Joseph, our tour guide, was delightful, esp. his humor! I still remember some of his witty, dry anecdotes about Joseph's Day at the breweries, the Oberammergau tongue twisters--and of course, the more serious Ludwig II stories. The castles were splendid, and the hike he recommended to the narrow bridge above Neuschwanstein was harrowing but worth it for the view!

Gorgeous, gorgeous scenery! I loved the passes, the meres, the slate mine, the boat ride on Ullswater! Our guide was so gregarious and knowledgeable. Because I am a language and literature major, I appreciated his explanation of the Viking origin of so many of the place names, the detour he asked our coach to take so I could see Wordsworth's house, even his explanation of the sorts of sheep we were seeing. The day flew by. I would do this tour again in a heartbeat!