Hotel Traube Esslingen am Neckar

... Sonntag haben wir 2 Bäume Zwetschgen geschüttelt und die Dinger - Gott sei Dank zu sechst - 2 1/2 Stunden aufgelesen. Siglinde hat ein Großteil davon zum Schnaps machen abgenommen, den Rest hab ich verteilt und eingefroren.
Gestern war ich auf Betriebsausflug in Ravensburg (Stadtbesichtigung), in Weingarten (Basilika gucken) und in Bad Buchau (Führung vom NABU am Federsee). War ...

... und die Geduld, um mir Teilzeittourist ihre Heimatstadt zu zeigen. Total überwältig war ich allerdings am Wartberg, als wir die abendliche Aussicht über Heilbronn genießen konnten. Nach der hochinteressanten abendlichen Stadtrundfahrt gab es für mich einen Gaumenschmaus mit traditionellen schwäbsichen Spezialitäten. Und eines habe ich an diesem Abend hinzugelernt: Spätzle schmecken nirgendwo besser als im Schwoobeländle, heiligs Blechle.

... the first night but had to leave since it was the site of Stuttgarts Oktoberfest. We got a hotel room outside of town and decided to enjoy a lil more Oktoberfestivities! This time we didn't join a beer tent but decided to eat our way around. We got Sausuage in a currysauce, Beavertail Pizza, Corn on the Cob and Smoked Salmon sandwiches. It was fun since everything had a twist to it ...

... nein, schloss interaction) there was a big crowd in the center. It was pumpkin racing day complete with announcer, starting gun, and two lanes through the main fountain! Yes, giant 1000 lb plus hollowed out pumpkins with kayak paddles being raced across the fountain. We walked all around the front grounds, seeing many, locked entrances to the castle. It was cool, but not 14 euros cool. Little did we know! In a much needed search for the WC, we ...

... work out.) We'd already been downtown three times. We've got the bus and train down for that route. Discoveries? Koenigstrasse is prime for people watching and eating doners (sort of like a Turkish gyro). The alte schloss (old castle) might have a cool museum with nice displays, but when you don't speak the language, museum trips are pretty quick. Also, vorsicht stuffen does not mean closed. We stared at that one for awhile before a German ...

... from Stuttgart. Don't let the name or pink jerseys deceive you, they are certainly the best mixed team in Germany. We put up a good fight, but in the end they came ahead with the win. I think the video of the game is floating out there on youtube.... I'll be the out of focus #46 in black....

... of the Mercedesturm to get a nice view of the city, for free!

On our drive back we spotted a castle ruin high above the autobahn and tried to find it. We climbed up a steep and winding hill through wine fields to the castle gates, which were locked. A sign posted on the gates stated that the castle is private property and trespassers will be fined. Unfortunately this is the only thing I took pictures of from our entire trip.

... Mal aus dem Fenster sah und immer noch den gleichen Bahnsteig vor mir hatte, dachte ich mir schon, dass irgendetwas nicht stimmt.

Tatsächlich hatte ein Blitzschlag den gesamten Bereich des Wiener Westbahnhofs lahmgelegt. Und so kam alles ein bisschen durcheinander.

Irgendwann ging es dann weiter und wir kamen mit ca. 3 Stunden Verspätung nach München...

... there sometime. She checked up on me, I guess Anita must have told her how I was feeling. She assured me it's totally normal to feel this way and that she went through the same thing when she studied abroad in the US. She speaks English really well, sometimes I can't even detect an accent. She uses slang like "somethin' " and "anythin' " and it sounds like she's been speaking it all her life. It's pretty cool. I got a letter from Kayla and another from Grandma ...

... at uni which goes for two weeks. Am very excited! Hope everything back in Oz is going well. Thanks for all the e-mails and updates...keep them coming! Just watched Braveheart with German subtitles whilst drinking bad redwine (supplied by my lovely housemates though!), so am well and truly ready for bed. love love xo