Horse manure, new castles, Bavarian history lesson, and München!

Chad Shaw, social studies teacher, added to the trip at the last minute who loves the dichotomy between America and Europe.   Oh my gosh. Where to begin. Today we laughed all the way to Neuschwanstein castle. From Nyc accents and hot chocolate. As a group we have been opportunistic in getting off the path both literally and metaphorically. We have seen member of the group in such a new and personal light that it makes trips like this so much fun. The spirit of "la adventura" is alive with these people. As we hiked the hill up to the castle constructed by Crazy Ludwig II, we witnessed beautiful horses leaving the fine scent of the farmland of Bavaria. This was a mere nuisance to the pure joy one witnesses when seeing the castle up close. The group toured through the castle constructed in the 1860-1880s, we gained an appreciation of the whimsical building and oddity that is the this castle. Meanwhile we experienced the welcoming German tour guide and found new heights of humor. Some serendipitously taken photos were presented to us within the castle. At lunch we got a taste of the gastronomical wonders of potato salad, that tasted just like my Swiss mother's, and braised chicken. The best part was we could immediately tell it was food produced within minutes of the restaurant. Eat local! Post meal, the herr produce historical relics of May pole celebrations. Interesting and quaint. From there we travel on to Munich. What a city. Clean. Orderly. German. City hall glockenspiel chimed at 5 as we walked through the Marienplatz. Travelled to the hotel and we settle in for a heavy but important lesson tomorrow. As we learn we find struggle and hard topics teach the best lesson. Guden nacht.