21 Day European Vacation

Monday. Up at 6:00.  At breakfast by 7:15, checked out our of hotel with the Euros we had left and then headed toward airport.  Fueled up and found rental return.  Man returned our car but didn't mention the scratch.  We then went to Dollar counter to ask about deposit back, she said after it was washed and checked.  Now we wait and see.   Two days after our return we were charged 25 Euro for the scratch and received the rest of our deposit back. That was a relief.

Went thru airport security and all three of us got stopped.  Bob and Evan had on their belts and my shoes set off the alarm.  They didn't tell us to remove them and no one else was, so we all got patted down.  Bought some last minute souvenirs and a twix chocolate bar to spend our last Euros.  Realized there are no water fountains in the Stuttgart airport, which made me thirstier!  Flight took off on time.  Served two meals, warm chicken, rice, beans, carrots, salad, bread, cheese, crackers and a hot pocket item and bowl of ice cream.   They served water, tea, and coffee multiple times.  I slept about two hours.  Four movies were shown, Bob watched them all.  I watched two.  Evan watched two.  Flight didn't feel like 10 hours and I was fine with it.  Landed in Atlanta early and had to pickup baggage and recheck after customs check.  This took about an hour to get thru and we also had to claim our chocolate and wine.  After we were through security, we headed to TGI Friday's to eat.  Evan had hamburger, fries, and lemonade.  Bob had salad and we shared a club sandwich with fries. Both Bob and I ordered ice tea and we all got refills.  Walked out with full bladder.  Evan fell asleep in waiting area and most of flight.  Flight took off fine and our way to Tucson. Arrived into Tucson around 830 pm. Home by 9:30 pm, in bed by 10:30 pm and back to work tomorrow...vacation is over...back to the norm again...

Last day of our vacation. Up at 0800 with rain and clouds in the forecast today.   The breakfast room was right across the hall from our room. Breakfast had cereal, fruit, brotchen, cheeses, meats, yogurt, etc.  It was good.  

Got on our way to the Mercedes Museum by 10:15.   Jumped on train and were at the museum by 10:45.  

We paid extra for an English tour guide to walk around with us.   We had another couple from San Francisco on our tour.  It was really good and enjoyed.  It is about 8 floors high and you start at the top floor of the building when motor was first invented and go down the floors to current day cars.  The first exhibit is of a horse and the theory of horsepower.  

After tour we had a cokes from the bar.  Walked thru the gift store and then headed back to the train.  It was still raining.  Since it was so cold and rainy we decided to see if we could get the movie Harry Potter in, but when we arrived at 2:00, all shows were sold out.  We decided to go ahead and see the movie Zoo Keeper at 2:10.  The theater was old fashioned and had about 75 seats in the room.  They drew a curtain back to close out from the snack bar and came in and dimmed the lights when the movie started.  The movie was funny and we all were entertained.  It was over at 4:00 and we were all hungry.  

Caught the train to the Rathaus and headed to the fish fest we went to last night.  It was still raining, so everything was wet.  It was hard to find a dry area to eat at.  Found a dry table and sat down.  

We ordered drinks and then Evan and I split up to go find food while Bob saved our dry table area.  I went to a potatoes pancake stand and got some with applesauce.  I also went to a pizza stand and ordered some kind of thin crust pizza with we think cheese and artichokes or peppers (still not sure, even after eating what it was).  Evan headed to the potato pancake stand and ordered fries an also went to a fish stand and got fried fish with potato salad.  The stand cooked the fish at the top and then fed it thru a pipe that landed at the lower level where it was plated and sold.  We met back with Bob and shared our meals.  They were all greasy but tasted good.  On the way out of the fest we stopped at a fruit stand and Evan got a chocolate covered banana.  We then headed back to hotel by 6:00.  

About 9 pm, Evan and I decided to go look for geocache near the hotel, but didn't find.   We walked up a hilltop to a cathedral and a great view of Stuttgart.

We were then in for the night. Tomorrow up early for car gas fill up, rental return and any issues that arise with our scratch on our bumper and last, but not least, our flight back home.

Up at 7:00 and on the road again, this time to Stuttart, our last city to visit before heading home.  Stopped at a town called Waldenbuch to visit the Ritter SPORT chocolate factory with its large sales room at discounted prices, the chocolate manufacture museum, and the museum of art in the form of squares (their candy bar shape).  Evan walked thru the art exhibit while Bob and I hit the chocolate store to stock up on candy.  Bought a bunch and then headed onto the hotel.

Hotel was about 20 minutes away.  Stopped and checked the hotel for parking, but none available so found a parking garage.  Went to the train station to go see the town of Esslingen, one of the largest towns in Germany to survive WW-II with minor damage.  We thought there would be a beer fest there, but found none.  It did have a well-preserved medieval old-town center.   We walked around there for a couple hours, ate some lunch at a fast food place, Bob and I shared a roasted 1/2 chicken, fries, and coke. Evan had two cheeseburgers, fries, and sprite.  We then walked the old town wall. It was another warm day today with no sign of rain.  After we had an icee drink from a small snack bar.  It was nice and cool.  

Then we caught the train back to Stuttgart and checked into our hotel.  Evan ran down to the Lidl market for some water and snacks.  We've been craving mexican food, He picked up tortilla chips and salsa.  The salsa, to me, tasted like ketchup.  About 7pm we headed downtown Stuttgart.  We immedialty came across a cultural fest, it was packed with people.  Then we came across the fussganger zone and walked along looking for restaurants.  Decided upon a pizza, crepe and ice cream restaurant.  Bob had pizza and coke.  Evan had crepe and sprite.  I had a berry sundae.  It was good.  

Finished and walked some more and came across the Hamburg Fish Festival.  Walked through and checked it out.  Next came to the city square.  It was full of people just hanging out and relaxin in the gardens, steps, and benches.  Went back thru the fish fest and headed back to hotel.  Got back to room around 9 pm.  Tomorrow the Mercedez Benz Museum.

Off we go early to the Neuschweinstein castle, another by King Ludwig.  We got up at 7:00 am and were out the door by 8:20.  Pulled into the parking lot at 9:30 and Bob dropped me off at the ticket office to pick up our tickets.  We then walked up to the Hohenschwangau castle.  It was only about 10 minutes uphill walk.  We looked at the cathedral, the gardens, and then thru the castle itself with a guided English tour.  

After we walked down to the parking lot and got a couple pretzels for breakfast.  

After we headed to the bus to get a ride over to Mary's Bridge to get a view of the Neuschwanstein Castle.  Took pics then headed up to the castle.  

No gardens to see, so we waited for our guided english tour to start at 12:20 and then proceeded to go in.  Only one third of the castle is completed.  After we finished, we got an ice cream and then caught a horse carriage ride back down the hill.  After my nose was horrible from my allergies.  

We then proceeded onto our hotel town called Fussen.  It was only a five minute drive into town and we parked and walked the fussganger zone.  Didnt find a place to eat, so decided to go find the bobsled park.  Found quickly and were there in about 10 minutes.  Bought six rides, 2 each and had a blast racing down the mountain.  First run I went first, then Evan, then Bob.  After our first run, we all decided we liked it.  Decided to buy six more and did 2 more each rides down the hill.  Wanted to keep doing over and over.  But not planning to stay all day.  

After we decided to go find our hotel.  Found within 10 minutes and checked in.  A little older man was waiting in the lobby area and told us our key was in our door.  It has a kitchenette and a separate bedroom.  It is old fashioned and could be updated, but it will work.  Brought up our bags and then went looking for dinner.  We only had one thing to eat today, the pretzels, so we were all hungry.  Stopped in the fussganger zone and found a German restaurant with outside dining.  I ordered sauerbraten and coke.  It came with red cabbage and some potato noodle thing I didn't care for.  Bob had beer, schwinesteak with krauterbutter and french fries.  Evan had sprite, cordon bleu, and French fries.  We all liked our meals.  

While we ate, a running marathon was going on next to us, so we watched some older men go run, then child teams get ready for their part.  It was fun to watch.  Afterwards, we stopped at the grocery store and bought more water and some munchies.  We then headed back to hotel and found a lake, so stopped and walked a little ways.  Evan fed the ducks some crackers and then he had one obsessed and following him.

 Got some ice cream for dessert and then back to hotel for the night.

Up at 0800.  Down for breakfast by 0900.  We brought our extra cheese we bought the other night and ate with our breakfast.  It was good.  Checked out around 10:15 then off to Obersammergau to look around the city.  On the way we drove past Lake Chimsee and also hit a traffic jam, so took longer than the two hours it was supposed to take.

Decided to stop at hotel first and got into Garmisch around 1:30 and checked into hotel.  Room wasn't ready for us, so we all changed into pants (it wad cold outside and rainy).  Headed next to Oberammergau to sight see.  Looked around where Passion Play is performed and some of the shops.  This town is famous for the 10 year Passion Play of the Resurrection of Christ and frescos on the buildings.  Stopped in a deli and ordered lunch.  Evan had snitzel and french fries, I had curry wurst and fries, Bob has white wurst with brotchen.  Again, it was all good, and we were all full.  

Looked around a bit more and headed to Linderhof Palace next.  It's a castle built by king Ludwig.  It's beautiful inside and out.  Took lots of pics.  

Next we headed to Ettal Monastry where they make beer.  Evan and I went in the cathedral to take a peek and then we walked along the grounds.  I bought a Germany handbag at the souvenir shop.  We then drove back to hotel to rest for the night.