fireworks

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Bodelshofen

I know, right? What-hofen?

Bodelshofen. This is where a very good friend of ours lives now. It’s a good 40 minute drive from where we live in Stuttgart and the place that we gave up the Stuttgart fireworks for. It was well worth it, too.

On the one hand, I love that in a super strict country it is totally legal to buy (approved) fireworks, but on the other hand it can be a little scary when say, the remnants of a small rocket land at your feet as you are walking home. But other than that, it’s plenty of fun!

Dumplings for dinner

Dumplings for dinner

Ready to launch

Ready to launch

For dinner we had some home-made dumplings because…well, because they’re delicious and one of our friends hadn’t tried them before. About half an hour before midnight we walked up to a nearby golf course, up to a hill and set up for the show.

Our fun for the night - rockets, etc

Our fun for the night – rockets, etc

Of course, being Australian I have never encountered this many personal fireworks in my life but the rest seemed to know what each firework could do. The rockets basically shot up into the air and had different effects, some glittered, some were red, others blue, and the others green. Some smaller ones you just lit up while holding them and then you threw them away from you. There was also a nice little one that you placed on the ground and lit up and it would spin around and make a nice pattern, and others that spun in the air like a UFO. Next time I’m definitely getting something I’ve seen before but is totally awesome. It’s a box full of fireworks and you just light it up and there are 50 or more fireworks that just keep shooting out one after the other. Less work, more reward.

I already thought that the view of the fireworks was amazing as it lit up all around us, but it was midnight that was truly breathtaking. It was non-stop and 360 degrees of fireworks. I didn’t manage to get very good shots but it was great. Here’s a (blurry) idea of what it was like:

Fireworks at midnight

Fireworks at midnight

Walking home, it was still dark but it was nice to be accompanied by little bursts of light here and there.

The walk home

The walk home

If ever I could recommend you something, especially any Aussies out there (or anyone who has never launched their own (legal) fireworks…try it out in Europe! If possible, spend New Years here. It’s definitely an experience.

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Down Town Sydney Town: Part Two

In my last post I reported about the first five days of our trip. The food, the friends and family and the wedding. But there was more…

Day 6: Movie day. When you have a huge tv that has a 3D funktion, comfy couches and a great sound system, you would too. We invited the cousins over, watched a couple of action films and in between had some Domino’s pizza. It really is the little things that one misses when you’ve moved out of home and so far away, too.

At night, we met up with my school friends at Mizuya (Japanese Restaurant/Karaoke Bar) and had dinner, minus the karaoke. Michael had his first sticker-photo-booth-experience and enjoyed it. Here’s us being super Asian:

Sticker booth photo fun!

Sticker booth photo fun!

Afterwards we headed off to the Opera House to take some night shots and were pleasantly surprised with fireworks (see last picture in my last post).

Day 7: During the day we relaxed and hung out with the family at home and in the evening we met up with my ex-colleagues at Criniti’s at Darling Harbour. Let’s just say we had a lot of pizza.

2 meters of yum

2 meters of yum

Day 8: Mum’s birthday. We went to the unveiling of the Mercedes CLA and it was a funny feeling coming from Stuttgart, the home of Mercedes, to watch an unveiling in Sydney. We also met the sausage guy who was from Hamburg and spoke German with him. It was a nice event but we had no time to lose because mum’s birthday dinner at Ribs n’ Rumps was on afterwards. Still, we couldn’t resist a hot dog, a few pieces of woodfired pizza and a gelato.

My first time at Rn’R but it was a goodie. I shared a Ribs and Rump plate with my dad and just managed to finish it. Here’s us not looking so amused by the bibs:

Ready for some Ribs n' Rumps

Ready for some Ribs n’ Rumps

In the evening we brought out the cake we made for mum’s birthday. Somehow I don’t have a picture of it here but it was delish. It was a Oreo chocolate fudge ice cream cake. Quite easy to make and very heavy. One regular-sized (whatever that is, really) slice is really enough for one person.

Day 9: Our second-last day and we had a little gathering at home and one of the best foods ever. Popiah. It’s like a giant spring roll only you cook the ingredients and just wrap them up in the spring roll pastry and eat it ‘raw’. It’s healthy and oh so good.

Michael wrapping his first ever

Michael wrapping his first ever

Some of the ingredients: chinese sausage, prawns, eggs, finely sliced beans and vegetables, lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber and sauce

Some of the ingredients: chinese sausage, prawns, eggs, finely sliced beans and vegetables, lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, peanuts and sauce

Day 10: Our last day in Sydney and we got ourselves ready, had some Shanghai dumplings with the family in Parramatta and then we were off to the airport for the long journey home.

It was a very, super short holiday but it was so worth it to be home for a bit and to enjoy mum’s fine cooking and to spend time with family and friends. Looking forward to our next time there already! And of course, I’m hungry after writing this post so until next time, keep safe everybody!

Lichterfest

Lichterfest 2013

Lichterfest 2013 – Didn’t take photos, so here’s one from the newspaper (Stuttgarter Nachrichten)

Recently we did some wedding photography at Killesberg Park in Stuttgart. The park is gorgeous with a huge variety of flowers, different landscapes and a little steam train that takes visitors on a tour of the area.

Each year, at Killesberg Park, there is a huge celebration called Lichterfest, or light fest where people go to enjoy summer with the sounds of music, a range of attractions and a light show at the end with fireworks.

This year was the 63rd Lichterfest in Stuttgart but we didn’t go there. I know, right? So what is this post about? Well, apparently when it all began, Lichterfest was free to the public. Nowadays, you have to be willing to fork out 17€ per person (13€ for students) if you want entrance to the grounds. Plenty of people were willing to pay this exorbitant fee, but as a group of 7, we didn’t see the fun in paying over 100€ just for the entry fee.

Another alternative, as we did, is to head for the hills. Stuttgart is surrounded by hills and vineyards, and on a hill opposite Killesberg you have a great view of the show. There are less people there, though you still have to try to get there earlier if you want a parking spot. Snuggled up between the vineyards, we watched as the Killesberg tower lit up and then saw the fireworks astound. They were nothing compared to Sydney fireworks, but beautiful nonetheless.

The only thing you have to account for is the lag. You’ll see the fireworks before you hear them, and the music may not be in sync. But, tuning in to the local radio station, I think that it was worth it to save money and not be trampled by drunken/high teens.