June 30, 2024
Fussen
A ride to Neuschwanstein
In 1979 we trundled down the Romantische Strasse in our VW Kombi. We reached the castle of Ludwig, Neuschwanstein and toured the castle, something I remember clearly. Where we stayed, what we ate or what route we took to Vienna, our next stop, I have no idea. However Ludwig’s tragic tale made an impression that has stayed with me since.
It’s a pleasant ride in from the campground to Fussen and then up to the area near the Alpsee.
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Tourist buses, cyclists and walkers make for a busy and crowded scene so we repair to the lakeside where Ann writes her journal and I visit the museum of the Kings of Bavaria. It’s practically deserted and I have an interesting time viewing the displays. The influence of the House of Wittelsbach goes back to the 12 century. Since that time members of the family influenced European politics and history either through alliances and marriages and were rivals to the power of Prussia and Austria.
The actual kingdom of Bavaria only lasted about 100 years, coming to its end in 1918. The tragic story of Ludwig is displayed - he’s celebrated in a modern musical He was clearly the wrong man in the wrong place but for all that, he left his mark. Known variously as the Mad King and the Swan King, his mysterious death in 1886 was classified as suicide, though that doesn’t seem to be the full story. Anyway, I have caught myself looking across the cloudy lake to the fairy tale castle wondering what kind of life he had there. Inevitably these stories from history become romanticised. Other aspects of the family’s history are equally fascinating- the attempt to retain some royal power after WW2 for example.
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We head back to Fussen, knowing it’s Sunday, but on the lookout for a rogue open supermarket. There isn’t. I sometimes think NZ is behind the times…
We do have a pleasant wander though, and come across a lively Renaissance parade through the town, accompanied by drums and whistles. Costumed and slightly hammy acting makes for a great spectacle.
Back at camp, it’s still cloudy and we use up the store of spaghetti, pesto and tuna -the cyclist’s friend- before droplets of rain descend. By then we’re tucked up warm in our tent, hoping the waterproofing we did, works.
Today's ride: 15 km (9 miles)
Total: 256 km (159 miles)
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