The Alps

It took 13 hours to get from Krakow to Nurnberg, but I decided to head straight back here to allow myself some time to prepare for the much-awaited hiking trip in the Alps. It was, as always, lovely to see Matthias and Melli again. I also had time to buy a few things that turned out to be very useful on the trip, including new hiking boots (my first pair!) and a new rainjacket. The weather forecasts showed plenty of rain at the time we were due to be in the mountains, so it was necessary to be prepared for that. Then it was time to head south...
M & M and I first drove for three hours down to Schwangau, which is the village made famous by Schloss Neuschwanstein. The white castle is rumoured to be the inspiration for the well known "castle" that greets visitors upon entrance to Disneyland, and it would not surprise me if it turned out to be more fact than fiction. The resemblance is hard to miss, if you've ever been to the "Happiest Place on Earth". The castle itself was interesting, but lacks the charm and timelessness of the medieval castles found elsewhere. Construction of the castle began in 1861, under the watchful eye of King Ludwig II. Though it's purpose was entirely romantic (the castle location couldn't be much nicer for a king's vacation home), the building costs very nearly bankrupted the Bavarian state. In 1886, King Ludwig II died in a mysterious accident in the nearby lake (some say he was murdered in order to save the region). It took workers 3 years to wrap up whatever unfinished tasks remained, but any plans to complete the king's grand design were unfulfilled. Today, the castle has a decidedly unfinished (and rather unbalanced, if you ask me) look to it. Though it is still nestled in the midst of beautiful mountains, I couldn't help but feel like there was something missing regardless of which side I viewed it from. On a side note, Schloss Neuschwanstein is one of the 21 candidates being considered in the "New 7 Wonders of the World". It's cool, but it is just not in the same category as Ankor Wat, the Great Pyramids, or Machu Pichu.
The next day was the start of the four-day backpacking trip in the Alps. We averaged about 3 hours of hiking per day, and spent each night in a different mountain lodge. Though some parts of the hiking got our heart pumping pretty good, the itinerary (well-planned as it was by Matthias's friend Christian) was very manageable. Melli (who had never really been hiking before), admitted beforehand that she was nervous about whether or not she could complete the route. It turned out that she not only kept pace with all 13 of us, but she even led the way a few times. Best of all, she was smiling and laughing from start to finish. I was proud of her for doing something so out of character, especially because it required climbing up, over, and around a few good sized mountains!
Now I am once again back in Nürnberg, hanging out until Mum arrives in Frankfurt in two days. I'm excited to see her. Though we sometimes have different interests when it comes to travel, I am quite optimistic that we will have a great time in Prague (the focus of our trip together).
On a somewhat disappointing note, the one thing that I didn't anticipate saying on this trip is now true: I want to go home. After the trip with mum to Czech Republic, I will go to my father's place for a bit, then drag my tired ass the rest of the way back to Santa Barbara.