Ludwigsburg, Germany

As much as I enjoy seeing new places, this is the second regional spot I’ve been to twice in less than a year, and both repeat visits were great! The first trip to the Ludwigsburg Palace was in June, when the gardens were blooming beautifully. Our GPS didn’t know its way around all the fancy multi-acre fenced-in grounds, which was a first-world problem! Just follow signs for parking (P in a blue square). The 30-35 minute drive is worth it.

There are several separate museums inside the Palace, and we saw the porcelain exhibit the first time. In addition to items inside the display cases, the floors were gorgeous parquet, and the walls were covered with silk! Typical of many European museums, all bags are required to be stored in no-cost lockers.

The fall visit included a fantastical display of every type of pumpkin, gourd, and squash imaginable! A new German acquaintance asked me to explain the difference between pumpkins and squash… um, gulp! A walking dictionary I am not, but I grabbed a pen to make a drawing of various veggies.

The outdoor paths were nicely decorated, and there were numerous snack and sales booths around the property. The pumpkin soup was tasty, but the pumpkin beverage didn’t match my taste buds.

This time, we went to the antique clothing museum, which was spectacular. In addition to women’s dresses, an amazing variety of accessories were displayed: bejeweled shoe buckles, embroidered buttons, handbags, bow ties, hats, shoes, and more. Too bad women couldn’t sit when wearing hoop skirts! The audio guide in multiple languages was included in the ticket price. No photos were allowed in this museum.

After touring the Palace museum and grounds, we walked just a few blocks to the old town part of Ludwigsburg. Lots of shops, cafes, and a pretty church square make it worth your time and effort. I look forward to returning!

Ordinary life

Regular life is not always fun/glamorous/travel filled! Sometimes it’s just the usual. There are stressful moments, but who wants to read about that? It’s nice to be back in a routine this fall. Handbell choir started up, complete with new participants, and also Bible study.

Regular choir is singing again- check out our nice view out the window of the rehearsal room. The weather in Germany has been getting cooler, with more rain and earlier dusk (8pm instead of 10pm), but there have still been a few warm days. It averages out nicely.

A German friend sold home-made donated cakes at the local festival, so I volunteered for a while after visiting with her. In addition to pizza and crepes, they sold grilled salmon and baked potatoes with sour cream! Some locals were complaining about the inefficiency of having only one cash register for 4 different food/beverage stations! Maybe they were right…

Then there are all the regular things, like laundry, getting the oil changed in the car, groceries, volunteering, gym, cleaning/yard work, and going to the library! Our 18 year old cat is slowing down, so a few extra TV shows on DVD mean relaxing couch time with the cat, who especially likes Mr. Monk detective shows. 

Mainau (again)- go twice!

It is worth it to check out the island of Mainau each season, as the blossoms change. I was especially thrilled to discover a hydrangea garden going up the hill behind the harbor restaurant. Who knew that there are dozens of varieties of hydrangeas??? My scientist friend wants to know if they maintain different soil ph levels on Mainau to keep the blossoms different colors?

Early summer is a great time to bring a picnic and eat outside on one of the many benches. The lake views are stunning, and visiting ducks will eventually take your “no” after they beg adoringly for snacks. Unless you succumb to their puppy-dog eyes (?) and general cuteness!

There is a small animal farm, a butterfly building, and an assortment of walking paths surrounded by flowers and trees. Of course there are plentiful cafes and restaurants, where you can get everything from salads to decadent cakes.

There are parking garages in the nearby town of Konstanz, which includes a boardwalk, pedestrian shopping zones along historic lanes, and more restaurants. This is where I discovered the Läderach Swiss chocolate shop, although I can now get that brand of chocolate in Stuttgart, too.

Tübingen for the 2nd and 3rd times, Bebenhausen on the way, Easter Egg museum further on

A return trip to this university town less than an hour south of Stuttgart yielded new discoveries in warmer weather. The boats were out on the river, and a pleasant ride ensued. You are welcome to bring beverages and snacks on the boat ride.

There is a wonderful room full of old books on the 2^nd floor over a tiny entrance across from the church, between an optometrist and a regular book store. The Hermann Hesse Kabinett shows where this famous German poet worked, and is a storage facility for shelves of beautiful antique tomes. I’m not sure if the staff speak English, but they probably do. There is no admission fee, and the tiny gift shop offer low cost books (at least one in English), postcards, calendar, etc.

If you are driving from Stuttgart, you will pass through the village of Bebenhausen in the blink of an eye. It is worth stopping in to the ancient walls and seeing historic buildings. You can walk around the property, or purchase admission to view the interior. I’d like to return and spend more time…this was just a quick stop.

There are no photos of the marvelous Easter Egg Museum in Sonnenbühl, but it is definitely worth the 20 minute drive along winding country roads past Tübingen to see a massive collection of decorated eggs. There are carved wood eggs, delicately engraved blown eggs, massive ostrich eggs, and an amazing series of decorated eggs from different cultures. Some have tiny pieces of straw that look like gold on the eggs, others are bejeweled by Faberge! There are limited opening hours, so check ahead of time.

Gozo Island- a Malta vacation favorite!

I usually like most parts of everywhere I go, and try to come across as generally positive about it all. That said, I especially recommend Gozo to you! If I have the opportunity to return to Malta, I will make every effort to stay some nights on Gozo. 

We took another van taxi from Sliema to the ferry between Malta and Gozo. When traveling in this direction by ferry, you pay when you return to Malta (just under 5 Euro per person round trip). The ferry was a smooth ride, and the gift shop had many English language publications- a bonus for expats living in Europe!

Our van and tour guide on Gozo were exceptional. We stopped in Victoria for more churches (gasp!), an extremely short shopping walk, and more friendly conversation with locals. It’s a good thing I’m perfectly happy with Cathedral gift shops, as this Pilgrimage did not feature touristy shopping destinations such as the glassblowers or lacemakers of Malta. There was free time though, which could have included shopping instead of siesta!

We had lunch in Xlendi, with spectacular views of the water, cliffs, and a cooling breeze. How to get my over-large luggage on the ferry and across the island to this place? A problem for another day. I know, I know, less luggage!

My favorite church felt so peaceful inside. The Basilica of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu was beautifully carved and naturally lit. It is known to be a place of healing, and the atmosphere was so different from the ostentatious decorations elsewhere. 

A friend recently said about another church that “it feels like the church is giving me a hug”. This simple yet stunning church invited me to rest, and was one of the few places that I didn’t want to leave to get somewhere else air conditioned.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a Pilgrim in Malta and Gozo!