Day two - Gengenbach

Guten Tag!

  This is the second day of our Germany trip and we started it by sleeping until almost noon.  After we dragged ourselves out of bed we explored the yard.  We are on a working farm and right outside our door are a pair of bunnies and up a little hill is a small pasture with a pair of ponies.  The rest of the animals are farther away but we will see them all before the week is out.  Near the ponies is a little kids area with a sandbox, playground and a little wooden house.  Will and Jon loved this house.  They played Hansel and Gretel and made me be the witch! 

  In the afternoon we went into Gengenbach to explore.  What a beautiful little town!

Gengenbach

  After we walked through the old town gate the boys decided that they wanted some ice cream.  “Where can we find ice cream?” I asked.  Will lifted his head, took a big sniff and said, “I can follow the smell.  It says we have to go this way.”  So we followed his nose down the beautiful back streets of Gengenbach where we found grapes growing over doorways, cute courtyards and a little fountain.

Alleys of Gengenbach

Old town gate

Making a wish

Jon and Bethany in a little courtyard

   After a fun adventure, Will’s nose finally led us to some ice cream.  As the boys enjoyed their cones, we took in the sights.  On the old streets there is a little stream running down the middle, this was used as a sewer in the pre plumbing days.  Today the Germans still use it, although for rather a different purpose. 

Enjoying what Jon calls "Apple Vanilla" ice cream

This little girl was running up and down, pulling her little boat behind her.

A German family playing in the stream

James and Will

 Inexplicably, Jon was very excited to see this statue on the top of a building.  I’m not sure why or what exactly it is but he was so animated that I had to take a picture of it.

  After our walk around town we stopped at a local playground so the boys could play.  It was a great playground for the kids and also had some nice views for the adults.  In one direction, across a brook, was the old wall of Gengenbach with a nice walking path beside it.  On the other side of the playground, were the grape vine covered hills rolling down to a pretty garden park.  The playground itself had a very large covered slide and when the boys went up I heard Will say, “I’m scared, I’m scared, I’m scared” and then he came down the slide with a huge grin.

Will coming down the slide

The big slide

Jon balancing

Will climbing on a big spiderweb

  The boys were pretty tired after all that (and so were we!) so we took them home for dinner and a nice bath.  Tomorrow we are off to Wiesbaden to see my friend, Kathryn and her family.

James gives Jon a ride

Auf Wiedersehen!