The Wilhelma Christmas Garden

Winter is slowly making it's way in this part of the world. Days are getting shorter and shorter, and the wind is chilly and icy. But despite the cold, I always find joy and wonder in this season, for winter is after all "the most wonderful time of the year".

Why? Well, because of this of course:

And these mammut trees that seem to be dancing in a play of lights or these angels, playing the hymns of Christmas:

Or enjoy the lotus pond illuminated with lights:

Should you ever get hungry or want to grab something warm to drink, a small Christmas market is available at your disposal:

Yes, everything lights up, making the sleeping botanical garden alive and awake:

Where is this, you ask? The lighted elephant gives it away.

Yup, you got it right! It is in the Wilhelma Zoo! Visit the Christmas Garden at Wilhelma in Stuttgart between 17.00 - 22.00 PM. They opened the Christmas garden last 14th November 2019 and will be available until the 6th of January 2020.

Don't miss the Christmas Garden at the Wilhelm Zoo in Stuttgart, now on its second year! Tickets are available online at www.christmas-garden.de/stuttgart or at the selling booths outside the main gate.

Photos were taken last year and are the blogger's own.

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The Eselsmühle in Siebenmühlental

The Siebenmühlental, roughly translated as "seven mills valley", is a hiking area between Leinfelden-Echterdingen and Waldenbuch in Baden-Württemberg. The name does not really correspond to the number of mills because instead of 7, it has a total of 11 mills, of which only one remains operational - the Eselsmühle.

The Eselsmühle has a beautiful history to it and today one can still take a look at the original mill wheel still intact. A visit to the Eselsmühle is a great idea to escape the humdrums and stress in the city. They also produce Demeter-quality breads and baked goods in the bakery using wood-fired ovens. 

There is also a Kaufladen (store) that sells organic and natural products and of course, animals that greeted the guests, both big and small. 

Another attraction: pony riding for the children. They usually make a short tour around the area (around 15 minutes), much to the delight of the kids. In the photos is my little girl, when she had her pony ride some 3 years ago.

 And when you get tired from all the sightseeing and hiking, you can always take a break at the Cafe. They serve organic food and beverages. Yum! It was very good!

After all that eating and drinking, you can continue on the way to explore the rest of the other mills or continue on one of the hiking trails around the Siebenmühlental. :)

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The Hafelekar in Innsbruck

I wasn't really prepared (at least physically) to go up the Hafelekar when we went to visit Innsbruck, Austria last Saturday. I had no idea that it was called Hafelekar then. All I know is that my husband said it would be a very find place to visit especially that we have visiting friends from tropical Philippines. He mentioned about riding a cable car to get to there but I hadn't the slightest idea how high up it would be. I had been to the mountains in Montserrat near Barcelona in Spain (which reminds me that I need to blog about it!) and the Nebelhorn in Oberstdorf, but it was in the summer. Going up the mountains during winter is an entirely different story. 

It was cold when we arrived Innsbruck and higher up the mountains, it was colder.... and there are only stones and snow and more snow! But it was worth all the "tagos hanggang buto" cold feeling. The mountains looked majestic in its white glory. It is a definite high, with just you, the clouds and the mountains. And there was the hot and spiced glühwein at the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market) at Innsbruck's city center later.

The ascent at the Hafelekar station.

Excited feet stepping on the powdery white snow

The cross at the peak. The view is just breathtaking!

Just my husband's booted foot... My other booted foot never got the courage to go up to the peak. 

This blogger is just so happy to be here!
The child in me was screaming: "Let's go make a snowman!"
Maybe next time... when I am more dressed up for it! :D

Then it's time to leave and say goodbye, arrivederci, au revoir, auf wiedersehen.

The photos were taken by my husband, whose adventurous spirit took him to the peak of the Hafelekar or the Hafelekarspitze when we (me, our little girl and our two guests) retreated into the warmth of the cable car station because our hands and feet could no longer bear the cold. :)

To get to the Hafelekar, take the funicular from Innsbruck to Hungerburg. From there take the cable car going to Seegrube and then change to another cable car that climbs up Hafelekar. There are combi tickets available, if you also want to visit the Alpenzoo. For more information on the rates and the schedules, just visit the official website of the Innsbrucker Nordketten Bahnen at www.nordkette.com.

Look out for this logo:

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Kublai's Mighty Sculptures

We've been here in Davao for a while and my little girl, who loves going on walks at the park every now and then, one day insisted that we go out and visit a park. There is only one park that I have been so curious to visit because of its mighty sculptures and the local artist behind it: Kublai Millan. And so we went...

...to People's Park, which is located at the Palaruang Panlungsod or more popularly known as the old PTA Grounds. It was a cloudy afternoon on a weekday so it wasn't so scorchingly hot. There was also a cool breeze, a sign that it will be rain soon. I think the best time to come visit is during the weekday since it is not so crowded. But we didn't mind for the little girl enjoyed her photo sessions with the mighty sculptures and playing in the children's playground, where she befriended a little girl.

And here are some of the photos that we took:

Entrance to the park is FREE but you have to go through the baggage check to make sure you are safe while inside the park. When you visit the city of Davao, this is one of the places to go to to enjoy the art. But I think the sculptures could do a little restoration since the paint is already beginning to fade.

For those who don't know Kublai Millan, he is a local artist who thought of creating huge sculptures so that the local community will be able to appreciate art. His art, which depicts the life and culture of Mindanao, are a silent testimony to his dedication to Mindanao.

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A Garden Full of Pumpkins!!!

Yesterday, we went to the Blühendes Barock Schloss in Ludwigsburg to tour some friends from Goettingen, Germany. We did not go to the Märchengarten or the botanical garden or toured the castle but followed the pumpkins until it finally led us to the garden full of pumpkins!

Schellenursli, a famous character from a famous Swiss  children's story.

Der Alphornbläser: The Alphorn Player 

Heidi's little cottage. Heidi is a famous character that I love as a child.

The Rütlischwur: the legendary oath of Old Swiss Confederacy.

Yes, the Kürbisausstellung (Pumpkin Exhibition) at the Blühendes Barock (BlueBa for short) is still ongoing! It's the Swiss' turn to impress this year as the pumpkins depict anything Swiss: the Swiss knife, the Swiss Alps's highest peak the Matterhorn, the Swiss Alphorn player, the Rütlischwur (the legendary oath of Old Swiss Confederacy) and Heidi's hut to name a few. 

Cute animal pumpkins! Which animal is your favorite?

Pumpkins anyone?

It was very impressive indeed, with so many pumpkins in different colors, shapes and sizes. The garden was even packed with people, since the weather thankfully cooperated. :-) There's more special events lined up in the coming days for the Pumpkin Exhibit so if you haven't been there, visit it! The exhibit runs until the 4th of November 2012.

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The Königstrasse in Stuttgart

When in Stuttgart, you shouldn't miss going to Königstrasse, the city's main shopping street and the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe, stretching 1.2 kilometers. With hundreds of shops to choose from, there is always something to do here. Whether it be shopping or just windowshopping, take a walk, dine or just simply being there, this stretch of pedestrian street has a lot to offer for people of different ages.

Along the Königstrasse one can find shops like Zara, Mango, Swatch, H&M, Fossil, Esprit, Hugo Boss, promod and hundreds more and two big department stores: Galeria Kaufhof and Karstadt. In the Königstrasse you can find the Schlossplatz where the Neues Schloss (New Castle) is located. The adjacent Schlossgarten houses the Stuttgart Opera House where world-class musicals, opera and ballet performances are staged. Then there are also street artists, singers, musicians with violins or hohner accordions or wineglasses, caligraphers and pantomimers, even clowns and balloon artists. There are also coffee and ice cream shops scattered everywhere. For those who love art and history, the Landesmuseum Württemberg and Kunstmuseum are within easy reach.

Annual events like the International Animated Films Festival in May, the SWR3 Summer Festival in May, and The Christmas Market in December are also held here.

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A Must For Every Adventurer

Going on an adventure is so much fun. There is always the excitement at the discovery of something new, the rush that comes with witnessing spectacular movements, the beauty of encountering new cultures. But what's not so fun with going on an adventure is losing your way and not finding your way back. Although getting lost could be fun in some ways, it is not fun at all if you are going hungry or worse, you are hurt or your companion is hurt. 

That is why it is helpful to always have a gadget that is capable of gps online so that you can always find your way back or you can always be located by family and friends if you cannot be reached through any other means. If you are new to a place and are very bad at reading maps, this gadget will also help point you to the right direction. 

As a family, we always find the gps a very helpful tool in terms of mobility. We can just go and drive anywhere and still find our way back home. No matter where we go, we can always trust that we will arrive at our destination at a specific time. There is no need to worry or bother reading the maps. With a gps, adventures and travels become stressless and allows you to take everything in.

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Beat The Summer Heat

Although we live far away from the beach, the summer heat still beckons us to enjoy the sun and have fun, as if in the beach. Here in Stuttgart, we have a place called the Sky Beach, a place high above the roofs of the city, a "beach" bar complete with palm trees, white sand, umbrellas and beach lounge chairs. Come in your summer dress and womens sandals and of course, your sunglasses and you will never get out of place in this little beach at the rooftop.

Cool huh? And the best thing is, you get a very good bird's eye view of the city's panorama. Stuttgart after all, sits on a valley and at a such a height, you can get a nice view of the city from a different perspective. Not a bad place for a cool drink under the hot sun with friends, eh?

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Your Home in Odessa

As a traveler, whether for business or for pleasure, we are always looking forward to a place where we can comfortably rest after a busy day. What better way to do that than to stay at the comfort of a hotel that offers everything? Wherever you are in the world, there will always be a good hotel to come to. All you need is to book the right place.

The Odessa hotels like the Continental in the city of Odessa in Ukraine offers not just traditional hospitality and care, it offers luxurious rooms designed and furnished according to world standards and the hotel itself is equipped with a sauna, an Italian restaurant, conference hall, and a 24-hour opened bar.

When traveling in a group or with family, planning to stay for a longer time and want to enjoy your own cooking, apartment Odessa offered by the Continental is also available in the city of Odessa, Ukraine. Each apartment comes with a well equipped kitchen, toilet and shower, air conditioner, washing machine, free internet, aatellite TV and telephone.

There are actually lots of beautiful sights to see if you plan to travel to Odessa Ukraine. Aside from the marine passenger sea port, which you can access via the famous Potemkin stair, there are splendid architecture and monuments to see. Notable also is the Odessa Opera House, said to be second in beauty to the Italian La Scala Opera House.

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