Germany

Pottenstein is known as "little Switzerland" and is only about one hour from Ansbach. We drove up there around lunch time and had some Radler and pizza at a beer garden. We got to enjoy what will probably be one of the last warm weekends here.

I loved this painting on one of the buildings downtown.

The entrance of town is marked by the strange rock formations.

After lunch we went down the road to the Pottenstein Luge Park. They had various different rides that you could go on for 2 euro per person and fly down the hill. It was nice to have this kind of silly fun with the deployment looming in the future.

The area has tons of walking trails and we hit an easy one that went back a small lake with paddle boat riders and lots of ducks. Trout in the water waited around by the feeders for guests to buy them a snack.
We had heard a legend that somewhere in Pottenstein was a restaurant that served steak on a stone. Along our walk we found it and decided it would be an awesome dinner - and we were right! The waiter brought out a HUGE filet on a sizzling stone. While you sit and chat your steak cooks the way you want it. The meat was perfectly seasoned and a good end to the weekend.

I will start off my saying we are not alcoholics. The worlds largest beer fest and wine fest just happened to be in the same weekend. Bad Durkheim is about 2 hours away in the wine region so we headed for the fest around lunch time. It wasn't quite what we expected.

The wine tents were similar to beer tents and served the equivilant of about 3 glasses of wine in one.

As has been the theme for the weekend we found a table, some drink and some food. This stand had every sort of meat but the grounds had even more food than Oktoberfest.

Fests in germany are very similar to a fair in the states and even have rides. After the "glass" of wine this ride gave me nausea to look at.

This very large wine barrel that could hold millions of gallons of wine is actually a restaurant inside.

We went inside for some ice cream and....wine. This is our friend Matt that went with us. The tables made it feel like you were inside a wine barrel.

After we left the giant barrel we headed up the hill for a look over the fest...but not without getting cotton candy first.

From above we could see most of the fest site.

Everyone loves a ferris wheel in the middle of the wine fields.

It wasn't long before this cloud started to roll in and we headed for the car.

Last year we hit Oktoberfest on the last day and this year we hit opening day. We left the train station at 0530 in order to be to the fair grounds for the opening parade. Crowds gathered to watch all the beautiful horses pulling the beer wagons. The police had to come in first and make sure everyone was in order..

I loved this horse with the branding on his back

Then there was this one with all that decoration on - it looks heavy

Only a few more horse pictures, I promise - but I loved the blond hair on this one

And these german guys look almost as cool as the horses..

I think this girl must have been important somehow but she looked awesome on that horse

Near the end came a man pulling cows....

....who were pulling a giant keg

The best part about Oktoberest is the outfits. Last year I loved the dirndls so this year I got one too!

The old guys don't look as good in their Leiderhosen as the young kids though.

Cookies with writing on are huge at Oktoberfest and I thoght it was a miracle to get this picture with only one other person in it.

After the parade the horses and carts hang out for photo ops...which of course I took

I don't know but they don't look like the are enjoying Oktoberfest as much as the people

After I got finished admiring the horses we had some beer and ate a lot.....fried mashed potatoes, chicken, peanuts, cotton candy, bratwurst, pommes and a donut. I don't know if I will fit in that outfit next year

Outdoor Recreation on post offers kayaking/canoeing trips on Wednesday nights for $25. For this they will take you and your choice of kayak or canoe to the lake and help you get into the water. The Altmuhlsee is a lake not far from our house and there is a stretch of about two miles with nice calm waters. It was a great and peaceful way to forget about work.

Curt taking his first few strokes.

He didn't take long to get the hang of it.
At the end of the river there are restaurants where you can catch a brat and some pommes before going home. The last thing we needed was another hobby but I think we found it 

This doesn't really have to do with travel but I loved the picture. We went to a friends house for dinner and Curt cut up fruit for hours to make his fruit baskets and bowls.