Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Europe 2014 - Part 1 - Germany

Oh my.  I've been back for 5 days and all I want to do is go back.  I miss my brother and sister in law and niece like cra-zy.  And as nice as it is to be back home, in my own house with my family and sleep in my own bed (and I'm not forgetting about you, Target), I have this yearning to go back.

While I was away for two weeks, I stayed at my brother's house in southwest Germany.  It's the cutest house with the wonkiest showers (you really need to get the shower thing down Germany - luxurious showers are not your thing).  During the two weeks I was there we traveled to Munich, the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Prague, Bruges, Colmar and Lorraine (France) and a few other places I'm forgetting.

I'm going to start my posts with some snippets from Germany as that's where I spent the most time.  I spent the first few days hanging out around my brother's town eating and drinking (and visiting the random castles that just pop up here and there).  My favorite restaurant was actually on one of the grounds of the castle.  Went there twice in fact!
My first weekend there we headed to Munich and walked around the city before we settled in for the night at the largest Hofbrauhaus in Germany.  Let me set the picture for you.  Leiderhosen.  Dirndls.  Beer in large, heavy glass steins.  Music from a Bavarian Oompah Band, amazing food, antlers everywhere.
^My brother and Emma (and me) in Munich.
^Me, in front of the Munich Cathedral.
^Will and Emma, Munich.
^Beer anyone?  The glasses were so.freakin.heavy.  And ther beer wenches (I know, such a horrible term), would carry 4 in each hand!!!!  Meg (my sister in law, above) needed two hands but held on to the glass the 'right way' for the pic!  P.S.  There's a 'right way' to do everything in Germany.

The band!!!

The next day we headed to the village of Hohenschwangau to see the most photographed castle in Europe.  It's the Neuschwanstein Castle and it's all sorts of fabulous.  Having been to Europe many times, I've seen some amazing castles and palaces (I'm looking at you, Versailles), but this one is straight out of a fairy tale, inside and out.

^View from the castle.  Yeah.  I know.

Driving back from the castle we were gifted with a magnificent view of the German Alps.  I mean, stunning.  And that's precisely when my good camera decided it was done for the day (reminder: pack back up battery in future).  The iphone pics just did not do it justice, but trust me, it was breathtaking.
And another view from the castle with the Alps peeking out above.
What else can I say about Germany?
Oh yeah.
Beer.
There was lots of it.

And this is bascially what you got to see when driving on the Autobahn with my brother...

Tomorrow: Bruges!
xo

1 comment:

Meagan said...

Come back and we'll do it all again!!! It was that much fun 😄. Miss you bunches!!!!!!!