The beautiful Russian Orthodox Church we found.
The doorway was beautiful, the inside was even more impressive, but no photography was allowed within the building. Oh and the parsonage/vicarage was beautiful. As was this tree.
Random spiraling amphitheater.
No idea what it's for, but it makes for great pictures.
This tree was HUGE...we tried to reach all the way around it...if Skosh could stand unassisted to help and Papa could have joined us I think we would have made it. As it was we were about 6 ft short going around it.
More tree explorations.
More tree explorations.
Interior of an amazing hollow log.
Skosh stops to tell Morph all about our adventuring that day.
Lumpy discovers she can fit through the hole at the far end. Chubbly follows suite.
Lumpy discovers she can fit through the hole at the far end. Chubbly follows suite.
Off to visit the Neroburgerbahn, a funicular ride.
Watching the one ahead of ours head down the hill. Going,going...
...going, gone.
Now watching the other one come back up.
All aboard and ready to head down.
Now watching the other one come back up.
All aboard and ready to head down.
Skosh was less than impressed with the whole thing.
Getting ready to pass the other car on the way.
Getting ready to pass the other car on the way.
Quick stop at the museum for the funicular at the bottom before boarding to go back up the hill.
Now back up the hill.
Now back up the hill.
Ahh, there are those vineyards of which we hear so much about.
This lion looks like he's afraid of that cross behind him.
Exploring and learning together.
Watching clouds.
Next stop? Cologne/Koln for the Star Wars Identities exhibit at the Odysseum Museum. We took the dragon, so that means we went for an adventure in an Odyssey listening to Adventures in Odyssey to have a space adventure at the Odysseum.
Since absolutely no flash photography was allowed due to these being the actual props, costumes, and set pieces from the movies, the pictures are blurry, but prove we were there. Away we go!
You go through the exhibit learning about human psychology in the setting of Star Wars and create a character in the process. This starts with first picking out your 'race' or 'species'. There was not a repeat among any of us and that wasn't intentional.
Above: Original artwork showing alien race ideas to be placed into the Cantina Scene. The 1st didn't make the final cut, the second did.
Below: One of the only remaining costume pieces from the original movie, Slave I, and Droids.
It was great getting to read to the kids all the various droid descriptions and types.
R2D2, C3PO, (with others in the background), and a Mouse Droid.
Learning that not all droids are 'good-guys' with EV-9D9. Jar-Jar prototypes, and Anakin's podracer.
Considering Ep. I is the only one the minions have not seen, this portion was a bit pointless to them. We're okay with that, however Lumpy was totally being a Sebulba that day.
Time for more original artwork.
The nurture vs nature aspect of the entire character creation thing was fun to go through, but I think the minions loved seeing Han in Carbonite more.
JAWAS!!! Oh and Leia's slave outfit.
Up close it looks even more uncomfortable to wear than it did on-screen, and it looked uncomfy there. You will not see Lady Hummingbyrd volunteering to wear a get-up that poorly made.
Jabba came a long way from being a slimy skinny dude to his disgusting worm-like self.
Hickory is being watched by the creep. Oh and the Yoda Muppet, as in the real original one.
One of the few things Princess Lumpy requested to get a picture with her next to it.
So much to look at and enjoy. Did you know Yoda was named Minch first? Well, now you do.
Ahh, character development. Chewie was created after George Lucas's dog companion, Indiana. Sound familiar? It should.
Chewie, Han, and Lando.
Now Chewie, Han, and Leia.
The Millennium Falcon, ahh the spaceship designed after a hamburger.
Checking out the models used in filming...Exhibit 8 was oddly missing and I suspect should have been an AT-ST 'Chicken Walker'.
The original chart sequence for the flight speeds of the various models implying the A-Wing is the fastest, while the Millennium Falcon was the slowest.
Luke's X-Wing Pilot uniform. Learning about and picking professions.
Costuming is so fun to see in person.
Okay now for some odd and funny artwork. Dash noticed that in the bottom of the picture of the exterior of the Death Star there is a human cowboy on a horse...he wasn't wrong.
Equality and peace activist Stormtroopers...yes that is what they are.
And now for Darth Vader and his Sith buddies.
Originally Vader was two character ideas that eventually merged into one.
Looked a bit too much like a German soldier initially. Below: Vader without his helmet.
At the end we got to see what everyone's character ended up being like. Here are the four male Minions'.
Then the rest of us.
Then the minions got silly. Skosh shows Darth Vader some affection.
After the Star Wars Exhibit, we went on to explore more of the rest of the museum, sadly we forgot to turn the flash back on...so it isn't as crisp as it should have been.
Downright blurry in fact. Sorry about that. The minions learned about waterworks and a ton of household and everyday interactions. Like how a key unlocks your door.
Archimedes' screw, lock and dam systems, and drawing water from a well.
Explaining how a lock and dam works.
The next area was about the natural world. It had a slide though.
Practicing and learning about Morse Code, conductivity, and kinetic energy.
The first combustion engines in the entire world live here.
As per our normal, we were escorted out of the museum as the last visitors in the building. We emptied their parking garage that had been full upon arrival.
Oh, and I almost forgot, the new spectacles for the minions arrived. As did Hickory's new eyepiece.
We got Princess Lumpy her own pair of non-prescription pink tinted sunglasses since everyone else was getting prescription transition lenses. We highly recommend the online glasses site ZenniOptical for getting affordable glasses and keeping over-active male minions in functioning eye wear.
All of us have purchased our glasses now from them and it didn't break the bank, bonus; there is a ton of selection and styles. Skosh didn't get glasses, but he did get one adorable cowlick.
Until the next high adventure.
This lion looks like he's afraid of that cross behind him.
Exploring and learning together.
Watching clouds.
Next stop? Cologne/Koln for the Star Wars Identities exhibit at the Odysseum Museum. We took the dragon, so that means we went for an adventure in an Odyssey listening to Adventures in Odyssey to have a space adventure at the Odysseum.
Since absolutely no flash photography was allowed due to these being the actual props, costumes, and set pieces from the movies, the pictures are blurry, but prove we were there. Away we go!
You go through the exhibit learning about human psychology in the setting of Star Wars and create a character in the process. This starts with first picking out your 'race' or 'species'. There was not a repeat among any of us and that wasn't intentional.
Above: Original artwork showing alien race ideas to be placed into the Cantina Scene. The 1st didn't make the final cut, the second did.
Below: One of the only remaining costume pieces from the original movie, Slave I, and Droids.
It was great getting to read to the kids all the various droid descriptions and types.
R2D2, C3PO, (with others in the background), and a Mouse Droid.
Learning that not all droids are 'good-guys' with EV-9D9. Jar-Jar prototypes, and Anakin's podracer.
Considering Ep. I is the only one the minions have not seen, this portion was a bit pointless to them. We're okay with that, however Lumpy was totally being a Sebulba that day.
Time for more original artwork.
The nurture vs nature aspect of the entire character creation thing was fun to go through, but I think the minions loved seeing Han in Carbonite more.
JAWAS!!! Oh and Leia's slave outfit.
Up close it looks even more uncomfortable to wear than it did on-screen, and it looked uncomfy there. You will not see Lady Hummingbyrd volunteering to wear a get-up that poorly made.
Jabba came a long way from being a slimy skinny dude to his disgusting worm-like self.
Hickory is being watched by the creep. Oh and the Yoda Muppet, as in the real original one.
One of the few things Princess Lumpy requested to get a picture with her next to it.
So much to look at and enjoy. Did you know Yoda was named Minch first? Well, now you do.
Ahh, character development. Chewie was created after George Lucas's dog companion, Indiana. Sound familiar? It should.
Chewie, Han, and Lando.
Now Chewie, Han, and Leia.
The Millennium Falcon, ahh the spaceship designed after a hamburger.
Checking out the models used in filming...Exhibit 8 was oddly missing and I suspect should have been an AT-ST 'Chicken Walker'.
The original chart sequence for the flight speeds of the various models implying the A-Wing is the fastest, while the Millennium Falcon was the slowest.
Luke's X-Wing Pilot uniform. Learning about and picking professions.
Costuming is so fun to see in person.
Okay now for some odd and funny artwork. Dash noticed that in the bottom of the picture of the exterior of the Death Star there is a human cowboy on a horse...he wasn't wrong.
Equality and peace activist Stormtroopers...yes that is what they are.
And now for Darth Vader and his Sith buddies.
Originally Vader was two character ideas that eventually merged into one.
Looked a bit too much like a German soldier initially. Below: Vader without his helmet.
At the end we got to see what everyone's character ended up being like. Here are the four male Minions'.
Then the rest of us.
Then the minions got silly. Skosh shows Darth Vader some affection.
After the Star Wars Exhibit, we went on to explore more of the rest of the museum, sadly we forgot to turn the flash back on...so it isn't as crisp as it should have been.
Downright blurry in fact. Sorry about that. The minions learned about waterworks and a ton of household and everyday interactions. Like how a key unlocks your door.
Archimedes' screw, lock and dam systems, and drawing water from a well.
Explaining how a lock and dam works.
The next area was about the natural world. It had a slide though.
Practicing and learning about Morse Code, conductivity, and kinetic energy.
The first combustion engines in the entire world live here.
As per our normal, we were escorted out of the museum as the last visitors in the building. We emptied their parking garage that had been full upon arrival.
Oh, and I almost forgot, the new spectacles for the minions arrived. As did Hickory's new eyepiece.
We got Princess Lumpy her own pair of non-prescription pink tinted sunglasses since everyone else was getting prescription transition lenses. We highly recommend the online glasses site ZenniOptical for getting affordable glasses and keeping over-active male minions in functioning eye wear.
All of us have purchased our glasses now from them and it didn't break the bank, bonus; there is a ton of selection and styles. Skosh didn't get glasses, but he did get one adorable cowlick.
Until the next high adventure.
