Neuschwanstein Castle

I don't know how many times I've been to Bavaria and not made it to the biggest tourist attraction in the whole of Germany, but finally we did. Behold, Neuschwanstein Castle.

In reality, though the castle is cool, its the surroundings that are the most magical.  

The post card view of the castle is a big photographers secret, oh well

Look! A picture of Eric and I.

The paragliders (can you see them up there?) arguably have the best view

The inner courtyard

Gudrun and Sebastian

The line to go inside.  

That bridge in the distance is the next destination.

I took this picture for my lecture on biomes.  I have tons of pictures of deciduous forests in winter, but not summer!

Back of the castle.  I think that's the throne room balcony up there

Stunning countryside

If there wasn't this amazing castle here, Im pretty sure people would come for the waterfall.  As it was, I don't think one in ten noticed.

Not too shabby?

I am trying so hard to get picts of us, since it is the honeymoon, but it is hard to remember

and all of us.  It was fun to see Gudrun and Sebastian 

Sun and Rain in Schaffhausen

In Schaffhausen, Eric mostly worked, so I hung out with Ella and Denise or sat around trying to get my body to feel better.  One day after Ella got out of school, we went to this neat little swimming complex on the Rhine.  It's made of wood and has bathing areas for women and men (mostly ignored today), pools of different depths, and ducks fish and swans galore.  All with the river flowing through.  Kind of fun.

Ella bear

That night we went to Ella's best friends house for dinner.  Her parents are Swiss and Russian so we were treated to an amazing Russian dinner that made me so full I didn't eat for a few days.  After dinner even included theater with Ella and Daria putting on quite the incomprehensible, but cute, show.

Saturday Ella, Denise and I went on a walk up the Rhine and over the hill.

Here is an old steam boat on the Rhine.

And an old steam train

The countryside was beautiful

Ella and I had a grand time together, I already miss that kid

That evening it rained, and there was a gorgeous rainbow as a result.

Even a double rainbow

Schaffhausen is such a pretty town

Next, on to Munich to see Gudrun and Sebastian.  Bye bye Schaffhausen

Schaffhausen

Now we are in Schaffhausen.  It's a bit of a break from the honeymoon because Eric and Thomas are working (I can't complain, these few days of work paid for Eric's plane ticket).  Down time may not be bad though.  I am still recovering from Jet lag and whatever post wedding sickness still hanging around.  

Eric gets his Coupa Amerena and I get castles and sunsets, so it's not too bad

London

The first stop of our honeymoon was in London to visit friends of Eric's that couldn't make it to the wedding, Jacob and Leena.  In reality, we spent more time with their kids Ina and Marcus because they were so much fun.  I don't think I need to play Uno for a while though.

Ina

We brought them a copy of Smallworld and Ina couldn't get enough of it

Marcus was obsessive about his sword and would fight anyone he could, virtually or with the toys.

This is their lovely house in West Hampstead

What they did in their shady front is very fun and zen

One of the days, Jacob took us on a little walking tour of London

Buckingham Palace

There were so many people, wherever we went, that it was almost hard to breath.  Jacob even was a little overwhelmed by it and he loves London for the vibrancy etc

Parlament or something in the distance

I can't be in England without taking garden pictures, right?

I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at here. I think it is the back of parliament 

Westminster Abby

We didn't go in.  The lineup was about an hour

Big Ben

The tower of London.  They are in the middle of a remembrance of WWI.  This is a half finished art instillation to fill the Tower moat with ceramic poppys to simulate the rivers of blood or something. 

The Tower line was also super long.  Katherine and I didn't make it in, I kind of wanted to just to not be thwarted again, but Jacob and Eric had such a look of pleading resignation that I couldn't do it to them.

Tower Bridge

I kind of enjoy the combo of history and ultra modern

Definitely some odd shaped sky scrapers

So, all in all London was interesting, crowded, and jet lagged, but Jacob and Leena have a great family and I was sad to leave so quickly.

Sunset

Frogs

We have so many tree frogs (and maybe baby other frogs) around our house.  Every flower I deadheaded seemed to have a frog in it, and the cats have been going nuts watching the smarter frogs who hang out on our windows to catch the bugs drawn to the light.  This was a pretty spectacular example (or really, all the rest of my pictures sucked and this one looks cool)

fishing spiderwebs

Our house is covered in spiderwebs from some seriously industrial spiders.  Some of the smarter birds have learned to raid their catch.  It is amazing to watch

Wedding

It's official, Eric and I are married!  

July 19, 2014

It was an amazing day.  These are a few of the pictures from friends and family, of course I didn't take any.  

Rin was mildly traumatized by the adoring two year olds

The garden didn't look too bad considering it went in two months before the big day.

Food was of course the focus, with our favorite restaurant Alium catering.  And the amazing Shawna of neighborhood fame put all the spectacular flowers together. Even my bouquet, which I happen to think is the prettiest bouquet ever.

Mom, Keith and Uncle Dave.  Funny how mom and Keith match

The youngest guest at the wedding: 3 week old Talullah

I'm so happy and a little shocked that Polly and Luke actually made it up.  

The official pics are on Jordan's website: http://www.jordansleethphotography.com/Weddings/Heather-Eric/