A Day in the Life of a Princess

From the first orientation meeting my number one prerogative was visiting and photographing the castles in Munich. When The Alps first came into sight I knew it was going to be everything I wanted it to be and more. The mountains disappeared into the clouds and you could barely make out one of the castles nestled in the forest. While it was much more tourist filled than I had originally expected, the art and architecture made up for it. The two castles were built by father and son from the Bavarian royal family. The smaller castle, Hohenschwangau was filled with paintings that were painted directly onto the wall in a very medieval style telling old stories and legends. The wife and husband had separate floors connected by a secret love passage (which I personally think is a great idea that all couples should consider). It was a let down, however, that we couldn't take pictures inside, I couldn't decide if was done out of pride or to protect the art. I think we can all admit we snapped a few after the guides left the rooms.


The second castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein, really blew me out of the water in comparison to the first. The son wasted most of the country's money trying to build this medieval, humungous, summer home, and was eventually (supposedly) drowned with his gay assistant by his own people to stop the country from going bankrupt. I must say, besides his inability to lead a successful country and his blinding ego, this man had style. After all, this castle was used as the model for the Disney logo! His throne room was overwhelmed by a 2,000 pound chandelier and a mural with Jesus on the ceiling overlooking his throne. The gold paint was beautiful, but it was a very representative that Ludwig 11 may think Jesus and himself could be equals, so it was a little much for me. But if his goal was to show off his wealth and make an unforgettable view to remind people of his family, he accomplished that goal with flying colors. I will never forget the fairytale views that I experienced surrounding and inside these castles, it was like nothing else I've seen.