Hotel Garni Birnbaum Ansbach

... to get ice cream for desert. We all met back up at the train station and headed home.


I really enjoy our little day trips, but they kind of throw a kink in the week. It just leaves you with one less day to work with, but hey, I’m in Europe, I don’t need time. I’ll have time when I get back to The States. We have a few more planned, one to the BMW Museum and another Infineon factory and possibly a few other museums. Oh, and hopefully a soccer game! That will be very fun!!

... and took busses to Nuremberg. We visited the Zeppelin Field where the big Nazi Rallies were held and the Hall of Justice where the Nuremberg Trials took place. Bought a souvenir pin at Market Square and had cokes at a bistro while waiting for the bus to take us back to the ship.

... 8230;This team happens to be in the german league and is the home team to Nuremburg! So we just couldn't pass up the opportunity to watch a home game of our beloved team!

The local fans are intense. Coming in full fan gear of scarves, jerseys, flags and some even brought tamtams that were miked up to increase the energy of the crowd! Me and Chris got scarves and a pretzel and beer and sat to ...

... of Nuremburg on day 2! Nuremberg is famous for being the city where Hitler condemned the Jews and lots of other ****** stuff so obviously it was bombed to hell in World War 2. Very little of the original buildings remain. The walls to the center of the city are still there in most places and the churches are still being rebuilt in certain places but they restored the city very nicely and it still has ...

... had schnitzel again. The beers were excellent, or at least mine was.

We had planned to rent bikes today, but there was more to see in town than we had time for. We missed the medieval crime museum and several smaller churches, but there is always next time……….

P.S. We took the nightwatchman tour at 8:00 and Erin loved it, as you can tell by her blog. We then went to the hotel and packed. It was another full day, but we weren't complaining.

... if you’re lucky.

So we checked out and made it to the train station in time to catch the 10:55 am train, getting to Nuremburg about noon. We left our bags in a locker at the train station, but I had to pay a second time because I accidentally left my Nuremburg guidebook materials in the locker the first time. The second time I realized I had also left the train schedules for getting to Rothenburg. But we just checked the timetables in an automatic ticket machine ...

... our stuff. The sun had just set as we rang the front door bell and waited to check in. A slow moving, gray haired lady greeted us and gave us our keys, and that was it, no forms to sign, or deposits for keys. This was going to be a good couple days.

We had seperate single rooms here, with sinks in the room, and a bath/shower on the hall. I was on the third floor, Erin on the fourth, up a creaky, ancient staircase. I stowed my gear and went to check ...

... Those of you who know my restless nature can visualize the fun. Actually, I had a good flight with all things considered. I sat next to a very nice man who could not speak english. We had a great time communicating in our own way, the excitement of our adventure and the marvels of modern technology, referring to the many movies and other features available at our fingertips. Let's just say, it was a test of the research ...

... me, smiled, and pointing to the bottle of beer in my hand said, "that's dinner." Pursuing my new quest to sample and understand the best beers of the world, I double clicked on a recommended website in former Navy SEAL Stew Smith's article which led me to THE U.S. BEER DRINKING TEAM website. "The first real team for the Beer 'Lifestyle' Community." I began to think I was really on to something as I ...

... that the best reds came from France, Italy AND California. Coming home by train was quit pleasant (I think that constitutes boarding the correct trains and not losing any more teeth). The countryside is green and sprinkled with villages of red peaked roofs capping white houses OR fields of carefully manicured farmland. Everyone was out walking the trails and fields with their canine companions. Hawks decorated the trees beside the train tracks. I practiced my ...