The Prunn Castle in Bavaria

We visited another Bavarian Palace over the weekend - for more information click on the link below -

http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/objects/prunn.htm

I love where this castle is situated!  So picturesque! 

To tour the castle it is 5 Euro per adult and kids are FREE

Ludwigsburg Annual Pumpkin Festival

This years theme for the Pumpkin Festival in Lugwigsburg is Swiss (Switzerland)

For more information their official website is here:

http://www.kuerbisausstellung-ludwigsburg.de/de.php

To get there, plug this address into your GPS:

Kürbisausstellung Ludwigsburg

Mömpelgardstrasse 28
71640 Ludwigsburg

Adults cost 8 euro

Children 4-18 are 3,90 Euro

A Family pass is 21 Euro

Nürnberg Castle

In the Middles Ages, the Nuremberg castle was one of the most important imperial castles of the Holy Roman Empire.  It was built be the Hohenstaufen and their successors.

Fortress Rothenburg 1780

For adults it's 2,50 Euro and for children it's 1 Euro

It's open daily from Spring to Autumn

Köln, Germany

During WWI this cathedral was bombed 15 times but remained standing.  In anticipation of the war the stain glass windows and art treasures were taken to shelters and saved.

Touring Amsterdam with Kids

Every time we tour, everywhere we tour we basically follow Rick Steves' and his recommendations.  Amsterdam was no different.  We followed two walking tours in the Rick Steves book on Amsterdam and we were able to seriously see a ton!

Just a forewarning about taking your children into the heart of Amsterdam.  For the most part it was fine, but when it got closer to the end of the day we started walking by designated restaurants where everyone was smoking pot.  On our way from the Anne Frank house to the train station we walked by another designated restaurant and then walked by another special place where my two older girls did a complete double take of a woman/man.  We walked thru some pretty shady allies before we finally reached the train station.  SO...  just be careful!!

These two pictures (the above and below ones) are in the Begijnhof.  It was home of the Beguines - basically an island of women who dedicated their lives to God.

An afternoon in Brugge, Belgium

In the heart of the city of Brugge Belgium is the Belfort Bell Tower.  Of course, we climbed to the top!!  The tower is 290 feet high with 366 steps.  To enter it's 5 Euro per person (our kids, which are 10 and under were FREE).  At the top their are 47 bells and a huge barrel that spins like a music box and plays music.  It was really neat to watch!

The view of Brugge from the top of the Bell Tower

A Walk Through York, England

York, England

This was, by far, my husbands favorite place in England.  Yes, he even liked it better than London.  But I have to tell you why - he is a History Major and LOVES History.  There is a lot of history here, not that London doesn't have history too, but York has a lot of old history that is still present today and a lot of that history has to do with the Romans.

Do yourself a favor when you are in York.  Catch the free walking tour at 10:15 A.M. at the Exhibition Square in front of the art gallery.  You will not be disappointed, I promise!  It will eventually take you along the city walls which we loved.

Along the City Walls

The Highlands of Scotland

The Highlands in Scotland has these silly shaggy cows.  Don't you love their 'bangs'?!

The Culloden Battlefield

This is where the Jacobite troops, under Bonnie Prince Charlie, were defeated by supporters of the Hanover dynasty in 1746.

Walking down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh

The cultural capital of Scotland -- Edinburgh

At the top of the hill is the Grand Castle of Edinburgh.  At the bottom of the hill is the Palace of Holyrioodhouse.  In-between these two, is the Royal Mile, where we spent most of our time.

If you are interested in touring the Grand Castle, check it out here"

http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index.htm

A city view off a side street from the Royal Mile.  There is a roman column on the right and the Wallace memorial on the left (I can't remember what was in the center ... sorry)