Ascension Weekend Part 2

Here we go with Part 2 of my Ascension weekend adventures. Go back one post to read the first part and then you'll be caught up. Part 3 to follow.

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Fussen

Ok, at some point in all this you are asking yourself, wait, this is a 4-day weekend, why is she only doing two days? There's a fairly simple answer though as usual I will spend a paragraph explaining it. I had planned three days with a day at Linderhof, another of Ludwig's castles. However there were absolutely no hostels available for Friday night. Not one in all of Bavaria. So I cut out Linderhof. Then when Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau only took a few hours I started to think Linderhof might be back on the table. Alas neither bus nor train could be induced to cooperate, leaving me with an empty afternoon in Fussen.

It's not a large town (ok, it's pretty darn small), but like most it is filled with signs promoting its points of interest. So I started going down the list. The cathedral is a real gem. Quite unexpectedly given the size of the town and the plain exterior, the doors open to reveal a light airy chapel with the most beautiful ceiling. Almost everything inside is white, except for the organ, the altar, and the ceiling. The ceiling is decorated with paintings ranging from biblical scenes to important bishops reading to small angelic children. The color immediately draws your eye upward. It's amazing I didn't bump into anyone as I circled around with face up at the ceiling. The gold and marble organ is something to behold as well, though at the moment they're fundraising to have some apparently much needed repairs done.

As I wandered on I came across the ruins (and I mean, literally only the front and half of one tower were not yet caved in) of an old castle that must have once been quite pretty with its double staircase and fountain.

The poor ruined castle

Next door is the town castle/fortress/monastery. Part of it is now an art museum with I did not go in seeing as I'm a cheapskate, but the roof garden and tower are free. The tower is maybe six stories high but it has great views of the lake/river and mountains.

One time monastery, then fortress, then castle of sorts

View from the tower

I love the color of the water

Also of note: an old creepy cemetary in which the graves are facing in all different directions. I felt weird even walking on the path, like I might be unwittingly stepping on somebody. I found a gelato place and got tiramisu gelato. Be jealous. I also came across a random jazzband on a street corner. (Name that tune:  Cause I ain't got no-boooood-dy! .... I am so sad and loooone-ly!) My feet were officially not happy campers by that time so I started following the signs for the youth hostel.

The signs said this was important

From the bridge over the river, such a pretty area

My first youth hostel experience began with me walking into a lobby full of screaming children. I got checked in at the desk no problem where I also learned that besides the youth dorms they also offer private rooms for families. I swear the kids were running up and down the halls yelling at the top of their voices continuously for the next 4 and 1/2 hours. If my sister and I had ever even thought of making half as much noise as these children, I would not be alive today to tell you how awful these brats were. I was beginning to fear for my sanity (and my ability to sleep) when suddenly at 10 everything went silent. Thank god for enforced quiet hours! Other than that, it went great. It was very clean. I shared a room with five other girls one of which was from Canada. It was nice getting to speak English for once. The others were Asian, so they didn't say much but were very nice. The bathrooms were not my favorite (smallest shower I have ever seen) but high pressure, hot water makes life better. Free breakfast in the morning didn't hurt either. All in all I had a nice afternoon in Fussen and a good first hostel experience.

This is what I woke up to the next morning!