Maulbronn Monastery UNESCO World Heritage Site

If you are anywhere near Heidelberg or Frankfurt, please take the time to visit this amazing historical site.  I expected a series of austere rooms with not much to see, and I was wrong.

You will be thrilled if you are curious about how people in the middle ages built large structures from stone. There is a museum room showing construction tools and techniques.

Your neck will be tipped upwards nearly all the time if you are interested in architectural ceilings in churches and romanesque/gothic hallways.

We didn’t have a meal or snack inside the property, but there are several choices for both if you are hungry. There are gift shops, a small bookstore, an herb store, and a pharmacy. The bathrooms were modern! I feel like the photos speak for themselves.

Stuttgart Botanical Gardens and Zoo

Someone recently recommended the Stuttgart Zoo’s botanical gardens to me, and a visit from a friend finally brought me there. I’ve felt increasingly concerned about viewing animals living in small cages, to the point where I just don’t want to observe their misery anymore. Some zoos provide large living areas for animals, and the Stuttgart zoo even has some large birds roaming feely, so I was able to enjoy the time while avoiding a few sections.

The botanical gardens begin immediately at the gate, with a series of connected buildings yielding cacti behind glass, flowers, and a large koi fish pond. The grounds on the property are filled with beautiful plants and blossoms, and there is another large greenhouse up the hill.

My favorite giraffes were a mixed bunch: one was munching on the shrubbery, while another seemed less happy, perhaps trying to go back inside? The meercats were adorable, though difficult to photograph (I could have shown you a blur!).

There were plenty of families enjoying a picnic lunch on plentiful benches and grassy areas, while a restaurant at the back of the zoo provided standard cooked fare (schnitzel, fries), along with a substantial salad bar.

The sea lions performed for fish, and the large pelicans swam placidly along a pool, while egrets flew overhead. We didn't make it inside the aquarium this time- I'll report back once I do.

You can also see bison, ostriches, camels, and many more animals. The zoo and botanical gardens are easily accessible by the Stuttgart train system, “Wilhelma” stop. I would return with family and friends.

Garden mysteries solved!

The “before” photos have answers now! My odiferous friend has beautiful flowers, which make its early smell worthwhile. It grows fast and will need drastic trimming despite the lovely blossoms.

No photo of the butterfly bush, as the color is not showing yet. Could the tree be apple or quince? Delicate pink petals, waiting for the fruit. Stay tuned!

No lilies yet, and the random unidentified plant in the first post has simply grown more green so far.

The yellow blossoms are done, and the red stems are now covered in pale green leaves edged with white. I think the bleeding heart hypothesis is wrong- revised to peonies. 

The lawn has been mowed several times now, and thankfully the little white flowers keep popping up, which makes me happy. The photo above was a pleasant surprise- no idea these beauties were on the way!

I didn’t take pictures of the familiar forsythia and lilac in the back yard, which were so nice to see. Instead, two more bursts of blossoms popped up since the original mysteries post(above).

Also, the rhododendron in front of the house redeemed itself by overflowing with fuchsia heads of blossoms! I don’t know why I’ve never been a fan of rhodies, and it will still need trimming after the blooms are done, but not as much as I had planned.