Madrid, Spain - Bullfight

While in Madrid we were lucky enough to see a bullfight. The Las Ventas arena in Madrid is the most famous in Spain and was built in 1929. The fight lasted a few hours and we saw six different bulls.

The six Matadors

Bavarian Fests

Over the course of our time here we have gone to many fests so I thought I would just post some pictures of the more recent ones we have been to.

-Erlangen Fest-

It started pouring rain and these people continued to sit at their table

under a plastic bag.

-American Bavarian Fest-

The guys made a German friend (Chuck) during the fest and

he was a great addition to our table of friends.

During one of the songs everyone puts their benches on top

of the tables and sits on them while singing. It was crazy to watch (we did not participate!)

Germany in the Summer

These are just a few pictures of the surrounding area ...

Black Forest

So it has been a long time! We have been busy traveling and have slacked on the blog a bit. Now that I am gainfully unemployed I have taken over this beast and you will have to suffer through my commentary and inability to remember things correctly - oh and my nack for exaggeration. Buckle in - we have from April to September to cover ...

Our first camping trip in the van went off without a hitch in the Black Forest. We went in May and had great weather. Driving through Baden-Baden, German spa destination spot, with our ultimate goal being Triberg these are a few of our pictures ...

This is where we bought our cuckoo clock.

Baden-Baden

Hinterbrand Lodge

Updating some more pictures.  This past March we went down to Berchtesgaden and stayed in a history filled lodge.  The current name is Hinterbrand Lodge.  This lodge was used by many in the Nazi era.  Dietrich Eckart was a German Nationalist writer and early member of the Nazi Party, who considered himself Hitler's mentor. He hid from the Weimar government and stayed in this cottage.  It was captured by the US Army and has been used by the Army in many ways since then.  They now allow people to rent the lodge out for special functions.

The front of the lodge.  There was still a lot of snow in the area and we had quite the adventure making it up to the lodge the night before.

This is a pictures that I found after we got back and shows (left-right): Hermann Göring, Reichs War Minister Werner von Blomberg, and Hitler visiting the Hinterbrand Lodge in 1935.  We were sledding in the exact location they are standing in the picture. 

We went skiing at the local ski area.  It may be hard to see, but on the left side of the picture right above the ski hut is the Hinterbrand Lodge and on the ridge in the background is Hitler's Eagles Nest.

Hitler's Eagles Nest in the upper right hand corner.  You can also make out the road leading up to the Eagles Nest.

The skiing.

The friends.

Obertaurern, Austria

Still getting caught up on sharing some of the pictures from past trips.  We went to a ski resort in Obertauern Austria at the end of Feb.  We stayed in the town you see below and could ski 360 degrees around the town.  The weather was fantastic, nice and warm.  Had a great time and enjoy the pictures.

Obertaurern, Austria

If you look close you can see the hotel we stayed in, its the green one.  It was great because it had an indoor pool and hot tub.

Yes, that is a chair lift going to the top!

The views were incredible!!!!!!!

Shanan skiing

It was so nice that we took a break to enjoy the sun.

And did we mention the view!!!!

And more view!!!!