Greetings from Germany…wish you were here!

Photo above of “the “Neuschwanstein Castle” or “Schloss Neuschwanstein” in German is a 19th-century Gothic Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau in southwest Bavaria, Germany.

“The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king known as “Mad Ludwig” (Ludwig II of Bavaria) but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. The palace was the inspiration for the Disneyland Park in California”. (Wikipedia).

This is where it all began. Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany on a wet and rainy day back in June 1999.

My boyfriend and I were making our second trip to Europe together, covering Germany, France and Switzerland, over a ten day vacation. We saw castles along the mighty Rhone river, followed the “Romantic Road” and ended in Bavaria to see the magical Neuschwanstein castle, a place I’d always dreamed of visiting.

We woke up to pouring rain which was not a good sign. When we boarded the horse and carriage taking us up to the castle which sits on top of a large hill, I recall a fellow passenger saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. She must have noticed my grumpy mood.

We did the castle tour and then hiked up to a hill above the castle, which on a clear day, would give you an amazing view of the castle and snow-covered mountains behind it. The clouds above grumbled. I asked about thunder and lightening. Then I asked about the possibility of bears. Little did I know, my boyfriend wasn’t at all thinking about my questions. He had something much bigger and more nerve-wracking on his mind.

We reached the outlook of the castle, where it sat below us in splendor laying in the clouds. And, before I knew it, he was down on one knee asking me to marry him. Of course I said yes! It was the happiest day of my life!

Eleven years later, we are together with a family of our own, two fantastic children who brighten my day and inspire me to show them the world.

Happy Anniversary!

Written by thirdeyemom