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Some people are looking forward to their birthday, because that one day of the year, they will be the center of attention. I have this blog and can make myself important every day of the year. So, for my birthday I don’t have to sit at home and count the calls of happy-birthday-wishers who never call on any other day.
For me, birthday is travel time, preferably alone. Although traveling alone doesn’t necessarily mean spending the day alone. In a park in Tiraspol, two guitar-playing boys gave me a concert, and in Ganja, the local dictator accompanied my anniversary.
For epidemiological and environmental reasons, I won’t travel that far this time. From July 1st, I will be hiking the King Ludwig Trail in Bavaria. Although I am a strict anti-monarchist and would have joined the revolutions of 1848 and 1918, I find the trail quite alluring. It is only about 110 km, which I will certainly increase by intentional side trips and unintentional detours.
The route leads from Berg via Starnberg, Andechs monastery, Herrsching, Raisting, Diessen, Wessobrunn, Paterzell, Hohenpeissenberg, Rottenbuch, Wildsteig, the pilgrimage church of Wies, Steingaden, Halblech and Hohenschwangau to Füssen. In more general terms, I will set off south of Munich and walk towards the mountains that form the border with Austria.
The places probably don’t mean anything to you, so here are some photos to give you an idea:
At the end point of the hike, visible from afar like a lighthouse pulling me in the right direction, is Neuschwanstein Castle. And I bet you have seen that one before.
I’ll be walking for at least a week. If any of you live along the route and have a free couch, maybe you want to invite me in. And if that doesn’t work out, then I’ll sleep under trees and bathe in the river. There are worse things than falling into a soft meadow in the evening and waking up with the first rays of sunshine to the view of a royal castle.
Eichendorff’s Good-for-Nothing didn’t have any detailed plans either, but in the end, he could stay at the castle.
If someone would like a postcard from the walk or from Neuschwanstein Castle, let me know! And if/when I come back, there will of course be a detailed report with hiking advice, photos, hopefully interesting encounters and pages of explanations about the Kingdom of Bavaria and especially about King Ludwig II. Just so much already: Please don’t call him Mad King Ludwig.
Do some of you also go away for your birthday?
Links:
- Reports from previous hikes.
- I kindly ask everyone to refrain from openly expressing condolences. Instead, the hiking reporter is very thankful for any support, which would keep this blog alive for another year.
The Happy Hermit 
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Postcarf/s please, , absolutely! Have always been fascinated by the tales of King Ludwig. Patron of Wagner! Neuschwanstein is really extraordinary. The stuff that dreams are made on…
Have a fabulous trip, I can’t wait to read all about your adventures. Oh .., and Happy Birthday!!!
x
I can’t stand the music of Wagner, so I am not so happy about that contribution. Although, preparing for the trip, I read that King Ludwig II at least told Wagner to shove his anti-Semitism.
I’ll be off tomorrow morning. The tentative plan is to reach Neuschwanstein on 6 July, which is the actual birthday, but of course I have no idea how fast I will walk and where I will get sidetracked. But after walking through the forests and across meadows for several days, I am already curious about that moment when the castle(s) will come into view.
Well then Andreas – seems no-one’s perfect … not even you! Ha ha.
(Obviously) I have no time for Wagner’s repugnant views. But separate from that I think his music is magnificent (my father was an opera singer and went through the vocal scores on the piano teaching me the Leit Motivs, so I had the most excellent introduction: it’s an acquired – or not! – taste).
So too is the castle magnificent! I hope it won’t be spoiled by the strong associations, inside, to King Ludwig’s Patronee (?!). That moment when you spot it – hopefully on your actual birthday, that would be quite something! – I think it will be truly amazing, like stepping into every chocolate box you ever saw. Savour the moment. Because you can only ever, once in your lifetime, see it for the first time.
And it is truly beautiful.
So was your postcard – for which many thanks. It arrived here a couple of days ago to much excitement my end. So rare to get handwritten post, and as lovely as it is rare. A donation / books on the way for a birthday celebration. Can’t wait to hear of your adventures and observations and see your photos of this trip. Thank you for sharing it. What a treat ahead … hike safely, contemplative – and enjoy.
I am going to attempt to improve my German by reading the Gernan version, this time!
And again: – very Happy Birthday!
x
Travel safely
Thank you very much, Jackie!
If you read the German version, you will have two benefits: It will be published earlier, and it’s usually better/wittier than the English version. But I wouldn’t say I write in easy-to-understand German, so it may be frustrating.
I’m going to try to persist. I can understand spoken German well, I just speak it very pretty! So it will be a good challenge for me, and a mark of respect!
But – if all else fails!! – your English versions are fabulous. A lot of native speakers (maybe even most) don’t write as well (And as wittily) in English as you do! Looking greatly forward,…
No, I don’t speak it “very pretty”. I speak it very badly. Also, apparently I don’t proofread my own native English too well!!!
Happy Birthday Andreas and many happy returns! S.N.
Thank you very much!
Nachträglich noch alles Gute zum Geburtstag!! Ich werde kein Beileid aussprechen. Einen Beitrag leisten ist tatsächlich wohl die bessere Sprache. Werde ich machen.
Hallo Louise,
vielen herzlichen Dank!!
Meine nächste kleine Reise bringt mich übrigens auch nach Österreich, weil ich in der zweiten August-Hälfte wieder auf die Katze Sisi in Wien aufpassen werde.
Falls du auf der Durchreise eventuell einen Übernachtungsplatz in Linz brauchst, einfach kurz melden! Jederzeit Willkommen :-)
Oh, das ist ja überaus nett!
Und tatsächlich habe ich daran gedacht, ein paar Tage in Linz zu bleiben.
Ich schreibe dir gleich eine E-Mail.