Once Upon a Dream
August 8, 2013
Have you ever been in a place that feels just like you've stepped into a Walt Disney movie? One that hasn't purposely been made to look like one, that is! (No, Disney World doesn't count!) Yesterday I went to the Neuschwanstein Castle, the famed "Sleeping Beauty" castle which the movie modeled its castle after. Not only did the bike ride to the castle feel magical (okay that sounds cheesy, but biking in Bavaria does have a certain magical element to it!), but hiking up to the castle felt as though I was wandering in the Titian-esque scenes of Sleeping Beauty (nerd moment: the Disney artists actually studied famous Renaissance painters in order to create the backgrounds for the movie). Songs from the movie kept popping into my head as I climbed up to the castle and before I knew it I was humming "Once Upon a Dream." Laugh all you want, but I think anyone who was raised on Disney movies can identify. And even if you've never seen a Disney movie, I'd be hard pressed to believe you if you said you didn't feel something in these hills. The history and the beauty of the area is overpowering. The line to get a ticket into the castle, though, is even more overpowering still! I waited in line for almost two hours, then had to wait five hours for my tour to begin. Really? "Was is worth it?" you ask. Of course it was worth it! During my five hours I went swimming in the freezing cold, crystal clear Alpsee, road my noble steed (aka my rented bike) around the lake, and climbed up to Mary's Bridge for a fantastic view of the castle. I may or may not have bought a gift for one of my most loyal readers in that time, as well. (I.e. my mom - sorry to all others ;).) Hopefully it's still intact (ugh, long story... Well maybe not that long, but a tale for another post).
Despite the fact that the actual castle visit was just over half an hour, and the fact that this half hour essentially consumed a whole day, it was worth it. Apparently King Ludwig, who built the castle in the 1800's, had a flair for fairy tales, as well, and decorated his castle with scenes of legends, folk tales, and scenes from his friend, Wagner's operas. It's as if he knew this castle would be a fairy tale itself, placing it in the realm of the mystical, the romantic, the beautiful. But that's what makes life interesting: stories. We thrive on stories; learning others' stories and creating our own. We'd be such a boring lot without stories and over active imaginations. I applaud King Ludwig for having these things in mind when he built his castle. It's not about feeling like a princess, it's about placing yourself into a magical world filled with history, imagination, and creativity. For all those creative, over active imagination types out there, if you want to experience a truly unique setting I suggest you indulge your inner child and come live "one upon a dream" for a day.
