Leisure tip - what to do this week-end with kids - indoor activity

We still hope for better weather but you never know. In case this week-end turns out to be like the others, maybe you want to got to Kornwestheim and have a look at the new children's theme park from Ravensburger. Ravensburger has a long tradition for producing table games for the whole family. I think everybody here in Germany knows at least some of them.
 There is also a fair for all kind of games in Stuttgart in November.
Have a look at the videos of the Ravensburger games.

 The company is situated in Ravensburg, at Lake Constance where they also have a theme park and a museum.
This Weekend a new theme park for children will be opened in Kornwestheim. Mascot "Ravo" of Ravensburger Kinderwelt will be welcoming kids and grown-ups  on 2100 square meters and two floors in the Center of Kornwestheim.
Sixteen themes will be presented:
The moonwalk presents characters from the "crazy Labyrinth", bumper cars remember the game "catch the hat" and the children and their parents can play an electronically controlled Memory on a huge Screen.
Since we still have quite a chilly spring a visit to Ravensburger Kinderwelt might be an interesting alternative. Kornwestheim can be easily reached in 15 minutes by Train or in 20 minutes by car.

German Mill Day 2013

The 19th of May this year was a special day for all the mills in Germany. Most of them open their doors, there are guided tours and information brochures and special events.

We decided to have a look at two of the grain mills. One is in Vaihingen where they combined the mill day with a large fair and the possibility to have a trip on the river on a raft or punt boat.

We had a tour of the grain mill from top to bottom with lots of insight in the procedures.
Then we tasted the home made bread made from the flour which is also sold directly at the mill.

A couple of bags of flour went in the car, so we will try to make our own bread at home.

Then we had the opportunity to have a guided tour around the mill with loads of inside Information.
Here are a few pictures.

Prohibited to go with the Elevator.

But we could!

Sersheim has another grain mill with a small store, a gym and even a little theater where they present Swabian comedy. There were special events for children, lots of tables outside with the possibility to have a drink and taste some of their home made products.

 

We also had the possibility to have a look at their Museum - just the entrance because they were closing but let us in to take a couple of Pictures:

 

Stuttgart Summer Festival

This year Stuttgart presents the 23d Summer Festival from the 1rst to the 4rth of August 2013.
The program is not yet published for this year but you will find a large variety of different live acts like every year. Just have a look at the program of last year.

It hadn't been planned like that in former times. Originally the festival was supposed to be a one off event for the final of the bicycle world championsship in 1991.
The festival was a great success and has been repeated for 22 times until now. Still it is very successful and appreciated by lots of visitors.

The castle square in the center of Stuttgart is packed with white tents, last year there were 29 different locations where you could try specialities and have a glass of beer or wine. 36 bands were playing live on 5 stages during these 4 days.

Trip Tip - Swabian Alb

If you wish to stay for a longer time in the Stuttgart area, having a look at the surroundings is also interesting, maybe have a stay in the Erms valley.
In less than half an hour you will find a landscape which offers a bit of everything:
Shopping in Metzingen, hiking and a visit to the "Bärenhöhle" (bear's cave) or a swim in the Alb-Therme of Bad Urach.

Here are some suggestions for your day trip:
Shopping
Metzingen, also called Outlet City or town of the good bargains or Mecca of outlet Shopping, fulfills all of your purchasing needs. More than three million visitors from 180 countries come here every year.
As a city with a long tradition in the textile industry since the 18th century, the development in Metzingen began with the settlement of the first weavers and tanners, then the first textile factories were erected until the first outlet store by the brand Boss in the 70s. In the meantime the Shopping Event is linked to special events like Sunday Shopping (which in Germany is not a Standard), midnight Shopping (not even that) and XXL-Shopping on bridge days.
From Monday thru Friday the shops are open from 10 am to 8 pm, on Saturdays from 9 am to 8 pm. More than 3000 parking spaces for cars, shuttle busses and a good train connection are at hand.


 
Hiking, Biking, Climbing
In 2009 the Swabian Alb got the Rating biosphere reserve by the UNESCO. The hiking trail Albsteig from Donauwörth to Tuttlingen runs for about 350 km. Bad Urach offers 45 different hiking round trails on 210 km as well.
Bikers drive along the 15 km cherry round route from the fruit Meadows of Dettingen to the catchment lake of Glems to Neuhausen, passing the vineyards of Metzingen to come back.
Longer tours are the Long distance bikeway Schwäbische Alb and the route along the Deutsche Fachwerkstrasse. Mountain bikers love the Bike X-ing with 400 km and 10.000 m in altitude.
Also the Albtrauf offers a great challenge for sporting bike riders.
The Albtrauf also presents a great attraction to climbers who have the possibility to choose between 20 rocks with 500 different routes on the mostly perpendicular or slightly overhanging walls.

 Panorama view of Albtrauf



If the weather is more unfortunate you can take a trip to the Caves: Nebelhöhle, Falkensteiner Höhle or Bärenhöhle.

Culinary
The region has a rich offer of typical products, often produced in the traditional way:
Alb buffaloes, apple cider and Juice from old apple varieties, biosphere sausage and snails from the Alb can be tried on site or brought as souvenirs.

Video: Schäferlauf Bad Urach - Shepherds Run Bad Urach


Events
On the 21rst of July the traditional Urach Shepherds Run is on. In bare feet the unmarried shepherds - male or female- run every two years across the stubblefield. This year the Event takes place again.
On the 19th and 20th of May there is the 27th Swabian Craft Market on the Kelternplatz in Metzingen.
People interested in sports could take part - actively or passively in the sixth Ermstal-Marathon on the 14th of July.

Castles, horses and Museums
A tour to the Castles could go to Hohengundelfingen, Bichishausen, Hohenhundersingen and Hohen Neuffen
An extraordinary easter egg Museum is situated in Sonnenbühl and the stud Museum is Close to the famous stud farm of Marbach. The outdoor-museum in Beuren brings you to a bygone era and you have the possibility to learn a lot about life of yesteryear.



For more Information go the webiste of Tourismusgemeinschaft Mythos Schwäbische Alb e.V.

Festival season - May

The first outside festivals in the regions start in the end of April/ beginning of May. First of May is a holiday and most people are outside, either doing the first bike tours or walking to the nearest beer tent to have a bite and a glass of beer.
Around the beginning of May there is also a large Western festival in Sersheim. US-Aficionados meet in their gear, build up their tents and have a good time for a couple of days out in the "wild south of Germany"
This year it is running from 1rst of May until the following weekend.
Have a look at the pictures: