On the road… again!
Afghanistan to Zambia
Chronicles of a Footloose Forester
By Dick Pellek

On the road… in Germany

Neuschanstein Castle in Bavaria

Visiting Dachau Prison, the site of a World War II concentration camp was on his travel agenda.  So was spending a few hours during Oktoberfest at the Hofbräu House in Munich, the largest and most famous watering hole in Bavaria. It was a satisfying trip, since the Footloose Forester had his own Volkswagen Variant in which to get around.  Known then as the VW squareback in the auto grey market, the Variant was a small station wagon in which the Footloose Forester spent many a night…. on the road! in Europe; and when he later drove across the USA to California.  Getting 31.5 miles per gallon for every liter or gallon he put in its tank was also a strong selling point when he had to part with it at an auto dealer’s lot in Sacramento.  Someone was right when they told him he could sell it quickly and would get a good price.  He got just $200 less than he paid for it in Frankfurt, Germany; and that was after driving it for 14 months.  The detailed log book of gas and oil consumption was a real selling point.

Seeing the famous Neuschanstein Schloss, pictured above, on the way back from Dachau was not on the agenda, but it was a pleasant surprise.  You can’t miss it as you drive north from Munich towards Augsburg.  And for a change, it was one of the more noted attractions in Europe that is set in the heart of a still rural landscape. The Bavarian Alps in Germany are not very impressively high, as compared to the Austrian Alps or even the Dolomites in mountainous northern Italy, but they are pleasant.  The Footloose Forester is gratified to have added the Neuschanstein Castle to his bucket list.