Parade of Lions

Lions were a symbol of the kings of Bavaria. Originally, 500 lion statues decorated by various artists adorned the city of Munich. However; beginning in 2006, many of them were auctioned off to raise money for a children's charity. Luckily, about 150 were purchased by local businesses and kept on their property. Here are a few I encountered...


Appropriately, this lion is in front of the Löwenbräu brewery and restaurant. Löwenbräu means lion's brew.

This lion beckons patrons to Ratskeller Munich. Since then, I learned a "Ratskeller" is a restaurant or tavern in the basement of a city hall.

As I go down the stairs of the ratskeller, on the landing is this lion. It aptly wears a chef's hat and holds a whisk.

Outside a hotel.

Outside a casino.

Inside the Olympic stadium, the same one that hosted the 1972 Olympics.

- Karen

Computer Woes

Thank you everyone for your recent comments on my blog. Sorry for no new updates recently. I just returned from being out of town and now my hard drive crashed. I hope to post something new soon and visit your blog.

Thank you for your patience!

- Karen

Hauptbahnhof - Central Station

Opened in 1839 and rebuilt several times over the years, today over 300,000 passengers use this main railway station on a daily basis to travel throughout Europe.
While in town, this was my regular hangout. Being that the food there was inexpensive and it was the only public place where I could find free wi-fi. Plus, I have always been intrigued with the excitement of people traveling to and fro.

With 32 tracks, trains here arrived and departed regularly.

Kiosks like this one sold food at reasonable prices.

- Karen

BMW World

Opened in 2007 and across from the BMW Headquarter in Munich is the BMW Welt or BMW World. It is a unique looking building and houses the latest BMW car and motorcycle models, a cafeteria, a kids area, a conference center, and a gift shop.

Inside the BMW Welt.

Directly across from the Welt is the BMW Headquarter and Museum connected by a bridge over a major street. Unfortunately, the museum was closed on the day we visited, but the Welt was interesting enough.

- Karen

Germany Street Performers

This mime was a little scary looking, but he did get a tip from a little girl.

Unfortunately, the noise of the city drowned out the music produced by this crystal glass player.

This quartet drew a crowd in the middle of a shopping district. I do not know what they were singing about, but they were quite enthusiastic about their performance.

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos
25 years old from Paterson, New Jersey
3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade
May 11, 2009


On Mother’s Day, Eugenia Gardos made a tabletop shrine to her recently deceased mother — surrounding her photograph with silk roses, a small white rosary cross, two votive candles and a prayer card of Senor de los Milagros, the patron saint of Peru.

The next day, May 11, she added her son's picture to the shrine for the dead.

Sgt. Gardos was killed along with five fellow servicemen; Army Spc. Jacob D. Barton, Army Maj. Matthew P. Houseal, Navy Cmdr. Charles K. Springle and Army Pfc. Michael E. Yates Jr. in the attack on Camp Liberty.

"The first time he left for Iraq, when they would read the lists of the dead on the news, we used to hold our breath, praying he wasn't on it," his mother said. "I don't understand how he could have died this way. I just don't understand it."

Sgt. Galdos had emigrated with his family from Mollendo, Peru, as a child and had been a U.S. citizen since high school. His mother, two older brothers and older sister recalled how he used to hand out candy to children in Iraq the same way he always did in Paterson — never making a trip to the corner bodega without a group of neighborhood children tailing behind, knowing he would buy them candy or a soda.

"We were all here at home," Carlos Bueno, Sgt. Galdos's father, said. "I was getting ready to go to bed when I heard screaming downstairs. I ran downstairs and everyone had thrown themselves to the floor, thrashing around, screaming."

Bueno said he does not feel bitterness toward the man accused in the shootings, whom he described as "mentally ill."

"We want people to know we're proud of our son's Army, but if my son had died in war we would be able to handle that," he said. "But not to die in this manner."

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

On the Edge

I first saw this display from a tour bus and I had to do a double-take to see whether they were mannequins or real people hanging by the ledge.

After getting off the bus, I had to walk by for a closer look. The "Original Steindl" is a traditional German clothing store; thus, the interesting display to attract customers.

- Karen

Green Thumb Gardens

The green thumb gardener sits at the entrance to a huge park and a host of museums in Ludwigsburg, Germany, a city right outside of Stuttgart.
Built in 1704, this site was formerly a residential palace of Duke Eberhard Ludwig and then Duke Carl Eugen.
To read more about the Dukes, click here.

This is another flower garden outside the palace entrance.

This is yet another garden behind the palace, I think. This park was so huge, I could easily have been turned around.

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

Spc. Robert Hamilton


Spc. Robert Hamilton, from Corpus Christi, Texas, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, prepares to bandage the thumb of an Iraqi boy in Ula Market in Sadr City, April 19. The boy cut his thumb while preparing meat at a local butcher shop.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Snake on the Street

On a major intersection of a Ludwigsburg, Germany street is this snake sculpture. My friend said it was part of an art project.

Here is what it looks like from a distance. I wonder if drivers even notice it.

- Karen

Mercedes-Benz Museum

It was highly recommended that I visit the Mercedes-Benz Museum when I visited Stuttgart. I am not a car buff, but the cars and the building architecture were amazing.
The above beauty is the 1902 Mercedes-Simplex 40 PS. It has 40 horsepower, 4 cylinders, and a top speed of 50mph (80 km/h).

The museum's huge interior highlights its prized auto collection.

Coined by the press, "Silver Arrow" refers to the Mercedes-Benz sports cars and its Formula One racing cars. It was amazing how these cars were displayed on a platform between two floors.

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

1st Lt. Michael A. Cerrone
24 years old from Clarksville, Tennessee
2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
November 12, 2006


Cerrone's men said in written statements of remembrance that he put their safety and welfare first. He lead from the front and all of the paratroopers would "unquestionably" follow him into battle.

His platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Ronald H. Berryhill, said Cerrone was more than a leader, but a friend and "little brother."

He remembers the first day Cerrone got to the unit. At the time, he was shy and quiet. But after a few months, he became more outspoken.

"I am truly blessed to have known him and to serve under his leadership," Berryhill wrote. "He will never be forgotten. I will carry him with me always and I will always watch over his platoon. We will make him proud of his boys."

Sgt. Cerrone was killed when a suicide bomber detonated the bomb he had strapped to himself in Samarra, Iraq. Also killed in the attack was Specialist Harry "Buck" Winkler. You can read more at BLACKFIVE.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Württemberg Museum

This is the courtyard to the Altes Schloss (Old Castle) and part of the Württemberg Museum. Sit at the museum's Schlosscafé to the left and get immersed in Renaissance architecture. Some workers at the bottom left were making repairs to the exterior.

Entrance to the Württemberg Museum, but I did not have time to go inside.

Statue of Eberhard I, Duke of Württemberg from the 1400's. He was also known as "Eberhard im Bart" (Eberhard the Bearded)

- Karen

Stuttgart's Market Hall

Not far from the location of my last post is Stuttgart's Markthalle (Market Hall). You can buy fresh fruits and vegetables inside this historical building.
Click here to read more about Markthalle.

This looks like a row of beans, seeds, and oils. I did not know there are so many types of beans and seeds.

Meat and cheese sold here. That is quite a leg on the top of the counter.

- Karen