Windeck, Heiligenberg, Triberg, Dachau, and Neuschwanstein

Steph and I hae been having so much fun together and have been on the go since she arrived that I have failed to keep everyone updated on our latest happenings. This might be the longest post ever because we have done a lot, but the read is worth it...at least I think. The first day she arrived she had a bit of jet lag so we hung at the house and then went shopping in Mannheim for a dirndl for her in Mannheim. We saw some great ones and she was able to try some on and get a good fit...but they were so expensive! So she ordered one online for nearly half the price thank goodness!
TJ had some friends coming in on Tuesday so Steph and I stayed in the area and did the Weinheim thing. We went int the altstadt like I did with my Mom to the Tanner's Quarter and then headed up to other castle ruins, Windeck Castle. Here is what that looked like from the altstadt.

We made it up to the ruins and Steph was able to get a good pic with the view.

The castle was built around 1100 to protect the Lorsch Monestary...and it was badly damaged in 1674 by Louis XIV. Inside the ruins (that are barely there) lies an operating restaurant. It would be awesome to rent the place out and have a party there with the cool ruins all around and the view...cool place. Here are some snaps of the ruins.

There is one lookout tower that still exists with beautiful views. This is from one of the windows of Wachenburg Castle...the one I took my Mom to only weeks ago.

After touring the castle we headed home to get TJ, Adam, and Angie to take a quick view of some sights in Heidelberg. Angie and Adam had arrived from Chicago and would only be with us overnight so we wanted to show them one of our favorite towns! We first drove up to the Heiligenberg to the lookout tower, Thingstaette, and the Monestary. The tower is old and tall and skinny...but worth the climb for the best view!

Like this one...and a really good photo of Steph and I with Heidelberg Castle in the background!

And these are the first wave of Chicago friends coming ultimately for Oktoberfest...Adam and Angie.

We headed to Thingstaette (an ampitheatre built by the Nazi party in the 30's to push propaganda and hold rallies. Hitler and the 3rd Reich has gathered here.) Davis ran the stairs like Rocky, but in a cubs hat!

And here is Steph at the top!

Just over the hill is the ruins of St. Michael. The monestary was build in the 11th century, and the ruins that still exist are really cool. On German Sundays people have picnics up here in the old rooms that are now simply greenspace. Steph and I climbed up the higher turret and the boys only climbed the little one. Don't they look cool?

But we got a better photo of the monestary's footprint. I love the tree in the middle!

We ran up to Heidelberg Castle for a minute, but couldn't stay because they were closing and setting up for an event (Steph and I will be back to visit later)...so it was off to dinner at the Bier Brezel (Beer Pretzel) for good eats and drinking beer out of a horns. Here is our crew!

The last stop that night was the old foot bridge over the Neckar to catch a glimpse of the castle at night. Here she is...

Oh, and then Steph kissed a baboon!

Wednesday we went to the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) to the little town of Triberg to visit Germany's highest waterfall. It was so pretty! Here are some snaps but they do not so it justice!

And then a great view of the Black Forest from one of the trails...

Another good one!

And I made a friend along the way! Tut would have loved to bite this one!

Triberg is also known as the cuckoo clock capital of the world! And it has the largest cuckoo clock in the world...here is part of it with Steph underneath.

Thursday was quite a big day for us...it started at 7:30 in the morning and we didn't get back until 10:30 pm. We went all over Bavaria to get to Dachau and then Schwangau to see some very cool things. Our first stop was Dachau Concentration Camp. There are many camps all over Germany, but this one is sort of important because it was the first one and it was the camp that all other camps were designed after. Like Sachsenhausen (the first one I went to) it was very sobering...but far busier. We took only a few pictures as some of the areas- we were a little caught up in the experience...but here are a few.

This is the large memorial to the prisoners that lived and died here.

And look at the camp prison bunkers.

The Jewish memorial. It was really amazing and a bit emotional.

A view of the prisoner barracks. There are only two left as the US Forces tore down the others after the liberation. The rock wells in the foreground represent the barracks that once existed there.

We also visited the cremetorium as well, but it seemed almost disrespectful to take pictures of the still intact building. But we did walk through the gas chamber room and the corpse area and them into where the ovens still exist. Very sad and very emotional.

So following this darker sightseeing experience we decided to head south to the German Alps to the castle of Ludwig II Neuschwanstein, or probably better known as Cinderella's Castle if you have been to Disney World. And you can see it like a mile away...

And some a closer look...

And the view from the castle was awesome! It was actually made better by the questionable weather...the clouds were awesome at times we were in them.

And more views...

And this is what is surrounding the castle ...mostly rocky alps and tons of beautiful waterfalls. It really sucks and hurts your eyes...its like the ugliest sight you have ever seen. Just kidding- its awesome!

It was a long day, but a fantastic one! Then yesterday we had a low key day in Heidelberg shopping and eating a fabulous cafes. Then rounded the night out by staying out until 4:30 in the morning. So much fun and more on that later!

Auf Wiedersehen!