Tag Archives: Stuttgart

anecdotes, Baden-Württemberg, Hessen

Life in Wiesbaden vs. Life near Stuttgart… ten things I’ve noticed

Please be sure to read the update…  

Bill and I didn’t go out yesterday.  The weather was horrible.  It was dark, cold, and rainy, and a lot of stuff is closed on Sundays in Germany, anyway.  If we’d put our minds to it, maybe we could have found something to do, but I wasn’t in the mood to go out.  Instead, we stayed in, watched a lot of TV, and drank cocktails.

I do still have a work ethic, though, despite having long ago given up the working woman’s lifestyle.  I felt kind of guilty for neglecting the travel blog yesterday, since there are a handful of people who follow it and look for new posts.  I usually update on the weekends if I haven’t gone out of town.  Saturday, I was successful, but yesterday I was not.  So… today, I decided I’d write about the differences I’ve noticed between living in Wiesbaden and living near Stuttgart.

Bear in mind, I’ve only been in Wiesbaden for two months.  And our lives have been affected by the weather, the holidays, and the fact that we’re just now getting used to the area and finding stuff.  As it is every time we move, I’m having to get used to a new rhythm.  Yes, Wiesbaden is still Germany, and some German stuff is universal to the experience.  But just as it would be in the United States, there are some differences.  So with that idea, here are ten differences in life in Wiesbaden versus life near Stuttgart.

Stuttgart…

Wiesbaden…

10.  Wiesbaden is more “built up”.

I don’t know why, but I was under the impression that life was more bucolic up here in Wiesbaden.  Maybe it’s the name of the city, which translates to Meadow Bath.  To me, Wiesbaden is more crowded than the Stuttgart area is.  There are many narrow streets here– even more than down in Stuttgart– and they are crowded with cars.  I was thinking we’d be able to find a rural area in which to live, but just about everywhere we looked was very built up and crowded.  That may be because there are several good sized cities here as opposed to just one.  We have Frankfurt, Mainz, and Wiesbaden, all of which have at least 500,000 inhabitants.

9.  People are more laid back in Wiesbaden.

Despite the area being more “crowded”, I have noticed people don’t seem as cranky in the Wiesbaden area.  Or maybe I’m just becoming German…  I remember being taken aback when we moved to Stuttgart the first time.  People seemed grouchy and “in your face”.  It seemed slightly less like that during our second stint there, probably because I was more accustomed to German bluntness.  Here in Wiesbaden, I wouldn’t say people are necessarily friendlier, but they seem less uptight for some reason.  Maybe I should spend more time in traffic.

8.  Traffic isn’t as bad up here.

I don’t know why, either.  It’s not that there isn’t a lot of traffic.  There is.  But for some reason, we don’t experience the legendary Staus we did in the Stuttgart area.

7.  Wiesbaden is not as pretty as Stuttgart is…

Actually, I should rephrase that.  The city of Wiesbaden is very beautiful and posh.  Stuttgart is kind of industrial and homely.  In that sense, I’d say Wiesbaden is prettier than Stuttgart is.  However, the areas around Stuttgart are absolutely lovely, while Wiesbaden’s surroundings seem to have less beauty, natural or otherwise.  I really miss the beautiful views from our old house, as well as the charming towns that weren’t decimated during World War II.  Forgive me, but I’m not as well-versed in history as I should be.  Nevertheless, there’s not as much quaint charm in the Wiesbaden area.  It takes more effort to see the half-timbered houses one sees in BW.

6.  Wiesbaden is more international than Stuttgart is. 

I come from Virginia and sometimes, when I compare Wiesbaden to Stuttgart, I think of what it would be like to move from, say, Richmond, to northern Virginia.  Stuttgart feels very much like the state capital it is, while Wiesbaden, being so close to Frankfurt, feels more like the national capital it isn’t.  A lot of different kinds of people come through Wiesbaden because it’s close to Frankfurt.  Consequently, it feels somewhat more cosmopolitan, although I’ve read that if you really want to party, you need to go to Frankfurt or Mainz.  Wiesbaden apparently has a reputation for being “stuffy” and “snooty”, thanks to all the money up here.

5.  There’s more money in Wiesbaden.

Swabians are reputed to be tight with their money.  Nevertheless, I thought Stuttgart was an expensive area to live in.  That was before I went looking for a house in Wiesbaden.  We pay almost twice as much (including Nebenkosten) for our current home than we did for our house in Unterjettingen.  However, our new house is also much nicer than our last one was.  Our landlord lives next door, but never bothers us… and when something needs to be fixed, he doesn’t freak out.

4.  There’s more farming in Stuttgart.

One thing I miss about our old area is that we lived near several farms where we could buy produce on our honor.  I won’t say this doesn’t exist in Wiesbaden, but it’s harder to find it.  I’m not sure we’ll find a 24 Milch Tankstelle up here, either.  On the other hand, up in the Wiesbaden area, there are wine stands.  They should be cranking out Federweisser soon.

3.  The food is kind of different and there seems to be less emphasis on beer.

In the Stuttgart area, the emphasis was on heavy, hearty German fare in the Gasthauses and there were many different breweries, all putting out beers that pretty much tasted the same.  Up here in Wiesbaden, the emphasis is more on wine.  I thought Stuttgart was wine country, and it kinda is, but it’s even more wine country near the Rhein.  I suppose if I want a good Volksfest, I’m going to have to pack my dirndl and pay Stuttgart a visit.

2.  Wiesbaden is growing on me…

It’s nice to have a change in scenery.  I’m looking forward to spring, when the weather will be better and we can take some day trips on the weekends.  The weather up here, by the way, seems to be less cold and snowy.  When I read about snow in Stuttgart, I look out our window forlornly and see nothing but rain.  But maybe it will be somewhat milder all the way around.  Like, in the summer, I won’t bake.  One can hope.

1.  But I kind of miss Stuttgart a little, too…

If the weather has to be cold and yucky, I like it to snow.  We have yet to have our first decent snow up here.  I know the town where I used to live has gotten some white stuff.  I miss having a nice area to walk my dogs, too.  We were literally next to the Black Forest down in the Stuttgart area.  Here, they get walked by a grocery store near the Autobahn.  On the other hand, we do have a fenced in backyard, which is great.  Still, I was thinking wistfully about how beautiful the rural areas near Stuttgart are.  I do miss them.

I may have to revise this post after we’ve been here a bit longer.  I’m making a list of places to see on the weekends, once the weather is nice.  I look forward to day trips to the Rhein, at the very least, and new castles.  I miss the mountains, though.  Maybe I’d feel differently if we’d lived in Wiesbaden first.

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My very first visit to the Corso Kino in Vaihingen…

I don’t go to the movies very often anymore.  Before this afternoon, I had not been to a movie theater since June 2011, when Bill and I visited a theater on a whim while vacationing in Portland, Maine.  I recall we saw Midnight in Paris because my back was hurting and I didn’t want to walk anymore.  It was a good film, but it didn’t make me want to go to the movies again.  For whatever reason, I just don’t enjoy them that much… at least not in a theater.  I’d rather watch movies at home on my couch, where no one blocks my view, talks too much, or gets mad when I need to get up to pee.

The place to be if you want to see movies in their original language…

Still, even I couldn’t help but notice all my friends gushing about Bohemian Rhapsody.  I happen to love Queen and am very grateful that I was born at a time when there were still so many legendary bands in their prime.  Freddie Mercury was a genius.  I remember when he died, just one day after he told the world that he was suffering from AIDS.  I grew up at a time when a lot of great people were dying from AIDS.  He was just one of many beautiful souls who passed when he was much too young.  Bohemian Rhapsody is the story of Queen, and how Freddie Mercury made that band his family, creating amazing music that was distinctly its own.

The official trailer…

 

Bill loves to go to the movies, so he was only too happy to reserve tickets for us at the Corso Kino, a movie theater in Vaihingen that shows original versions of films, sometimes with English or German subtitles.  I had heard a lot about the Corso Kino over our time living in this area, but today was the first time we ever actually saw a show there.  I must admit, although I still don’t necessarily love the movie experience, I’m glad we paid a visit today.

Before we went to the movies, we stopped by The Auld Rogue for one last Sunday lunch.  The Auld Rogue is an Irish pub in Vaihingen, very popular with Americans because the staff all speaks English, the menus are in English, and the food is not German.  They also offer music, whiskey/whisky and beer tastings, and sports.  When we first moved to this area in 2007, The Auld Rogue was a Greek restaurant called Taverna Faros.  We used to love eating there during our six week stay at the Vaihinger Hof.  Taverna Faros didn’t last, though, because the proprietor didn’t pay his taxes.  It later turned into a club, then became the Irish pub we all know and love.

It had been awhile since our last visit to the popular pub, but we managed to have a decent lunch, even though they were unable to make me a Black and Tan.

Bill was still full from breakfast, so he had nachos with cheese.  They were a lot more than he was expecting.  I went with the chicken Caesar wrap.  It was the first time I ever ordered it and I mostly enjoyed it, although it didn’t taste like it had any Caesar dressing.  It kind of needed something to jazz it up a little.  Still, it wasn’t bad.  I’d get it again.  Not sure why my camera is suddenly sporting lines on my pictures.

Bill and I each had a Fuller’s London Porter and a Guinness.  I probably shouldn’t have bothered with the Guinness, but I kind of got it on a whim when the waitress said she couldn’t make me a Black and Tan.  The London Porter was awesome.

My favorite veteran.

 

We parked at the Schwaben Galerie and walked from there to The Auld Rogue, then from the Auld Rogue to the Corso Kino.  A lot of people came to see the matinee of Bohemian Rhapsody, but it wasn’t a sold out crowd.  We didn’t have to reserve our tickets, after all.

It’s not the most user friendly cinema.  To get to the two theaters, one must climb down a couple of flights of stairs.  The bathrooms are small, cramped, and not sparkling clean. The concession stand shares its space with the box office, so the line has a tendency to be a little obnoxious.

But the popcorn smelled wonderful and there was beer to drink.  We even noticed that if you weren’t sitting in the front row, you could put your stuff on a little ledge anchored to the seats in front of you.  We chose to sit on the front row on the left side.  It probably wasn’t the best choice to sit there, since people had to pass us to go to the bathroom or get snacks.  Still, at least I wasn’t sitting behind someone tall, like I usually do when I go to the movies.  I also enjoyed the jazz they were playing before the show started.

I took this photo from my seat before the show started.  

 

Our view before the movie began.  The seats reclined a bit and were quite comfortable.

As for Bohemian Rhapsody, I thought it was an excellent and entertaining movie.  It will be one I add to our personal library.  The story is very poignant; the soundtrack rocks; and there are a lot of great lines in the script.  In short, I laughed; I cried; it became a part of me…  A friend told me that I would probably cry watching it.  I didn’t cry, but I will confess that I came a bit close toward the end.  Tears don’t come as easily for me these days.  I think it’s because I’m getting old.

Here’s a picture of our dog, Zane, before he got his morning walk.  As you can see, the tumor removal he had during his dental the other day hasn’t slowed him down a bit.  He’s obviously the king of our household.

 

I enjoyed our visit to the Corso Kino, and if we ever have the chance to go again, I will gladly go… as long as they’re showing something I want to see.  This is yet another nice way to spend a Sunday in Stuttgart.

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Halloween in Stuttgart at the Irish Folk Festival!

It’s showtime!  

 

If you’ve been following this blog, you might know that the summer of 2018 was our summer of concerts.  Since I recently bought tickets to three more shows and have one more that has been planned since February 2018, I can safely say that 2019 will continue on the concert theme.

Some months ago, I noticed an ad on Facebook for the Irish Folk Festival.  This is an annual tour that celebrated its 45th anniversary this year.  Every year, bands that play Celtic music travel through Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Benelux.  And yet, even though this festival is almost as old as I am, I somehow never knew about it until I saw that Facebook ad.  Since I was on a roll buying tickets for shows, I decided to pick up a pair for Bill and me.  They were comparatively cheap.  I think I spent a little over 80 euros for two tickets and we sat in the second row.

Thanks to all of the big name acts we’ve seen this year, there were a couple of times I actually forgot that we’d bought tickets for this show.  I set up a reminder on Facebook, just so we wouldn’t forget to attend.  I’m so glad we did manage to catch this festival.  We had a wonderful time!

Last night’s show started at 8:00pm at the Stuttgart Theaterhaus, located very close to Robinson Barracks.  Bill and I have passed that Theaterhaus a few times, but this was the first time we ever took in a show there.  It’s a very nice venue.  Next door, there is a restaurant that we would have liked to try if we’d had time.  Unfortunately, we were caught in hellacious Stuttgart traffic and arrived at the venue about an hour before showtime.  The restaurant was very full and we didn’t think we’d have time to eat.  However, there were a couple of bars open and they did have sandwiches and candy available.  We each had a beer.

The theme was the hope for Ireland’s reunification after Brexit.  The lineup included several acts that I had never heard of, but I left the venue with several new CDs that I can’t wait to plug into my Celtic music mix.  We had the pleasure of being entertained by: Joanna Hyde & Tadhg Ó Meachair, Christy Barry & James Devitt, Ailie Robertson’s Traditional Spirits, and The Outside Track.  The show lasted a solid three hours with one twenty minute break.

Bill and I left as they were doing the last song, because it was already 11:00pm, and he gets up early for work.  The mostly German crowd was on its feet at the end.  They enjoyed the show as much as we did.  We saw more than one person wearing a kilt.  I was sorry Bill hadn’t worn his!

Below are some photos from last night’s show, along with a little light commentary.

It was just starting to get busy in the Theaterhaus when we arrived.  I was marveling at how nice it was.  I wish we’d had the chance to go to other shows during our time here.  Maybe we’ll have another opportunity at a later date.

 

Some information about other planned shows.

I got a kick out of this giant sign for the toilets.  I didn’t get a picture, but next to this lit up sign, there’s an Andy Warhol style graphic depiction of toilets.  That’s one way to make sure theatergoers know where to go when they have to go.

 

The venue has quirky decor.

 

My goofy husband, being a good provider.  He bought peanuts and crispy M&Ms so I wouldn’t get too hangry.

 

I’m always intrigued by graffiti and stuff people leave in bathrooms.  Here’s a statement on the evils of prostitution…  Prostitution is legal in Germany.

 

Our view before the show started.  A German couple sat next to us and asked if we were from Ireland.  We admitted to being Americans, albeit with lots of Celtic heritage.  The couple seemed surprised we’ve been in Germany for four years and are moving to another German city.  They wondered if we would eventually go back to the USA.  I’m sure we will at some point… but then again, maybe we won’t.  Time will tell.  I noticed they didn’t come back after the pause.  I hope we didn’t offend.

 

The local concert promoter was a German guy who wore a green suit covered in shamrocks.  He reminded me a little of Steve Martin before his hair went completely white.  I almost expected him to have an arrow through his head, the way Martin used to about 40 years ago when he did stand up comedy.  I understood some of what the guy was saying and noticed he had a good sense of humor.  The performers spoke a little bit of basic German, but the rest was done in English.  I noticed most of the people around us understood English perfectly well.  Once again, I regret not studying German in school instead of the six years of Spanish I took.

I did not take any photos during most of the show, nor did I do any filming.  Having performed on a stage myself, I understand that photography can be distracting, especially when people use flash.  Also, I think it’s rude to watch a concert through a cell phone screen.  I did get a few photos at the end of the show, when the excellent performers were doing their finale and taking their bows.

 Ailie Robertson, playing harp, seemed to be the evening’s bandleader.  She performed first with her band, Traditional Spirits, and explained how her music was about the making of whisky in Scotland, particularly in splendid Islay, which Bill and I have had the good fortune to visit twice.  After the pause, she joined her band, The Outside Track, which consists of almost all females and includes members from Ireland, Scotland, and Canada!  The lady in the sparkling green dress is lead singer, Teresa Horgan, who also served as a great bandleader and has a stunningly beautiful voice.

Mairi Rankin, the beautiful redhead from Cape Breton, Canada dancing front and center, was absolutely enchanting as she played her fiddle, sang, and danced.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.  She had a wonderful stage presence and seemed to really enjoy her work.  I was drawn to her and probably would have loved to have had the chance to chat with her after the show.  She has a very friendly and kind aura.

 

A close up of the dancing!

Mairi is joined by Joanna Hyde and a guy named Cillian O’Dalaigh.  Cillian had fabulous hair and played flute and guitar and danced and sang.  He was another one I was drawn to watch.

Taking a bow!

The rest of these pictures are a little repetitive, but I’m including them for the curious.  It really was a wonderful show and the house was packed.  The tour continues tonight in Ravensburg and ends on November 17th in Hamburg.  I would definitely recommend getting tickets to any of the upcoming shows or planning to see this next year.  I see that they stopped in Mannheim and Frankfurt earlier in their tour, so if we’re still in Germany a year from now, we’ll have to make plans to attend.  It was time and money well spent for us!  And frankly, I was a little jealous because I wanted to be on stage, too… and I wish I had kept studying music when I was young.  Oh well…  At the end of this post, I’ll include a video I did of one of the songs we heard last night.  Yes, it’s me singing.

Well deserved accolades!

The song on this video, which includes pictures from Capri and Amalfi, is “Get Me Through December”.  I originally heard this done by Alison Krauss and Nova Scotia native and fiddle player Natalie MacMaster, but it was also performed last night by Teresa Horgan and the rest of The Outside Track.  I may have to do this one again today…  By the way… I would love to see Natalie MacMaster and her fantastic family play in Germany.  Maybe someday…  This version is mine, and the arrangement is similar to the one done by Alison Krauss and Natalie MacMaster.  Last night’s version was done in a lower key, but was no less ethereal.

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Safran: Delightful Persian cuisine in downtown Stuttgart…

Safran… your address for Persian goodness!

 

Once again, despite the beautiful fall weather we’ve been enjoying here in southern Germany, Bill and I were tempted to stay in and vegetate today.  I think it’s because very soon, we will be very busy moving and that’s always a drag.  I didn’t really want to waste today, though, because very soon we’ll be living in another German state and another German city.  And there are still some restaurants I want to try before it becomes too difficult.

We decided to have lunch at Safran.  Safran is located near Berliner Platz in downtown Stuttgart, not far at all from the Liederhalle.  I had heard a lot of good things about this little Persian restaurant and I’ve been trying to get there for months.  We finally decided today was the day and boy, am I glad we went.  I’m also a little sad that we didn’t go there sooner.  Safran is a great change of pace for those who are tired of the usual Greek, Italian, and German offerings one tends to find in these parts.

Spotted on a pole before we crossed the street.  “There are more bisexuals than you think…”  Good to know!

This painted building is very close to Safran.  If you see it, look across the street and you’ll see Safran on the corner.

Inside the restaurant, they have lots of goldfish.  These fish were fed at the same time we were…

 

On Sundays, Safran opens at 2:00pm.  We were the first ones in the restaurant and the very friendly barkeep enthusiastically invited us to sit anywhere we wanted to.  We chose a comfortable booth in the dining room.  Another American couple soon came in and sat down at a table on the other side of the room.  Other than the four of us, the place was empty at 2:00pm.

The bartender came over and asked us in German if this was our first visit.  We said it was, so he explained the menu.  There are selections from the grill, as well as special Persian dishes from the motherland.  They have dishes with lamb, chicken, beef, and vegetarian selections.  There’s also a modest selection of alcohol, as well as the usual non-alcoholic drinks.

 

Bill checks out what’s offered.  They have cold and warm appetizers, as well as salads to go with your grilled delights.

 

Bill asked for a bottle of sparkling water and a bottle of Shiraz.  They brought us the water and just one glass of wine, which Bill decided I should have.  Did I tell you I married an angel?  I did.

The bartender’s very beautiful blue eyes lit up when I ordered the Fesenjan, which is delicious grilled chicken served with a sauce made with walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and onion, topped with rice.  Bill tried to make this once, but he’d never actually had it, so his version kind of missed the mark.  This was absolutely delicious!  I loved the platter it came in, too.  My mom has a brass table like it that she passed on to me.  It’s sitting in storage.

Bill had the Tschelo Kabab Soltani, which was two kebabs.  One was made of ground of veal and the other was lamb.  He got it with grilled vegetables, which did include a mushroom, and a side of musir dip, which was kind of like t’zatziki without the cucumber.  He liked his dish, but liked mine even more.  

 

As we were enjoying lunch, I was paying close attention to the beautiful piano music that was playing.  It reminded me of Seattle born new aged pianist, David Lanz.  I did a Sound Hound search and discovered an Iranian pianist named Fereydoon Foroughi.  Wikipedia tells me Mr. Foroughi left this life in 2001.  I’m sorry he died at age 50.  He was quite gifted.  I may have to buy a couple of his albums.

New music I discovered at Safran.  The whole time we were there, beautiful piano music was playing. I can only guess it was all by Iranian musicians.

 

Total damage for this lunch was about 44 euros.  I would say it was well worth it.  I would love to go back sometime.  I enjoyed the delicious food, the warm hospitality, and even the glass of Australian Shiraz.  If you’re looking for something a little different, I definitely recommend Safran.

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Top flight cuisine at Stuttgart’s Airport…

Please note: Top Air has since closed.  🙁

Believe it or not, until Friday afternoon of this past week, Bill and I had tentative plans to go back to Wiesbaden for more househunting.  We found a few more contenders in our housing search and had contacted potential landlords about showings.  But when a couple of them were late getting back to us, we decided not to leave town.  That left us with no plans for Saturday.

We also got up later than usual and, as the day wore on, I decided not to get dressed.  That’s not unusual.  I often hang around the house in my nightie if I’ve got nothing to do and no one to see.  That’s one reason why I hate it when people drop by unexpectedly.

At about 1:00pm, I asked Bill if he’d like to go out to dinner somewhere.  He was up for it, so I started searching OpenTable for restaurants.  Then, I noticed the restaurant Top Air was listed and had availability at 6:00pm.  I had been curious about Stuttgart Airport’s fancy restaurant for ages, and it had also been ages since Bill and I last had any haute cuisine.  Bill was game for a Saturday night visit to the airport, so I made the reservation.

Smart casual dress is suggested for Top Air.  I needed a new selfie anyway, so I got all dolled up in my trusty black dress, jewelry, and a shawl.  Bill put on a nice shirt and a jacket.  We noticed other patrons also dressed up a little to visit this restaurant, though several were in casual clothes.  No one was turned away for dressing down, though, so if you decide to try Top Air, feel free to wear jeans and sneakers if it pleases you.

We arrived at the airport at about 5:45pm and parked in P4, one of the suggested parking garages.  Top Air will validate your parking ticket so you don’t have to pay.  That’s a nice touch.  The restaurant is in Terminal One, on the second level, right next to the much more casual Red Baron restaurant.  I remember eating there when we lived here the first time.  I didn’t know about Top Air in those days, but apparently Top Air has been putting out top flight food for twenty-six years and has a Michelin star to prove it.

Below are some pictures and commentary about our “top flight” cuisine at Top Air!

You don’t have to go into the main entrance at the airport to access this restaurant.  There’s a side door up a couple of flights of stairs to the right of the first revolving door in Terminal One.  Climb those steps and you can avoid the ticket counters and luggage drop off booths.

Here’s the main entrance…  We were warmly welcomed by a very pretty young server who was dressed in a sleek black dress with a jacket.  She invited us to our table, a four top that had a ticket with our name on it.  

I guess this is one reason why you shouldn’t walk into Top Air.  They had pre-printed a “boarding pass” for us.  When they realized we were English speakers, they whisked this one away and brought one back in English.  It wasn’t necessary, but we appreciated the effort.

 

We were the first ones to arrive for dinner at Top Air last night.  It turned out they booked every table, though most people tend to come later than we did.  Bill and I don’t like to stay out really late anymore, so early reservations are good for us.  I think you’re more likely to get a table if you go earlier, although to be honest, I’m not sure if Top Air always books every table.  I counted just eight tables in the dining room, though, so if you want to eat during prime time, you should plan ahead.  Also, plan to spend at least a couple of hours.  We were there for about three hours and we only did three courses.

The head waiter/sommelier was a very proper German man who spoke perfect English.  He struck me as being kind of nervous.  After he poured aperitifs for us, he started compulsively walking around the dining room, as if he was pacing.  It made me a little nervous, too.  I watched him pace a bit and listened to the smooth jazz piped in over the sound system.

I had a lovely glass of rose Champagne.  Bill had a Campari with soda.  I liked the dining room, which allows prime viewing of planes landing.  

 

Top Air offers a tasting menu, as well as a la carte dishes.  You can have between 3 and 5 courses if you order the tasting menu.  They had a suggested menu that I wasn’t going to go for because several courses had either mushrooms or goose liver in them.  I may enjoy high class food sometimes, but there are a few items I just can’t abide.  I’d sooner eat the liver than the mushrooms, though.

I told the head waiter/sommelier that I don’t eat mushrooms, and this sort of turned into a big deal… To be honest, it was a little embarrassing.  He gave me the third degree about whether or not I have an allergy or I just don’t like mushrooms.  I don’t have an allergy to mushrooms; however, I do have a phobia of them, which makes me extremely averse to having them on my plate.  I won’t run screaming from the dining room (anymore, anyway), but I’d really rather not have to deal with them.  If we’re paying 50 euros or more a head for dinner, I expect that not to be a problem.

The sommelier was very concerned about my dislike of mushrooms and kept questioning me about it.  I really didn’t want to have to explain to him that what I have is mycophobia, which is a real thing… but it’s very embarrassing to talk about because it’s irrational and ridiculous.  The fact that it’s irrational and ridiculous is, of course, what makes it a phobia.  Suffice to say, my dislike of fungus goes way beyond not enjoying the flavor of them.  However, having once worked as a server myself, I understood the waiter’s concern.  The last thing he wants to deal with is anaphylactic shock during dinner service.  (Edited to add: My German friend Susanne tells me that many years ago, the sommelier/head waiter, Ralf Pinzenscham, got his training at Ente, a Michelin starred restaurant in Wiesbaden.  One more clue we were destined to move there eventually, right?)

Anyway… once we established and thoroughly discussed my psychotic hatred of mushrooms, we got on with dinner, which turned out to be pretty special…  Before we started this course, a group of three showed up.  They appeared to be the head waiter’s long lost friends, as all three of them gave him a hug and he warmly welcomed them.  I noticed they had what appeared to be all five courses.  And, like me, the man in the group was taking a lot of photos!  I always worry I’m going to look tacky when I photograph food in a restaurant.  I suppose that behavior is the least of my tacky behavior, though, so it’s no big deal.

The amuse– a little gift from the kitchen, which consisted of sushi of arctic char with soy sauce and algae, tartar of Blackmore Waygu beef with beet root and horseradish, and tuna with lettuce, celery, green apple and cucumber.

Then, the bread arrived, with butter, salt, and olive oil.

Bill studied the wine list and chose a lovely French red made of grenache…

 

The food at Top Air is probably among the most beautiful I’ve seen, and I have been to quite a few Michelin starred restaurants in Europe.  Chef Marco Akuzun is truly as much of an artist as he is a culinary expert.  I noticed that other tables were getting little cards with pictures on them placed in the little stand where our boarding card was.  We didn’t get the cards.  It might have been because we were having different items and/or the explanations were in German.  We didn’t mind, though.  It was just fun to watch the other people.

A lovely Bouillabaisse– fish stew, which came with every meal.  This one had a little heat to it, as well as salmon that melted in my mouth.  

My first course was the tuna, which was served two ways.  I started with this tiny, yet exquisite tuna bite.

While Bill started with the goose liver pate.  I hadn’t noticed at first…

This was a skull!  And it was filled with goose liver pate and presented on a plate that made me think of a stage.  Notice the balsamic vinegar dots, forming a star like decoration.  That skull was the star!  Bill doesn’t usually go for liver, but he said it tasted like candy.

The second half of the tuna course, which was very fresh raw tuna served with coriander, radish, and wasabi flavored ice cream.  There was also this little white ball that resembled an unusually round boiled egg.  It was not an egg, but some sort of gelatinous casing that contained tofu.  It was very interesting in a good way.  I don’t usually eat tofu.

This was the second part of the goose liver…

And this was the third part of the goose liver.  I was amazed by how beautiful it was, even if I didn’t taste it.  It was really too pretty to eat!  Bill said he enjoyed it, although I don’t think goose liver rates any higher on his choice of cuisines.  

 

To be clear, there were other choices available than goose liver, but Bill decided he wanted to break out of his comfort zone.  I think he’s glad he did, even if it was just to be served such aesthetically pleasing food.  It really was gorgeous… and priced accordingly!

 

We both had duck for our second courses.  This was an exquisitely grilled piece of duck breast served with a little wonton of duck tongue (which tasted better than it sounds), bok choy, pineapple, kimchi, and sweet potato.  Again, the sweet potato came in a perfectly round, egg like ball, which I am guessing was made with gelatin.  I don’t usually eat a lot of sweet potato, but I really appreciated the way this was presented.  The kimchi, on the other hand, had very strong flavors that momentarily upset my stomach a bit.  After a moment composing myself in the restroom, I was okay.

This was the wine we enjoyed with our meal…  I will have to find this to purchase, because it was very good.  Bill is especially partial to grenache and Chateauneuf du Pape.  This wine was very much like a Chateauneuf du Pape.

A couple of shots of the pre-dessert; again, it comes with the meal.  This was mostly green apple, with cucumber and coriander.  In the center was this heavenly explosion of vanilla goodness.  I was really taken by surprise.  The candy accents had a eucalyptus accent that reminded me– no lie– of cough drops.  But somehow, it worked.  And the little discs on the ends had tiny leaves of coriander within them.

And finally, dessert.  I took a photo of mine and Bill’s, even though they were the same.  Mine looked it it had a face.  This was a white chocolate inspired dessert, with rosemary and lime…

But they weren’t finished.  We were allowed to choose chocolates from this tray…

And then we were presented with this delightful tray of sweets that ranged from little ice cream cones to tiny cannoli.  Dessert was quite the show stopper.

These were the chocolates I chose.  I think I liked the gold one, which was a peanut candy, the best.

 

We happened to finish dinner right as the other diners were in full swing.  Consequently, it took some time before we could settle the bill.  I entertained myself by checking out the very fancy stiletto heels another guest was wearing.  They were at least five inches and encrusted with rhinestones.  I thought they were beautiful, but I can’t wear heels like that for longer than a minute.  I was impressed by how comfortable and steady she appeared to be in those shoes.  God bless her– I would have been crying uncle after a few steps!

The bill came to 253 euros.  Bill was able to pay with a credit card and, after we got our parking ticket validated, we left feeling pretty great.  All in all, I’d say it was a very interesting and mostly pleasant experience.  I could have done without the huge deal made over my mushroom aversion.  I truly wish I didn’t have this problem; it would make dining out so much easier.  Unfortunately, mushroom hatred is my cross to bear.  Good thing I abandoned my plans to become a chef.

This is what the Stuttgart airport looks like on Saturday night.

I took note of this interesting ad while I waited for Bill to pick me up.

We enjoyed visiting Top Air and I’m glad we made the effort to go, even if it didn’t quite top my favorite five star restaurant in these parts.  That would be Alte Post in Nagold, which unfortunately closed because of a lack of qualified staff.  We were lucky enough to have the formal tasting menu twice at Alte Post and it was both the most expensive and most exquisite meal either of us has had yet.

I will say, though, that I was truly impressed by how stunningly beautiful the food is at Top Air.  Service is mostly very professional and attentive.  I never wanted for wine or water and the staff was mostly very polished.  If you like fancy cuisine and want to try Top Air, I would recommend it.  I just hope you like mushrooms.

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Ten Stuttgart area places we’re glad we visited…

A couple of nights ago, I was sitting in my living room talking to Bill about how glad I am we made an effort to see more of Baden-Württemberg during our second Stuttgart stint.  As our time in the Stuttgart area grows ever shorter, I thought I’d make a list of the places we managed to see this time that we didn’t know about the first time we lived here.  These are places we’re really glad we visited and would recommend to newcomers.  Maybe they won’t be “must see” places for everyone, but they made our time here better.  As usual, this list isn’t ranked in any particular order.

10.  Allerheiligen Wasserfällen (All Saints Waterfalls)

Hope you’re in shape!

 

We discovered the All Saints Waterfalls this past summer when I happened to read someone’s blog post about visiting there.  These falls are in the Black Forest, about an hour from where I live and probably about 90 minutes from Stuttgart.  I had never heard of them before 2018, but I’m so glad we visited.  We spent several hours enjoying the beautiful scenery and getting lots of exercise!  I liked them even more than the Triberg Falls, which everyone visits.  If you have a free Saturday or Sunday and don’t mind a drive through the Black Forest, I’d highly recommend a trip to these falls.  Admission is free!

9.  Rottweil

Super cute town with several things to do!

 

I don’t know how we missed Rottweil when we lived here the first time, but I really wish we’d discovered it sooner than we did.  This beautiful town not only has some gorgeous architecture, but it also has the distinction of being the place where Rottweiler dogs were first bred.  The area is scenic and you can get a great view of it when you visit the Thyssenkrupp Testturm, an elevator testing facility that currently has the highest observation deck in Germany.

8.  Blautopf

It’s true… I had never heard of this place when I lived here from 07-09.

 

Blautopf isn’t close to where I live.  It’s kind of on the way to Ulm.  However, though it only takes a few minutes to see this natural wonder, I think a trip to Blaubeuren to see this marvelous blue pond is well worth the effort.  Blaubeuren has a few other activities available to make your trip worthwhile, as well as some good restaurants.

7. Tiefenhöhle

One thing you can do before or after a visit to Blautopf is visit Germany’s deepest show cave!

 

Although we visited Tiefenhöhle and Blautopf separately, I would recommend combining these two activities.  Tiefenhöhle is Germany’s deepest show cave and visiting it will wear you out… but then, once you’ve journeyed deep beneath the Earth’s surface, you can come back to the surface and see where this cave system ends… at beautiful blue Blautopf!

6.  Wildpark Pforzheim

I love to visit animals… and the Wildpark Pforzheim is probably my favorite of all of the animal activities in the Stuttgart area.

Stuttgart and its environs is richly blessed with a lot of places where one can indulge their inner animal lover.  My favorite of all of the places I’ve visited animals is Wildpark Pforzheim.  There’s no admission fee to visit it, although parking isn’t free.  We spent several hours wandering around this park, feeding animals and watching them interact with each other.

5.  Nebelhöhle

Nebelhöhle is my favorite local cave…

 

Last summer, Bill and I visited several local caves.  My favorite one is Nebelhöhle, which is not only beautiful, but is much less taxing to visit than Tiefenhöhle is.  You can combine a visit there with a visit to Lichtenstein Castle or nearby Bärenhöhle, which is a much smaller and more kid friendly cave.

4.  Lichtenstein Castle

I don’t know how we missed this the first time we were here!

 

Although we did make it to Hohenzollern Castle the first time we lived near Stuttgart, we somehow missed out on Lichtenstein Castle.  I’ve now seen a lot of German castles and I think so far, Lichtenstein might be my favorite of all of them… and yes, that includes Neuschwanstein!

3.  Burgbach Wasserfall

The Burgbach Waterfall was yet another lucky find!

 

The same blogger who alerted me to the presence of the All Saints Waterfalls also clued me in on finding lovely Burgbach Waterfall.  It costs nothing to visit this pretty waterfall in the Black Forest, which also happens to be conveniently located near the Bear and Wolf Alternative Park.  It’s a great thing to do on a sunny spring or fall day!

2.  Der Schönbuchturm

Herrenberg’s tower!

 

In June 2018, the city of Herrenburg got its very own tower, overlooking the lovely countryside.  This tower costs nothing to visit and offers unobstructed views of the area.  There is another tower much like this one in Stuttgart at the Killesberg Park.

1.  Bad Wildbad

The “tree walk” is just one thing you can do when you visit Bad Wildbad.

 

A lot of newcomers to Stuttgart visit the spa town of Bad Wildbad to climb the famed “tree walk”, otherwise known as the Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald.  But there’s more to this town than just cool “tree walks”.  By the way, there are other tree walks in Germany and the Czech Republic.  Bad Wildbad also has the distinction of being the first place Bill and I ever experienced a nude spa.

I’m really going to miss living near the Black Forest, but I’m excited about the prospect of getting to live in another part of Germany for awhile.  I also plan to visit Stuttgart at least once next year, since we’re coming down to see Elton John in concert.  I have no doubt that we could also end up moving back here someday.  If we do, maybe we’ll live on the other side of Stuttgart for a change…  or maybe not.  We do like being near the Black Forest!

We visited Wiesbaden for the first time last weekend and I can now say for certain that this blog is not going to be neglected.  Wiesbaden and Mainz are extremely beautiful cities and there’s still so much to see and do.  But a piece of my heart will always stay here in Baden-Württemberg, where we’ve been so lucky to spend a total of six great years.

If you’re new here, I highly recommend getting out and seeing everything you can before you have to leave.  Time in Germany tends to fly by and not everyone will get the opportunity to return.  These last four years have really shown us what we missed when we were here the first time.  I feel so lucky that we got to come back and see more of what this area has.  And now, we have learned just how very much BW offers to its residents!  I hope today’s post will inspire a few intrepid souls to get out and enjoy this beautiful part of Germany!

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An afternoon at the “historic” Cannstatter Fest in Stuttgart!

It’s the last day of September, which means the Cannstatter Volksfest is in full swing.  That means that everyone and their brother or sister is donning dirndls or lederhosen and heading off to ride rides, drink beer, and listen to music while watching other people get drunk.  2018 is a special year, though.  200 years ago, the original Cannstatter Fest was held.  It started one day after King Wilhem I’s birthday, back when Stuttgart was nothing but a beautiful meadow on the banks of the Neckar River.  The Cannstatter Fest is still held in the same place it was held 200 years ago, but back then, it was basically an agricultural festival designed to stimulate the economy after the Napoleonic wars.

Because this festival has been going on for 200 years, the people of Stuttgart decided to do something special this year.  In downtown Stuttgart, at the Schlossplatz, a historic Volksfest started on September 28th and will run until October 3rd.  My German friend, Susanne, alerted me to this special celebration.  Today, Bill and I decided to check it out, with plans to visit the much bigger “Wasen” next weekend.

Below are some photos from today’s visit.  I also got some videos of the excellent brass band playing in the tent.  There was no heavy metal and very little drunkenness.  We had a wonderful time watching Germans drink beer, dance, eat delicious food ordered from menus in Schwabish, and sing along to classic folk songs.  Plenty of people were dressed in traditional garb.  I didn’t bother with my dirndl today, but I would have been right at home if I had put it on.

We were greeted by a large crowd.  Plenty of people came downtown to check out the traditional Volksfest.

There were plenty of old fashioned rides and stalls.

There was even a flea circus.

They had agricultural exhibits, that were a bit crowded.

Around this point, I smelled horses and wondered where they were.  I didn’t see them, but the aroma was unmistakable and intoxicating to this former horse crazy freak…

I was starting to get annoyed by the crowds and almost suggested to Bill that we bag it and find a nice quiet restaurant.  It might have been one thing if Bill would ride the rides with me, but he doesn’t like rides.  So if it means we’re walking around in crowds, I’d rather GTFO.

But then Bill spotted the large tent and we figured that was where the beer was…

We waited in a brief line behind these people.  My big bag got checked out and tagged…

And we walked into an old style tent, where we proceeded to spend the next several hours eating, drinking, listening to live band music, and watching lots of dancing.

As you can see, lots of people were enjoying themselves.

The menu was a trip.  It was entirely in Schwabisch.

That prompted Bill to make a face.

But we still managed to get delicious chicken and fresh bread.  I swear, this chicken is such a treat.  It’s moist, juicy, and perfectly seasoned.

Everyone was getting into the music.

This band was great!  I loved the bandleader, who promised there would be no heavy metal.

The kids were loving it.

And there was a songbook in Schwabisch, too.  People were gamely using it to join in…

Get down, son!

I did get a few videos of the band playing.  After I sober up, I might turn them into a video and put them on YouTube.  Or maybe not.  Depends on how cantankerous my computer is tomorrow.

I loved all the dancers!  Wish Bill would dance with me!

These two kind of stole the show.

Weeee!

I sing much better than I dance, but I didn’t try the Schwabisch…

I had to get one more shot of the band as we were leaving.  They were great!  I would much rather listen to a brass band than heavy metal, anyway.

 

At one point, I went to the restroom and was utterly charmed by two young people– a young man and a young woman probably all of about 20 years old.  She had beautiful long blonde hair and was dressed in a dirndl.  He had an earring, a goatee, and was wearing traditional dress.  As we waited our turns to pee, they started waltzing beautifully as the brass band played.  I wish I had gotten a picture or video of them.  They were dancing divinely and really adorable together.  I moved out of their way and watched for a minute before it was my turn to whiz.  I doubt I would have seen two Americans their age doing anything similar… although I will admit I haven’t been home in awhile.  They were so adorable, though.  Wonder if they’re dating… or are they just good friends?  They made me smile.

We left to big crowds, including at the bumper cars.

It was a beautiful day for traditional festing!

Maybe I should have ridden the rides.

 

I’m really glad we didn’t give up and go home.  I had a great time at the historic Volksfest today.  It was a memorable way to spend my Sunday, listening to great music, eating roasted chicken, drinking beer, and watching Germans enjoy the last of the great weather before it turns to shit in a few weeks.  I couldn’t help but feel a little choked up as I realize that pretty soon, I’ll be leaving beautiful BW for Hesse and the Rhein.  I know I’ll love it up there, too, but I must admit that the Stuttgart area has left an indelible mark on my heart.  It’s become the closest thing I’ve had to a real home in a very long time.  I’ll miss it terribly… but I look forward to visiting and maybe even moving back someday.

This festival is something special, so if you want to experience the historic Volksfest, I highly recommend visiting before it closes on October 3rd.  To be honest, if they did this every year, I’d choose it over the regular fest… but then, I’m kind of an old bat.  I might even eschew the regular fest over this one this year, but I need to get my money’s worth and wear my dirndl at least once a season.  Maybe I can talk Bill into wearing his kilt to the fest, too.

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A couple of mundane chores and dinner at Besitos Tapas y Mas in Stuttgart…

Yesterday, Bill and I had to take care of a couple of personal chores.  First, I had to get my regular dependent I.D. replaced– the one I would use back in the States.  I had it made in 2014 at Fort Sam Houston, just before Bill retired from the Army.  Four years have passed, and it expired on my birthday.  I never use it over here, so I had forgotten to get it redone when it expired in June.  We finally got around to renewing it at Patch Barracks.

I’ve had a bunch of I.D.s made over the total of six years we’ve lived in the Stuttgart area, more than I’ve ever had done anywhere, but this was the first time I’ve had one done at Patch.  Since the I.D. office is in the same building Bill worked in during our first Germany stint, it was kind of nostalgic to go there.

On the way out of the I.D. office, Bill called my attention to the “amnesty box” on the wall by the police station.  I had never seen one before, so he was explaining what it was used for.  That’s where people drop off any bullets they’ve taken off the shooting range.  Apparently, taking bullets off post is verboten.  That led to us talking about whether or not it’s dangerous to drop bullets.  Bill assures me it’s not.

As we were leaving, a military police officer was ticketing someone who didn’t park in a proper spot.  I suppose it’s not surprising, given how scarce parking can be at Patch.  It was an even bigger problem when we were here the first time.  I won’t miss the scarce parking in these parts, although it could be just as bad where we’re going.

Next, we went to Stuttgart, where we had about 90 minutes to kill before I paid yet another visit to my fabulous dentist, Dr. Blair.  We stopped by the Biergarten at the Paulaner am alten Postplatz and had a beer before the appointment.  It’s getting pretty cold here now and there was a stiff breeze.  I was glad I wore a sweater.  Meanwhile, my friends in the South are complaining about the heat.

An afternoon weizen downtown…  The waitress laughed when I slurred the word “weizen” and said “weithen” instead.

 

We broke the news to Dr. Blair that we’re going to have to move.  I think we will keep seeing him, because he truly is the best dentist I have ever had.  He did an outstanding job on my implant.  I can’t even tell it’s not my real tooth.  Recently, he’s been monitoring a patch of red on my gums, well beneath the gumline.  It’s just a faint red line at this point, but he’s been watching it since June.  I don’t think I’ve ever had such a conscientious doctor of any kind.  Dr. Blair says he has a lot of patients in Wiesbaden, since it’s less than two hours away by train.  Besides, there’s always a chance we’ll come back to Stuttgart at some point.

After the appointment, we walked around downtown, where they’re setting up for the historical Cannstatter Fest.  This year, besides the regular Volksfest that goes on in Bad Cannstatt, there will also be an old fashioned/historic one at the Schlossplatz in Stuttgart.  Food booths were already going up yesterday, along with old fashioned rides.

I got a few pictures of the progress being made and enjoyed music being played by a couple of talented street buskers.  One guy was singing a pretty good rendition of “You Raise Me Up”, which is a song that many people love.  Personally, I’ve heard it a few too many times on shows like America’s Got Talent, but I was impressed by his efforts, even if he was singing to pre-recorded music.  Another guy was strumming a lute while using his foot to play a tambourine.  I got Bill to contribute a couple of euros, since I think it’s impressive to see people play two instruments at once.

Looks like this is going to be fun.  It opens this weekend.

Then, we decided to have dinner at Besitos Tapas y Mas, a Spanish chain restaurant not far from Calwer Strasse.  I had noticed it while we were sitting at the Biergarten across the street.  Besitos has locations in eight German cities, mostly scattered in the southern part of the country.  I had not heard of it before last night, but we decided we wanted to go somewhere different.

Besitos is a large restaurant, with plenty of outside and indoor seating.  It’s very casual, although they do take reservations.

We arrived at the restaurant just as it was opening at 5:00pm.  A large group of students entered right before us and took a big table near the bar.  We found a table near the wall and took a look at the menu, which mostly consists of hot and cold tapas, cocktails, and a few main courses.  Although I wouldn’t have minded a cocktail, I decided it might be better to stick with beer.  Some of the cocktails at Besitos are quite expensive and I wanted something quenching.  We ordered five different tapas to split: hummus (which came with bread), chicken with coconut curry sauce, ham croquettes, patatas bravas (roasted potatoes with salsa brava), and garlic toast.  Our waiter was a heavily inked and pierced guy, who seemed laid back but efficient.  He handled his job fine.

A look at the interior before it started filling up with people.

Garlic toast.  Not the most exciting tapa out there, but satisfying enough.

The whole spread.  The hummus was a little disappointing because it was a bit grainy and lacked flavor.  The sauce on the potatoes was much like the sauce that came with the chicken.  However, though nothing was particularly special, neither was anything offensive.

My favorite of the tapas was the ham croquettes.  They were crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle, just like me.  I also liked the chicken and wished we’d ordered two of those.  One small piece wasn’t quite enough.  The potatoes were plentiful and tasted good.  I liked the way they were roasted.

When it came time to leave, I went down to the ladies room.  That’s kind of where our otherwise pleasant experience went a bit south.  I don’t know why, but the restroom smelled a lot like diarrhea.  It’s possible that the restroom always smells bad.  Perhaps there is a sewer gas problem.  However, during our visit, the stench was overwhelming and I couldn’t stand to be in there longer than a couple of minutes.  It reeked of a full on blowout diaper or something.  Nasty!

Bill said he saw our waiter down there with a can of air freshener, so maybe someone had an accident and he was responding to a complaint.  It was pretty rank and, unfortunately, that didn’t leave me with a great impression.  I also noticed that the restaurant was a little grimy, like maybe it could have used a good cleaning in some places.  The menus were obviously well loved and had what appeared to be dried beverage stains on them.  However, it’s clearly a popular spot with the young crowd and lots of people were eating there as we were leaving.

We ultimately left on a good note, because our waiter had thought we were Germans and only asked us if we were American when he noticed U.S. dollars in Bill’s wallet.  When he realized we weren’t natives, he switched to perfect English that sounded American.  Then he complimented Bill on his German skills and thanked him for what was probably a more American style tip.  Overall, I thought the food at Besitos was okay, but the disgusting smell in the restroom was a huge turn off.  No one wants to smell diarrhea, especially after eating.  It makes one wonder what caused the fecal explosion.  But then, as we all know, shit happens…

On the way back to our car, I noticed a couple of wine bars on Calwer Strasse that I hadn’t noticed on previous visits.

This one was a tiny hole in the wall, but it looked inviting.

Maybe we’ll have a chance to try both places before it’s time to head north.

  
Anyway, we’ll definitely be back in Stuttgart one more time for a cleaning before we move to Wiesbaden.  I’ll miss being close to this town, which I’ve finally gotten to know.  The first time we lived in Germany, we never went to Stuttgart except for a couple of times.  Thanks to my dental dramas, we’ve come to enjoy visiting on occasion, despite the hellish traffic that surrounds it.  Guess it’s time to become familiar with the ICE train.

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An evening with Roger Hodgson at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart…

Last night, Bill and I continued our summer of concerts and saw Roger Hodgson, formerly of Supertramp, at the Liederhalle in downtown Stuttgart.  This was our third concert this year, having seen The Rolling Stones in June and Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Bonnie Raitt in Dublin in July.  I don’t usually go to a lot of concerts because I don’t like crowds, but I am definitely a music lover and I did grow up in the 70s and 80s.  I guess it’s just a byproduct of having seen so many (for me) shows this summer, but I actually kept forgetting about this concert.  I created a Facebook alert to remind me to go!  I’m glad I did.  Roger Hodgson is a fine entertainer!

Supertramp was a huge part of my childhood and I love their music.  Roger Hodgson left Supertramp in 1983, but his songs were the band’s biggest hits.  Former bandmate, Rick Davies, still performs under the name Supertramp and did contribute a few hits, but Hodgson was really the mastermind of that band when it was especially popular.  I have read from a couple of accounts that Davies and Hodgson aren’t on the best of terms now and Davies has had some health challenges.  It’s too bad, because it would have been awesome to hear Davies’ “Goodbye Stranger” and “Bloody Well Right”.  But I guess these things happen.

Roger Hodgson playing his trademark keyboards…

I bought tickets for the show kind of on a whim during the spring.  It was right after I’d dropped a load of money on Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and Paul Simon.  I figured, “what the hell” and got tickets for Hodgson’s show, too.  I also bought tickets for a Celtic music festival on Halloween.  This year is really turning out to be my year to hear live music.  My Elton John tickets aren’t here yet; I got special ones that are due to arrive two weeks before the event next May.  Hopefully, we’ll still be living in the Stuttgart area.

Stuttgart was getting some rain last night.  It’s good that Hodgson’s show was indoors in the wonderfully intimate Liederhalle, where I’ve also had the pleasure of seeing Lyle Lovett and Diana Krall.  We had an annoying time getting to the venue due to the weather, rush hour traffic, and at least one accident on the road, but we arrived with time for a pre-dinner glass of wine and a butter pretzel. Then we took our seats in the balcony.  I usually spring for seats closer in, but I’m actually kind of glad I didn’t do that for Hodgson’s show.

The scene before the show… Germans seem to love Supertramp!  There were lots of middle aged to older folks there, as well as a couple of kids.  It was definitely a different vibe than the Stones show, though.

Dinner.  I had Sekt for dessert.  

My view.  I bought tickets after they’d been on sale for awhile, so we ended up with cheaper seats.  I was actually kind of glad, though, because the permanent seats the the Liederhalle are very comfortable and it was easier for me to see.  When I sit on the floor, I’m usually surrounded by tall folks.  It’s not easy being 5’2″ at a concert in Germany, land of the tall.

Roger Hodgson greets the crowd.

 

This was my first time seeing Mr. Hodgson playing live.  I was quite impressed by how engaging he was with the crowd.  When a guy came in after the first song, he quipped “You’re late.  You missed the best song!”  He had just played “Take the Long Way Home”, which is one of Supertramp’s best loved hits (and a personal favorite of mine).

When a young girl aimed a camera at the stage, Hodgson said, “You want to take a picture?  It’s okay!”

I watched Hodgson shake hands with fans and even pass out a couple of souvenirs.  One guy got sheet music.  Another got a coffee mug.  Hodgson truly seemed to be enjoying playing for us as much as we enjoyed hearing him and his stellar band play.  The Liederhalle is a very intimate venue with great acoustics.  I still remember the first concert I attended there; Lyle Lovett played there in 2009.  We were just yards away from Lovett for that show.  Same with Diana Krall.  It’s such a pleasure to be able to watch a concert without having to look at giant screens.

The band launches into Hodgson’s best known songs, many of which were Supertramp hits, but a few that were solo efforts.  I knew most of the songs, but there were a few that were new to me.

I must give a shout out to Hodgson’s superb sax player for this show, Michael Ghegan of New Jersey.  I watched this man play at least two different saxophones, a harmonica, tin whistle, melodica, keyboards, and he also sings!  And when he played sax, he reminded me a lot of Branford Marsalis, when he was playing with Sting back in the 1980s.  I read that Ghegan isn’t even Hodgson’s usual sax player.  He joined the band this summer to give regular sax player,  Canadian Aaron MacDonald, a break from touring.  Ghegan is extraordinary.  I predict we’ll be hearing a lot more from him.

As you can see, the lighting was a big deal for this show…  At one point, there were strobe lights and I wondered if there were any epileptics in the house…

Hodgson played several guitars in addition to keyboards.  Keyboards and sax are very much a part of his music.  There was only one other guitar player, David J. Carpenter, who played bass… and bore a striking resemblance to Hodgson.  When he first came out on stage, I actually thought it was Hodgson, who later quipped that Carpenter isn’t his son.

I also really enjoyed the efforts of keyboard player Ray Coburn, who, along with Michael Ghegan, is new to the show.  And drummer, Bryan Head, was also putting on a masterful show.

 

During the concert, Hodgson mentioned that he likes playing in Germany (and indeed, is playing a lot of dates in Germany for this tour) because German audiences are clear about their likes and dislikes.  They are also respectful.  Having now been to several concerts in Germany, I have to agree.  Germans listen to the music and enjoy it without annoying other people, at least for the most part.  And… having myself sung at Tommi’s Bistro a couple of times, I also agree that they tend to be a wonderful and appreciative, or at least respectful, audience.  I could tell the locals were loving Roger… and he was loving them back.  It was very rewarding to experience the love, and hear some of Hodgson’s stories about how he came to write some of his best loved hits.

A number of old Supertramp songs especially remind me of when I was in high school.  I had bought The Autobiography of Supertramp, which in retrospect, was a rather poorly edited greatest hits album put out by A&M records in honor of their 25th anniversary back in 1986.  A bunch of A&M artists, including Supertramp and The Carpenters, made greatest hits compilations.  I was a teenager, so I was looking for the most bang for my buck and this compilation had most of their hits, as well as some songs I didn’t know.  I remember listening to it incessantly, even though a few of their best songs were unforgivably edited.  One song in particular, “Hide In Your Shell”, really resonated with me.  Hodgson played that one last night, remarking that a number of fans had told him that it meant a lot to them.

Recorded from another show…  A good example of a song Hodgson wrote for himself that touches others.

Roger Hodgson says goodnight.  I believe you could pay extra to hear the sound check and attend a meet and greet with him, but I knew that it would be a late evening for Bill, who is working today.  However, I get the sense that meeting Roger would be rewarding.  He really seems to love his work.

I did film one song… “Give a Little Bit”, which was the first encore.  I didn’t film the second one, “It’s Raining Again”, although when I was ten years old, that song was my absolute favorite for weeks.  I bought a 45 of it and then, years later, I bought the LP Famous Last Words.  Nowadays, I have it on MP3.  I could see the crowd loves that song as much as I do.

We left the show with smiles on our faces, especially since getting into and out of the concert hall was a snap compared to getting into and out of the Porsche and Mercedes Arenas.  I really need to make a point of seeing more shows in this venue.

Yes, we heard this song last night.  Apparently, this was written when Hodgson was 19 years old and had just gotten a pump organ.  He says it still makes him smile to sing this song so many years later.

Anyway… it was a really great show and left me with yet another awesome memory of our time in Stuttgart, a city where there’s delicious food, excellent entertainment, and good people.  If you like Roger Hodgson’s music, I highly recommend seeing him perform live.  He puts on an excellent concert and has an amazing band backing him.  It’s well worth the price of admission.

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Places near Stuttgart to get your animal fix…

I usually update my blog on the weekends, but we are going to Italy for the Labor Day holiday and I may be indisposed.  Aside from that, my husband is on his way back to Germany today and I’m trying to keep busy.  With that in mind, I thought I’d write a post for those looking for local places to visit animals.  A few of my suggestions may be well-known or even obvious, but I hope to surprise a few people with something unexpected.  I don’t have children, but I think it’s safe to say that all of these places are kid friendly.

I’m going to list these in no particular order.  We visited each place at least once and you can search the blog for my reviews.  Here goes…

Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical Park- Stuttgart

I might as well start with the obvious, Wilhelma Zoo, which is located in the Bad Canstatt area of Stuttgart.  I went there for the second time a couple of weeks ago and had a pretty good time visiting the animals.  Some people seem to think this zoo is outdated and poorly maintained.  Although I know there are better zoos out there, I had a good time visiting the one in Stuttgart.  It does get crowded and, at 16 euros per adult, is probably the most expensive choice on my list.  But I have to include it because obviously, you’d go to a zoo to see animals, right?  And this zoo includes plants, an aquarium, a petting area, and access to a public park, as well as a pretty cool insect exhibit.  You can spend a few hours at the zoo and still not see it all.  It does get crowded on nice days, but I think it’s worth a visit, if only to make you appreciate some of the other choices.  Public transportation is a snap, since there’s a station right outside the main gate.  Also, the sea lions are fun to watch!

I think s/he stole the show!

Tierpark Nymphaea– Esslingen

Germany has what they call “Tierparks” (animal parks).  They’re basically like small zoos that are more kid focused.  So far, we’ve visited two of them and at both parks, it was easy to pet and feed some of the animals.  We visited Tierpark Nymphaea a couple of weeks ago, mainly because I’d repeatedly heard it was a nice place to take kids.  Although the animals at the park were not particularly exotic, it was a lot of fun to feed and pet the donkeys and goats.  And you can also feed the ducks and deer and look at all of the other animals who live at the park.  Tierpark Nymphaea offers a nice, stroller friendly trail around a large, attractive lake and a number of interesting exhibits. Afterwards, your kids can play while you enjoy a beer in the Biergarten.

A very persistent goat begs for popcorn.

 

Der Kleine Tierpark Göppingen- Göppingen

 

Speaking of Tierparks, we visited one last year in the town of Göppingen, a city east of Stuttgart, kind of on the way to Ulm.  To be honest, I’m not sure where I first heard about this park.  I do have a German friend from Göppingen, but although she is an animal lover, she’s not a mom and she currently lives in North Carolina.  This park, compared to Tierpark Nymphaea, is a bit smaller.  However, there is a wider variety of animals at this park, including camels and monkeys.  I’m not sure I’d necessarily advise a road trip there unless you’re already in the neighborhood, but I did enjoy meeting their friendly camels and goats, who are pros at scoring food.

What, me worry?

 
Wildpark Pforzheim- Pforzheim
 

Of all of the animal friendly places I’m going to list today, Wildpark Pforzheim is probably my favorite.  This is a huge park in the Black Forest where you only pay to park and buy some food.  Then, you and your little ones can scurry around the park mingling with deer, elk, Highland cows, mini horses, owls, donkeys, and many other friendly animals looking for a handout.  Seriously… this is a great park.  Not only is there a huge array of animals to be visited, there’s also a ropes course and playground equipment.  You could easily spend several hours here, enjoying the many exhibits and burning energy.  Highly recommended!

A wild cat on the prowl!  This is one of the animals you aren’t allowed to feed!

 

Alternativer Wolf und Bärenpark Schwarzwald- Bad Rippoldsau-Sheppach

 

This small park in the Black Forest hamlet of Bad Rippoldsau-Sheppach is home to bears, wolves, and lynxes.  Many of the animals at this sanctuary were once circus performers or zoo animals.  This isn’t really like a Tierpark or a zoo; it’s really more of a place where these animals can live out their lives in peace.  In 1996, I visited Bulgaria and, in those days, many Roma people were making money with “dancing bears”.  These bears had been trained to “dance” via cruel methods involving pain and heat.  Since I had actually witnessed cruelty toward bears in Bulgaria, I was very glad to see that the animals at this park in Germany have such a nice home out in the forest.  Although this is a small park and doesn’t take long to visit, it can be combined with a number of other activities in the area.

One of the more social wolves at the park.

Monkey Hill-Affenberg Salem  
 

If you prefer feeding monkeys, you can venture to Monkey Hill, a really cool park near Lake Constance, maybe 90 minutes or so south of Stuttgart.  Those who have been to Monkey Mountain in Kintzheim, France, may already be familiar with the concept.  That’s because both parks, as well as another one in France and one in Great Britain, are owned by the same people.  At this park, you walk around a loop and offer popcorn to docile monkeys who gently take it from you.  Although you aren’t allowed to pet the monkeys, it is fun to feed them.  Some will practically mug for the camera as they take popcorn from you.  This is probably my second favorite animal activity on the list.

Sweet family portrait… not of my family, mind you.

Fischzucht Zordel- Neuenbürg/Eyachtal
 

And finally, here’s a place where you can feed fish… and they can feed you.  This fish farm near Pforzheim appears to be a very kid friendly activity.  You or your kids can feed the fish, then have a nice lunch of fresh or smoked trout.  I’ll leave it up to parents to decide if they want to tell their children what will happen to the fish they feed.  Still, it’s a lot of fun and, if you like fish, you can get some very fresh trout here.

Fish waiting to be fed and harvested.

 

I know I’m probably leaving off some places, but these are the places I have been to and can evaluate based on personal experience.  I figure this list will give people a good start for the time being.  Frankly, for my money, the Wildpark Pforzheim is the best of the lot, offering the most fun for the euro.  I hope you’ll visit and let me know if you agree!

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