Stuttgart-Mercedes Benz Museum

This was a very busy week with lots of different things going on. 
I finally got back to German class and was quickly aware how much I had forgotten and how much I should have been studying during the hiatus.  It was good to hear that my teacher Jenny's husband is doing better and that they are quite sure they got all of the cancer. 


Tuesday was another bad weather day and school was let out early as well as non-essential personal. That night scouts was cancelled again along with all of the other Tuesday night activities. The good news regarding weather is that we have had a turnaround and the temps warmed up, the rain came and most of the snow has melted!   The best part is we actually saw the sunshine for a little bit this week.  You just don't know how wonderful and exciting it is to have some sunshine!


On Thursday evening we had McGraths and the missionaries over to dinner.  Our missionaries here are great guys. Elder Hewitt is from London, England and Elder Sessions is from Pleasant View, Utah.  They both go home in another month or so.  We all think Elder Hewitt's accent is really cool!  We had such a good time getting to know all about them and their families.   


Friday we went to see Avatar.  It was pretty amazing but it's not a "I've got to see it again" movie for me.  Once was enough.

This highlight of the week was a day trip with McGraths to Stuttgart.  Stuttgart is a big city of 600,000 people about two hours away toward München (Munich).   It's where the Porsche and Mercedes Benz museums are located.  We went to the Mercedes museum first thing (We didn't get to the Porsche one because you have to book 2 weeks in advance). The building is very interesting, architecturally.  Inside you take an elevator to the top story and then follow the history of Daimler-Benz chronologically as you wind your way down through the levels to the bottom floor.




  After the museum we went on a bit of wild goose chase for lunch.  We had been told of a great place about 7 miles out of town but when we finally got there, we found out it was closed for lunch.  We found another little place close by.  It was a fun adventure.  Most restaurants have menus that have both german and english on them.  Not this one. When Mike asked the lady "sprechen sie english?" She said only a "little".  I actually did pretty good translating the menu and helping her out with my "bisschen Deutsch".   Mike asked her what was the best thing to eat and she said "my cakes".  The front of the restaurant was her Bäkerie and she had the most wonderful looking tortes, cakes, and pastries.  

The inner courtyard of the Altes Schloss and a tower on the outside of it.

That afternoon we headed back down to the city center of Stuttgart.  There were some very interesting things to see there.  The Altes Schloss or Old Palace was my favorite. Originally built in 1553-1578 as a residence for the Württembergs, it has a very beautiful inner courtyard in the Renaissance style.  I could really envision palace life as I stood in the center of that courtyard.

Another interesting thing to see is the Neues Schloss or New Palace built in 1746-1807.  This is a picture of me, Travis and Mike in front of the Neues Scholss.

This is the backside of the main Kirche downtown.

The city has a large pedestrian shopping area right downtown among all of these landmarks. It was full of Saturday shoppers.  I may have mentioned before how much the Germans love to shop!  It is a family affair for certain.  They bundle up the kids and spend their weekend outside.  Shopping on Saturday at the outdoor markets and pedestrian malls and then Volksmarching on Sundays.  Going out for a stroll through the villages and nearby woods.  


This was a good week for sightseeing and it was good to get my mind off of troubling things that are just part of life, but that seem to want to take center stage and shouldn't.  I hope when those "troubles" pop up, we can always remember the things that are most important in our lives.  For me, that would be my family, my faith and my friends.  All the things that I experience along my life's journey seem to lead me back to those three things in some form or another.  I am amazed each and every day at how blessed I am. 


"When among life billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done."


Love and miss you all,
-corri