Lindau

Had a massively long and frustrating wait for our rental car. So dumb to only have one person on! We must have waited for at least 45mins, and I'm not good at waiting! Anyway, finally got our car, and were upgraded to a bigger better one (a BMW X3) which we weren't happy about to begin with, thinking it would be much easier to navigate a smaller car round the dinky streets, and also to park. However once we got going, it was all good! It's a really nice car, and Greg really enjoyed driving it, especially on the open roads. Such a smooth ride, even at 165km! And it has a fantastic GPS, reversing cameras and a heads up display which puts the speed limit, current speed and next GPS directions on the windscreen.

On the way we stopped at Neuschwanstein Castle (separate post here) Although we had some rain soon after we left the castle, the sun came out and we arrived in Lindau to lovely blue skies. We went for a stroll around the island, and were very tempted to hire a paddle boat and go for a swim in the lake. Instead we got ourselves a prime spot on the water front for a drink in the last of the sun. Such a peaceful spot, with buskers performing, people walking about, and everyone in a great mood. The view was pretty special too!

Lindau harbour from the light house

Our hotel in Lindau was really nice (Hotel Helvetia). We had a gorgeous room, complete with a little balcony and side views of the harbour. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant which was superb! A lot lighter than the traditional German meats of the previous couple of nights, with great wine and beautiful views. After dinner we went for a wander in the back streets in the old town. So incredible. Stunning old buildings everywhere you look, and loads of flowers - window boxes, edges of streets, and even the roundabouts are full of the brightest flowers. So cheerful!

In the morning I got up and went for a run which was really hard to begin with, but ended up feeling really good. Greg came and met me by the lake and we went for a dip, even though the weather was overcast. It was pretty cold, but felt so wonderful and refreshing. I always love going for a swim before breakfast - it fixes everything! After we ate, we went for another walk through the town and saw all the buildings in the daylight. So incredibly stunning!

It was really sad to say goodbye to Lindau. We loved the town, and would have loved to spend some more time in and on the lake. Especially if the sun came out again!

A peep of the lake

Lindau water front
Our hotel is the yellow one in the background

The lion and the lighthouse

Wine with a view

Walking through Lindau old town

Walking back through the old town
after my run and swim

Streets of Lindau old town

Lindau harbour

Boats on the lake

The lion and the light house take two

Dinner with a view

Lindau old town streets

The Rathaus
Always such extravagant buildings!

In Lindau old town

Neuschwanstein Castle

Obligatory selfie on Mary's bridge

The Disney castle is apparently based on Neuschwanstein Castle, and I can understand why - it truly seems like a place in a fairy tale. It was designed by mad King Ludwig, who didn't even get an architect to help him. Hard to imagine how on earth they got it built! The poor dude died before it was finished as well, so didn't even get to see his dream castle complete. We didn't go inside as the wait was too long, and we've been in plenty castles anyway. I think most of the charm of this one is in looking at it from the outside. By the photos just don't do it justice, it is so much more in the real thing! We got a shuttle bus up there, then walked to the Marienbruke (Mary's Bridge) which has an amazing view of the castle. So stunning, and a feat of architecture in itself, although quite probably again without an architect.

The views of the surrounding countryside are impressive too. You can see for miles - villages, valleys, mountains, forest, and even another castle! It's down in the village Hohenschwangau, and is where Ludwig grew up. Not quite on the same scale or level as Neuschwanstein, it's still pretty impressive.

We walked down from the castle through some really pretty forest, and started looking forward to getting to Schwarzwald (Black Forest).

View of the castle from afar The castle from Mary's bridge Greg and the castle from the front View of Hohenschwangau town and castle

Looking back at Mary's Bridge Hohenschwangau Castle

Getting up close and personal

Munich Aldstadt & Englischer Garten

Rathaus in the day time

Had the most amazing day today. Got up and headed to the Viktualien Markt which is this awesome food market in the old town. We got ourselves some picnic goodness - cheese, meats and bread - for later in the day, and just enjoyed walking around and looking at all the food. The fruits in particular were gorgeous, such amazing colours. And there was one stand with a huge array of different mushrooms.

At 11am we went to the Rathaus (or town hall) to view the Glockenspiel. It was pretty incredible - this massive building with these figures acting out a couple of scenes to music by the bells.

After we made our way to the English Garden which is absolutely massive! It took us about an hour to walk approx half the length of it to the See Haus (or as I was calling it, the Sea House), a brilliant beer garden right on the edge of a lake. We spent a good hour or so here having a couple of drinks, and eating our cheese and meats we bought this morning. So relaxing!

We decided we needed to get a paddle boat after lunch, and so got ourselves some travellers and headed out on to the lake. It was great fun paddling around the little islands, and feeding all the swans and geese our left over bread from the boat. Some of them come and took it directly from our hands, and a couple were cheeky enough to even stretch pretty much into the boat to get it.

After we headed back towards town through the garden and stopped at another beer garden. This one was so different! Much bigger, and centered around this tower which had an awesome oompah band playing in it. Not long after we arrived a bride and groom showed up in horse and carriage, and the band played here comes the bride. Pretty cool, but I'm glad our wedding was a bit more or a small, personal affair, and not in front of hundreds in a beer garden!

We then headed back to the old town and into Hofbrauhaus, another massive beer hall. We had dinner in the nicer part of it - pork knuckle for Greg, and Schnitzel for me. So yummy! Loving the German food, though I really enjoyed the fresh apple I got from the hotel reception when we got back too!

Time now for bed - getting the rental car tomorrow for our drive past the castle and up to Lindau.

Cheese! At the Viktualien Markt

Meat! At the Viktualien Markt

Viktualien Markt

In our paddle boat

Surfing the standing wave in the Englischer Garten

Picnic in the beer garden.

Englischer Garten

Englischer Garten

Englischer Garten

Englischer Garten

Beer!

More beer!

Really big beer!

There was this really big lion...

Rubbing the lion for good luck!

The lions shiny nose from all the
good luck rubbing

Shiny nose

Trying to like beer in Munich

The Rathaus (Town Hall) in Munich Old Town

Munich rules! Arrived last night and after navigating the super easy S bahn to our hotel we headed straight to the first beer garden, a little one just across the road. I ordered a radler and the waiter proceeded to explain that this was beer mixed with lemonade (which I knew) and that it was a ladies beer. I was more than happy with this, and thought it the perfect way to get started. And sure enough I enjoyed it. When we paid the waiter again reminded me of my "ladies beer" so I thought next time I should get a real beer!

Dinner was at Augustiner Braustuben which is one of the famous beer halls. It was pretty insane. All these long tables with people drinking massive beers. I ordered a pils and learnt I don't like pils. Greg drank my pils and I had his whatever it was and actually enjoyed it! There we go - first real beer down! Pork with spatzle and mushrooms for me, and this meat speciale thing for Greg with roast pork and duck, pork knuckle and various sausages. Greg's was the definite winner, but I was happy with my spatzle and mushrooms after all the meat at Pitt Cue Co. last night.

We then went on to a "proper" beer garden - Augustiner Keller, which was crazy huge! So many people, all relaxing and drinking and having a jolly ole time. Half was set up as self service, where you can take your own food as long as you buy a beer, and the other half where they come to the tables. We got ourselves a glass of wine (I was over the beer by now) and relaxed watching the crowds.

We caught the S bahn part way back to the hotel, then got out and walked through the old town. It is so gorgeous! Such massive old buildings every where you look. So impressive, and great to see it in the dark. Looking forward to exploring it more in the daylight today.

Radler and snacks

Dinner!

Augustiner Braustuben Beer Hall

Augustiner Keller Beer Garden

London Highlights

We've said farewell to London. We had an amazing time with Sam and Sibyl, and got to do a lot more in London than we have in any other trip. Yesterday morning before we left we ran through everything we did and saw with Sam and Sibyl, and the list is long...

• Book of Mormon - amazing!!
• Notting Hill Carnival
• Local markets
• Flower markets
• Babington House
• Stonehenge
• Natural History Museum (thanks Sib for getting us tickets so we could skip standing in the queue in the rain!)
• Hyde Park (or at least the very edge of it!)

We ate at some pretty incredible places too...

• Dinner at Chiltern Firehouse
• Bacon Naan for Breakfast at Dishoon
• Cured meats at Verden(?)
• Burger at one of Sam's locals
• Dinner at Pit Cue Co.
• The Best Roast Duck in the World at Four Seasons (not the hotel)
• Oysters at Wright Brothers (and champagne of course - can't have oysters without champagne. Or chardonnay maybe!)
• Breakfast and dinner at Babington House

So while the weather wasn't great (I still don't think it's ever sunny and warm in London - just kidding), we had a fabulous time and did a lot in our short week. Massive thanks to Sam & Sibyl for having us. Now on to Munich!

Chilling with the elephants in the
National History Museum

Big Ben (out the car window in the rain)

Menu at Pitt Cue

Babington House grounds Into the Woods

Babington House Hay! Thatched Cottage on our walk

Walking to the village from Babington House Jack & Jill Hill

Food at Chiltern Firehouse