adventure, Middle East, short breaks, Türkiye

Ten things I learned in Istanbul (this time)…

As my regular readers probably know, I like to sum up my travels with top ten lists of new things I learned. This was not my first trip to Istanbul, but it was my first trip there in 29 years. Times have changed a bit since my first visit to Istanbul in 1996, so I definitely learned new things on this brief jaunt back to the Middle East. So here goes with ten things I learned in Istanbul… this time!

10. Americans no longer have to buy a visa at the border!
Keep in mind, it’s been a long time since I was last in Türkiye, but there used to be a rule that for Americans to enter the country, one had to buy a visa. In the 90s, it was a sticker they put in your passport, and it cost about $20. I remember this, because I had to buy that thing twice in 1996! Then it went to an online system, I think. Anyway, as of 2024, US citizens can stay up to 90 days without a visa, as long as they have at least six months left on their passports.

9. Turkish Airlines is kind of hit and miss…
There were some things I really liked about flying Turkish Airlines, both down to Istanbul, and back up to Frankfurt. I thought the business class experience on my most recent flights was pretty good, except for the jerk flight attendant I wrote about yesterday. Having read up on Reddit, it does seem like a lot of people are fine with Turkish Airlines until a customer service issue arises. I don’t know if or when I’ll fly with them again, but I did mostly enjoy my most recent business class flights.

8. Maslak is very far away from the historic area of Istanbul, but there is a metro stop there.
I would have preferred to stay closer to the historic part of Istanbul, so I could have walked around more and seen and done more things. But I’m not sorry we stayed in Maslak this time, because now I know what part of Istanbul I should avoid if I’m in Istanbul for touristic purposes. For business, that’s another story!

7. Manspreading is not allowed on the Istanbul Metro!

*Need I say more? I think this is very civilized!*

6. You won’t find pork on most menus…
Actually, this doesn’t surprise me. Türkiye is an Islamic country, after all. Even secular Muslims don’t usually eat pork. But I was reminded of the fact when I came from pork loving Germany to beef eating Türkiye.

5. You also won’t find alcohol on many menus…
Türkiye is an Islamic country, so drinking alcohol is forbidden for a people who follow the Muslim religion. There certainly are bars in Istanbul, and you can find alcohol if you want or need it. However, in a lot of restaurants, there’s no booze. Instead, you get delightful fruit juices, coffee drinks, teas, soft drinks, and water.

4. But you will find prayer rooms in many places…
I was surprised to find prayer rooms in so many places. I could understand there being a prayer room at the hotel where we stayed, but I was shocked to find one at a restaurant.

*You can have a salad and then go pray…*

3. If you want to swim, even in a hotel pool, you may need a swimming cap.
I’ve actually been researching what it takes to go swimming in Türkiye. I was surprised to find out that it isn’t easy to go swimming there if you aren’t a local. I read some things about needing a doctor’s exam first. But I was especially annoyed and surprised to discover that apparently, swimming caps are necessary, even at hotel pools. I can understand that requirement at a public pool, but it seems strange at hotels, which serve people from all over the world. Anyway, just letting you know. Bring a swimming cap if you want to swim. I think it might even be the law in Türkiye.

2. Traffic in Istanbul is positively INSANE!
When I was in Istanbul in 1996, I didn’t remember it to be quite as gridlocked as it was last week. I noticed traffic at all hours, but it was especially bad during the traditional rush hour. We took a cab from the cruise port to Maslak. It was maybe 13 kilometers. It took an hour and cost Bill over 50 euros! The metro is definitely your friend, but it gets pretty crowded.

And 1. Turkish music is beautiful.
I heard a busker playing a unique instrument in the Taksim metro station and decided I needed to have a recording of it here. Off I went to my favorite music source to find some instrumental qanun (kanun) music for my next mood. I was reminded then that Turkish music is very beautiful. When Elaine and I went to Istanbul in 1996, we discovered an amazing band called Kizilirmak. I still have the album we both bought copies of. It’s aged beautifully…

My favorite track from the album I bought in 1996…

Qanun music

Honorable mention: Istanbul is TEEMING with stray cats who mostly seem to be well taken care of. There are also stray dogs, but I saw far fewer of them than the cats.

*One of many cats I saw in Istanbul. I saw some eating cat food put out by locals.*

Well… it’s Thanksgiving, and we have lunch plans, so I’m going to wrap up this post and get on with the day. Unfortunately, I need to break out the vacuum cleaner, because it’s Thursday. I do hope you enjoyed my Turkish series. I also hope we can visit Turkey again… maybe stay in an area that is a little less chaotic than Istanbul is.

For now… Güle güle… (Pronounced “goo-lah goo-lah” Turkish for “bye-bye”, which I did learn back in 1996!)

adventure, Middle East, short breaks, Türkiye

A quick jaunt to Istanbul… (part three)

After we checked in at Hilton Istanbul Maslak, a porter helped us with our bags and showed us to room 1711. There was a bank of four elevators in the hotel lobby, and to call one, you must punch your floor number on a large keypad. But the keypad is only there on the lobby floor. All of the other floors just have the usual up and down buttons. I’m not sure why the fancy keypad was necessary. Maybe it was an attempt to make the hotel look more upscale.

Room 1711

The porter punched 17 on the keypad for us, and then showed us that we had to use our keycards to get the elevator to work. He explained the hotel’s services, which included a spa, a full scale restaurant, a lobby bar, 24 room service, and even a high end jewelry store. Bill shook his hand and palmed him a tip, and then we took a look at our room…

*I liked the rainfall shower. It was very nice!*

One thing this hotel room had, that none of the others I’ve ever stayed in have had, was a toilet that had a little spigot on the back of it. When you flush the toilet, the spigot squirts out cold water in a bidet fashion. The toilet also had a tap next to it that could turn on the spigot without flushing, causing it to shoot water at varying pressures. One thing the tap didn’t have was temperature control, which meant that sitting on the toilet while it flushed was going to result in cold water squirting in your asshole. It’s not possible to turn off the spigot– or, at least I never found a way to do that. Consequently, if you are not sitting on the commode as it flushes, water might splash out from the little spigot. I made a YouTube video to show my readers exactly what I mean…

Shrinkage city! Actually, I did use the bidet function once, and it wasn’t so bad, even with the chilly water. But then, I don’t have a dick.

The room also had a minibar, which had everything from overpriced liquor and snacks, to a pair of socks and a condom. I usually take a photo of the minibar, but didn’t bother to on this trip. Bill explored it and told me all about the contents. I actually liked the art in the room, which I thought was rather thought provoking, although the drab brown color scheme was a bit depressing.

The bed was basically okay, although the mattress was a bit firmer than I’m used to. We used the air conditioning at night, since it was rather warm in Istanbul while we were there. We never turned on the flatscreen TV. I meant to, just to see what was on the telly, but I decided I’d rather just use my computer for entertainment.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served in the hotel’s restaurant, Zaxi. It’s buffet style, and there is a guy there who makes eggs to order. I probably should have tried an omelet, but I never bothered. There were many choices in the buffet, although I didn’t think the food was especially tasty. It was certainly adequate, and even pleasing in some instances. I liked the halva they offered– a thick, satisfying sesame seed creation. They also had a huge range of Turkish cheeses, which Bill loved. There were plenty of vegetables, breads, and the usual chafing dishes with scrambled and boiled eggs, sausages, and other sides. Of course, there weren’t any pork products offered.

*Check out the generic World Market style art on the walls. We could have been anywhere besides Istanbul.*

The one thing that stuck out to me the most about eating in the restaurant was the weird music they played. I noticed they had a loop of bossa nova styled pop songs from the 1980s. Some of the retooled songs were truly strange, and they played them over and over throughout our stay. Are you seriously ready for a Bossa Nova rendition of “Like A Virgin” or “Beat It”?

I did like a few of the songs enough to Shazam them, but there were a few that were just ridiculous. I’m sure most people don’t pay attention to background music, but I am a musician, so I always notice it. I guess I’m just glad it wasn’t Muzak.

The spa

After breakfast, Bill went to his conference. The location was close enough that Bill and his buddies were able to walk there. I went back to bed, since I was a bit jet lagged. Then, at around 11:00 or so, I decided to go to the spa. I’ve heard that the spa at the Hilton Istanbul Maslak is not owned by the hotel. I’m not sure where the truth lies… but I have to say, it was a bit of a disappointment.

Years ago, I wrote a post about how, if you go to a pool in France, you have to wear Speedos and a swimming cap. I’ve since learned that this policy is in effect in some other European (or Asian) countries besides France. And, as it turns out, at least at this particular Turkish pool, you have to wear a swimming cap to use it. This is supposedly for hygiene reasons. They don’t want hair getting caught in the pool filters.

I don’t own a swimming cap. I probably could have purchased one at the spa, but the lady who told me about the policy was not clear about it. She did say that I could use the Jacuzzi without a cap, and there appeared to be another warm shallow pool that I probably could have used. I didn’t bother, though. I was just there to give housekeeping a chance to clean the room. I also don’t know if the powers that be who run this pool also require men to wear Speedos, like they do in France and apparently other countries in Europe.

I sat down on one of the loungers in the spa, which was mostly vacant the whole time I was there. I was a bit dismayed by how worn and stained the cushions were on the loungers. One of them had broken strings at the end of the cushion, so when I sat on it, the cushion shifted. I moved to a different lounger because of that.

And there were also no towels put out for guest use. So, the spa was a bust, which was a real bummer. Yeah, I could have bought a swimming cap, but I didn’t want to go swimming badly enough to try to stuff my hair into one.

After a couple of dry hours at the pool, I went back to the room, and was happy to see it had been cleaned. I decided to do some writing and wait for Bill to come back from his first day at his conference. I know I could have gone out and walked around the neighborhood, but I correctly assumed there wasn’t a lot for tourists to see there. There’s a mosque nearby, and I think an art gallery, but there weren’t really any decent sidewalks. The area is very crowded and not particularly interesting, unless you want to look at skyscrapers and dodge other people. So I stayed in the hotel and waited… and I took a few photos of the sunset… Too bad the windows were a little dirty.

Dinner at Zaxi

And then, for dinner, we tried the hotel restaurant, which was still playing that weird Bossa Nova music from the 80s. I had a beef rib, while Bill had roasted salmon with cauliflower puree. For a starter, we shared shrimps with a dip that I can no longer identify… I remember thinking the food was pretty good. We both enjoyed Bomonte lagers, a Turkish beer that was light and refreshing. And we also had dessert– profiteroles for me, and a warm lemon pistachio tart for Bill.

After dinner, we tried the lobby bar. I think the manager was trying to make small talk, because Bill told me that when I went to the restroom, the guy asked Bill if I was his wife. I’m sure he sees a lot of men in the bar either alone, or with female colleagues. It’s not so common to bring a spouse. I can kind of understand why…

We tried a Turkish red wine. The one we originally ordered wasn’t in stock, which was kind of a blessing, because it was priced at over $100 (in Turkish lira). What we had was much cheaper, and not too bad… although after we enjoyed it, I wondered what the more expensive one was like.

*This wasn’t bad once it opened up a little…*

That about does it for Tuesday in Maslak. Stay tuned for the next post!

Iceland, Nordic

Ten things I learned in Iceland!

Here it is, my usual top ten list of things I learned on our most recent trip. This time it’s Iceland, a country we’ve been wanting to visit together for a long time. I probably learned more than ten things on this trip, come to think of it. So here goes…

10. Be sure to bring waterproof clothing with you to Iceland!

Iceland is one of those places where you just never know what kind of weather you’re going to get. One thing is a sure bet, though, and that is that it’s likely to rain. We now know from personal experience that an umbrella is not likely to be that helpful, especially outside of the city. So, if you’re planning a trip to Iceland, you may want to invest in waterproof clothes. A raincoat is essential, and you’ll probably want waterproof pants, too. But if you need waterproof clothes, don’t worry. Icewear is a handy store with many outlets in Iceland. They can hook you up with clothes and footwear! Dress in layers!

9. Icelandic horses are just that… HORSES.

I grew up around horses and ponies in Virginia. Where I come from, a person would take one look at an Icelandic horse and think they were seeing a pony. Not so… Icelanders consider Icelandic equines to be HORSES, even though they are shorter and smaller than what a lot of us would consider horses.

8. Any Icelandic horse who leaves Iceland is not allowed to return.

Iceland is very strict about the import of animals. It’s possible to bring pets to Iceland, but there are exacting procedures and they have to be quarantined for at least three weeks. And when it comes to Icelandic horses, which are the only horses on the island, they can never return to Iceland if they ever leave.

7. There are evergreens in Iceland, but they were imported from Alaska!

Our guide, Ivar, pointed out evergreen forests during our tour and he said that the trees, along with Alaskan lupine, were imported to Iceland from the U.S. state of Alaska. Ivar said that prior to the import, most of the trees in Iceland were birches.

6. The only animal native to Iceland is the Arctic fox.

Other animals have been introduced, of course. At one point, Norway sent reindeer to Iceland. Most of them died, but enough survived that they exist on the island. Sometimes polar bears from Greenland show up near the coasts, but Ivar told us that the authorities usually shoot them because Greenland doesn’t usually want them back. It makes me kind of sad to think of polar bears being killed in such a way, but I’ve also read that many of them are starving, anyway, due to a lack of fish and other prey caused by global warming.

5. All physically capable schoolchildren in Iceland must learn how to swim.

Ivar told us that his wife works at a school teaching kids how to swim. It’s required of Icelandic children because there’s so much water in and around the island. I was reminded of how I had to prove I could swim before I could graduate Longwood College (now Longwood University). My college has since done away with that requirement, but I doubt Iceland ever will.

4. Tourism is a mixed bag in Iceland.

There are still parts of Iceland that are very remote and rugged. It wasn’t until very recently that Iceland became a hot tourist destination. Consequently, the locals are dealing with some mixed consequences of the trend. On one hand, places that used to be special and pristine are now teeming with tourists. On the other hand, tourism has brought in more workers from other places, increasing population. Tourism also brings in new facilities, such as public restrooms, and better restaurants, as well as lots of money!

3. Iceland is extremely welcoming to LGBTQI people. It’s also got a long history of promoting women’s rights.

There’s even a rainbow colored street in Reykjavik!

2. Icelandic is the language from which other Nordic languages, except Finnish, sprang.

Ivar told us that Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian used to be more like Icelandic, but due to business dealings with Germany, they changed some of their words to be more like German. I did notice when we were in Norway and Sweden last year that some of their words were like German words.

1. If you want to tour Iceland properly, you should definitely consider hiring a guide!

This was the first trip Bill and I have ever taken for which we’ve done a “bespoke” tour. I’m not sure why I realized hiring a guide would be a good idea, especially since I neglected to buy waterproof pants. However, it was absolutely the RIGHT decision for us. We saw parts of Iceland there’s no way we ever could have seen on our own. Moreover, we witnessed what can happen to people who try to drive in Iceland and aren’t wary of the pitfalls. Remember that picture of the half submerged rental car?

Yes, it was expensive for us to book Iceland Luxury Tours, but they did a fantastic job planning our vacation and looking after us. We would not hesitate to recommend them! But even if you don’t want to book luxury, I would definitely shop around for a qualified guide, preferably one who has access to a four wheel drive vehicle! The right vehicle with adequate insurance is an absolute MUST if you want to go to the rugged highlands.

If you decide to visit Iceland, be sure to save up for it. It’s an expensive place to visit. But don’t let that put you off, because as brutal as Iceland’s weather can be, the people are so warm hearted and kind. And the beauty of the country is unparalleled. It really is an incredible place with views you won’t get in many other places on Earth.

We are so glad we finally made it to Iceland. I do hope we can visit again, maybe at a different time of year. I can’t promise the weather will be better, but I’ll bet the views will be different!

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Our Heidelberger Birthday Holiday! Part four

After a nice “lie in”, as the Brits would put it, Bill and I headed down to breakfast, which I had pre-booked with the room. There are plenty of breakfast options nearby as well as a grocery store, so it wasn’t necessary to have breakfast at the hotel. But I like to try everything I can when I stay in a hotel, and this was a splurge. We were seated outside in the lovely garden area, and a very friendly and professional waitress seated us, brought us coffee, and a three tiered serving tree with smoked salmon and roe and mustard dill sauce, cold cuts, and cheeses. She also brought a basket of bread. There was a buffet in the dining room, but I never even looked at it, because she also offered eggs and bacon, which we did order. The orange juice was excellent– fresh squeezed– and if we’d wanted it, we could have had sparkling wine. I passed on the wine at breakfast to give my liver a much needed break.

I think my favorite item at breakfast was the excellent smoked salmon. The mustard dill sauce that came with it was a perfect accompaniment. Here are a few photos from breakfast.

An explanation of how things are done in the COVID-19 era.

After breakfast, it was back to the Hauptstrasse, which was bustling with activity. It felt strange to be among so many people after hanging out with Bill alone for most of the year. We headed for the Neckar River, which famously runs through Heidelberg. We know this river well, because it also flows down near Stuttgart. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the Rhein River, which is probably Germany’s most famous. The Neckar passes through some pretty awesome German cities. According to Wikipedia, one can see and sail the Neckar in: Rottweil, Rottenburg am Neckar, Kilchberg, Tübingen, Wernau, Nürtingen, Plochingen, Esslingen, Stuttgart, Ludwigsburg, Marbach, Heilbronn, and Heidelberg.

There were several boats available for tours. In the distance, we noticed the Patria, which is a ship operated by the other spendy hotel I had considered booking. One can book a very special floating meal on that vessel, which cruises the Neckar. Maybe if we get a chance to go back to Heidelberg, we’ll try the Heidelburg Suites and take a cruise. Hopefully, the pandemic will be even more controlled by then. It looks really nice. Here are some photos from our morning walk.

A little library for the community! I always love to see these.

Once again, we were steaming hot after our walk, which was pretty leisurely. We went back to the hotel and Bill booked us a slot at the pool. Because of COVID-19 regulations, it’s necessary to make appointments to use the pool and sauna area. We were assigned 1:00pm until 3:00pm, but when we got there, the spa manager said we could stay until 5:00pm if we wanted to. All we really wanted was a quick dip and a few laps. There were a few other parties who joined us, so we had to be extra considerate about sharing the pool. Only two people are allowed in the pool at a time and they have to be from the same household. Did I mention what a pain in the ass COVID-19 is? Still, everyone was considerate, so it was a nice way to cool off. We were satisfied after about 45 minutes and decided to go find a snack to tide us over before dinner.

Since we had dinner reserved for 7:00, we decided to have a snack to keep us going until then. As we walked along Hauptstrasse, we became aware of a commotion. A man wearing mismatched blue socks had set up a station near the Galeria– a great place to be on a hot day, thanks to the super strong air conditioning that can be felt all the way across the street. He had a dog and a sign asking for money. He was yelling at someone.

My German isn’t so great, but I noticed two people– a young man and an older woman– holding a heavyset, middle-aged woman with straight black hair and many tattoos on her legs. People were crowded around, gawking at the scene. She was screaming and fighting, and I got the sense that maybe she’d been caught shoplifting or something… or maybe had even tried to rip off the guy begging for change. She was wearing what looked like Birkenstock slip on sandals, which had come off her feet during the struggle. The man and woman who were wrestling with her were being humane enough. The guy handed one of her shoes to a bystander, but she slipped from their grasp before she managed to put them on. The woman took off running barefoot down a side street, and she quickly disappeared.

One thing I noticed was that no one seemed to be videoing her, which I thought was pretty classy. I think in America, there would be many people training their phones on the spectacle. I don’t know what happened, but it appeared to me that she was up to no good. Someone probably did get a video… but at least it wasn’t everyone.

We stopped at the Dubliner Bar, an Irish pub and hotel. The inside looked really nice. I kind of wished we’d flashed our vaccination paperwork so we could sit in there and listen to the excellent classic rock they were playing– American music in Germany at an Irish pub! But we sat in the Biergarten instead, which was small and lacked umbrellas. The one table in the shade was booked, so I ended up sitting in God’s flashlight for about 30 minutes. Still, it was an enjoyable stop. We used our QR code scanner to see the menu on our phones, although printed menus are also available, of course!

The Dubliner appears to be very popular. The waitress told us the tables in the back were all reserved, probably so people could watch soccer. I think if I wanted to watch sports, I’d rather do it at home. But we were only there for fuel. While I was sitting there, my watch started ringing– probably because my phone was near. This was the first time I ever got a phone call on the Apple Watch. It was the restaurant, Chambao, which is where we enjoyed Saturday night’s dinner. They were calling to make sure we were still coming, since they were fully booked. Apparently, people have a habit of making reservations and not showing up. I assured the caller we’d be there… and boy, did I make a great dinner choice! More on that in the next post.

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Post pandemic trip number two– Things are going swimmingly!

I wanted to see the Meerfelder Maar up close, so Bill and I stopped by there after we hit the nearest Penny Markt for a couple of bottles of wine and some snacks. I’m glad we took the time to get the wine and see the maar, as we were both pretty exhausted after our long hike in the woods. A lot of people were visiting the natural volcanic crater lake on Saturday. Most everyone wore a mask on the way to the “beach”, which surprised me a bit. But then, there were a lot of people on the trail over there… and quite a few people were enjoying the refreshing waters. The Meerfelder Maar was formed by a volcano eruption, making it different than the Glaswaldsee, the lake we visited near Bad Rippoldsau in Baden-Württemberg a couple of years ago. The Glaswaldsee is one of a few “Karseen”– lakes formed in the Ice Age due to melting mountain glaciers.

I might have gone swimming in the maar, but I was pretty tired and cranky and definitely not in the mood to deal with crowds. So we just went to see what the lake looked like and observe. It looked like they had people there collecting people’s names and contact information, just as they do in the restaurants. I don’t know if there is also an admissions charge. My guess is that there is one because I noticed that there are toilet facilities at the lake and someone has to clean them.

Anyway, I just took some pictures…

When we were finished looking at the lake, we went back to the hotel. I took a shower, then got into my bathing suit. I looked forward to a dip in the hotel’s spa pool. Alas, when I arrived, there were four or five women already in the pool, and there were signs directing that no more than four people swim at one time so as to maintain social distancing. The ladies had also taken up three of the four loungers in the waiting area/solarium, although I noticed there were more on the second floor.

I sat down on the one spare lounger, noting that the Hotel Zur Post has saunas (textile free, of course), foot baths, a salt brine room (closed), and a steam room (closed). The pool uses minimal chlorine due to a modern ultrafiltration system. It has cool lights that change color, a neck shower, current waver, and a “whirl” bench. All of these features can be turned on at will by anyone in the pool.

After about twenty minutes or so, the ladies left the pool, and Bill and I took a turn. It was really nice to swim a bit after our long walk. We were soon joined by a very tall, thin, athletic looking Belgian teenager in a bikini. She spoke English, and asked if we minded if she turned on the current. We said that was fine, so she turned it on and I watched in delight as she swam against it, a big smile plastered across her face. It was really nice to watch her enjoy the pool… such a simple pleasure. The pool also offers a nice view of the back of the hotel.

Other people soon showed up hoping for a chance to enjoy the pool, so after about a half hour or so, Bill and I went back to our room and watched the news while we drank wine and ate peanut butter “Flips”. I was introduced to this snack in the United States by my German friend, Susi, who helped Bill and me adopt our dog, Arran, in 2013. At the time, Susi was a fellow Army wife, and she related to our sorrow after we lost our beloved hound, MacGregor. We’d had to euthanize him a week before Christmas due to a highly malignant spinal tumor. Susi was working with Triangle Beagle Rescue and helped us meet and adopt Arran, who has turned out to be a wonderful dog! Susi is still in North Carolina, now working as a nurse, although she’s no longer an Army wife.

We definitely weren’t hungry for a big meal after our filling lunch near the Eagle and Wolf Park, so we drank dinner and went to bed early… I was eager for Sunday morning, which would take us to the Vulkaneifel Therme. More on that in the next post.

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Post pandemic trip number two– a pleasant weekend in the Eifel…

Bill and I just got back from our second weekend excursion since the pandemic struck. The spring and summer of 2020 have been very unusual, and not just because everyone’s wearing a face mask these days. Since we moved back to Germany in 2014, we’ve made a point of traveling as often as possible. We’ve visited many countries and have several others on our bucket list. But this year, after two early trips to the Alsace region of France following a Christmas jaunt to Nimes and Beaune, France, we have stayed put in Wiesbaden. I was really becoming a shut in, until Bill finally decided enough was enough and insisted on taking me away for my birthday last month. We memorably visited a spa hotel for two nights in nearby Hofheim, just twenty minutes from where we live.

Since that trip in June went so well, Bill decided he wanted to go somewhere else in July. He tasked me with finding somewhere not too far away, even though unlike most Americans, we are now permitted to travel to other countries again. Because we can prove that we live in the European Union, we are allowed to be in Europe and, for the most part, travel as if we were E.U. citizens. Unlike the United States, Europe seems to take a somewhat sensible approach toward foreigners. Seems kind of ironic to me, given that the United States was always called a “melting pot” when I was growing up, watching Schoolhouse Rock during Saturday morning cartoons.

Ah… the innocence of my youth.

I remembered our very first “military hop”, which we took in May of 2012. At the time, we were living in Sanford, North Carolina. Bill was still in the Army, and we had about eight days to mess around in Germany. We ended up flying to Ramstein and planning a trip completely on the fly. I remember taking a train to Cologne, spending a night at the Ibis at the train station, and then getting a blind booking through the former Germanwings (now Eurowings). We ended up getting a cheap flight to Munich, where we spent three nights and visited Salzburg by train on a day trip.

Then we flew back to Cologne and took another train to Trier, which allowed us to visit Luxembourg. On the way to Trier, we stopped at Gerolstein, a city well-known for its bubbly mineral water. Indeed, I had even been buying Gerolstein water at our favorite local grocery store in North Carolina. I looked out the window at Gerolstein and thought it looked like a nice place to visit, not knowing then that we would be moving back to Germany just two years later and I would eventually get the chance to see the town.

When we lived in Stuttgart, I remember trying to come up with a trip to the Gerolstein area, but I never could find the right combination of dog friendly lodging and justification for driving so far to stay in Germany. In Stuttgart, it was more difficult to arrange for local dog sitting, so our dogs had to come with us on some of our trips. Now that we’re in Wiesbaden, it’s easy to book Arran (since we no longer have Zane) at the dog pension. Gerolstein is now just a couple of hours away, rather than several hours.

As I researched the area, known as the Eifel, I found a lot of things I knew would hold our interest. However, we opted not to stay in Gerolstein. Instead, I found us a lovely, old fashioned spa hotel in the tiny hamlet of Meerfeld, named after the Meerfelder Maar– a lake formed 30,000 to 40,000 years ago from an explosion in what was once a volcanic crater. There are several water filled “maars” in the Eifel, although there are dozens more dry ones scattered throughout the area. The Meerfelder Maar is one of the oldest of the maars in the Eifel region. Swimming and water sports are allowed there, and it’s also a nature preserve. If you have a car and a willingness to drive a bit, you can slip in a visit to Belgium or Luxembourg, or maybe a visit to Cochem or Trier, both of which are close by, or any of the other charming little towns where there are old castles, canopied hiking trails, and lakes made by volcanic eruptions.

The Meerfelder Maar wasn’t necessarily what drew me to Meerfeld. I was mostly looking for a nice hotel with a good restaurant or, barring that, a really well-appointed apartment or vacation house. There are plenty of inviting places to stay in the Eifel region, with something to suit almost any taste. I had a tough time deciding. I finally chose the family owned Hotel Zur Post in Meerfeld because of its consistently excellent reviews, particularly of the hotel restaurant; the fact that it’s close to an unusual geological attraction was an added positive. The area is also popular with hikers and bikers, as there are many trails near the hotel and the surrounding hamlets.

We really had a good time on our trip, which probably would not have happened if not for COVID-19, as I would have chosen to visit a place further afield, probably in an adjoining country or even further away than that. This trip was a good reminder that you don’t always have to go far to see something interesting. Now, on with my latest trip report series!

Sundays

Our first visit to a German Freibad… and Chinese food in Nagold!

This morning, I took note of the warm, sunny weather and the fact that I love a good swim. I said to Bill, “Why don’t we go to the pool in Nagold?”

As expected, Bill was down on the idea. He doesn’t like pools, mainly because he hates being seen in his bathing suit. I wasted no time reminding him that just a month ago, he joined me in the buff at a spa in Bad Wildbad. He had a great time.

“Please…” I begged. “We don’t have to stay long!” I was really wanting to try the cool slide at Nagold’s awesome Freibad. Finally, Bill gave in to my pleading and we headed over there at about noon. It was four euros each to enter.

It wasn’t too crowded or hot today and we easily found a spot in the shade. I took a quick dip, then thought better of the slide, which was crowded with kids… some of whom didn’t seem to be paying much attention to people coming down after them.

I enjoyed a brief swim in the super deep pool where the diving boards are, then watched some of the kids doing flips into the water. A few were doing their best to make the biggest splashes they could– and doing painful belly flops in the process. They were so full of youthful exuberance. I remembered when I was a kid, jumping fearlessly off the high dives and sliding down the slides. We had none of that today, but it was still a lot of fun… at least until the clouds started rolling in… Anyway, I was mightily impressed by Nagold’s pool. It beats the ever loving hell out of the public pools we had when I was growing up.

In case you were wondering, yes there are changing rooms (this was one of Bill’s concerns!).

And there are lockers, too! You put in a one or two euro coin to take the key. When you bring the key back, you get your euros back. There’s also a Biergarten (of course!) that serves food.

Check out that slide! I will have to try it next time. We’ll get there earlier so I don’t have to worry about crashing into any kids. I didn’t see anyone directing traffic, making sure people got out of the way. I did hear at least one adult screaming all the way down, too.

Bill looks snarky as he takes a seat. I had to point out that I brought four towels, two to sit on and two for drying off. He never did get in the water, though.

They have a low dive, high dive, and a platform. The platform appeared to be closed.

Bill watched the divers…

This was the main pool, complete with the creepy mushroom shower thing… It was about waist deep for me.

The rules for the slide…

I liked the deep pool better. It was really nice, even if I am no competitive swimmer. I did have to pass a swimming test to graduate from college, though.

Action shot!

The clouds were threatening and I was getting cold, so we decided to go have lunch. It was raining when we left, but the rain had stopped by the time we put our stuff in the car. Parking in Nagold is free on Sundays. There’s also an indoor pool at this park.

We decided to try the Pavillon China Restaurant in Nagold. It was our first time there. They have a late pause that starts at 3:00, so we were there in plenty of time.

Obligatory shot of Bill.

We were given cold, refreshing plum juice with our beers. The inside of the restaurant is very nicely decorated with Asian decor and a large fish tank.

Bill had a special that included beef, shrimp, and chicken, as well as assorted vegetables. I had my usual crispy duck, which was served with no mushrooms in it! Yea!

We got rice…

And pineapple infused sweet and sour sauce came with my duck.

I really enjoyed the duck. I didn’t really try Bill’s dish because it had mushrooms in it. He pronounced it excellent and brought some home for tomorrow’s lunch. The crispy duck had carrots, peppers, bamboo shoots, and zucchini mixed in. I really enjoyed it. The bill came to 28 euros and change. Bill left a generous tip, which made the waitress smile big. She enthusiastically wished us a good day. I would definitely go back to the Pavillon China Restaurant next time I want Asian food. It was very good.

The front of the restaurant has these cool looking columns.

Not the greatest shot of the front, but there were people sitting out there. It’s very close to the Edeka in Nagold.

We had a very nice afternoon in Nagold. I really think it’s becoming one of our favorite places to chill out on the weekends. It’s pretty, there are a lot of good restaurants, and things to do. A bonus is that it’s never as crowded as some of the other cities near us and it’s only about four kilometers away. I think I managed to talk Bill into visiting the pool again. Maybe next time, he’ll even get in the water!

Sundays

A beautiful Sunday afternoon in Seewald…

I’m always looking for new things to do, especially on Sundays. Today, I was inspired by the continuing beautiful weather to take a trip to a place Bill and I had never been to before. I remembered that one of Bill’s coworkers had suggested a cool Biergarten in Seewald. After searching all my bookmarks, I suggested it to Bill, who had originally planned for us to visit the commissary. I’m pretty glad I talked him out of that, especially after our little road trip today!

Although Unterjettingen is not all that close to the military installations near Stuttgart, it is in a great area for finding things to do. Yesterday’s trip to the Barfuss Park was pretty painless; it’s only about a half an hour from where we live. Likewise, Seewald is also within about a 30 or 40 minute drive. I was keen to try the Seeheiner Gasthof and Cafe. I knew the Seeheiner was next to a lake. What I didn’t know is that the Seewald is a great place to hang out, swim, boat, have a picnic, and enjoy nature. In fact, many Germans were doing just that today.

I snapped this shot as we sat at a light in Altensteig, a picturesque town we passed through on our way to Seewald.

As we approached the biergarten, I noticed there were many, many cars… and even more bikes! Seeheiner’s parking lot was full of motorcycles. Plenty of people were parked on the side of the road and most of the parking lots were full. Undaunted, we parked in P2, which is a lot a bit past the biergarten. We made our way there, enjoying the majestic beauty of the lake, surrounded by evergreens and full of people having fun.

A man checks out a commemorative sign…

My first unobstructed glimpse of Seewald.

Plenty of people brought all manner of boats and rafts.

Bringing your dog? Seewald has you covered. Unfortunately, not everyone availed themselves of this Hundestation.

At last, we reached the biergarten. We wanted to sit outside, but every table was taken. People were especially eager to take the tables on the slowly rotating platform that offered 360 degree views of the lake and the surrounding areas. Seeheiner has lots of outdoor seating. Besides the rotating platform, there are a couple of wraparound balconies offering views of the lake. There’s also seating out front. We didn’t want to wait for a table outside, so we decided to eat inside. That was actually okay, since Bill and I drove the Mini convertible and already got some sun on the way to and from the lake.

Beer!

A shot of the rotating platform. It moves very slowly round and round…

And another shot of the bikes… Bikers obviously love Seeheiner!

It was a beautiful day!

Bill checks out the menu.

Seeheiner has warm food throughout the day, though some dishes are only available at certain times of the day. If you want a traditional lunch, you should arrive between 11:00 and 2:00pm. The food is very typical hearty Swabian cuisine. I saw only a few options for vegetarians, though there is a menu for kids. The wait staff was working very hard and it took some time for them to get to us. The food turned out to be well worth the wait. Not only does Seeheiner boast a great location, it also offers delicious food.

Bill and I both had Hefeweizens.

And we had salads, though our dishes were so large that we probably shouldn’t have. I could only eat about a third of this.

Bill had Schweinebraten. He said it was probably the best he’s ever had. I have to admit, this pork was super tender and flavorful. It was delicious!

I had fresh Nagolder trout. As you can see, it’s liberally sprinkled with toasted almond slivers and accompanied by parsleyed potatoes. The fish was also excellent. It was super fresh, moist, and flavorful. I managed to eat a little over half before I had to stop. I thought about taking it home for lunch tomorrow, but thought better of it when I realized we were going to want to walk around a bit. What a shame!

I noticed quite a few delicious looking desserts heading out the door… lots of ice cream creations and cakes. If we were going to be spending the night in Seewald, I might have come back later for a late afternoon sweet. As it was, we were too full to even consider having dessert. Our bill was just over forty euros.

A better shot of the sign as we were leaving.

We took a walk around the lake and I found myself wishing I’d worn my bathing suit. I have been itching to take a swim for some time now! Maybe we’ll go back next weekend, if the weather holds up for us. The following are some photos I took as we explored Seewald, a name that now means more to me than just Jessa Duggar’s new last name. 😉

The Seeheiner is one of several nice looking biergartens in the Seewald area. I also noticed there were lots of people camping in the area. There is also a small snack bar near the Seeheiner for those who just want a snack and don’t want to battle crowds at Seeheiner. I also noticed a pubic restroom near where we parked.

When we got back to our car, the guy who was parked next to us had his door open, blocking me from entering my vehicle. Bill told the guy in German that we were going to leave. He came around and closed his door. I got into the car. As I put the top down on my convertible, he smiled and asked in German if we wanted to trade cars with him. He was driving a minivan! Nein danke!

What a beautiful day to go to the lake and enjoy the sunshine. If you’re looking for a way to spend a warm sunny Sunday, Seewald is a good bet!

But get there early… Parking is a bit tricky! At least it doesn’t cost anything!

anecdotes

Nagold on a nasty hot July day… lunch at Hotel Adler

is still a lot of fun!

The hot temperatures have been getting me down this weekend because they have made me not want to venture out. We bought a new air conditioner yesterday that is keeping my office much cooler and more pleasant; but it’s no help out and about, where a lot of places are hotter than the dickens, as my mom would put it. Still, I was in a bit of a mood, so I told Bill that I wanted to go out for a little while. I suggested we visit Nagold, since it’s very close to where we live, has restaurants we haven’t tried, and is super cute. An added bonus is that free parking is plentiful on Sundays and holidays.

We dropped by the bank for euros and I stopped to take a photo of the tower… and the kids playing in the fountain. We saw at least two fountains with kids in them as well as a kid swimming in the river. Nagold is very kid friendly.

We decided to try a new restaurant for lunch. The first time we visited Nagold last fall, I had noticed a cute little gasthaus near the river. Hotel Adler offers Schwabish fare. It’s a bit pricey, but you get a very elegant meal for your euros. One of the proprietors stuck her head out the window as we were perusing the menu and said hello, so we decided to go in. Of course, we were the only ones in the dining room, though they do have an outdoor area. No one was sitting out there, either. Everybody was eating ice cream at the ice cafes or hanging out by the river, where there was a small fest going on.

An obligatory face from Bill…

I ordered a weizenbier from Hochdorf. Bill had a radler. We also had some water with gas. The restaurant offers some nice traditional German dishes, but my mind was on fish, since it was so hot outside. Bill also had fish. I am not sure anyone spoke English at all. Fortunately, Bill speaks some German and I am improving by the day (though I still suck). We were able to get by relatively successfully. Our waitress wore a dirndl, though the rest of the staff was casually attired. The dining room was really beautiful, though it was also the reception area.

Bill’s zander filet with mustard sauce and pfefferlingen mushrooms. It came with a big bowl of noodles.

My dish was a Black Forest trout with salted potatoes and a lemon sauce. I was glad the sauces were served on the side, since they were a little heavy for such a hot day. Still, they were tasty.

I might have been tempted to try dessert. They had a few that were inviting. However, I was well satiated after this lunch and wanted to get out into the breeze. It was very hot in the restaurant and even the owners conceded that most people wouldn’t be comfortable in there today. A couple of fans would have made the dining room a lot more temperate, though maybe the few really hot days Germany gets every year aren’t worth the investment.

We really enjoyed the Hotel Adler and will go back when the weather is a little more hospitable. I would definitely recommend it to others. They do have a children’s menu, though the offerings appear to be more skewed toward adults. The dining room is lovely and so are the people.

After lunch, we stepped into the museum next door, which was open and offering free admission. Only the first floor was open, but it was cool in there both temperature and exhibit wise. The current exhibit is basically about Nagold during Hitler’s era. The displays all had explanations in German, but I understood enough to get the basic gist. Apparently, Nagold was quite the hot spot during the Nazi regime. If you are interested in World War II in Germany, the museum may make a worthwhile stop in Nagold.

A man and some kids were punting. We watched them, then wandered across the bridge toward Nagold’s awesome park. There are public bathrooms there, which is a good thing to know.

The park has a little miniature train that was popular with kids…

There’s also a fun looking playground…

Dogs are not allowed on the green spaces, though they can be walked on the paved trail. Please clean up your shit.

And there’s a Keltenfest at the end of the month… we might have to check this one out. My German friend says special beer will be offered.

I had been giving thought to visiting Nagold’s freibad, but figured it would be ridiculously crowded. And it was…

The pool has a great water slide, a high dive, volleyball courts, a kiddie pool, a sand area, and playground equipment. It was really teeming with people today, though.

It’s four euros for a ticket per adult, which you buy from the machine… Tickets for kids are 2,50 euros. You get a price break if you come after 5:30 pm. Then, the price drops to 2,50 euros per adult and 2 euros for kids. Season passes are also available.

I snapped a quick shot of the band in the distance. There was a Christian band, then a girl tried to sing Adele. She wasn’t too bad… looked a bit young and could probably use a little vocal instruction. The band was good, though.

Nagold is so cute. We need to visit more often. When the weather is milder, we will have to check out the ruins that sit on a hilltop in Nagold. I know nothing about them, but think they look cool.

I have yet to be disappointed by a trip to Nagold. I am starting to feel the same way about Nagold as I do about Tuebingen. My mom will be visiting in a couple of weeks and this is one place we will take her.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: swimming

Ten things I learned in Istanbul (this time)…

A quick jaunt to Istanbul… (part three)

Ten things I learned in Iceland!

Our Heidelberger Birthday Holiday! Part four

Post pandemic trip number two– Things are going swimmingly!

Post pandemic trip number two– a pleasant weekend in the Eifel…

Our first visit to a German Freibad… and Chinese food in Nagold!

A beautiful Sunday afternoon in Seewald…

Nagold on a nasty hot July day… lunch at Hotel Adler