Time sure flies, as it has been nearly six months since I traveled to Germany for drupa. After the trade show I took some vacation time solo and hopped a train to Munich to immerse myself in Bavaria. Although this was my fourth time to Europe, it was my first time in both Germany and Austria. For those of you who aren't much into reading I'll sum it up succinctly - beautiful country, wonderful people, and delicious beer!

Looking out towards the Alps in Salzburg

Being a frugal traveler and one who enjoys experiencing as much of the local culture as possible it should come as no surprise that I decided to stay in a hostel. They might not be for everyone, but I just can't understand why you would want to pay hundreds of dollars per night for a bed. It's not like you'll be spending any time in your room if you're out bumming around the German countryside all day! Personal rambling aside, I ended up staying four nights in a three-person room located one block from Munich's central train station for all of 86 Euro. Honestly, can you beat that?

About two feet from plummeting down a cliff at Neuschwanstein Castle

On my first full day in Munich I went on a tour of Dachau. If you ever have the chance to visit a concentration camp, go. No, it's not likely to be an uplifting experience but it's certainly an experience you will never forget. There's a real sense of the horror and atrocities that were committed there over sixty years ago. You can look around and see tiny beds where four or eight people were forced to sleep, the gas chambers, the crematoriums. I wouldn't call myself a history buff but I do have a deep appreciation of it and it's hard to explain the feeling you get in such a place. If nothing else, it reminds you of the many dark times we have overcome in this world. Our guide was excellent and I truly enjoyed every somber moment in Dachau.

The famous entrance, proclaiming "work brings freedom"

Over 4,000 people had to share this one bathroom

My grandpa was stationed in Austria during World War II and his stories about how beautiful it was always made me want to go there. So on my second day I took a tour to Salzburg and the nearby Lake District. He may not be around to tell this to, but I know he would appreciate me saying how incredibly beautiful it is. Honestly, it's got to be my favorite place in the world right now. The city was clean, the architecture awesome, and anytime you give me mountains I'm pretty satisfied. I hope to get back to the region some year with my family for Christmas, as the holiday season in the Alps would be breathtaking. We spent half our day in Salzburg and then went to the town of Wolfgangsee to take a boat ride across Lake Wolfgangsee, which is nestled in a valley in the Alps.  Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful - I don't even know what else to say.

Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart

Salzburg Cathedral

Downtown Salzburg and the River Salzach

The town of Wolfgangsee, in Salzburg's Lake District

Crossing Lake Wolfgangsee

The third day took me all across Bavaria. There was a lot of driving (well, riding...) but it was interesting to see the landscape. Each village or town was very distinctly located on the rolling hills, unlike here in the U.S. where places often tend to run together. I found it incredibly interesting that you can tell whether it is a Catholic or Protestant community by the design of the steeple (Catholic round, Protestant pointy) of the town. We stopped first at Harburg, a small fortress constructed nearly 1,000 years ago that has never seen major damage during any war. Then we to Rothenburg, an incredibly charming and well-preserved medieval town where we ate lunch and had a few hours to explore on our own. I climbed the many, many steps up the Town Hall's tower to gaze out on the town and surrounding countryside below. Along the autobahn on the way back to Munich, we passed by countless fields of hops that are all-so-crucial to the German beer industry.

The town hall in Rothenburg

The beautiful medieval castle in Harburg

Walking the cobblestone streets in Rothenburg

On my final day touring around southern Germany I visited some of the famous castles. First off was Linderhof Palace, a smaller building nestled in a valley near the Austrian border. While small, it is very ornate and fully furnished inside. No photos were allowed indoors but let me tell you it had the most elaborate bedroom I've ever seen.

The only palace Kind Ludwig ever lived to see completed

You're likely familiar with the Cinderella castle at Disneyworld, I assume? Neuschwanstein Castle is considered to be the inspiration, and is certainly an impressive sight in person. Set up high on plateau with cliffs all around it is hard not to wonder how they were able to build such a palace. Interestingly enough, it never was fully completed because money ran out following Kind Ludwig's death. I hiked all the way up (talk about a workout) and took in the views of the surrounding Alps and forest while snapping plenty more photos than necessary. Then I hiked across the famous bridge, the Marienbrücke, and climbed higher up a cliff to take more photos. Maybe not the safest thing to do in the world but you only live once and the view was breathtaking.

A great photo for sure, but it's absolutely spectacular in person

The Marienbrücke as seen from the castle

The Alpsee and Hohenschwangau Castle

Lastly, I have to say that I generally am not the type of traveler to take guided tours. I prefer to plan it all on my own and have a more "authentic" experience and chance to see more of the local culture. But on this trip I simply did not have the time to plan it all out on my own. Instead, I took the tour route and was able to find a bunch of tours with great guides that honestly did not cost me much more than I would have paid for the transportation on my own. So the moral is that no matter how you decide to go about it, get out there and experience all the world and its people have to offer!

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