Neuschwanstein Castle en roue to Munich...

We woke up, got ready, ate breakfast and were packed up and leaving the hotel by 9:30, but not without a picture with "Helga".  We found out that her real name is Gerhlinda.  We probably should've found that out sooner!  She's a really sweet lady!  She didn't want to take the picture because she thought her hair didn't look good, but we assured her she looked great!  She's always at this hotel, so she probably never has time to do her hair...poor lady!  She helped us a lot while we stayed here-- always happy to help us with directions or any information that might be helpful for us!  I drove 5 hours plus to the Neuschwanstein Castle.  It was kind of a drizzly day.  The castle was really cool!  We parked and walked a while to the ticket office and then poked around the little town and got a bratwurst sandwich and french fries.  It tasted really good.  then we took a carriage ride up the mountain to the castle.  We had to wait a while for our tour, so we walked around a bit.  The tour was really neat.  (Robin was feeling sick, and so she threw up trying to aim it out the window of a corridor of the castle.  They brought her a bag because she was still feeling woozy and she threw up more.  But the worst thing was that she carried it around with her for the rest of the time at the castle!  I would've at least carried it under my jacket...nope, not Robin!  She carried it, puke and all, for everyone to see and smell, even though she was feeling better!  Ugh!  Allison and I were pretty grossed out but Robin didn't care one single bit!  She said none of those people would ever see her again...haha, good thing!!)   Everything has been really well preserved in this castle.  It was  started in 1869 but never completed.  Ludwig 11 died at age 40, and he only lived in the castle a total of 172 days and that was only to oversee the construction!!  When he died in 1866, the construction stopped, but what was finished was quite innovative for the time-- indoor plumbing, heating and a telephone!  It also had a battery system connected to bells that called the servants.  Ludwig 11 never married or had any children so he as there in that huge castle all by himself!  He must've been very lonely!  After we finished at the castle, we drove 1 1/2 hours to Munich.  (Everything has been taking longer because there is traffic and construction everywhere!)  We made it to the Seibel's Park Hotel by about 9:30pm.  It's kind of a dumpy hotel and very old.  And, we are here the longest of any of the hotels-- THREE days!  Figures...  We were all tired so settled in quickly tonight...  We are already missing "Helga".  The front desk is rude and we can't get Wi-Fi here, so it has been difficult to look up addresses, etc.  Crazy experience...  Oh, I almost forgot...Neuschwanstein means new swan stone!  The castle had swans all over it-- in the décor, carvings and pictures.  Swans are the symbol of this area of Bavaria...