Category: Travel Posts

ICE Train

Nuremberg

On By StevenIn International Travel - Inside Germany3 Comments

Friday was a holiday here in Bavaria. It was Epiphany, a Christian holiday celebrating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus.  Since the office was closed, it seemed like a great day to take a day trip out of Regensburg.   First stop- the train station!

ICE Train

The ICE (Inter City Express) trains here are amazing.  They look a bit like Disney’s Monorail trains.  They’re fast, quiet, and smooth as glass.  The seats are incredibly comfortable as well, and it was actually very affordable.

The destination?  Nuremberg!   I’d heard that there was a toy museum there, and indeed there is- Nuremberg is apparently quite large in the toy community, and there’s even an International Toy Fair held there every year.

The train station in Nuremberg is significantly larger than the one in Regensburg, so we had to walk a bit to get out of it.  This is in the center of it:

Nuremberg wall.

Once in Nuremberg, we were on foot, so it’s hard to miss things like this whopping great cathedral.  I like the one in Regensburg better, but I think that’s just home-team pride speaking.

The goal for the day was to visit the Spielzeug, aka the Nuremberg  Toy Museum.  It was four stories tall and contained toys going back to the middle ages, including a great toy train section and an entire room full of creepy porcelain dolls.  They also put ALF, Babar, Garfield, E.T., and some Star Wars figures into the same display case, so that was fun for me.  Unfortunately, this picture is the only one I can show you, because they didn’t allow photography inside.

Toy museum

After we finished at the museum, we walked around the city for a while.   Almost everything was closed for the holiday, with the exception of restaurants, cafes, and museums, but that didn’t stop the street musicians from trying-  I’ve never seen so many accordions one any day that didn’t involve a Weird Al concert.  We also saw people dressed in the appropriate costumes for the holiday, and we ran into some Mormon missionaries who, as amusing coincidence would have it, one lived in the town where our company’s Utah office is located.  There was also this man, the bubble maker.  He was fascinating to watch, and the second bubble photograph seen here is my favorite picture from the entire day.

Bubble manBubble!

I didn’t learn of Nuremberg’s famous castle until after we returned from the trip.  (Note to self: When travelling in Germany, always check for castles.  They’re everywhere here, like Starbucks back in the U.S.)  I did, however, learn of Schöner Brunnen, the site of a rather amazing fountain surrounded by a wrought iron fence.  There is a golden ring welded into the fence which is said to bring good fortune to those who touch it.  Naturally, I had to see this one for myself…

Schöner BrunnenNuremberg Ring

That was pretty much it for the trip to Nuremberg though, except for lunch (average pasta) and dessert (amazing apple strudel).  I really need to re-think the idea of traveling on holidays.  It’s got to be much more interesting when things are open.

Now I need to decide where to go for my next trip!

Eleven Eleven Eleven.

On By StevenIn International Travel - Europe, Life In Germany4 Comments

One week from right now, I’ll be on a plane that is nearing its final approach into Dusseldorf.  I’ll land in Germany at around 7 AM local time, and I’ll have a nice breakfast in my new country while I wait for my connecting flight to Munich.  I didn’t realize that I was starting my journey to Germany on 11/11/11 until somebody else pointed that out to me; it’s kind of interesting though.  It’s an auspicious date to begin a new adventure.

In my mind’s eye, I picture that first weekend.  I’ll get to the hotel in Regensburg on Saturday afternoon.  I’ll check in, drop off my stuff, change to clothing that hasn’t seen three airports and two continents, and then go back outside.  I’ll walk toward the downtown area or whatever strike’s my fancy, and I’ll explore.  Finding an apartment is very high on my to-do list, but I won’t push that until the Monday after I arrive.  On that Monday, I’ll get my bank account sorted out.  I’ll go into the office and meet my new team.  I’ll check out my desk, set up my new computer, get situated there.

This blog has been very quiet from the last post on the third of October.  That isn’t a sign that nothing has been going on, it’s a sign that everything has been going on.  I’ve inventoried my stuff, and sent it on its way.  Eleven boxes of my clothing, linens, and kitchen goods are currently sitting in the Port of Miami.  They’ll leave before me and arrive to Germany after me, probably clearing customs right around my birthday.

A pasta boat in a box in a crate on a boat. Yeah.

I’ve also done some basic cold weather gear shopping.  I’ve lived my entire life in Florida, and I haven’t really ever experienced a true winter, let alone snow for more than a day.  Luckily, there’s a ski shop nearby- yes, a ski shop in South Florida.  They’re very knowledgable and very helpful.  Over the last month, I’ve acquired a heavy multi-layer jacket, a pair of boots capable of handling snow and ice, some gloves, a pair of scarves, and some inner layer clothing for especially cold days.  I don’t know what this cold is going to feel like, but I suspect I’ll need to buy a little bit more cold weather gear once I get into the thick of it.  At least I’ve got a starter set of warm stuff though.

One week from right now, I’ll be arriving in Germany.

Whoa.