The Mercedes Benz Museum

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After cramming in yet another weekend long class in Advanced Seminar in Financial Case Studies, I decided a nice couple day trip to the Mercedes Benz Musuem, as well the brand new Porsche Museum would be in order.






Both sights are, luckily for me, in the same city, Stuttgart, Germany. I wanted to get an early to Stuttgart so I could perhaps see at least one Museum and then do some other sight seeing.






However, as luck would have it: as I left my Logistics class, the professor said, "See you tomorrow!!" See you tomorrow?? We don't have class tomorrow!!!! Well, evidently, he had sent out as email moving some classes around. Which, I never saw, much less read.







I really need to check the Em-Strasbourg email more. It is just that you have to go through some many, what I think are useless, passwords walls. Hey, if anybody wants to read my email from there. knock yourself out!!!!








By then, everyone was gone so I could not check with anyone concerning the email. Oh Well, I went back to my apartment and moved my hostel reservation. It was the Espenlaub and they were great about it!!!








So, now I had the rest of the day in Strasbourg. I guess I could start on some of my projects. It is getting late in the semester, and I have learned through experience....everything in France is due at the same time... If I coould just get some work done now, it would ease the load later and I could spend extra time doing what I want, instead of cramming in schoolwork at the last minute.







With all this in mind, I walked to the cine cite and saw the movie Harvey Milk. Heck, nobody is perfect!!!!! What great decision making in the face on known data!!!! At least it was a very good movie!!!!








Okay, so now my plan is simple. I wil go to class from 8-10. Then, I will catch a train at 11 and transfer at Karlsruhe to get to Stuttgart. Seems simple anyway. Only problem was that the TGV was booked until the 1:45 pm. That meant no time to see the Museums because they both close around 5 pm. Man!!! I need to plan a little further ahead!!!!








Oh well, no choice, so I do the later train.








By the way, it was certainly a good idea that I went to class. Only about a quarter of the class showed up. Well, he decided to give a test. It was very easy and a shame everyone missed it. Especially since it was required. Oh well.







The ride to Stuttgart, which now involves no transfers was very pleasant. For my reservation fee, I actually was served a little snack of brocolli and cauliflower with a basil type sauce, a piece of bread and a creme brulee. Very nice, and unexpected, I might add.








So, a little more than an hour later, I was in Stuttgart. I have never been there and really don't know much about it. I only have 2 days to see what I can and decide whether to come back.









Out of the train station, I pull a typical tourist boner. I walk out the front door to see a huge boulevard. There are taxi stands, busses, cars, you name it. The "city" is on the other side of this vast barrier. So, as I did in my first trip to the Arc d'triomphe years ago, I played "Frogger" and ran, from spot to spot to cross the street. Well, of course, there was a pedestrian tunnel under the whole mess. Just like in Paris, I had no idea!!!








What is neat about Stuttgart is that I guess, "walk" lights are incredibly long. In the States, you get about 4 seconds of green to walk. Here, it was probably at least one minute. I was able to cross a street, realize I was goingh the wrong way, walk back, recross, all in the same cycle. I could not believe it.









They also have tunnels under lots and lots of streets. In the tunnels, are not hordes of criminals, the tunnels do not smell like urine. But instead, they have flower sellers, newstands, ice cream vendors. It is all very nice. I guess the porn industry takes up most space up on the surface!!!










That is one thing about Germany and some other European countries. The porn shops in the States seem to be in out of the way, hidden, and obscure places. Here in Germany, you have a grocery store right next to a big porn "Warehouse of Toys and Gagdets"









Believe it or not, I sat and had a lahmacun for lunch right across the street from the "Warehouse" and saw way more women coming out with bags than men coming out with bags. I am not sure what that means....I have an idea, but, I will let you figure it out for yourself...after all, I think my kids read this blog....Oh well.









So, my first day consisted of just walking around. I did go briflyin te Landesmuseum which had a lot of history of the very first days of Stuttgart. It was very interesting. I wish I had more time there.







There is certainly a lot of shopping to do in Stuttgart. The main pedestrain walkway right in front of the train station is a vast shopping center. It is all pedestrian only and has about everythng you could ever want. The city itself seems to sit at the bottom of a large bowl with the suburbs much higher and looking down into Stuttgart.










Eventually, I checked into the Espenlaub Hotel, which is maybe 1 mile from the train station. I had a single room with a shared bathroom, shower in the hallway. It ended up not being a problem at all. You always worry about lots of people taking their time in the shower, but this has yet to be an issue anywhere. I guess if you are used to sharing stuff like this, you know to move fast.









That night, I went to a resturant called "Sophie's Bauhaus". It was really nice. However, I could have used my son Andrews advice on what to order. I got something that really sounded German. Linsen mit spatzle...It ended up being two hotdogs with pork and beans and noodles. And to think my second choice was a schnitzel of some sort. Oh well. Andrew, were are you when I need you???









Although the beer here in Germany is truly awesome. I hate beer in the States. It gives me a headache and has a funny aftertaste. But, here in Germany, I can drink, never get a headache and there is no funny aftertaste.. So, I had three beers, which pretty much sealed my fate.








After dinner, I walked back and had a great nights sleep.







The next morning, I asked about both the Mercedes Museum and the Porsche. The consensus was that I would need to take a train. No problem. I walked to the station. After a while, I figured out that the Mercedes Museum was on the S1 to Plochingen. Before you know it, I was at the museum itself,





To look at the museum from a distance, you would not expect much. It is sort of a goofy looking round structure, not very tall. It just is there. Nothing really ornate...just like a Mercedes I guess, very functional.




Well, once you get inside, it is something to see!!!!! The building is huge!!! You stand inside and wonder....Is this the same building I saw walking from the train station??? How can that be??? It is very, very neat on the inside.




I paid my tariff. They had a discount for retired people. Wow. First time I have used my AARP card to get something for nothing!!! It was 4 euros to get into the exhibits. When I think back on the other fees for other museums, this is one of the better deals.




The first thing you encounter is a sculpture right in front of the museum. It is of a man and a race car. You can actually sit in it even though it is made of bronze. I guess a friend would take a photo. I thought lots of people would do this opportuniity. But I saw no one climb into the car.






After you pay your fee, you take the elevator to the top or eighth floor. There, you turn on your free headset. All you do is point the machine at the display and it tells you all about it. The English version contains over 43 hours of information. WOW!! I listened to about two hours worth. I cannot even imagine all they have to tell you!!!!








The museum, itself is laid out beautifully. It starts at the top. There are the displays from the beginning of both Daimler and Benz. It is so nice!!! The reason the building is circular is that as you walk along the outside exhibits, you slowly descend.






At the base of each new floor, are cars, busses, trucks. All kinds of vehicles made by Daimler Benz. But the neat thing is that it is presented chronologically.







They also have a small area on that floor where you can watch a movie of what was going on on that time in history. It was really enjoyable. It gave you a little break fromjust walking around an looking atars. You could hear what was going on around the cars as well.





The movies also went into some detail the involvement of the company in World War II. That was very interesting. It then told about reparations to the workers (slave) and how the company tried to make things right. Who knows!??! I thought they might gloss over this part of their history, but they did not.








After you finish the audio tour, there is still plenty to do. They had some older cars on the ground floor, as well as some prototypes that never made it off the ground. One car looks just like the Delorean in Back to the Future. They had other cars that were realy neat looking. But so cool, you did not picture them as a Mercedes Benz. You wonder why some of these cars were never built.





Then, of course, I went to the gift shop and bought some postcards. I sent them to the usual people, My neices in Texas. My nephew in Belleville and the guys at work. And of course, to my family, who I will see in 60 days and countinf!!!!!




I also ran into an older couple and their daughter. They were over in Europe for 12 days and having a fine time.



One more thing about the museum. They had a dealership attached to the place. At first, I thought they had more cars on display. But, when I walked over, I noticed prices and mileages. Then I realized they were all for sale. So, you caould buy a used Mercedes Benz or a new one. They had lots of choices.





Overall, I really liked the MB Museum. It was a great way to spend a couple hours.




Now, on the way to the brand new Porsche Museum!!!!

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Comments

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AARP
AARP discount? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! When did we get so old?