Myers In Motion: January 2012

Monday, January 30, 2012

DAY TRIPS

Neunkirchen Zoo

Zoostrasse 25, 66538 Neunkirchen

Adult 6€ , Child 3-16 3.5 €)

www.zoo-neunkirchen.de

Takes a few hours to see, petting zoo

Gartenshau and Dinosaur Park

in Kaiserslautern

Turnerstr. 2, 67659 Kaiserslautern

Adult 6 € Child 6-16 3€

Group & family pass available

www.gartenschau-kl.de

They have an indoor exhibit with math & science games for kids. Don't know what the hours are.

Devils Table

Teufelstisch

Hiking, Playground, minigolf, large slide

Im Handschuhteich 31

D-66999 Hinterweidenthal

Only cost is for parking and minigolf

Homburg Caves

Exploring Caves

Schlossberg-Hohen Strasse, 66424, Homburg

€5 Adults, €3 Child (under 16),
€11 per Family (2 adults, 1 child) (€2.50 each additional child)

Homburg Caves Link

May be better for older kids

Ludwigsburg Palace & Fairy Tale Gardens

Gardens, Castle Tour, Water Park

Adults: 6,50 € Reduction: 3,30 €

Ludwigsburg Palace

Schlossstraße 30

71634 Ludwigsburg

www.ludwigsburg.de

French/German Gardens

In Saarbrucken

Gardens, boats, cable cars, Gulliver’s World

Deutschmuhlental, 66117 Saarbrucken

Price varies for activities

Heidelburg Zoo

8.20 € adults, 4.10€ child

Family passes available

Zoo Heidelberg

Tiergartenstraße 3

69120 Heidelberg

www.tiergarten-heidelberg.de

Castle and town are a fun trip as well, easy train ride from here

Vogelvoog Park

Frontier Playground

Lake and Walking Trails

Near Toys-R-Us; Vogelwoogstrasse. KL

Follow merkurstrasse (street of Toys R Us) until it turns right 90 degrees into vogelvoogstrsse, but don’t follow the road and instead turn left and follow to the end

Excellent park for a sunny day, lots of shade

Lochmuehle Amusement Park

Lochmuehle Wehrheim, 61273 Hesse

90-12 cm 10 € 120 + cm 11.5€

group price available

www.lochmuehle.de

Not great for little kids. You get to operate the rides

Potzburg Wildlife Park

66887 Föckelberg

7€ adults, 5€ kids

Yearly family pass 55 €

http://www.wildpark.potzberg.de

Wildlife park, where the kids can feed the animals and enjoy the bird show

Great hiking trails

Bad Durkheim Natural History Museum

2€ adult, 1.30€ children

Natural History Museum

Herrmann-Schäfer-Straße 17

D-67098 Bad Dürkheim

http://www.pfalzmuseum.de

Go past the museum on the B37,

Find parking on the right and walk back through the pedestrian area

Swimming Pools:

1. Azul Swimbad, Ramstein-Miesenbach – Indoor/Outdoor Swimming Pools. http://www.freizeitbad-azur.de/

2. NaturerlebnisBad, Landstuhl – Outdoor swimming pool. http://www.naturerlebnisbad-landstuhl.de/

3. Monte Mare Swimbad, Kasierslaturn – Mailänder Straße 6, 67657 Kaiserslautern http://www.monte-mare.de/de/kaiserslautern.html

4. Freibad Waschmule – Largest outdoor swimming pool in Germany. It can be seen from space. http://www.kaiserslautern.de/leben_in_kl/freizeit_und_sport/schwimmbaeder/00425/index.html?lang=de

5. Altenglan Pool, Altenglan (my personal favorite) Freibad Altenglan 66885 Altenglan

6. In der Godersbach http://www.vg-altenglan.de/tourismus-kultur-freizeit/sport-und-freizeitbad-altenglan/

Hitcherhof Pumpkin Festival
D-66506 Maßweiler

Corn Maze, pumpkin patch, food, festival

http://english.hitscherhof.com/contact.html

Kindsbach Park & Lake

Swimming Lake, Playground

Also called Bärenlochweiher

Look for signs as you drive through Kindsbach

Luisenpark in Mannheim

Park, waterworks, gardens, animals

Theodor-Heuss-Anlage 2, 68165 Mannheim

Adult 5€, Child 6-15 2.50€

Family pass available

www.stadtpark-mannheim.de

Calypso Pool

Saarbrucken

Deutschmühlental 7 , Alt-Saarbrücken , Saarbruecken , 66117

Price varies by services used, time spent and ages

http://www.erlebnisbad-calypso.de/

Swimming pool with slides, lazy river, pirate ship, sauna,

Hardenburg Castle

Group price available

Along the B37,

67098 Bad Dürkheim

Park and follow the signs up. Drive up and park by the porta potties.

Castle ruins—bring a flashlight!

Castle is not stroller-friendly, sheer drops with no bars

Hardenburg_Castle_Ruin_Link

Barfusspfad ~ Barefoot Path

In Bad Sobernheim

Barefoot Hike

Bahnhofstrasse 4, 55566 Bad Soberheim

Adult 3€ Child 1.50€

Group price available

www.bad-sobernheim.de/freizeit/barfusspfad

You walk through mud, so go on a warm day and wear swimsuits/shorts

Bostalsee

Lake, beach, paddle boats

Seehafen, 66625 Nohfelden Bosen

http://www.bostalsee.de/frameset.htm

Swim, rent paddleboats

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Medieval walled city, museums and lots of shopping

Just north of the intersection of the A8 along the A7. follow signs to parking

Rothenburg Tourist Website

Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber

3 hour drive with construction.

Fun Christmas market and medieval festival

Idar oberstein

Precious Stone Mine Steinkaulenberg

Kids can tour the mine, and even dig for their own stones.

Prices just changed

http://www.edelsteinminen-idar-oberstein.de/precious-stone-mine.html

The town is a fun visit especially if you like jewelry, plus the church in the rock, etc

Sankt Wendel

Christmas and Easter festival with animals, rides great for little kids

http://www.sankt-wendel.de/en/culture/markets/

Go during the week, it’s crazy packed on the weekends

Ruedesheim Lovely Christmas market, fun town

Gondwana Praehistorium

10 € children, adults 15€

D-66578 Schiffweiler

Landsweiler-Reden

www.gondwanapraehistorium.de Excellent for a rainy day, kids of all ages & adults had a good time. To find via GPS navigation system please enter "Landsweiler-Reden, Bildstockstrasse".

Burg Lichtenberg

(Kusel castle)

Longest castle ruin in Germany, music and natural history museums with family pricing

71720 oberstenfeld

Ruins are free

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Lichtenberg_(Palatinate)

Picnic area was redone this year, good place to let kids run—fun medieval festival at the end of the summer and at Christmas

Dynamikum Gondwana Praehistorium-

A dinosaur museum with moving dinosaurs!

9€ adults, 7.50€ kids

Im Rheinberger

Fröhnstraße 8

66954 Pirmasens

www.dynamikum.de/en/

Trier

City full of Roman ruins and great shopping, market day is fun for adults and ampitheatre has free parking and good for kids to run

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trier

Medium-sized Christmas market, nice Easter market, good size for kids, great destination if you want to combine shopping and historical site.

Burg Eltz

Burg Eltz 56294 Münstermaifeld, Germany 02672 95-0500

Burg-eltz.de

Castle has been in the same family for 850 years,

Hike AROUND the hill (dirt path)

Mercedes Benz Museum

15-17 4€, adults 8€, children free

Mercedesstr. 100

70372 Stuttgart

www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/

Favorite museum of many of our friends

Under 14 get in free and free audio guides

Sea Life Museum

14.50€ adults, 9.5€ kids—

Speyer

Im Hafenbecken 5, 67346

http://www.sealifeeurope.com/

Smallish aquarium, tickets online are much cheaper

Legoland

Family ticket online 4 people 109€

LEGOLAND Allee,

89312 Günzburg

http://www.legoland.de/en/

Theme Amusement Park.

Print your tickets online to avoid lines at the park.

Europa Park

ages4-11 33€, 11+ 37.50€

Europa-Park-Straße 2, 77977 Rust, Germany

http://www.europapark.de/

Theme Amusement Park in the Black Forest near Freiburg.

Gutenberg Museum

5€ adults, 3€ children

Liebfrauenplatz 5

55116 Mainz

http://www.gutenberg-museum.de/

Exhibits on printing, Gutenberg bible

Park at the rathaus or mall, museum is on the walkplatz.

Burg Rheinfels

Schlossberg 56329 Sankt Goar, Germany 06741 7753

4 € adults, 2 € children

http://www.st-goar.de/

Cochem Castle

Reichsburg Cochem GmbH

Schloßstraße 36

56812 Cochem

5 € adults, 3€ children

http://www.burg-cochem.de

Bit of a hike, there is shuttle bus. Originally built in the 11th century, was destroyed in 1689 and rebuilt in the 1800’s

Rhine River Road

Take a cruise down the river to see all the castles along this section of the rhine. Several companies offer cruises, there are several ferry crossings if you choose to drive

There are many castles between Rudesheim/Bingen and Koblenz, the road is scenic the whole way. Great day trip by train/boat

Kurbis Fest (pumpkin festival)

http://www.kuerbisfest.at/kuerbisfest/

Military Cemeteries http://www.abmc.gov/home.php

Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial
Gen Patton's Grave

Val du Scheid, 2517 Luxemburg stad, Luxembourg
http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/lx.php

Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial
St. Avoid, France

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/lo.php

Technick Museam, Speyer- In & Outdoor Museum.

A large collection of aircraft, classic cars, locomotives and fire engines, an original BURAN space shuttle, the largest space flight exhibition in Europe, a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, the U9, a former German Navy submarine and a gigantic Russian Antonov AN-22 cargo plane. In the Museum Wilhelmsbau you can admire a unique collection of automatic musical instruments and much more.

Am Technik Museum, D-67346 Speyer

http://speyer.technik-museum.de/node/649

Taunus Wunderlkand, near Wiesbaden
Amusement Park with rides and a water slide.

Taunus Wunderland

Freizeitpark GmbH,

65388 Schlangenbad.

www.taunuswunderland.de

Kurpfalz Park, near Bad Durkheim
Large Nature Amusement Park with animals, rides, shows,

children’s world, picnic area, etc.

Kurpfalz-Park, D-67157 Wachenheim

http://www.kurpfalz-park.de/

K1 High Ropes Course, Mehlingen

(ages 5 and up) Slide and climb among the trees from platform to platform with safety equipment on different grades of difficulty.

Werner-Liebrich-Strasse,

67678 Mehlingen

http://k1-waldseilpark.de

Burg Nanstein Castle, Landstuhl
Nanstein is one of the most famous castles in the Pfalz, this is due to a spectacular siege in 1523 when the lord of the castle Franz of Sickingen died. The fall of Nanstein is a symbol for a final end of the decline of the castles in the Pfalz..

http://www.landstuhl.de/

Bonanza Horse Ranch, Katzweiler
Indoor and nature horse riding, riding courses, riding tournaments, orientation rides and fox hunts, covered wagon, birthday parties, special events and shows.
http://www.bonanzaranch.de/

Great Info:

http://www.romantic-germany.info/

http://www.kaiserslautern.de/index.html?lang=en

Ruedesheim

Stunning German village on the Rhine. So many things to do here, including one of the highest rated hiking trails in the country.

Here is their website: http://www.ruedesheim.de

Basket Factory

in Dahn -The basket factory offers much more than baskets; you can decorate your home with the latest trends in seasonal articles, at very reasonable prices too.

GPS: Longitude: 007º46'08"E Latitude: 49º09'32"N

I have put in "Dahn" and found it.

The basket factory accepts VAT forms for purchases over €50

Shoe Strasse in Hauenstein

Find the latest shoe fashions for less.

Alte Bundesstrasse 1. D-76846

Hauenstein Öffnungszeiten

Pottery Shops, Soufflenheim, France

25 Rue De Haguenau

67620 Soufflenheim

Tel: 03 88 86 64 69

Streissel Pottery

Tripsdrill Erlebnispark

Theme park to include a stay in a treehouse.

Treffentrill 1

74389 Cleebronn

http://tripsdrill.de/en/

Not enough ideas here...check this page out!
Germany Travel

Saturday, January 28, 2012

10 Things I Learned AFTER I got to Germany

Here are just a few things I've learned AFTER moving to Germany. Please feel free to post any questions you may have about living here or add any information that you have learned.

1. Appliances. I was told to put ALL 110 voltage appliances in storage, to include my lamps. Well, yes, it's true that using a transformer can suck electricity and that you don't want to use them for everything BUT you can use your lamps! All you need is a 220 volt light bulb and a plug adapter. Wish I would have known that :-( As for other appliances...read the label on the bottom and be sure it's dual voltage before just sticking an adapter on the end. I've known friends who have destroyed high ticket items like televisions and treadmills because they plugged them into the wall. If you use a transformer be sure not to overload it.

2. Cash. Europeans love cash! Yes, as Americans we are so used to using our debit/credit cards to make even the smallest purchases (I've been known to use mine for a pack of gum). Well, in Europe many places do not even except credit cards. ALDI is one of those places...one time I was told this after all of my item were rung up. I had to make a trip to the nearest ATM, come back and re-shop for the items I needed. Some places will take a credit card but only of it has a chip & pin imbedded into it. Always withdraw Euro before heading out on the road and keep change in the car.

3. WC (Wasser Closet). Bathrooms are not always easy to find. You have to plan ahead and many public restrooms require you to pay anywhere from .20€ to .70€ to use them. Sometimes you pay the attendant and sometimes you put it into a coin slot and walk through a turnstile. Often with the turnstile you will get a voucher for .50€ to spend at the store. We save these up in our glove compartment and use them later on for a coffee or candy. (side note: German toilets are gross...that's why there is a brush next to every one of them...even in public restrooms)

4. Drinks/Water. Good luck trying to find a vending machine or soda machine. If you want a soda or bottle of water you're going to have to go into the store and buy it. A bottle of water averages about €2.50 ($3.25). I usually keep a case of it in my car so when we're out and about we don't have to buy it. Beer is often cheaper than water at a restaurant and there are no FREE seconds on anything. No refills, etc...You can ask if they have tap water but often times they'll tell you no. Also, be sure to be specific and ask for still water not soda water (ohne gas means without gas/bubbles) because most Europeans prefer soda water. I've also been known to bring my own bottle of water into a restaurant...YES, I am the "Ugly American". Also, they don't use ice. You heard me...no ice :-(

5. STAU!! A curse word, if you ask me! It means "traffic jam" or "you're not moving anytime soon". As we learned quickly, the traffic in Germany can be unpredictable. We have a Navigon (navigation system) that can be useful in giving us a heads up on the traffic ahead but that doesn't mean you can always avoid it. We had a close call with our oldest needing to use "the facilities" while in a 'Stau" and were lucky enough to drive past the construction workers' "Job Johnny" just in time. Now we travel with a potty chair with a plastic bag in it in the back of our minivan. We haven't had to use it yet but it's there just in case.

6. Polizei. The German Police. It seems to us that German's prefer to "police" themselves. There aren't too many polizei around and when you need them it can an hour or 2 for them to show up...if it's not an emergency. But don't let that fool you...they use cameras to catch those breaking the law. If you're flying down the autobahn or driving down the road and see a flash...guess what!?! Expect a ticket in the mail within a couple of weeks. The ticket may only be €10-15 (for a €7 fee you can pay it at the local Kreissparkassa) but the points can add up quickly. Driving in Germany

7. Stinging Nettle. At some point your kids (or yourslef) will end up in a patch of this stuff...and IT HURTS!! The plant has many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on its leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles that inject histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals. Witch hazel is great to have on hand but ultimately...you just have to wait it out.

8. Parking. Parking is kind of confusing at first. Here are some things I learned the hard way...

Disc parking is a system of allowing time-restricted free parking through display of a parking disc or clock disc in your window showing the time at which the vehicle was parked. A parking attendant can inspect the disc to check whether payment is owed. The parking disc areas are indicated by “mit Parkscheibe” on the sign. To use the blue parking disc, simply set the clock to the time you are leaving your car, and place the disc on your dashboard. The sign will tell you how much time you are allowed to stay, usually one to two hours.

Parking ticket area, a sign will indicate “mit parkschein”. The pre-paid tickets can be purchased at a ticket machine, usually located in the middle of the block. There is always a maximum time limit on these, so if you intend to stay longer, you will need to come back and purchase another ticket. To get a ticket, put in your money and press the green button. Your ticket will come out, with the time at which the ticket expires. This you will need to put on the dashboard of your car.

Notes on parking ticket machines:
1. You must pay for a minimum amount of time, no matter how long you plan to stay.
2. Not all machines allow you to stay for the same length of time, so check. Some only allow for 1/2 hour, while others let you park for up to two hours.
3. Not all ticket machines accept all types of change (most do not accept the 1, 2, and 5 cent coins, but some do not take €1 & €2 coins either). Be prepared to use the 10, 20 & 50 cent pieces.

Parking Garage. Upon entering, stop at the machine and get your ticket by pushing the button. Do not leave the ticket in the car – bring it with you. (You will need to pay BEFORE you return to your car.) Ticket machines are located at the pedestrian entrance of the garages. To pay, put your ticket in the machine – it will then tell you how much money is due. After you have inserted the necessary fee (both coins and bills are accepted), your change and stamped ticket will be returned to you. Upon exiting the garage, put your stamped ticket into the machine to open the gate.

9. Sundays. In Germany, Sundays are a day of rest...it's the law! There is no shopping on Sunday. Stores are generally closed. Also, you DO NOT mow your lawn on Sunday unless you want a REALLY cranky German neighbor. Even if that's the only day the sun came out in the last month...it'll have to wait!

10. Television. If you want to watch American television, Netflix, Hulu, ABC.com, etc...You need an "Anonymizer" on your computer and iPad. I use Unblock US for my Apple TV. It will hide your IP address and make it look like you're viewing the content from the U.S. If you want the Sunday Ticket, however, you DO NOT need an anonymizer. You can subscribe as a "U.S. citizen living outside the United States" and pay about $300 for the season. You can also set up an account at: USTVNOW or use Project Free TV and watch all of your favorite shows.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Garmisch - Ski Trip

We ended up getting a great rate for the weekend at Edelweiss Lodge and resort (25% off your room rate plus free breakfast). We drove down on Saturday...that was our first mistake. Garmisch or anywhere in that region is crazy this time of year with ski-vacationers. People come from all over to ski the Alps and we didn't predict the traffic mess we ended up in. There are 3 main roads that all converge into one about 35 miles outside of Garmisch. It bottle-necks leaving those on the road stranded with no hope of turning around. It took us 4 hours to go 45 miles....making the normal 4 hour trip take 11 hours!! We will not be taking the Austria-route again. We took the Munich route home and although it says it tacks on 2 hours to your trip...it is well worth it when you know at least you'll be moving.

Authentic German Stau: We sat here FOREVER!!

At one point we took an exit and I had to get this shot

We arrived at the hotel and went straight to bed...in fact, Ryan was asleep in the lobby as I was checking us in :-)
The next morning we knew it was going to be wet since it had starting raining on our drive down. Skiing was not going to be the best option so we planned on sledding in the morning and an afternoon of swimming.