Day 3: Through the Black Forest

The day started like any other day, I got up and started doing my hair... but this time my hair straightener wasn't working. (Keep in mind that this straightener has been with my for all my travels to Europe.) Well I guess it wasn't feeling it and it surged and burned the back section of my hair!!! I was freaking out to say the least! SO, no pictures of me on this day since I looked like a HOT MESS!

After that horrible mishap we left Mannheim and headed through the Black Forest and stopped at Hofgut Sternen. This little "village" consists of a cuckoo clock maker (since cuckoo clocks originate in the area), a glass blowing shop and a super cute Best Western that apparently was fit for the future Queen of France! The one and only Marie Antoinette.

{Best Western at Hofgut Sterned}

{Largest cuckoo clock ever at Hofgut Sterned}

{Hofgut Sterned}

After that we were on our way to the Germany/Switzerland border where we had to stop for a border check. We stopped in Schaffhausen to see Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe (no offence Europe but Hawaii's are better :P). You can see the personal post card I sent of the falls here and send your own personal card here.

{Rhine Falls}

Once we were in Lucerne we viewed the Dying Lion Memorial which commemorates the Swiss Guards that were lost in 1792 during the French Revolution. After that we were suppose to go on a lake cruise but I had to find a mall so I could get something to fix my hair and a new straightener! Once we found that and fixed what I could we walked around to a few shops before they closed at 6pm and then met up with our group for dinner.

{Lion memorial of Lucerne}

Have you ever had any electrical mishaps while traveling?

Check out our time in Amsterdam and Germany.

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Off to Germany We Go!

We left Amsterdam early and ended up in Boppard, Germany. We got a small tour of Boppard and had some lunch before boarding the boat for a Rhine River cruise. The boat ride was wonderful and a good time to relax. There were so many castles; including Liebenstein, Rhinefels and Katz. And then, at the end of our cruise we saw the Lorelei statue. The statue is a bronze statue about 16 feet in height. The statue is just north of the Lorelei Rock, the narrowest section of the Rhine River and has a cliff face almost 400 feet high. 

{Liebenstein Castle}

{Katz Castle}

{Rheinfels Castle}

Lorelei (aka Loreley) is a legendary German mermaid, who was created by Clemens Brentano in 1801. The legend goes something like this: A beautiful maiden named Lorelei waited for her lover on a rock at the narrowest and shallowest point of the Rhine River. He never returned, so she jumped off the rock to her death. The legend is that her spirit remains at the rock, seeking revenge against her unfaithful lover. She sits on the rock, now named for her, combing her long blonde hair and singing softly. Sailors are so enchanted by her beauty that they crash their ships into the rock or run aground in the shallow water. 

{You can see how big the statue is compared to the people walking below her}

After the cruise we were on our way to Heidelberg. We didn't go up to the castle but it was a sight to see! We had some free time to roam around and we came across these cookie balls (later I found out they are called schneeballen) and they are delicious and someone in the US should start making them! 

{Heidelberg Castle}

{Cookie Balls! Schneeballen}

From Heidelberg we went to our hotel in Mannheim. After eating dinner all the shops were closed and it was dark :( so we just walked around the Rosengarten and then headed in for the night. 

{Rosengarten Mannheim}

Check out Day 1 of our trip here and our flight across the pond here. 

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Willkommen to Oktoberfest in the USA

I have to say that when I first saw this Yahoo! article I thought for sure that my neighboring city of New Braunfels would have made the list since they celebrate this festival for half a month! But they did not...Here are the cities that made the cut. 

Leavenworth, Wash

For the past 15 years, the streets of Leavenworth, Wash., have filled with Bavarian cheer, not to mention beer. This Oktoberfest takes place in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, about 115 miles east of Seattle, and expects 35,000 visitors this year. Entry tickets cost $10 on Friday and $20 on Saturday; food and beer cost extra. 

{Source}

Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati hosts what's billed as the world's second-largest Oktoberfest celebration, after Munich's own. Perhaps even more impressive than its size, you can attend Oktoberfest Zinzinnati for free. Plus, unique Bavarian-inspired events add to its allure. You'll find the fest covering six blocks in downtown Cincinnati.

Glendale, WI

With its history of German immigrants dating back to the late 1800s, Glendale, Wisc., is a natural fit for an Oktoberfest celebration. Located just 10 miles north of Milwaukee, Glendale has hosted Munich-modeled festivities for more than 60 years. The event takes place in Glendale's leafy Heidelberg Park, along the banks of the peaceful Milwaukee River. General admission is $4 in advance and $5 at the door; food and beer cost extra.

Helen, GA

In the late 1960s, the city underwent a massive revitalization and became a replica of a German village, lending it a delightful alpine appeal. Soon after, city leaders organized a popular fall festival. This year, the idyllic locale is celebrating its 43rd Oktoberfest. Tickets cost $8 Monday through Friday and $10 on Saturday. Admission is free on Sunday.

Mount Angel, Ore

Starting Sept. 12, the city will host its 48th Oktoberfest. Expect a full program of Bavarian bands, music and dancing. Alpine food booths, laden with German treats like sausage and wurst, German chocolate cake, pretzels and more will line the streets of Mount Angel. Golden brews like Weihenstephan, Warsteiner and Konig Ludwig will fill your steins. Ticket prices vary from $4 to $14, depending on the time of day, and food and drinks are not included.

Denver, CO

The Denver Oktoberfest will celebrate its 44th year and organizers expect some 350,000 revelers to join the fray. Events like Keg Bowling, the Long Dog Derby and Das Hustlef Hoff 5K truly make this Oktoberfest one of a kind. While enjoying the jam-packed entertainment schedule won't cost you a dime, you will have to buy tickets for your bratwurst and beer. Each ticket costs $6 or you can buy four tickets for $20. 

San Francisco, CA 

Oktoberfest By the Bay — is short-lived, but it crams a full agenda of Spaten beer, Bavarian food and German entertainment into one weekend. While you nosh on soft pretzels and other German delicacies, local bands will provide some German-style tunes. You'll find the party on Pier 48, jutting out onto San Francisco Bay. General admission tickets cost $25, and include entry and access to the entertainment provided. 

Did you know that the Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to, and including, the first Sunday in October.

Willkommen to Munich, Germany

{Glockenspiel clock}

So while back when my husband was still my boyfriend we went to an authentic German restaurant and they had this fun couple that played the crazy instruments and yodeled. Well they offered this tour trip to Germany and Austria and it got my travel bug moving again! So I asked him if he wanted to go, I would pay for us to go, and he said no (I’m sure every man knows why, ‘you don’t want to let your girlfriend pay for you’ silly!). So I said fine, and I offered to repay Ashley and her family by taking her on a Trafalgar trip! So we researched which trip we wanted to go on and picked the right dates and in October of 2009 our trip for Europe in September of 2010 was planned! You know me; I plan in advance…WAY in advance! A lot happened in between then and the trip. My boyfriend and I got engaged and then married and 11 days after that he donated a kidney to his dad. So in reality this trip, if he had let me pay, would have made a wonderful honeymoon but that’s not how the story goes…and Ashley’s wedding was just a month and half after we would get back.

After a long flight we land in Germany an hour before our plane was due! I give big props to our pilots! But the Trafalgar bus was to be there 2hrs after our original landing time was suppose to be, so now we have 3hrs till the bus comes. We decide to bit the bullet and pay the 60€ taxi ride to our hotel. Luckily our room was ready and we had time to take a nap before our tour meets for the first time. We got some rest and freshened up and headed down to meet our group, we then got on the bus for our drive around Munich. We really didn’t get to see much, we went to Marienplatz to see the Glockenspiel clock and we decided to grab some food here since there weren’t any places that looked interesting near our hotel. We just had some pasta because it was cheap and looked pretty good and we stood to eat, I guess they don’t want people lingering in the restaurant for too long (thanks for the hint). Then we met up with our group and headed back to the hotel for our official “meet and greet” and our free German beer!

{on the road again}

The next day was the same; we drove around and saw the Olympic park and BMW headquarters and then we were off into the country side headed for Prague, Czech Republic. On our drive there we saw many hops farms and we stopped in the town of Nuremberg where we walked around the market that was going on and we bought our first real souvenirs (a floral wreath and other small things). And there was Schöner Brunnen (English: Beautiful Fountain) next to the Frauenkirche at Hauptmarkt, legend says if you touch the gold ring on it then you will be blessed with fertility! HAHAHA, I told Ashley that I wasn’t going to touch it because the last time I touched something in Europe (Verona) I found what it said I would find! :P

{Schöner Brunnen}