Alps - July 19 & 20 - Liechtenstein & Neuschwanstein, Germany

Today we left Switzerland (*sob*) for Vaduz, Liechtenstein.  Liechtenstein is the smallest yet the richest country in the world and the only country to lie entirely in the Alps. It is known as a principality as it is a constitutional monarchy headed by a prince.  Many cultivated fields and small farms characterize its landscape both in the south and in the north . The country has a strong financial sector located in the capital, Vaduz, and has been identified as a tax haven. It is a member of the European Free Trade Association and part of the European Economic Area and the Schengen Area, but not of the European Union.

                       ok, there's your geography/demographic/history lesson... now here are the pictures...

                                   This is the castle in Liechtenstein which is owned by the Dukes of Urach

This is a little model of the castle 

Street scenes in Vaduz

Parliament Building

A Parliament 'mock' meeting with our group

Typical Liechtenstein fare for lunch

After lunch we boarded this little tram/train for a tour of the neighborhood and local vineyards

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Leaving Liechtenstein we head back to Germany where our last day will be a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle

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Neuschwanstein is a nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner. Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing, rather than Bavarian public funds.

If you don't recognize it by name, it is the 'fairy tale castle' that inspired the Cinderella Castles of Disneyland and Disneyworld.  I don't take credit for this photo, but it's gorgeous!  Ludwig never lived in this castle but I certainly would!!!

transportation up to the entrance

Some of the inside rooms ... ornate would be an understatement

This is Hohenschwangau which Kind Ludwig II also built - it is in the village of Schwangau (where we boarded the horse and carriage)

Scenes around the village of Schwangau

Our last glimpse of the castle ... as we were leaving it began pouring rain. 

Or, maybe those were my tears since our trip is now over.  Tonight we had our farewell dinner together and said all our goodbyes.

I hope you've enjoyed travelling with us ... it has been fun putting this together to share with you.

{{hugs}}

Alps - Fun day in Davos July 18, 2014

Today was one of my favorites.  Not only is the area around Davos breathtaking, we went to a cheese making farm, a brewery, and we got to go to a chocolate factory and make our own candy bars ... what???  oh boy!!!

               Isn't she pretty?  Very happy cow enjoying the lush grass of summer. 

Gorgeous landscapes everywhere you look

Here we are for our cheese making demonstration

Stirring the milk and separating the whey from the curds

Back outside to learn about the alp horn. 

 Orin trying it out - not too bad, at least he tried.  I took pictures :-)

Lunch at a little Swiss Cafe - geraniums are everywhere - have you been noticing? Here's a little factoid... you'll find geraniums in most window boxes throughout the Alpine regions.  We were told that, since summers are so short, there is little need for air conditioning so windows are left open.  Flies do not like geraniums and will avoid passing over them.  Interesting!

Making our chocolate bars - I could do this activity every day!!!

So yummy!  They taste a lot like the Cadbury milk chocolate.  Look how mine bulges over the sides of the tray... lol... I had to make sure it was FULL... :-)

Back down the hill - we are now going to a micro-brewery in Monstein

The fermentation process - after the chocolate, this didn't appeal much to me.

Scenic little Monstein

 See those guys on the hill?  They are cutting and rolling the tall grass to feed my pretty cow during the winter.

A fun day - we're back in Davos now for another night at the Intercontinental

Come back tomorrow when we will be leaving Switzerland for Vaduz, Liechtenstein and then back into Germany to visit Neuschwanstein Castle before our farewell dinner.