(tried like hell to clean this slide.....couldn't get all the gunk off)

yeah, that's the castle I meant...carry on.

(exit stage right)

Andy,

Try PEC-12 photographic emulsion cleaner. I've never found a film cleaner that works anywhere near as well as that stuff.

Once my mother sends hers, I might have to check that out; hers have been stored in higher humidity so mold might be an issue.

Mold or possibly sticking together.

If you get any where the emulsions have stuck together you're going to have to float them apart in a bath of warm water and kodak photoflow solution. Of course this will probably destroy the mounts, but you can buy snap-together slide mounts at any decent photography/camera store.

Hockeydad.........you and your family should look for sex.

If you've ever seen the current BBC show "Merlin," it's filmed here. And it's actually FILMED here, not just slides of the castle for outdoor pans, they actually use the interior as well. I started watching the show just because of the reminiscence, lol.

From the "front", it looks almost surreal, with the mountains in the background.

This perspective with the fields gives it a whole new look.

Awesome.

King Ludwig was irresponsible and prone to fits of fancy (such as spending all of his money on building castles)......but it was doubtful he was insane.

He indicated to his advisors that he wasn't satisfied with them and threatened to replace them all. Soon thereafter he was declared "insane" by a doctor that never even examined him.......and shortly after that he was found dead in a lake (along with the physician who made the assessment).

In truth, he spent his "own" money on the projects, once he ran out he borrowed from noble families. The people of Bavaria loved him, although when he died the state was stuck with a lot of bills.

Now.......years later, tourism proceeds from the castles he built have paid for them many times over.

So....insane, no. A dreamer out of place...yes.