Veldenstein Castle

On Wednesday, we went with a group of people from the ward to a castle close by in the town of Neuhaus. The Veldenstein Castle! This was mine and Kason's first trip to a castle, there was a playground in the courtyard and a Rupunzel tower to climb. It was a blast and it wasn't 95 degrees outside!

Apparently, rumor has it, that during WWII, Hitler's right hand man used this castle as his little hideout. He built the bunker on the back side of the castle and lived down there. His bunker had it's own electricity, oxygen and water supply. That guy knew what was up! And ... supposedly, he left treasure somewhere in the castle. The American Army went in after the war to search for the treasure but, it has never been found to this day! All the kids were going to crazy trying to find the "Hitler treasure" ... 

We climbed to the top of that tower. The stairs were crazy skinny and some of the rooms had no windows. I am sure glad I live now instead of way back then! But ... their construction is amazing, to think that these castles are still standing after hundreds of years! 

There were doors like this all over the place ... I felt like I was in the Secret Garden or something! 

Kason at the "look-out" point: 

The views were absolutely gorgeous! The castle sat up on top of the hill overlooking the entire city ... 

I am thinking we would have been the city thugs. Yep, definitely. 

This house was adorable. So, now some family owns the castle and they have a majority of it as a hotel. But, there are also areas that have apartments. I am guessing this was an apartment? I don't know for sure but, how cool would it be to say you live at a castle!?! 

Kason has already made some great friends in the ward!!

(this boy is so freaking adorable ... I kind of want to keep him.) 

After the castle Kason and I stopped to get some ice cream. I absolutely love the ice cream over here (that would probably explain why I'm not liking those numbers on the scale!) But ... the erdbeere ice cream (aka: strawberry) is my FAV. I am lame and never branch out, so, I get it every single time we get ice cream ... which is at least once a week. But, hey for only a euro or two ... who can pass it up!?

Anyway ... the place we stopped had a fun river next to it. We sat there and ate our ice cream ... I love this country! 

(apparently the water was pretty cold, I didn't dare put my toes in there!) 

On the drive home we drove through a super cute little town. I don't even know the name of it but, we saw this group of people on the side of the road so we decided to park and investigate. I still don't know for sure what was going on but, I'm willing to bet they were some sort of funeral processional or something of the sort. They all filed in to the town church and all the guests we saw were wearing black or white. 

One thing I am in love with over here? Cobblestone streets. LOVE them. 

Such a perfect day ... it's lots of different ways!