Heidelberg

 (January 27, 2014)

On a beautiful winter's day we drove to the college town of Heidelberg to visit the ruined castle overlooking the city.

walking through town

Heidelberg castle was originally built in the 1200's, but has been partially destroyed several times from fire and wars.  The last destruction of the castle was from a lightning bolt that started a fire and it wasn't rebuilt.

entrance to the castle

overlooking the city and Nekar River

taking in the view

Grayson entering the inner courtyard

Burg Hohenzollern

{October 2013}

Less than an hour from our house is a beautiful castle that housed the Prussian princes.  Burg Hohenzollern is impressive as you drive up to it on the top of a hill.  Its strategic location gives it 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside.  

checking out the views

Triberg Waterfall

{November 2013}

Our first adventure into the Black Forest (just 1.5 hours south of us) to us to the town of Triberg where the specialize in beautiful wood carvings, specifically cuckoo clocks.  There is also a beautiful waterfall that we hiked around.  I love all the moss covered rocks and logs littering the forest floor.

these birds would swoop down and grab peanuts from your hands

my three loves

Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival

{September 25, 2013}

We couldn't resist going back to Ludwigsburg Palace for the Pumpkin festival.  Each year they have a theme and build sculptures with gourds around that theme.  This year's theme was the Olympics.   

{the Palace entrance}

{Rapunzel's tower in the background}

{the largest pumpkin!}

{pretty cool carvings}

After eating delicious Kerbis (pumpkin) soup, the kids got to stop and play in the hay pit.

{a rare family photo}

 There is so much to explore at Ludwigsburg so we couldn't resist stopping at one of the parks and going on a little boat ride.

{Avery adores her brother!}

{boat ride}

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

{September 23, 2013}

Rothenburg is Germany's best preserved medieval walled town and one of our favorite places in Germany.  We went to Rothenburg several times growing up.  In fact we have a picture of our family with the same nightwatchman tour guide when I was 12 and again when I was 17.  During it's peek between 1150 and 1400 it was a strategic stop on the trade routes between northern and southern Europe.  Most of the buildings in Rothenburg are from at least 1400!

{city wall}

 You can walk along parts of the city wall, but since we had a stroller, we decided to do that on the next trip.  Our first stop was St. Jakob's Church which was built in the 14th century.  The highlight of the church is tucked away up the stairs in the back--the Altar of the Holy Blood, which is a 500 year old carving by Tilman Riemenschmeider (the Michelangelo of German woodcarvers)

{Altar of the Holy Blood}

{Avery drawing a picture of the church}

One of my favorite stops in Rothenburg is the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas stores.  There are several Christmas stores year round in town that have all of the amazing wooden German nutcrackers, pyramids, ornaments, etc.  This time we took a tour of the Christmas museum on the top floor.  

{Avery by the Kathe Wohlfahrt car --I have a picture of myself by this same car about 15 years ago}

{town hall and tower}

Unfortunately much of the marked square was under construction so they had these large coverings with a picture of what that part would look like (see above) .

 Walking down Schmiedgasse from the Market square to the Doll and Toy Museum we couldn't help but stop for a picture at the Plonlein Tower, probably one of the best known spots in Rothenburg!

{Plonlein Tower: a typical view of Rothenburg}

{love those vines!}

{Gray and Jacob by the White Tower}

{a random timber barn on our way out of town}

{good bye Rothenburg!}