I have really enjoyed reading about all of your European adventures. I fell way behind in the posts, but they were fun to read this afternoon. I love how you placed pictures from Epcot as comparisons. Your writing style is so fun to read. Especially loved all the pictures of the castle.
I thought you might find some interest in the following information. I live near the School Sisters of Notre Dame facility and my DS told me that he had heard that the building is modeled after a real castle. And that the castle was used as inspiration for the castle at WDW. After much searching I found this in an appeal letter for donations. Cool huh?
"In 1855, Mother Caroline appealed to King Ludwig of Bavaria to help fund
the building of Notre Dame Hall in Elm Grove, Wisconsin. He agreed under
the stipulation it be of Bavarian-style architecture with one of the rooms modeled after the ballroom in his
Neuschwanstein castle. Notre Dame Hall was completed in 1898 and housed a replica of the king’s ballroom,
which was the sisters’ chapel for 100 years."
I am sure it is not a major tourist attraction, but it is a lovely building.