Wurzburg

The next morning we headed to Wurzburg.  I did have some problem deciding on the third city to see this weekend.  I wanted to keep the travel time down a bit, and I read on facebook that this was a neat little town so we decided to try it.  On the way, we read about it and found it wouldn't take us all day to look at the town, so I started searching through my GPS and I found a wildplatz.  The boys and I went to one of these when we first arrived here in Germany on a whim.  So I decided why not - let's see where the GPS leads us.  So off we went, and to tell you the truth as we were driving there, I wasn't sure if there was anything out there other than orchards, but luckily there was!!!  It is actually a GREAT place!!!!  So much for the kids to do and see.

 

As we were walking up to the entrance there were deer on the other side of the fence.  The boys spooked them a little as we walked by.

 

Then the boys saw all of the play area and off they went running!!  They were so excited!!!

 

AJ jumping - I haven't ever seen one of these outside, normally only in inside play areas.  I love this picture because he looks like he is hovering over it.

 

The boys trying to get it so it will balance flat. 

 

 

Check out all the climbing stuff - that was only part of it.

 

I really liked this one - they tried to run and stay in place - it was just like a hamster wheel!!!

 

AJ digging up the dirt, this was a hard one to do, but AJ managed it because he is getting so strong.

 

Michael peeking out of one of the tree houses!

 

You see Grandpa on the ground and where is Michael?  At the top of the net.

 

The other cools things about wild parks is that usually they have animals and you can feed them.  So after the boys played for awhile we headed to see what kind of animals they had here.  We started with the goats.

 

Grandma was getting in on the feeding also!

 

The ducks were pretty funny!

 

These goats were really hungry - or at least they knew that when people walked by they usually were fed.  :-)  They followed the boys along the fence line.

 

These guys were just big and ugly.

 

I couldn't help myself, this turkey looked old and a little ugly.

 

The alpaca followed AJ up the fence line too, he thought it was fun!!

 

Then we came to the sheep - and these are well fed sheep.  :-)

 

So check out the horns on this one - there were a ton of them but I haven't seen one with four horns before.

 

The boys had to get in one last hurrah before we left for the day.  Then we jumped back in the car and headed to the town of Wurzburg.  It is a town that was started back in BC.  In AD 686, Irish missionary monks came there to Christianize the local "barbarians".  They were beheaded and their relics put Wurzburg on the pilgrimage map.

This is called Alte Mainbrucke - Old Main Bridge.  The bridge is from 1133 and is the second oldest in Germany.  The 12 statues lining the bridge are Wurzburg saints and prince-bishops.

 

The main street in Wurzburg - most of the town is newly built or re-built after WWII.

 

I am still not sure why there were dancing jalapenos - but they were funny.

 

Grandma and the boys in the market square.

 

 

Checking out some of the wares at the Saturday market.

 

This Gothic church was the merchant's answer to the prince-bishop's cathedral.  Since Rome didn't bankroll the place, it's ringed with "swallow shops" enabling the church to run little businesses.  AJ thought they were cool.

 

The inside of the chapel - very open, bright and beautiful! 

 

At the top is a wind vane - It turns as the wind blows.  I have never seen that on a church before.

 

OH NO - The lobster has gotten the boys!!!! 

 

 

We headed to the Old Main Bridge to check out the view.  You can see AJ telling Grandma something, not sure what, but he was very intent about it!

 

Dad, a few statues down, waving at me!!  :-)

 

There was a lock by the bridge and the boys had never seen one.  So this was a great lesson on how they work because just then a ship was coming into the lock.

 

This building on the hill is the Marienberg Fortress.  It is a 13th century fortified retreat and was the original residence of Wurzburg prince-bishops.  

 

 

The ship was in position and the gates were closing.  There was a ladder that went down in it and we watched as the water rose rung by rung.

 

It was surprising how quick the water rose and then the boat was given the green light to head up river.

 

This is the St Kilian statue, one of the three monks who were beheaded.  We decided after that we were close enough to head home so off we went back to our home base to get ready for our next adventure!!