Marriott Stuttgart Sindelfingen

We stayed in town this weekend, figured we'd catch Stuttgart's version of Oktoberfest (the second largest in Germany) before it ended. And by now, we know how to buy a day ticket from the bus driver and get ourselves around town. We're probably slaughtering everything we say, but we're starting to be understood and at least get what we need. Frau Montes made sure we learned to say please and thank you every time, excuse me helps too . . .
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany wilwayco

... it was delicious. I must say there were more kids at this Oktoberfest then at the one in Munich and trhere were many 15 year olds drinking up a storm! They can all drink better then me Im sure...but we did see one of them yarp his brains out! Awesome!

Without much else to do in Stuttgart we decided to head back to Nuremburg and catch a hockey game before our departure to Vienna.

... 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 ...

Haven't been wanting to get out of bed in the morning, this is a good sign. The up and at 'em, hungry and awake at o'dark thirty side effect of jet lag is disappaiting. So long, farewell, hope not to see you for awhile. So what to do with our first awake and alert weekend? Explore!

We have a pass for 3 days of unlimited exploring around Stuttgart. (ie. We can get lost as many times as needed, see whatever we happen upon, and it'll ...

... 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....

We attended a big birthday party this weekend in Stuttgart. It was my boyfriend's grandfather's (Opa, as I now know him) 80th birthday. We celebrated with the entire family in a nice little restaurant in a small town near Stuttgart. I have no idea the name of either of those places.

We had some free time to explore Stuttgart on Saturday morning so we went to the Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical Gardens. It is a massive ...

... this small town, a stranger walking around with a backpack. I continued trying to circle past the school, and came upon the Scheible building again. Too much circling! Okay, I had to head for the far end of the oval circle, and also this church was on top of a hill, so I had to head up. I set out again, this time focusing on reaching the high point of the oval. Road construction and a closed street was in my way, so twice I had to back track and find an alternate route. Finally I got ...

... 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...

Caught a night train from Vienna and arrived in Stuttgardt in the morning. Had a great day wandering and seeing the sights. Yet another map from yet another tourist info place. More statues and old buildings (Boring right? Not by a long shot). Still walking around wide-eyed like kids at Disneyland.

... something more countries need to adopt. Sonja was a bit upset at the waiter for taking my money instead of hers - she and Wolfi had assured us when we first arrived that everything in Germany was free and that we were not to spend our money. After we left, we checked out a pretty old church and then the old rathaus, city hall, which I think had also been used as the residence of some nobleman. It is a very nice-looking and also somewhat imposing building with three levels and some ...