FOCUS - DECEMBER 2018 63 seven million visitors and serves seven million liters of beer (170,000 liters of non-alcoholic beverages and 95,000 liters of wine). Don’t forget the coffee and tea, as 300,000 liters of the caffeine fix are served up, along with 1.2 million liters of water and lemonade. Food of course is a must when drink- ing beer, and 550,000 chickens, along with 150,000 pairs of sausages accom- pany 45,000 kg. of fish, 116 oxen and 57 calves. It’s hard to fathom the prepa- ration that must go into an event of this caliber. The electricity used would do a family of four, for 52 years and the fa- cilities include 1,000 toilets, 900 meters of urinals and 17 full service accessible facilities. So what does all this cost? Beer is served in liter mugs at $17 CDN. In short, the total money brought in to Munich from Oktoberfest is two billion dollars. I spent a day travelling to one of Germany’s–and probably the worlds– most picturesque castle. Neuschwanstein stands outside the town of Füssen, about a two-hour drive from Munich. It is a fairytale-like castle built by Ludwig II in honour of his good friend and composer, Richard Wagner.The castle served no de- fensive purposes, and was strictly meant as a quiet retreat for its inhabitants. Walt Disney toured the castle and decided to use it as a basis for his fa- mous Cinderella Castle in Disney Land and Disney World. The castle sits high on a hill and there is a tram that takes you to Maria’s bridge, where you can get a fantastic view of the palace. From there it is an upward hike to the entrance and a tour of the inside. You must get tickets beforehand, as they are for timed entrances. The trip is worthwhile and the experience whisks you back to the days of knights and kings. My third day in Bavaria was spent visiting Berchtesgaden, also known as the Eagle’s Nest. This is the location of the famous summer retreat of Adolph Hitler. If you are expecting to see Hitler’s rooms, furniture and lifestyle, you will be disappointed, as the entire complex was demolished in the 1950s, by the victorious allies, who wanted to leave nothing behind for any Nazi sympathiz- ers. The bunker still remains, however, it is undergoing a two-year restoration. In actuality, the only remnants left standing is the elevator that takes you to the top of the mountain. Hitler was so impressed with the area that he bought a small cottage where he could paint and relax. When Beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle, built by Ludwig II. The mountains around Berchtesgaden have beautiful walking trails throughout them. Typical of all Bavarian mountains, a cross sits on top Kehlsteinhaus, near the Eagle’s Nest. Quaint signs in the Bavarian village of Berchtesgaden. ...................... Please turn to page 64 Bavaria (continued from page 61)