visit from Grandma and Grandpa H
July brought my mom here for her third visit, and my dad for his first. We did some fun local things near Stuttgart, and took a road trip to Austria. It was culture up to our ears with Mozart music and marionette’s. I heard my little one humming a Mozart tune yesterday and it makes me so grateful for all of these experiences.
Germany has so many things to offer. We love to show off our temporary home.
Here are some pics from the 10 days with mom and dad…
Grandma and Addy at Hohenzollern Castle
Hohenzollern
Sunday we went downtown to the park and played Bocce ball. We walked by the Biergarten and a country band was playing. It was mostly line dancing, but we got to bust out some moves. Made me miss back home and local country music.
dancing with the Germans to a country tune
crazy about Rittersport
Rooney
fun at the pool
Ludwigsburg Palace
grandpa and the monkey's
mom and dad at Ludwigsburg
Legoland Deutschland
thinkers
During PJ’s weekend we went to Salzburg, Austria. The hills were alive for sure. Austria is a beautiful country with great people.
St. Peter's church, Salzburg, Austria
St. Peter's interior
Mirabell Gardens
Sound of Music night at the Marionette Theater in Salzburg
The Marionetter's
mom and dad at the Hohensalzburg Fortress
We went to a dinner with Mozart night at a gorgeous, old restaurant next to the church. Professional opera singers and a quintet played Figaro, Don Giovanni, and The Magic Flute.
Mozart dinner, amazing!
opera singers walking through the tables
visit to the salt mine in Hallstatt
riding through the salt mine
Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstatt
Cummings family gone Fest-crazy
I would say it’s Fest season, but really that is not true. It’s always Fest season out here with the exception of maybe 2 months out of the year. Our next few months are packed with travel so we decided to do a couple of local day trips.
Last weekend we went to the Heidelberg Castle Illuminations. It was one of 3 nights a year that they illuminate the castle. The illuminations began in 1613 and they have been doing them ever since. 300 years ago the castle was burned down, so now they light up the castle to imitate the burning by the French. The culmination of the show is the fireworks that reflect over the Neckar River. The castle goes from a burning red, to dark, then back to it’s normal beautiful lit up appearance. There are two more performances this year, go if you get the chance!
Saturday we spent an overnighter in Würzburg, Germany. I have played the piano since I was a kid, so I really enjoy classical music. We thought that since we are in the classical musical capital of the world, we would try and take advantage of the amazing musicians here. We went to the Mozartfest and saw a concert at the Residence Palace in Würzburg. It was incredible. We gambled and brought the kids in an effort to further culture them. It somewhat backfired considering Cambria cried at the very beginning and was not allowed back in! Fortunately, the tickets were a bargain price of 10 Euro per seat. PJ was able to spend the time before and after in the palace gardens with us, as well as at intermission. And Addy and Caden enjoyed getting dressed up and hearing Mozart in the Baroque palace. They knew several of the songs, thanks to Little Einsteins!
Here are some of our pics…
waiting for the light to fade across the river in Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg Castle Illuminations
Würzburg
Residenz Palace, Würzburg
Family Mozartfest night!
Baroque hall where we sat for the performance.
Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg
view from the fortress
Black Forest and Rue du Vin
We took a short overnight trip while Nancy and Rachel were in town. We love, love Alsace. It’s got such character and is so well taken care of. Plus, we can speak German there since almost everyone is bilingual.
The town we love most is Eguisheim. Our hotel this time was great!
Auberge Alsacienne
Eguisheim, Alsace, France
The Black Forest is a nice area in Germany with picturesque scenery, fun festivals, and famous cake. This trip we visited Freiburg, and Staufen. Both were great, and we happened to come on a fest day. The Musik and Wein fest was a treat for our guests. Any time you can experience festivals with the Germans, it’s a great experience!
Prost!
Ribeauville
Getting hooked up by friendly Jean, the linen man in Ribeauville. Even Addy scored!
Rue du Vin
May flowers and storks, so pretty!
Eguisheim
one of the many wine caves in Alsace
Staufen, Germany
Staufen
Adelaide accompanying the orchestra.
Grandma buying strawberries in the Black Forest.
Freiburg, Germany
Cathedral (Münster) in Freiburg. We got to hear the choir practicing for their evening performance.
Original 13th century stained glass windows that were protected during the WWII. Our kids had fun picking out the different townsmen's symbols. The town baker donated this window.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, the local speciality. Yummy.
Freiburg
Black Forest
our hood
May brought us visitors from SoCal. A good excuse for festivals and local site-seeing. Everyday I am so thankful for the place we live in. Stuttgart is so central to everything. Many of the best sites in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France are just a few hours away. Love, Love!
Here are some local pics with PJ’s bro J, his wife Holly, and their friend BJ. Then more with PJ’s mom Nancy, and his sis Rachel. Come back again, we miss you… Addy has prayed every night since they left that grandma and Aunt Rachel will come back again soon!
Caden and his Uncle sailor J
Showing off our dirndls at the Stuttgart Festival.
hanging out in the tent Cannstatter Wasen
singing with the German band
newlyweds at the Schloss
Day with Brigitte and Uli in Esslingen.
Cambria and Grandma Nancy in Esslingen
playing with Aunt Rachel
lunch at the Biergarten in Stuttgart
Schlossplatz in Stuttgart
Schillerplatz in Stuttgart
Rothenburg
paying respect
Tübingen
Tübingen
Bebenhausen Monastery
a few good men
Since moving to Germany 18 months ago, we have had countless life changing experiences. We have gotten to visit amazingly beautiful places. And we have met some very special people. I will admit, as an art and science lover, my interests have never been in the history world. But after visiting places like Normandy and Germany, our history has become so much more interesting!
So here is a short summary of the few good men that are sharing my post today…
Our dear friend Brigitte, who is from Stuttgart, honored us a few weeks ago by introducing us to her father, Kurt Stroble. We visited him at his home in Winnenden. Herr Stroble sat PJ down and showed him his well preserved photo album from his years in the war. He told us stories about his tours in North Africa while working for Erwin Rommel. We saw old photographs, and relived some of his memories. He told us how he was injured and sent back to Germany, and then returned to Africa. He was later captured by the French. We told Herr Stroble about PJ’s boss, General Ward, who is the Commander of Africa Command.
war memories
Erwin Rommel
Brigitte, translating some of the tough German words!
Last June General Ward performed PJ’s promotion ceremony in his office. Our visit seemed to be so trivial in the day of a busy 4 star General. But he took the time to spend an hour with our family just talking and inspiring. My 10 year old son, Caden still asks about him. General Ward talked to Caden about the importance of looking up to his father, and about responsibility and courage. He commended him for being a cub scout and for supporting his dad while he serves our country. Every once in awhile, you have a moment that you will never forget. This day was definitely one of those moments.
Being in Normandy on the beaches where our soldiers fought was an emotional trip. Each monument and landmark that we saw made all the events from the war come to life. We are so grateful for the opportunities to see these places. I just got back from a trip to Washington D.C. for 6 days. I had never been before. It was great seeing all the famous monuments and sites. We visited the American Cemetery during Memorial Day weekend and were blown away at the site of thousands of American flags on each grave. Volunteers do the same at the Arlington Cemetery in D.C. What an honor to be buried at either place.
So anyway, I was just thinking of these men, and how they inspire and shape those who follow in their steps. My man, of course being my favorite!
Dad showing the kids the Normandy beaches.
American Cemetery, Normandy
Honoring WWII veterans in Normandy.
Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Fasching
It’s that time again. Fasching, Fastnacht, Carnival, whatever you want to call it.
We went to the Narrenfest Parade last year for Fasching. It was fantastic and different from anything we had ever experienced. The parade was a special event in Bad Cannstatt and does not occur every year. But the concepts are the same. Below are some photos from our Fasching experience last year.
We are going to Mainz for the children’s parade on Saturday, February 13th if anyone wants to meet up. Should be crazy fun! Also, a warning, our German friends said that Everyone has to dress up. Looks like I am busting out my old SPHS cheer uniform. Go Eagles!
Here are a couple articles that sum it up:
Carnival in Germany
European Carnival
Have fun!
Micah
European countries mark carnival with unique traditions and costumes
By Michael Abrams, Stars and Stripes
Stripes European Travel, February 4, 2010
Women sing during the Weiberfastnacht, or women’s carnival, in Cologne. The celebration opens the final days of carnival partying on the Thursday before Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras.
A participant in the Rose Monday Karneval parade in Düsseldorf, Germany, waves to the crowd. Clowns are a popular costume theme in the city’s festivities.
Members of a Fastnet guild march during a parade in Schramberg, Germany. Wooden masks of various shapes and expressions are typical of Black Forest carnival celebrations.
A “Federahannes,” one of the figures of the “Narrensprung” (“Fools Jump”) in Rottweil, Germany, does one of the jumps for which the celebration is famous. The event takes place every Rose Monday at 8 a.m. and is repeated on Fat Tuesday.
In Rottweil, Germany, masked figures march down the street, making jumps with the aid of a wooden pole.
A procession of giant floats maneuver up and down a boulevard in Viareggio, Italy.
In Binche, Belgium, odd characters wearing orange costumes and masks with painted-on glasses, beards and mustaches parade through the town.
In Basel, Switzerland, the sounds of drums and piccolos swirl through the darkness as masked musicians march in all directions along city streets and back lanes.
In Cologne, close to 1 million costumed celebrants line a parade route to be pelted with candy.
Once again the fools are loose for that wild, wacky time of the year, those days of folly and fun, of masks, parties and parades of the carnival season.
It is called Fasching, Fastnacht, Karneval, Carnevale or Masopust, and it is celebrated in Germany, Italy, Croatia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and elsewhere.
The origin of the names and the celebration itself is shrouded in a mask of mystery.
The name might come from the Latin carne vale, meaning “meat, farewell,” or carne levare, “away with meat.” In Czech, Masopust has the same connotation. The German Fastnacht refers to the night before fasting begins on Ash Wednesday.
Many trace the celebrations back to pagan customs of driving out the evil spirits of winter. Others say they are rooted in ancient Greek celebrations for the god of wine, Dionysus. For Christians it became a time to eat, drink and be merry before the barren days of Lent.
No matter what its roots, and no matter what it is called, from now until Ash Wednesday — and in a few places a little longer — this pre-Lenten festival has much of Europe in its grasp.
In parts of Germany the carnival season starts at 11:11 on 11/11, but things don’t really get under way until the heisse Phase — the hot phase — from the Thursday before Ash Wednesday to that day’s wee hours. Weiberfastnacht, or women’s carnival, starts the celebrations on Thursday a day known as Schmotzigen Donnerstag in the Black Forest. Cologne is the place to be on this day, when women take over the town hall and cut off men’s ties. The big day in Germany is Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday, when more than a million people line the streets of Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz for their big parades featuring floats — with folks aboard tossing candy and other items — costumes and marching bands.
The Black Forest in southwest Germany is also known for its celebrations and parades. The most famous are the Narrensprung, or fools jump, in Rottweil, and the Da-Bach-Na-Fahrt in Schramberg, where costumed riders try to navigate tubs down a 600-yard-long stretch of river.
The highlight of Munich Fasching is the Tanz der Markt-frauen, where market women perform dances on Shrove Tuesday.
In Italy, popular celebrations are in Venice, Viareggio and Acireale on Sicily.
More than 100,000 people overfill Acireale’s main square and streets for the elaborate costumes and colorful floats of its Carnevale celebrations, and in Viareggio the floats are the parade’s main attraction. They are gigantic — some 60 feet tall and 45 feet wide and capable of carrying as many as 200 dancing, costumed revelers. From the floats, confetti rains on the spectators below. Tens of thousands of them line the parade route, singing, dancing and drinking.
The two mainstays of Croatian carnival are Rijeka and Split. The high point of the Rijeka celebrations is the parade on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. In Split, costumes and merriment also make the carnival season a crazy time of celebration.
In Prague, Masopust is celebrated in the Zizkov district, and usually ends with a parade through the streets of Prague.
In Maastricht, Netherlands, it is party time from the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, when the Mooswief, an effigy of a city statue, is raised on a mast and remains there until she is lowered again at exactly midnight Tuesday. On Monday afternoon, the Zaate Herrenmeniekes, the Carnival bands, walk through town, playing in bars and end up on the Vrigthof, a town square, where a jury selects the best band. From then until the stroke of midnight, it is party time.
Shrove Tuesday is the day of the Gilles in Binche, with their orange costumes and mustached masks. In the early hours of the morning, the drummers of the society go from house to house drumming up their members. Then between 10 a.m. and noon they perform dances in front of the city hall. The Grand Parade begins at 3 p.m. with the Gilles dressed in hats decorated with ostrich feathers.
The places to celebrate in Spain are in Cadiz, where the celebrations start on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday and last until the Sunday after, and on the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
In Nice, France, His Majesty King Carnival rules. Highlights are the “Bataille de Fleurs” — the Battle of Flowers — parades with colorful floats adorned with flowers and beautiful women who pelt spectators with blossoms, and the carnival parades that take place in daylight and at night.
The Morgenstraich in Basel begins at exactly 4 a.m. when all the lights in the city center go off. In pitch darkness, the sound of drums and piccolos waft through the cold night air. Closer and closer it comes, and a faint light glows in the distance. Suddenly, there they come, from all directions, the masked musicians of the Fastnacht cliques of the city. For hours this eerie procession crisscrosses the old town playing their strange melodies. At dawn it is over. Spectators and participants retreat into bars, cafes and restaurants, to have a drink and warm up with the traditional Mehlsuppe, a thick flour soup.
In the afternoon, the bands start up again and the fun continues.
Partnachklamm and Garmisch-Partenkirchen
If you are ever in Garmisch, check this place out, it’s great! We wanted to visit it in winter to see the beautiful ice formations. It’s a short hike from the Olympic Stadium in Garmisch. Just follow the signs to the ‘Klamm’.
Our kids were tired and cold at the end so we took the horse carriage back to the parking lot. Love Bavaria!
Partnachklamm
Quiet moment in the gorge.
Horse carriage ride on the way back.
Rathaus in Garmisch
Baroque interior of the Ettal Abbey.
Ettal Abbey
Winter Family Fun
Right outside our house in Degerloch (Stuttgart), there is a beautiful forest. We have gotten so much snow this winter! Way more than last year. We love the snow. Coming from San Diego it is especially a treat. We spent the last few snow days sledding in town, on the hills at R.B., and in Garmisch.
Here are some pics from our family adventures in Germany…
Kids playing doorbell ditch in our front yard. I was the lucky receiver of a snow ball when I opened the door.
Sledding on the stairs in front of our house. Crazy kids!
Degerloch
Playing with sparklers on New Year's Eve.
Cam loved the loud ones.
PJ shooting rocket fireworks out of a gutter.
Shooting rockets out of bottles as recommended by a friend.
Riding scooters in the Schlossplatz.
Play date with Emmy and Jake downtown.
Cambria in Garmisch.
Oberammergau, Germany
Snow fights!
Oberammergau
Picture in the barn
My husband.
Family in Oberammergau.
Triberg
We had one day to go to the Triberg Christmas Market, which only goes for one week. It starts on Christmas day. Unfortunately, the day we went it was raining and very cold. But it was well worth the trip as it was our favorite market of the year. Not because of any spectacular rides or food, or even glühwein. It was because we made some unique family memories just by getting out and spending the day together. The market took place near the waterfall in Triberg. Because of the rain, we didn’t do any shopping. The kids rode the ferris wheel. In the evening we went to the performance hall to watch the Brett Family Singers. I expected a Christmasy holiday performance. What I didn’t expect was for my little 4 year old to be awed beyond words by the young singer Brihanna. The performance by the American band from Branson was fantastic. We met them after per Adelaide’s request. They were a lovely family who I’m sure we will meet again.
After the performances we headed over to the waterfall for the fire show. The spray and rain pelted us, but again, it was worth it. The fire show was super fun. Only in Germany!
Here are a few pictures. My camera did not like me that day as it was rainy and cold, AND foggy. Not good for the lenses. But I did snap a few fun ones…
Lake Titisee
Lake Titisee halfway frozen.
Triberger Wasserfälle
The Brett Family Singers
Feuershow
Watching the performances on the outside stage.
Christmas Markets in Germany
Nothing gets you into the holiday spirit like European Christmas Markets. It’s definitely something you have to experience in person. It is a time for family, friends, drinks, good food, and festive mania! You name it, they have it. I love to get ornaments and sample the chocolates. My kids love Kinderpunch and the rides. PJ loves the würsts and Glühwein. There is something for everyone. I don’t even want to think about the withdrawls I will have when we can’t hop in the car to check out a new market during the holiday season.
This year, we visited Ludwigsburg, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Esslingen, Vienna, Ulm and Triberg. Each one was fantastic. Here are some pictures…
Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Choir performance at the Altes Schloss in Stuttgart.
Ice skating at the Wintertraum!
Ulm
Nativity scene in Ulm.
Checking out the Steiff bear exhibit.
Ulmer WeihnachtsMarkt
Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt
shopping in Nuremberg
Medieval market in Esslingen.
Ludwigsburg
Castles in Germany
We visited Ludwigsburg Palace, Neuchwanstein, and Linderhof while my mom and grandma were in town during the month of November. The weather wasn’t great, but we still enjoyed good views and fun on our day trips.
Noon light at Neuchwanstein was not ideal. I will definitely be going back for the early morning light in the Spring.
Ludwigsburg, Germany
Super dad hiking up the hill to Neuchwanstein.
View from Neuchwanstein.
Neuchwanstein
Hohenschwangau
Linderhof Castle
Linderhof
Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival
This was our second year going to the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival. It’s one of the most unique festivals we have experienced while living in Stuttgart. The theme this year was Fairy Tales. It was incredible! Our kids loved it. Fall in Germany is spectacular. Especially coming from San Diego, where the season changes are minimal.
Here are some pictures from the Kürbisfest…
Addy and Cambria in front of Cinderella's carriage.
Sampling pumpkin soup, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin muffins, yummy!
Mosel
The Mosel River Valley is a gorgeous place in Germany. The small valley is filled with vineyards, castles, and cute little towns. We stayed in the town Cochem. Our favorite spots were Cochem, Beilstein, and the impressive Burg Eltz. We will definitely go back again when we the weather is good!
Here were some pictures from our quick, but memorable trip…
Cochem Castle
view from Cochem Castle
Beilstein, Germany
Beilstein
Mosel River Valley
Germany with the Grandma’s
My mom and grandma flew back from San Diego with us a few weeks ago. This was their first trip outside the U.S. It was so fun having them stay with us. The kids got spoiled like crazy, my grandma did the dishes at night (yes!), PJ and I were able to take a side trip together sans kids, and we had a great excuse to tour the beautiful area we live in.
They got to sample several different types of German food including Kartoffelsalat, Bretzels, and several types of Wursts. We visited local castles and some super cute nearby towns. We did day trips to Rothenburg, Strasbourg and the Route de Vin, Tubingen, and areas in Stuttgart. My mom and I also went to Paris for 3 days. She knew she would likely never go back so we did the whirl wind tour of Everything! We had so much fun together.
We hope to get them back out here again this Fall. Miss you both already!
Here are some pictures from our adventures in Deutchland…
Picnic at a nearby castle Schloss Solitude after one of my photo shoots.
My mom playing with my girls.
My grandma, mom, and the kids in Esslingen am Neckar.
Rathaus in Esslingen.
Awesome German ziplines.
Go mom!
View of Esslingen from the castle wall.
My grandma with Cambria.
Enjoying the sun at the Schlossplatz, in downtown Stuttgart.
Rathaus in Tubingen.
Castle in Tubingen.
Italian grandma's first time trying Gelato!
Bebenhausen Monastery and castle.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg
Amazing wood carved altar in St. Jakob's church
Me and the kids in Rothenburg. A pose for Grandma!
Astronomical clock in the Notre Dame Cathedral, Strasbourg, France.
Strasbourg, France
Route de Vin, Alsace, France
Riquewihr
Germany
Stuttgart is great because it is so central to many beautiful areas in Baden Wurrtenburg. We live near several castles, churches, and parks. There is so much to see here! The winter has been long but we are ready for Spring to arrive and for all the flowers to start blooming.
Here are some pics that I shot during the Fall and Summer in Schwabisch Hall, Tubingen, and Ludwisberg.
Garmisch, Germany
Our first ever family ski trip was to Garmisch, Germany. We stayed at the NATO school in Oberammagau. We visited the town Mittenwald on the ride to the mountains. Great little town.
The girls spent the day with a babysitter recommended by the school. The boys and I were off to the mountains. Cade and I took a 2 day ski lesson. He loved it! By the end of the day he was blazing down the mountain by himself. I was definitely not going down without serious precautions. The Alps were beautiful. Can’t wait to go back next year!
