Günzburg and Legoland Germany

Legoland

A few months ago we asked our kids where they would go if they could go anywhere in Europe. I thought they night say "Paris" or "London". What was their answer? 

Legoland.

We looked at school and work schedules and found a few days where no one had to work or go to school. I booked the hotel, bought the train tickets and tickets to Legoland and then....

I said nothing.

A few days before our trip we told the boys we were going on a surprise trip. It wasn't until we stepped off the train (Minus one ipod touch to the great dismay of one boy) that the boys realized we were in Legoland territory.

Legoland is about 10 minutes outside of a beautiful town in Bavaria called Günzburg.

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon, as well as a holiday (Pentecost), so almost everything was closed. Of course, you can always find an ice cream cafe.

After a long day in several trains we relished to 2 kilometer walk to our hotel, the Hotel Goldener Löwe   (Golden Lion Hotel).

The next morning we caught the shuttle to Lego Land!

Here is a Do-It-Yourself ride where you have to help to pull yourself up and let yourself drift down.

Lego Adventureland was full of interesting creatures.

There was even a magic show. Again we were reminded of how tight laced we Americans can be. One bit of the show involved one of the magicians pulling down his pants because one of the women in the audience clapped a little too hard when he took off his vest. The magician below is about to throw his hat behind a table and pretend to put out the fine  - with his built in fire extinguisher. Really. Complete with a huge cloud of steam .... then for the finale, placing the extinguished hat on the head of an audience member.

Somehow, Lego Land imported the lost, sunken city of Atlantis, complete with sea life! 

The whole central area of the park is devoted to famous cities and sites made entirely out of legos. Everything is miniature, down to (live)trees and (blooming)flowers

Very popular with my boys was the Star wars section - again, completely made out of Legos.

This innocuous-looking ride seemed like it would be a relaxing end to our day. A little Lego train that goes in a circle. Kiddy ride, right?  Except that this train only travels at warp speed, mercilessly compressing your organs and the person next to you. And just when you think the misery is almost over it begins again, but this time it goes backwards.

Luckily, we were not rushing to the next restroom, but we did find the sign amusing.

Time to go, and on our way out we notice this Lego statue that we missed on our way in. This doesn't seem like something the owners of Legoland would joke about.

Back in Guunzburg we were ready to look for a place to eat dinner. We ran across this pair of Kiepenkerle.  These are people who wander city to city, generally by foot, doing odd jobs to make ends meet. We notice them occasionally, especially since there is a famous statue of a Kiepenkerl here in Münster. Their clothes are a type of uniform and the cane goes along with the job as well.

As we walked to the old part of the city, we took a detour to the Frauenkirche. Russell said it was supposed to be worth seeing. As we approached the church I must say I had my doubts as it was very plain on the outside. As soon as we stepped inside even my jaded children were awed.

If you ever go to Günzburg you must see this - you will not regret it.

We found a lovely German/Greek restaurant close enough to a fountain that we could finish our meal in peace as the boys played.

Walking back to our hotel, we saw this bewitching museum. Besenwelten - Broom World. Sadly, it is only open on Fridays.

We were almost back at the hotel when just happened to read a plaque we noticed on a church. (By the way, this church is only about 200 feet from our hotel and has a bell that rings every fifteen minutes, and ALL NIGHT LONG. Of course if the weather is cool, you can just keep the windows closed.)

In any case, this was one of those moments when history stares you down. The text says, "Zum Gedenken an den Fliegerangriff an 12.9.1944 auf Denzingen".

In English is means, "In remembrance of the bombing of Denzingen on September 12, 1944". There are reminders all around of the impact the wars had on the people who lied here. This one was especially sad because Denzingen is just a little farming dorf out in the middle of nowhere, but there was apparently a munitions train parked at Günzburg train station that made the area a target. For something that happened so long ago, tension still lies just under the skin of those who live here.