yet a tragic tale.
Ludvig was a dreamer and a romantic. These qualities were not appreciated in a King, so Ludvig was declared "mad" and arrested in this very castle where he had only spent a total of 172 days.
He died a few days following his arrest in a mysterious "drowning".
He is fondly regarded in this area now. And the castle that had once been feared to bankrupt the country (in truth, he used his own funds and did not raid the state's) is now a major source of revenue for the area.
Neuwanschwanstein is also the castle upon which the Disney version is modeled.
