Neuschwanstein Castle, Fall

Yes, snow in my fall shot.

As you may recall, this castle has graced my blog before.  But I wanted to try to get some pictures with the changing leaves.  Lots of vibrant color.  I may have been a bit early.  But the snow was earlier than me.  So I did have a small window to try with.  This is the first trip where I managed to make it before they closed the trails to Marian's Bridge.  This bridge gives you a great shot of the Neuschwanstein Castle.  But you can take ever better pictures of the castle if you hike past the bridge.  You do have to cross a bent fence to get to the better pictures.

Marian Bridge from below

Starting my climb to get the 3rd picture above.

Interestingly, I was ok crossing this bridge.  There were tons of tourist on it, but I didn't get anxiety like I normally do high up.  Which I figured I would.  Especially since it was 3 people deep the whole way across.  Not sure what changed, but I like it.
The mountain I climbed to get some of the beautiful pictures above:

I did not climb to the peak.  I made it to the little ridge near the peak.  But it was fairly high up there.  This concludes the behind the scenes tour of how I get the pictures.

Christine

Christine at Schwarzwald Stube

I did not travel over Columbus Day.  As a result, I decided to take myself to another Michelin restaurant, Schwarzwald Stube.  This one has 3 stars.  I ate the 7 course tasting menu.  The main entree consisted of venison.  It is the best venison I have eaten.  And this restaurant had 2 servings of fois gras.  I didn't love it cooked.  I prefer the pate version.  Dessert did not wow me.  Pictures of various parts of my lunch.
Amuse Bouche:

Cod:

Venison:

The best item they have:  The Kase vom Wagen (cheese cart).

The area around lunch:

I preferred Vendome (my other 3 star restaurant) to this one.  Here, the owner stopped at my table, and  we had a lovely conversation.  Which I enjoyed.  But the servers kinda walked around the dining room,  almost taking laps around it.  I get that customer service is very important.  But laps seem weird to me.  Also, the chef walked around and stopped at some tables, but not all of them.  This I did not understand at all.

Christine

Christine in Munchen (Munich)

This visit I actually went around and took some pictures of the sites.  There are a couple famous structures right next to each other.  Construction of the Cathedral of Our Lady started in 1468.  It is a gothic church with two dome towers.  Of course it is under construction/rehabilitation.  I'm sure you are shocked.  But I managed to take a couple of pictures where you can't tell.  Bavaria, Germany (where Munchen is located) is a rather catholic area.  I also saw the Rathaus (town hall).

Cathedral of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) 

Inside the church

Rat House, Glockenspiel

The Glockenspiel plays for tourist at 1100, 1200, and 1700.  I did not know that.  But happened across the show at 1700.  I need a tripod for my ipod.  Really, I think that is the only way to stop it from shaking.  Unless someone has another idea.  In that case, please leave it in the comments.  Danke.

I took some of pictures from the steeple at St. Peter's church.  It was a lot of wooden steps up.  Too many in my opinion.  I was too busy moving and forgot to take any pictures.  But trust me, it was not fun.

Railing where I stood is right under the top clock.

Fest way in the background.  You can see the ferris wheel if you try hard enough.

I also visited the Munchen Residenz.  It is huge with lots of rooms to see.

I loved the treasury.  Really, who doesn't love crowns?

Crown of the English Queen, 1370 (oldest English crown known)

There is a long tour through the Residenz.  The Castle was first built in 1385, but added on to over the centuries.  It was damaged during WWII.  However, it is renovated and refurnished, but not necessarily with the same pieces.  Though much of the artwork was saved.  

Of everything, even the jewels, I wanted to to take this desk with me.

More Neptune.  Remember Athens?

  

Christine

Ps.  As you can see, when I toured some of the sites, it was typical Deutschland with dreary, rainy weather.  No sun.  The day I was outside.  Palace day, mostly inside touring, was beautiful and sunny.  Such luck.  Maybe I need to check the weather as I plan my trips...

Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest 1.  Christine 0.  I finally made it to Oktoberfest!  Yes, it is an amazing experience.  Totally what I expected.  Almost.  The bier tents look like airplane hangers.  That big.  They kinda put the Stuttgart Volksfest ones to shame.  But otherwise, it is generally the same as Volksfest.  Lots of carnival rides.  Great Deutsch food.  And lots of bier.

Chewy and I went for one evening and two days to Munchen (Munich).  That was plenty.  I drank 4 mass (liters) of bier at one sitting.  In addition to eating my half fest chicken.  I decided that I earned a bier mass for that.  We didn't have tickets so we sat outside in the bier garden to drink a bit.  There we made some lovely German friends.  And we sang and prost (toasted biers) and had a grand time.  I would say you should definitely visit Oktoberfest at least once in your lifetime.

I read a couple articles that said Munchen folks would police the bier pouring.  Bier is suppose to be poured to the line (1 liter).  Um, fail Munchen at the Augusuliner Bier tent.  Not impressed.

But Spaten did much better.

Christine

Volksfest 2013

Another fall, another fun Volksfest.  This time we all (and by all I mean 360 of my closest expat group friends) drank in the bier garden.  So we couldn't see the band.  But we had an awesome waiter.  He brought the biers and food as quick as I've ever received it.  I managed to make it 3 times to Fest this year.  Not bad.  haha
The fair grounds at night:

Bier Garden

My winning in drinking bier (notice not Radler but actual bier in preparation for Oktoberfest):

Inside the tent another night:

Dinner.

Christine

Christine at Moto Cross

Remember to bring ear plugs when you attend a Moto Cross event in Holzgerlingen, Germany.  I did not.  I will know for next time though.  This was my chance to see something new.  Also, to practice taking pictures with my camera.  I think I'm getting better.  Well, these are my first time at action shots.

Some video of one qualifying race:

Christine