Stage 4 – Wuppertal, Porsche & Lennep, Germany
August 11-12, 2016
We got up with Mum & Toddler to drop Julian off at day care and then us 4 adults headed into town to ride the Schwebebahn* – a suspended train/tram that rides on rails above and through the main part of the centre of Wuppertal, over the river Wupper. There are a number of stations along the way and you glide through the air over the traffic and the river. It was a fantastic experience and great to just sit and chat away with each other. We got off at the second to last stop and found a nice little coffee shop in Altstadt (old town) part of Wuppertal. So nice to enjoy good conversation with great company.
The Schwebebahn (Electric Elevated Railway) is the oldest elevated railway, run on electricity in the world. It was an excellent trip, there and back. A different experience, being suspended in the air over the roads and the river.
After picking Julian up from daycare we headed back into town for lunch at a Sushi bar, a favourite of Micha & Mario’s. Julian was very well behaved despite having to wait longer for his afternoon nap. The food was delicious and fresh. Having not had sushi since leaving NZ, this was a scrumptious treat.
While M, M & Julian headed home we wandered into town to do a spot of shopping (gotta get the Pandora charm) and some thank you gifts for our hosts & hostesses.
Although it rained a little on the way home, it was a pleasant walk, not too long.
While Julian had some friends over from daycare to celebrate his 1st birthday, we were spending the day with Willi & Renate. The first stop of the day was to the Porsche dealership in Solingen (Willi had taken Sara there in 2003 and two floors of Porsches had well left an impression).
Then we went to Altstaat – Lennep, near Remscheid, where we wandered around the old buildings – all similar in their slate walls and green shutters. A picture!!!
The two of us were getting a bit hungry, so we found a little cafe and had a bite to eat, some delicious buns with a piece of cheesecake.
We then attempted to go mini-golfing, first at a random spot down a back road near Lennep, but that was closed and then so was the one near Munckster Bridge, quite likely because it had been raining the day before.
Therefore we headed home for dinner. We enjoyed salmon and pasta.
Beer Glass Hunt
We’d been on the hunt for a stein/beer for Simon to take home, he didn’t yet have a proper beer glass for use at home. When we mentioned this to Mario & Micha, they suggested a brand called Ritzhoffen – they do all types of glasses, for all types of alcohol option with funky pictures/caricatures on them. We’d had a good hunt in shops in Wuppertal, one had a reasonable selection but they said there was a store in Remscheid we could go to that may have more options. Willi & Renate took us there and we found a glass each.
We had a fabulous day with Willi & Renate, some laughs and managed to understand each other quite well.
S&S
xoxo
(Fitbit data: 11/08: 10.45km – SRT 16,232; SJT 13,072. 12/08: 6.9km – SRT 10,710; SJT 8,111)
* this webpage is in German — so make sure you have your translator on.