Luisenpark's Balloon Fest

This weekend we stayed close to home and did things around Mannheim. Saturday morning was the Community Yard Sale on post. I got some great stuff from clothes for Mallory for next year and some Christmas shopping done. Mallory some My Little Ponies and some Toy Story toys for Brayden. Then that afternoon we went to the park for their Hot Air Balloon Fest. The kids were so amazed. Later, Brayden found a Hot Air Balloon in one of his books at home and he had to talk all about it.

Playing in the playground before the hot air balloons took off. All the German playgrounds have sand! Not my favorite, but you can see it was a lot of fun for a three year old boy!

.......and for a four year old girl. (but she didn't get as dirty except for the sand in her hair from her brother)

A teeter totter swing.

Mallory discovered face painting this summer......she loves it.

Playing chase in the big field

They blew this balloon up using very strong fans and let us go in it. It was really cool.

I think there were about 20 balloons here.

It was a great experience!

Esslingen and the Zwiebelfest (Onion fest)

This weekend we went to a town we have been to before for one of my favorite Christmas markets, Esslingen. Great town with a lot of old German flare. I loved all the half timbered buildings and lots of old culture. They had a Zwiebelfest (onion fest) which was called that because there was a story during medieval times a market woman ran the devil off waving a onion. The fest wasn't much of one, but we did have fun with some good food and they had a kids booth for some activities the kids enjoyed.

The tower of this building is made of bell and chimes every hour.

Hefe Weizen (wheat German beer)

Lots of yummy food

The steeple of one of the oldest churches in the town

tracing pictures on a bag

Bench surfing

water well, back in the day that is where everyone went to get their water

this house reminds me of one that is well known in Rothenburg

going up the steep incline to the fortification

vineyard on the hill

the fortification on top of the hill of town

under this light it has the date of 1775

this was on the back of one of the churches. What we got from it was the names of soldiers as a memorial they were dates in the 1700s.

Esslingen is know for sparkling wines. This was an old winery in town.

Burg (Castle) Hohenzollern

Burg Hohenzollern is located next to Hechingen, about 80km south of Stuttgart. Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the Prussian Kings and German Emperors as well as the Swabian branch of the Princes of Hohenzollern. It is one of Europe's most beautiful and popular castles in Europe. The panoramic views of the picturesque landscape are stunning. (I love my new zoom on my lens. great birthday present)

Brayden checking out the stunning views.

There were statues of all the king/emperors all around the grounds of the castle.

break for ice cream (Daddy always love to spoil them with sweets when I pack healthy snacks)

statue of Mary and baby Jesus from the castle's church

walking down to our car.....it was quite the hike going up!