Bavaria

 The summer I turned eleven, my Grandma Calder brought my sister and I to Europe for the Oberammergau Passion Play. In 1634, the residents of Oberammergau prayed to God with a promise that if they were spared during the bubonic plague, they would perform a play depicting the life and death of Jesus Christ thereafter. The play has been running ever since, on the decade. (The year I went was 1984, which was a special performance for the 350 anniversary.) The play involves 2000 participants from the village and lasts seven hours long! We drove through tiny, picturesque villages to reach Oberammergau. Although we were on an off year, and our crowd would never make it through seven hours anyway, it was still so fun to walk down the streets and into the theater of the town that I remember so well! Oberammaegau is in the heart of Bavaria, so it is also known for it's wood carving that the farmers pick up in the harsh winters. We purchased a few Christmas ornaments in one of the woodcarving shops.

 Driving through the tiny towns of Bavaria was a highlight! Hiking trails crisscrossed the towns, dotted with steeples and ornately painted houses with fairy tale themes, making this area irresistible.

 We continued on to Neuschwanstein Castle, a place that I have wanted to visit ever since hearing about Steve's backpacking trip through Europe and this favorite spot of his. The castle was scheduled to close, and the parking lot is at the bottom of the mountain on which the castle sits. We simply could not miss this site, but we did not have time to walk up the mountain. Our only option was to drive up the private drive way, used for service vehicles and shuttles. There was no parking on top, but I figured we would deal with that when we got up and surveyed the scene. Once again, we appreciated that our car looked a little like a service vehicle or small bus, thus allowing us to blend in at opportune times! At the top, we pulled to the side of the road and Jenny so graciously agreed to wait in the car while we took a quick 30 minute tour. Jenny had been to the castle several years before, which eased my mind a little, but she still deserved an award!  King Ludwig II built the castle as a retreat. He was quite eccentric, which is reflected in the castle. The castle was based on Richard Wagner's operas, would have had 200 rooms if completed and was only slept in eleven nights by Ludwig II. Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle was inspired by Neuschwanstein.

 Our last stop was in Innsbruk. The sun was setting, so we only had time to wander the square, walk along the river and find a German dinner.