Fun in the Park

The community recently finished a park right by the lake where we like to picnic. The kids anxiously awaited the completion of the park, and we monitored the gradual changes each time we visited the lake this summer. Now, K regularly asks if we can go to the park. We have managed to get over there twice this week, and we were able to witness a beautiful sunset tonight as a bonus.

H and AJ on the merry-go-round. H is sitting on AJ's legs.

The park at sunset

Upside-down sweetheart

H on a rocking toy

AJ sliding

Sunset on the lake

After the sun set, it was time to walk the kilometer home, but I have a feeling we shall return.

Germany Trip Day 5: Mannheim and Heidelberg

Today was more laid-back than the previous days. After a leisurly breakfast, we headed to the nearby town of Mannheim in search of a park the owner of the hotel had told us about. This place was huge, including several playgrounds, a butterfly house, many open grassy parts, a "citrus garden," and more. We spent the morning in one of the playgrounds that included cars, play forts, and a small water park.

K driving

AJ driving

H wanting to take a turn

K and H sliding

After slathering up with sunscreen and getting changed into their swimsuits, the kids sauntered off to enjoy the refreshing water on this hot summer day.

K trepidaciously awaiting the cold water

K leaning back under the water

H running around in his swim shirt and diaper

H enjoying some shallow water

K and AJ about to get in




AJ playing

K enjoying the water wheel

Chasing after H

Bringing him back

After everyone had had enough of the water, we dried off and ambled over to a different area of the park to enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade by some flowers.

The flowers were planted to look like this guy...

...but it is difficult to tell from the ground. I imagine an aerial view would offer a better perspective.

After lunch and running around the flowers (by the kids), we packed up and walked around the park in search of bathrooms (which we found) and the butterfly house (which we didn't). We stopped at another playground for a while, we finally decided to head back to the car since the kids were hot and tired, and it seemed that the butterfly house was located in the opposite side of the park from where we parked.

I wanted to explore downtown Heidelberg just a little more, so we headed that direction after leaving the park. All three kids fell asleep on the way, so I got out and wandered alone for about 30 minutes while Timo stayed with the kids. As I was walking around, I spotted another church to visit. Of course, I stepped in to take a look around and snap a few pictures.

Looking toward the front. This picture doesn't do justice to the stained glass windows.

The old clock from the clock tower.

This building was right across the street from the church. I thought it was really cool that the clock was so visible in the reflection in the window.

Walking down the very busy main street.

When I walked back toward the parking garage, I stopped in to see how everyone was doing. The kids were still sleeping, and Timo was playing soccer on his iphone. We decided to wake everyone up and go back out. After a little looking around, we decided it was time for ice cream.

AJ enjoying his ice cream cone.


With everyone cooled down and happy from the ice cream, we looked around some of the shops a little more and made our way back to the church we had visited the previous day. There are a number of stalls set up adjacent to the church that date back to the 15th century, when bakers would sell their bread there. There are several stalls, and I imagine they were occupied by various other vendors, but I am not sure. Now they are just souvenier shops, peddling their wares to the hoards of tourists who come through yearly. I told K and AJ they could each choose one thing. AJ kept gravitating toward cars that could be bought anywhere, but K chose a small German doll.

While we were looking around, H decided to sit down in protest, and a group of Oriental tourists thought he was so cute. There were about three or four young ladies, and they wanted to talk to him, give him five, and take his picture. So, somewhere out there is a picture of H among someone's Heidelberg pictures.

As the day wore on, we started getting hungry. I wanted to eat some German food, and we walked down the street, perusing the various menus to decide where we should stop. We finally stepped into the courtyard of a museum and ate at the restaurant there. The location was better than most sidewalk cafes because the kids had room to play while we waited for our food. Again, this was important for H, who had been sitting in his usual spot in the backpack for the better part of the afternoon. I ordered schnitzle with spaetzle (German noodles), the kids ordered fish sticks, and Timo ordered schnitzle with french fries. After dinner, I asked the waiter for some bottle caps for K. He gave us a handful, including a few with "Heidelberg" on them. What a fun souvenier for her.

K and H sitting in the grass by the restaurant (yes, I know they are really small).

After dinner, we drove back to the hotel, where they were setting up for the big game between Germany and Spain. K chose to read a while, and Timo went downstairs to kick the soccer ball around with AJ. When the game started, Timo headed downstairs with K and AJ to watch with the locals while I stayed upstairs with H. When it became apparent that H was not tired, after all, we joined everyone downstairs.

The "locals" turned out to be several Americans in the military, some other guests, and the family who owns the hotel.

T and AJ watching the game. The three people directly in front of him are all from the US.

While Timo watched the game, I watched other interesting happenings.

H walking around the hotel grounds. He later took off one of his shoes.

The soccer game I was interested in: K was playing with some other (French-speaking) kids who were staying there.

K being silly for the camera. I think she still has some chocolate ice cream on her face. :o)

At half time, I gathered up the kids and the shoe that H took off, took them upstairs, and put them to bed. I didn't hear any cheering, so I gathered things weren't going so well in the game. When Timo came upstairs at the end of the game, I learned I was right.

Overall it was a good day. We needed the relaxing time, and Timo felt like he got to do something he wanted to do when watching the game. We all went to bed happy (except the Germans).

Germany Trip Day 4: Heidelberg

After a delicious breakfast, during which the owner himself offered us eggs and bacon in addition to the spread already available, we got ready to head to Heidelberg. Equipped with a map and directions to a centrally-located parking garage, we drove into town with our sites set on the castle and a Fairy Tale park.

After parking the car, we walked toward the tourist-y section of town, and drank in the beauty of the historical buildings and structures. We paused by a beautiful bridge, which spans the Nekar River, a beautiful hotel, and then decided to visit one of the churches.

One of the streets leading to the church we visited.

A view of the church from the outside.

We looked around the inside, which includes vaulted ceilings, a pipe organ, frescos, and a stained-glass windows ranging from traditional style to modern.

A view toward the front of the church.

One of the many stained-glass windows.

The pipe organ

A closer view of the front

Then, for a few Euros, we chose to climb the spire. The first set of stairs led to the balcony, where I witnessed this beautiful stained-glass window that was otherwise impossible to see.

It was a good ways up for the kiddos, and Timo had to be careful of Hunter’s head, but the view from the top was worth it.

Going up


AJ taking a break

Once we had completed our ascent, we paused to look around and enjoy the beauty. While we were up there, the church clock struck 12, as did a neighboring church's clock. I told the kids it was like they were talking to each other, as they took turns sounding out the hours.

View of the top of the church

View of the castle from the church

View of the town, facing the mountains. You can barely see where the cable car goes up and down in the upper left.

I took a better picture of this fresco on the way down.

The church spire we climbed.

After the church, we walked toward the information center to find out where the cable-car station was located so we could ascend the mountain. The first stop was at the castle ruins. The view of the city from here was breathtaking. It was high enough to be able to see across the city and the river, but it was low enough to still be able to enjoy the beauty of the buildings.

This pictures includes the church we visited, on the left, and the bridge we saw at the beginning (toward the middle).

Another view of the city.

The castle dates back to AD 1214, was expanded in 1294, and has suffered various degrees of destruction due to lightning bolts, fires, and wars. Some parts of it have been rebuilt, and expanded since the 13th century, but much of it remains in ruins. It is a rather large structure, and must have been something in its hayday.

Timo and AJ in front of a ruined part of the castle.

Checking out another part of the castle.

Walking around the exterior of the castle.

The entrance

The bridge and the castle entrance.

Stone soldiers guarding the entrance.

The portcullis

The courtyard and some of the surrounding buildings

Looking back toward the entrance.

Look how ornate this building is.

An old sundial

The German Apothecary Museum is located inside the castle grounds and costs nothing more to visit. It was well worth the time to see and did not take a long time to go through, which is a bonus with kids.

Dispensary of the Benedictine Monastery in Schwarzach, Baden, around 1724

An old steam distillation machine.

Pharmacy to the Crown, Ulm, around 1820

Some jars and various ingredients used in historical times

Room for processing raw materials.

Furniture from a pharmacy in Bamburg, around 1730 or 1740. It's difficult to see, but notice the alligator hanging from the ceiling. I'm not sure what that was about.

Dispensary from the Klagenfurt Monastery, 1730

Look at these old jars. Makes even the fanciest medicinal packaging today look shabby.

This room depicts a view in the lab of a pharmacists' tower. I loved the old flasks. They look just like the ones in the book about Pasteur that Kristen and I read recently.

After the museum, we took one last look around the castle. We decided not to tour the inside since it would have taken an hour, and our guide-book described it as "less than scintillating."

Seats to watch the various plays put on in the courtyard. You can't read it, but the sign on the left reads "The Student Prince" in German. Appropriate for Heidelberg, I think.

This is one part of the castle that is in great shape. This side is one of the parts seen from the city.

One last picture of the city.

After leaving the castle, we headed back to the cable car station. This time, we got to ride an older car to the top of Königstuhl, as this hill in the mountains is called by the locals.

Timo climbing the steps to find a place in the cable car. That's AJ's head (and hat) at the bottom.

A long ways down.

At the top, we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. The kids tried their first schnitzle, and I tried some white brautwurst, made with veal meat. H nursed and fell asleep, and we put him down on some chairs we pushed together in the lounge area. It's a good thing everyone else was eating outside, because he was able to rest in peace and quiet. Timo took the older kids to the Fairy Tale Park, called Märchen Paradies, while I waited with H. I finally got H up and joined them. The park had a nominal entry fee, and most rides cost a token worth 50 Euro cents, but it was overall worth it.

This was a very important part of the day since the kids had been doing "adult" activities all day. We decided to include kid-friendly adventures in our plans so the children would feel like they had a vacation, too. I think it's the only way we could complete a two-week trip with everybody's sanity still intact.

K on the first ride

Riding the caterpillar train

Jumping

AJ on a swing

AJ going down a slide

AJ and K on a merry-go-round of sorts.

K on the backhoe

K playing with the mini-crane

Timo and AJ

Timo with H playing around with the crane

K on the horse ride.

Me taking H for a ride on the horse

K in her race car

AJ driving his "motorcycle"

Timo at the "shooting range"

What he was shooting at

This castle had a track around it with a dragon that two people can sit in and pedal.

H on a small trampoline

Riding the train

They had a castle where they were telling and illustrating the story of Rumpelstilsken

More Rumpelstilsken

As dinner-time approached, we decided it was time to walk back to the cable-cars and make our descent. But first, we stopped to admire the view.

View of Heidelberg from the top of the mountain

Our cable car for the top part of the ride.

View from inside of the cable car into the building as we departed.

Looking back

Here comes the next cable car.

K, Timo, and H waiting for the cable car to go

After the day's escapades, we chose to enjoy a low-key dinner of sandwiches, yogurt, chips, and cherry tomatoes in our hotel-room. These meals are always easier with H (who just ate a jar of baby-food), and the older kids did not seem to mind, either. We found a grocery store, where I ran in to make our purchases, then we drove back to our hotel for our evening's feast. Eating in also meant an earlier bed-time than we would have had otherwise. I was even able to snuggle with K and AJ and read some stories. It was a winning situation all around.