Day 362: Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart

We were supposed to go out of town today but because it's going to rain, we decided to go see the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart instead. It's a great way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon in Stuttgart.

On the way we stopped at the car dealership to get a quote on some needed repairs on the car.  The Italian guy we normally talk to, Santos, was not there.  However, there was a woman who spoke Italian so I was able to communicate what we needed.  She called her colleague who spoke a little English.  And he looked at the car and gave us a quote.  Now we have to get a second quote from Anna's brother who has a body shop about 5 km from where we live.

We used Julie (our GPS navigator) to get us to the museum and it's located near the Porsche stadium.  There was a soccer game going on there so we couldn't go where Julie told us to go so we rode around until Julie caught up to us and got us back on course.

We parked the car in the underground museum parking lot and went inside.  Before going inside we noticed there were older models of Mercedes cars in plexiglass boxes in the underground parking lot.  It was very cool to look at the cars and read about them.  I think the museum curator wanted to give you a taste of what the museum would be like.  They have a cafe and there are used Mercedes cars for sale on display there.  They look brand new, but of course, they are not.

Once again, the museum is very smart!  Like IKEA, they make you walk through different areas where kiosks sell all kinds of products with the Mercedes logo.  And there were other items as well including history books.  We bought our tickets and  started through the museum.  Below  are some pictures from the museum.

I bet this was fun to ride back in  the day!

I didn't know Mercedes made boats!  Did you?

These antique cars reminded me of the antique car museum at the Canfield Fairgrounds, only on a bigger, grander scale, of course! 

Another one of the antique buggies! 

Another one I thought was totally cool!

Last antique car, I promise! ;)

This one doesn't count because it's a modern day stagecoach! 

Ah...the glamour of the 1930s and 1940s!  They are something!

How would you like to tool around town in something like this?  I sure would!  What a conversation starter! 

I think this one was from the 1960s. 

I think this one was from the 1950s. 

Now this was really cool!  The doors are reminiscent of the DeLauren, which I'm  sure got their inspiration from this very car, by the looks of it! 

At first I thought that big station wagon  looking car was a hearse and thought that was a tad bit tacky...until...we looked closer.  It was the command center for the test car in front of it.  There were cables from the car in  front to the car behind it so they could monitor all sorts of things! 

If you look closely, you can  see the cables running from the car in front to the top of this car.  In the back was the testing equipment with chairs for the people who monitored the test equipment.  How ingenious of them to rig up something like this to  test the cars!






Finally it was time to leave. The museum closed the way to get to the elevator to get to the car.  It was a little tricky but we finally managed to find our car and go to dinner at Capri where the owner graciously gifted me with a bottle of Italian pressed olive oil which is terrific!

Then it was home to watch movies.

Saturday 03/20/2010

Day 313- Another Jaunt to Stuttgart

Today Ted has to go get the tires aligned.  While he is gone, I will straighten up the apartment and get a load of laundry done. 

When he returned, we had a quick drink and left to catch the U-Bahn to go downtown Stuttgart.  We decided we like the U-Bahn better than the S-Bahn even though we have to change trains in Moehringen.  But the cars seem to be nicer and it appears to be a more direct route. 

It started to snow just as we parked the car by the train station.  Big white fluffy snowflakes fell as we walked to the station.  We are bundled up so we are not cold.  we had to wait about 10 minutes for the train.  It appears we had JUST missed the previous train.  No matter though, since we had to buy our tickets too. We REALLY do need to get a monthly pass! 

The ride downtown was uneventful but when we got to the Schloss Platz (translated "Palace Plaza"), we couldn't believe they were having some sort of "green" market fair!!  The people were bundled up but they were visiting the booths.  And there were just as many people here this week as there were here last week before Ted left for England!

By now, Ted was hungry and wanted to eat.  He hadn't eaten since yesterday since he didn't want to eat when he came home last night since it was so late.  We went to the same restaurant that we had eaten at in the fall.  He had a specialty dish (the name escapes me - but  it sliced homemade pasta rolls filled with ground sausage and spinach).  It came with scrambled eggs and he loved it.  I had quiche and a salad.  However, we definitely DO need to go back to this restaurant because i definitely want to try that dish! 

We walked to the Karstadt department store where I picked up additional yard to finish Ted's scarf and some other cotton yarn to make another afghan for the new baby who is due to arrive in August.  As we walked by the millinery department, I looked at hats since I do not have one.  Ted insisted on buying me this beautiful knit and felt hat and I love it.  It's plum-colored and is terrific.  I would not have spent the money for it but he said I didn't get a Christmas gift so this is it! 

As we walked back to the train station, we noticed this HUGE 25 foot "thing" coming at us.  I was upset that I forgot to bring either my camera OR my phone to snap a photo.  It's hard to describe but I'm going to give it my best shot.  It was a "hollow" man made of "strings" that appeared to have been "paper macheted".  But the kicker was that it was "walking" towards us.  We couldn't see them until we got closer but there were people on  the ground with this "man" in the middle and they were orchestrating his movements with steel rods.  This "man" actually looked like he was walking!!!  Behind the "man" and the people moving him, was this other man who was playing a guitar-like instrument. The music was filmy and fantasy-like...very fitting for the movements of the "man".  The man was hooked up to a loudspeaker which was on wheels.  The loudspeaker was anchored to him around his waist with a some sort of belt.  As he played and walked, the loudspeaker "followed" him.  I was enthralled with the entire concept and stood watching the "man" until I could only see his head in the distance.

The train ride back to the car was uneventful and I was struck once again at the beauty of the landscape, even in the harsh winter.  We needed to stop to get bread but the one bakery in town was already closed.  The other bakery near the market I shop at was not closed so we popped in there to buy bread and then zipped home.

It was starting to get dark and colder but we were almost home so we didn't care.  Once home, we were still full from our wonderful late lunch so we didn't have a formal meal.  We watched a i-tunes movie and then went to bed.



Saturday 1/30/2010

Day 306- Jaunt to Stuttgart

Ted decided to sleep in today. Then he had an errand to run. Since we bought tires, he wants to make sure the car is aligned. I don't blame him...tires are not cheap so we have to make them last!

Then we decided to take the S-Bahn to downtown Stuttgart. It's cold so we both bundled up. We're going to Bernhausen to catch the S-Bahn and we'll leave our car parked at the station and return.

The price for the U-Bahn which we can get in Plieningen and the S-Bahn are pretty much the same, I think. We're still trying to figure out what the difference is between the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn and we're having difficulty understanding.

Ted thought it was a more direct way of getting downtown, that is, no stops at small stations. But that wasn't the case at all. Not that it takes very long to stop, unload and and load. The Deutch (German) transportation system is efficient to say the least.

It took as long on the S-Bahn as on the U-Bahn, and I think cost the same (about $18 for two round trips). It's a bit expensive so we're going to be buying the monthly or annual pass...which would cut down on the expense. At least for me since I'll be the one using it more than my husband.

When we got downtown, it was amazing to me just how many people were down there walking about! The cold didn't seem to bother them and Starbucks was doing a HUGE business! I guess there are coffee drinkers all over the world!

I forgot my regular camera but thankfully, I had my cell phone which takes pretty good photos.  As you can see from  this photo, it is cold and yet, people are walking everywhere!

We didn't have a plan but I did want to try to find the department store down there. I was told I could get yarn and various sewing notions there. We had to stop someone to ask where it was. Interestingly, the woman spoke English well but did not know what a department store was. So I used a more descriptive way of explaining what I was looking for. I REALLY need to get back to studying my German!

I felt stupid because the store was right across from where we were standing!! The store did NOT look like any department store I'm familiar with but as soon as we got inside, it sure looked like a normal department store. We found the directory and the household items were on the third floor. I was able to pick up the crochet hook I was looking for. I brought all kinds of knitting needles and crochet hooks with me but I didn't ship an afghan crochet hook!! Go figure!

On the way out of the department store (after getting the afghan hook), I saw this display in the middle of the walkway.  I was thinking...anyone could just up and walk away with the ring but when I got closer, the display had a unique design.

The display allows you to try on the ring to see if it fits but you cannot remove it from the display!  This is very cool.  And you don't have salesperson hovering over you when you're just looking!







Ted also saw some beautiful, soft merlino wool that he wanted me to make into a scarf for him. I'm already making a scarf for him but I relented and said I would make it. He deserves it!

We then walked all the way back down Koenigstrasse (Kings Street) which is a pedetrian only street. There were street performers along the way and artists too. I was amazed that they would do art in such cold weather. At least it wasn't snowing!

I couldn't believe these guys were performing in this cold!  They played "When the saints go marching in" and I sang along just where I was standing.   

This guy (I think he was Australian) was playing that long horn.  It sounded very weird and beautiful at the same time.




 



We stopped into the other department store at the other end, looked around and then decided to go home. Luckily we didn't have to walk all the way back to where the first department store was because there was a station not 50 feet from the second department store.

By the time we got home, we were both hungry so I made supper and we sat and watched videos for the rest of the evening.

Saturday 1/23/10