My First Castle Experience

As you'd know, or maybe you wouldn't, there are no castles in the Philippines. And well, my idea of a castle is a bit romanticized by the Walt Disney castle which apparently was inspired from the Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria, Germany. So, one of the places I wanted to see was das Schloss (the castle) in Karlsruhe. It was a bit "modern" in that I mean the towers and the rambling parts of castle in my mind were missing. But my gosh, the garden was soooo amazing! I'm not sure if I'm explaining this part well so feel free to correct me: it's actually the center of the city such that all major roads fan out and lead to it.

Here are some pictures:










It was such a pretty day! The first day that I dared to wear my stiletto heels which I therefore learned to never wear again (hint: cobblestones!).

Günther-Klotz-Anlage

I think this is the name of the pretty park we went to one laid back Saturday afternoon in KA. The thing about parks in Germany is that they are HUGE. I mean, before Germany, when one says park, I'd automatically associate it with Fuente (in Cebu) or Gaston Park and MacArthur Park (in CDO). And both are associated with illegal and illicit activities! But anyway, I can't come near saying, pronouncing the name of this park if indeed Günther-Klotz-Anlage is the name! It sounds like "Gunther is a klutz, isn't he"?

I just refer to it as, "that pretty place with a lake?" And Kasten would say, "Um, we went to lots of nice places with lakes." Ad I'd make another attempt, "You know, the one with a playgrounnd." And even though he knows which place it is that I mean, he gives me a hard time and says, "I'm not really sure, we did go to a lot of other playgrounds..." and me, "NO WE DID NOT! THE SCHLOSS GARTEN HAS NO PLAYGROUND! We went to this place that usually holds some free concerts during the summer, blah-blah-blah..." And then he gives me a break and admits, "Oh, you mean Günther-Klotz-Anlage?" And I'm, like, "Yeah, that, Gunther is a klutz, isn't he, whatever!"




Some nice views (with the "dead trees")

While Daddy is at work...

... we take more pictures!

DANIE DOESN'T WANT TO CLEAN!

'nuff said!

At IAS

IAS is where Karsten works as a refrigerator and gas range consultant with clients varying from big freezer corporations to ordinary freezer home owners.

I'M KIDDING!!!

IAS, Industrial Application (Applications?) Software is really this firm filled with nerdy guys who program stuff for other people, that would be the long and short of it. And Karsten's one of those nerdy men ;-) (Babe you can edit this)

And I cannot remember his explanation why there's a piano in his office. Or maybe it's because he can't remember either why there's one there.

Request

All I can remember about this "photo shoot" is that upon seeing the pictures, Karsten asked me not to post them. I insisted that I would. Then he just hoped no one would notice his sock...

Im bett mit Papa

Which I hope translates to "In bed with papa"

Still in Wendlingen

As we spent the weekend there, here are pics of the morning after:

Danie taking her morning nap at 10am:


Another favorite picture






mirror fun!





Eating Keks (cookies)




Short stop in Stuttgart for coffee and the skybeach and then heading back to the flat in Karlsruhe:


Hair disaster



Back in KA

Walk in Tübingen

That afternoon, we then drove to Tübingen, some 45 minutes away from Wendlingen, for a really pretty walk. The place is absolutely gorgeous. It's a university city so there are lots of cool looking cafes, cozy looking coffee shops and of course, the romantic cobble stones. Well, the cobblestones are all over Germany but this is my first experience with it PLUS the glamor of the place, I was just overwhelmed. We had coffee at a sunny coffee shop overlooking the River Neckar at Regina's (Karsten's mom's) suggestion having been there before. We then went down near the river bank to look at the ducks! Why are ducks pretty in DE? I mean, they're quite ugly here, really. Sigh. Maybe everything is just pretty and beautiful and gergeous when you're with the ones you love. I mean, to find ducks in DE pretty?! That's absurd! But I'm remembering the moment and all I can think about was that on that quite afternoon, after coffee and small talk and picture-taking, the ducks we watched were of beauty-queen material...



Papa and Oma fussing over Danie


Reading the Zeitzung mit papa at this nice cafe




One of my favorite pics:


Looking at the ducks (ok, posing for the cam first)


One can actually see the coffee shop, upper right of the picture, those 2nd row from the bottom glass panes...


The ducks