Black Forest Trip

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December 11, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

We spent a long weekend in the Black Forest.

We stayed at the Terrassenpark Apartments in Sasbachwalden.

We cooked breakfast and dinner in our apartment. There were grills by the park too, but we didn’t get access to the grill grates as the caretaker had left for the weekend!

Recommended restaurants in the picturesque little town were this Teddy Bear-decorated place and another (Otto’s) for great salads.

It’s about 2 hours from Ramstein and almost 3 hours from Spangdahlem.

This was a great central location. It takes about an hour to go to Triberg or Wolfach or Kintzheim. It’s only 40 minutes to Strasbourg.

Our weekend itinerary:

Day 1: Friday

We visited Geroldsauer Waterfall and Mummelsee.

Day 2: Saturday

Morning: We went to Triberg for the waterfall and clock shop. Afternoon: We went to Monkey Mountain in Kintzheim, France!

Day 3: Sunday

We visited Dorothee’s Glass Hut in Wolfach and made vases!

Day 4: Monday

We hit Strasbourg, France, on the way home.

Other cool places we would love to go back to see!

We love Rick Steves for travel tips. We usually get books and videos from the library.

The flowery goodbye sign in Sasbachwalden:

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Triberg

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December 10, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

We visited Triberg for the waterfall and Oli’s Cuckoo Clock Shop.

The parking garage is right beside the river and these fun tikis with Bollenhut hats guard the area.

There’s a free public restroom across the bridge there.

To the right of the waterfall entrance, we found Oli’s Cuckoo Clock shop tucked away.

Oli’s is open from Easter until November every day from 10.00 a.m. till 6.00 p.m. In the winter months they are open irregular days and hours, so contact first!

We had a lovely tour of the shop and explanation of cuckoo clocks.

They explained that the “made in China” clocks have a little plastic button on the side. They are not handmade.

The workshop is amazing.

My favorite clocks were made with real mushrooms!

It was a difficult decision to choose a clock!

We finally all liked this one:

We got the family ticket to the Triberg Waterfall. There are several viewing platforms at different intervals and three different trails to follow.

Make sure to buy some popcorn for the birds and squirrels!

The path zigzags up to the top of the falls.

There’s a gazebo with seats for resting or taking pictures.

We watched the birds and squirrels for quite a long time.

This nutcracker bird cracked us up!

There’s this platform to stand on if you climb up this huge rock. It’s the perfect opportunity for a lovely scenic waterfall backdrop.

Waterfall Information:

Monday to Friday
09:00 to 17:00

July – August
Saturdays and Sundays
10:00 to 17:00

There is a parking lot near the waterfall entrance.

Waterfall Tickets:

Adults: €4,00

Children 8-17: €3,50

Family ticket: €9,50

See our entire Black Forest Weekend Itinerary.

Triberg is about 3 hours from Ramstein and 3.5 hours from Spangdahlem.

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Mummelsee

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December 9, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

At the recommendation of Sascha from our hotel, we first visited Mummelsee after arriving in the Black Forest.

The kids had fun with the photo op:

We walked around the lake.

The trees, wildflowers, and rocks were lovely.

The girls loved sunbathing on the deck at the far end of the lake. We walked around the lake on the trail.

The Mummelsee takes its name from the white water lilies popularly known as “mummel.” The lake is 1,036 meters above sea level. It’s a glacial cirque lake.

The lake is a great place to play at the playground, shop, walk, sunbathe, rent a paddleboat, eat, or stay.

We all loved the mermaid statue!

The kids wanted a photo with her.

We loved seeing the fun rock formations and little trickles of water along the trail.

The kids had never seen a rock dispenser before. So much better than candy!

This was a great activity after a couple hours in the car!

The kids played at the playground for a bit. We glanced in the gift shops – lots of fun things and snacks for now or later. We got a drink to share.

Mummelsee is about 2 hours from Ramstein and 3 hours from Spangdahlem.

See our entire Black Forest Weekend Itinerary.

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Dorothee’s Glass Hut

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December 8, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

The highlight of our Black Forest trip in September was Dorothee’s Glass Hut.

We toured the museum, created our very own glass vases, looked in the shop, and dined in the restaurant.

We were fascinated with watching the glass blowing.

These tools are great!

Here are the colored bits of glass that make the pretty designs.

We chose our 3-4 colors and he added them to the molten glass ball.

We blew the vases and the man shaped them.

Then he cut the vases off the pipe onto the tray.

We waited for them to set about an hour.

Then the vases were polished.

Here are our completed vases with lovely swirly designs.

Katie has been obsessed with glass art for quite some time, so this was a fun artsy trip for her and the rest of our family to blow our own glass vases!

Information about Dorothee’s Glass Hut:

Tour (without any commentary):
Each time the opening times daily 9:00- 17:00, last admission 16:30

Includes visit to Production and Museum, grinding and engraving, cinema

Glass bubbles for visitors:
Daily 9:00- 17:00 (last admission 16:30) Price per vase: €15

Sales Room:

Daily (including Sundays and public holidays): 9:00 – 17:30

Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Family ticket (2 adults. To 4 children): €12,00

Adult: €5,00

Students (6 to 18 years / 1 – 6 years free): €3,00

Dorothee’s Glass Hut is about 2.5 hours from Ramstein and 3.5 from Spangdahlem.

See our entire Black Forest Weekend Itinerary.

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Monkey Mountain

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December 1, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Our whole family enjoyed a visit to Monkey Mountain, La Montagne des Singes.

This zoo is about 45 minutes from Strasbourg, so it’s a perfect side trip.

Information:

More than 200 Barbary macaques roam free in 60 acres of beautiful forest.

The visit lasts approximately one hour
The path is 800 meters long
No pets are allowed in the park
Popcorn given at the entrance is the only food allowed in the park
Feeding talks are about every 45 minutes

The guide at the entrance opens the gate and scoops out about a handful of popcorn for each group. There are guides posted around the park to ensure safety of both the humans and monkeys.

The boys were a bit nervous at first.

The kids enjoyed feeding the monkeys.

Only 1 piece of popcorn in a flat, outstretched palm.

The monkeys interested in eating perched on the fences and benches.

I felt like I was in my very own National Geographic special – up close with all these gorgeous monkeys!

I love how the babies get piggyback rides.

There’s a lookout point on a hill that gives a nice view of much of the park.

This little guy was all by himself, playing on the logs at the base of this tree.

These acrobatic monkeys romped on the ropes and tree. One fell in the water and looked mighty embarrassed.

These “teenage” monkeys displayed by shaking this sign and screaming.

I made sure everyone had fed the monkeys plenty before I had my turn. They’re very quick and gentle with soft fingers.

This was a memorable trip. The kids all loved seeing the monkeys up close and feeding them!

Opening times 2016:

Open every day from 19 March to 6 November. Also open on the 11, 12 and 13 November.

March*, April: 10.00-12.00 / 13.00-17.00
May, June: 10.00-12.00 / 13.00-18.00
1st July – July 10: 10.00 to 18.00
July 11 to August 23: 9.30 to 18.00
August 24 to Aug 31: 10:00 to 18.00
September: 10.00-12.00 / 13.00-18.00
October, November**: 10.00-12.00 / 13.00-17.00

* from the 19 March
** only from the 1 to 6 and on the 11, 12, and 13 November

On Sundays and Bank holidays, the park is open without a break at lunchtime.

Last entrance: ½ hour before the park closes

Prices 2016:

Adults 9,00 €
Children (5 to 14 years old) Free

Monkey Mountain is about 2.5 hours from Ramstein and 3.5 hours from Spangdahlem.

See our entire Black Forest Weekend Itinerary.

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A Day in Strasbourg

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November 24, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Strasbourg is a great short trip for a day or weekend.

We parked in a public lot and crossed the river to walk towards the cathedral.

They call this district La Petite France because it retains the Alsatian charm of when where artisans plied their trades here in the Middle Ages. I’m sure it’s really beautiful in summer.

We were excited to find Place Gutenberg right away and got a picture with the statue of Gutenberg holding the Bible.

There are oodles of cafes and shops on the streets around the cathedral.

I didn’t much care for the feel of the city. It doesn’t hold the magic of other French towns we’ve been to. I don’t care about the touristy booths and shops.

We ate lunch at Zuem Strissel. We never researched anything and just chose at random.

It was pretty good. Our waiter was hilarious and a tease. His name was Alexander and was delighted to share a name with our son. He even gifted Alex a wine glass after learning Alex loved the shape and green stem.

Liz’s steak was a dream.

After lunch, we visited the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg.

How we do love gargoyles.

Strasbourg Cathedral Rose Window and Organ

We chose not to pay to see the astronomical clock function on the hour (mostly because we didn’t feel like waiting around another hour).

We got to see the clock just fine inside the cathedral.

Opening Times:

Open every day
7 a.m. to 11.20 a.m.
0.35 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.

No visits during services.

Astronomical Clock:

4.60 Euros for adults

2.30 Euros for under 18

On the way back to the car, Katie wanted to buy a baguette.

She popped into this darling bakery, greeted the madame, ordered her baguette, and paid – all in French!

Makes this mama proud to have culturally aware kiddos.

There are some other churches worth seeing and some lovely museums, but we only came to see the cathedral.

Strasbourg is the official seat of the European Parliament, which it shares with Brussels. We passed the modern building as we left the city.

Strasbourg is about 2 hours from Ramstein and almost 3 hours from Spangdahlem.

See our entire Black Forest Weekend Itinerary.

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Karlsruhe Zoo and Botanical Garden

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November 2, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

We took the train from Landstuhl to the Karlsruhe Zoo.

The entrance had a lovely sundial.

We like giraffes.

Alex is OBSESSED with foxes.

Kangaroos!

Polar bear was posing for us.

The hippos were delightful!

The otters were our favorite!

Check out my video of the Otters!

They had a fun splashy water feature.

We had a great time at the Karlsruhe Zoo!

Entrance fees:

Adults € 7,50

Students €5,00

Children 6-15: €3,50

Opening Times:

Summer: 08:00 – 18:00

Winter: 09:00 – 16:00, 17:00, or 17:30 (check for closing times during the month you visit)

Getting there:

We took the DB train from Landstuhl and switched lines at Neustadt. It was fun for the kids and easy to not have to drive or find parking. Kids are free during the week! When we exited the station, the zoo was directly across the street. Watch out for all the trolleys! We all got ice cream at the train station before we boarded the train for the trip back. Only €1 for a cone!

By car, it’s about 1 hour from Ramstein and 2.5 hours from Spangdahlem.

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Hohenecken Castle Ruins

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October 26, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

We explored the Hohenecken Castle Ruins one afternoon.

It’s an easy drive from the KMC area. We were pleasantly surprised by this little gem in the woods.

We drove to Hohenecken village and parked in the public lot down the street from the entrance.

We walked and followed the signs to this hiking trail. Wild blackberries and pretty flowers lined the path.

The kids had fun walking up the hill and peeking through the trees to see the castle. It’s fun to see the wildflowers and berries.

The castle walls are still well-preserved.

The kids loved the little medieval festival that we didn’t even know was happening. Displays of knight’s armor, traditional cooking methods, and crafts were entertaining for the kids. We’ll review this for medieval studies in history!

There were handmade leather boots and naturally dyed yarn from local plants and berries.

The imperial castle “Honecken”, first mentioned in 1212, was constructed for the protection of the imperial lands and the imperial palace. It was the seat of the dynasty of the estate officials of Hohenecken whose members rose to high office. In 1481 one quarter of the castle was sold to the Electorate of the Palatinate. In 1525, during the Peasants’ War, it was ravaged by peasants.
Around 1560 the castle was expanded. Following disputes between the Hohenecken family and the Electorate, it was partially destroyed in 1668 and completely blown up by French troops in 1689 during the Palatine War of Succession. The ruins are one of the most impressive testimonies of Hohenstaufen architecture.

The tower and tree in the courtyard.

Keep an eye on the kids if they wander and explore. There are no railings and lots of rubble, holes, places with no steps.

The view from the castle of the village:

The ruins and festival were free, which we love! It’s an easy hike with kids. They had fun exploring.

Hohenecken is about 20 minutes from Ramstein and 1.5 hours from Spangdahlem.

Studying Castles and the Middle Ages

Resources:

A Medieval Feast Unit Celebration
Knights and Castles Lapbook
This castle-shaped lapbook is way cute!
Lots of Middle Ages activities from Homeschool Share
Middle Ages Notebooking & Coloring Pages
Medieval Unit Study

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A Weekend in London

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October 15, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

September is perfect for a long weekend in London.

After a very eventful morning of getting up and out of the house about 4 AM to find out my flight was delayed about 6 hours, I finally arrived in London, took the coach to Victoria Station, got turned around upon leaving the station, and walked about 5K to my hotel.

I figured as long as the River Thames was to my right, I would eventually find Trafalgar Square!

I walked past Big Ben and was in awe.

I finally checked in to the Thistle hotel.

I found a lovely welcome gift!

Evening 1

I loved seeing Trafalgar Square and all the people and fun performers!

Then I set out to explore that evening as much as I could.

I went east from Trafalgar Square and walked down the Strand.

I rushed to get me some Twinings Tea before they closed.

I couldn’t take ten steps without snapping pictures of churches, signs, history.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is just lovely.

I love the dichotomy of the modern Salvation Army building and the Saint Mary Somerset Tower.

I crossed the Milennium Bridge and walked back up by the river.

I was too tired to walk down to Tower Bridge, but I got this lovely picture.

I loved seeing Shakespeare’s Globe!

I got exhausted walking and took a river bus.

I loved seeing the Parliament building and Big Ben clocktower all lit up at night.

I ate fish and chips for dinner at Garfunkel’s.

I tried my first British Ale: Fuller’s London Pride. Gorgeous.

Day 2

I ordered a traditional English breakfast with room service. It was just lovely. I heard the best breakfast is at Regency Cafe.

I took a taxi to King’s Cross Station.

And I had to do this before getting on my train!

There’s a fun Harry Potter shop where I got loads of gifts for my kids!

I grabbed a delicious steak and onion pasty for the train ride.

I spent the day exploring the UK Young Living offices.

I went to Chinatown when I got back to London.

I ate dinner at the Feng Shui Inn, because Sherlock.

I wandered around West End before collapsing in bed to watch Doctor Who.

Day 3

I grabbed a great coffee from Pret a Manger.

I walked past Buckingham Palace.

Then I saw Westminster all aglow in the morning sunshine.

I spent all morning and afternoon in conference sessions.

I ate at a pub on the way home. Upstairs had a carvery, but there were no more seats. I ordered off the pub menu downstairs.

Look at all those gorgeous ales!

The waitress brought me a gorgeous ale sampler when I asked for suggestions.

I had a lovely steak dinner at The Albert. I decided on a Sharp’s Doom Bar.

This lovely Canadian couple sat next to me and took this picture of me.

Day 4

I went to morning worship at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. They film it for BBC.

Sunday Worship at St Martin in the Fields

I went to the National Gallery where they had a special exhibit of van Gogh and Impressionists.

I explored Piccadilly Circus just as the market was closing.

I ate dinner at The Globe Pub.

I finally got my carvery! Just look at that Yorkshire pudding! With a pint of Truman’s Swift. This is a great beer!

Then since it was my last night, a pint of Camden Pale Ale. I’m not usually a fan of pales, but this was good.

A final hurrah of cappuccino cake and mochaccino from Caffe Nero!

London is a great city to explore and I don’t think I would ever have enough time to do it right. I can’t wait to go back with the family and explore even more!