Ludwigsburg Palace Pumpkin Fest

 

Their first train ride in Germany

 

The front of the castle, that is just part of the gardens

 

I thought this looked cool, almost like it was a green screen behind him

Some of the statues on top of the front

Shops on the way down to the fest

Rapunzel's castle (not really, but they made it look that way)

 

AJ with some of the pumpkin art

Water fountain art

 

I thought this was too great!!

 

That is my kind of dog

On our boat ride

check out the udders - thought it was funny

Hay fight!!!

 

The back side of the castle

 

A museum I thought was really cool!

 

After dinner in Stuttgart

 

 

We changed our plans a little on Saturday.  We went to our friend's daughter's soccer game and then took the public train up to Ludwigsburg Palace.  It was our first trip on a train here in Germany and it was a good time!!  We did a lot of walking again this day.  It was about a mile to the pumpkin patch from the train through the town and it was pretty.  Ludwigsburg Palace is on of the country's largest Baroque palaces.  It was started in 1704 and began as a hunting lodge and became much more complex and gained momentum over the years.  The construction wasn't complete until 1733.  Interesting enough in 1740s a new palace was built in Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg was no longer the primary residence of the dukes and kings, but remained in use.  It also has an extensive garden that was geourgous!!!  The pumpkin fest had a theme of fairy tales.  We saw Rupenzel's castle, the story of pinnochio, and a few more.  The carvings were amazing!!  We tried some pumpkin fries, pumpkin wine and pumpkin cookies.  The wine was good, but didn't taste very much like pumpkin.  I wasn't a big fan of the fries but I am not a big fan of pumpkin anyway.  We took a boat ride and it was amazing the boat was still afloat when we got on, but we made it without getting wet!!  After a great afternoon there we took the train to downtown Stuttgart and it was really HUGE and georgous.  David and I both want to go back and look around during the day and for awhile longer.  There was a church there that was built in the 10th century.  I couldn't get good pictures because it was dark by that time.  We had a great dinner and found the best mac and cheese!!  It had bacon in it so the older boys really, really loved what the kids didn't eat.  :-)  It was interesting to people watch there also!  If you like to do that sort of thing it was a great place with all different types!!  We really enjoyed our brief stay and will go back again!  I have found out that Michael doesn't like the vanilla ice cream here.  We have tried it in at least three to four different ice cream shops and he hasn't liked any of them.  So no ice cream for him unless it is from the commissary.  :-)  AJ on the other hand will eat it all.   AJ has also been really good about trying new foods, he has enjoyed most of them and has continued to try new things!  Michael is a lot more hesitant, okay really he doesn't want to try anything new.  But I will get him, sooner or later!  He has tried new things at the bakery though!  That is one place he will try new things, usually just to eat the frosting or powdered sugar off the top.  :-)  Any way, I am off topic once again.  I will post more about the Volksfest tomorrow.