Ponyland: Pony Rides, Camping and More!

Ponyland: Pony Rides, Camping and More!

Ponyland Ebentaler Hof is a happy oasis nestled above the hills of Rüdesheim! With animals, camping and a café it is a perfect escape in the beautiful forest.

One of the great aspects of Ponyland Ebentaler Hof is that it can be a fun day trip or it can transform to a weekend away. Ponyland has guest rooms available and also a lovely campground.

We bought our tickets for the pony ride at the shops window then explored the area. We first had to say hello to all of the other animals. We even fed some hungry goats!

Next to the pony area there is a fun vintage playground which looks like it has been entertaining children for many years.

Every child loves to be able to climb up on a real bright-green tractor!

Also which turned out to be tons of fun, was the vintage merry-go-round that costs one euro. I was sure that it was only for show because it was from the 70s but it actually still worked really well!

The park was a great time but now it was time to get our pony! Here is how it works: After buying your ticket you go into the pony area and give it to the woman in charge. The cost is 8 euro and the walk lasts for about 20-30 mins because you are on your own pace. Then they find a pony that is the right size for your child. We had our eyes on this little guy! How adorable!

The pony attendant gets your mighty steed ready for the journey and ensures that he is the right size.
   

You are given some instructions, such as where to hold the brace around the pony to pull him along and to not let your pony eat any grass along the way. I learned the hard way, that if you let them eat once they sense your weakness and will keep trying to eat more the entire ride! So you must be firm right off the bat.

So we were ready to go!!

The path is gorgeous and it travels through their animal fields then through the enchanting woods.
  

We had a fantastic time on the walk and our horse was so well behaved. We worked up quite an appetite and thirst. Located in the main building is a picturesque cozy café with seating outdoors.

Cake and coffee was in order and it was delicious. The apples in the cake were local apples, very fresh and so scrumptious. 

Be sure to check out Ponyland the next time you are sightseeing around the Rheingau!

Address: Hof Ebental, 65385 Rüdesheim am Rhein

Hours: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am-6:00 pm

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ebentalerhof?fref=ts


About the author: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

Affordable Weekend Trip to Disneyland Paris

Affordable Weekend Trip to Disneyland Paris

Affordable Weekend Trip to Disneyland Paris…yes it is possible! A trip to the happiest place in Europe that won’t break the bank is attainable with prior planning.

Save money at the gate: Buy your park tickets online! Here you can find tickets for one day or two.

http://www.disneylandparis.com/en-us/

Top up: When leaving home, leave with a full tank of fuel and add money for 2 tanks of fuel on your fuel card.

First fuel stop: Stop here before you cross the border and top up your tank. Even if you fill up a quarter of a tank, it is worth it. Address:

Esso Station
Hochstr 34
66450 Bexbach
Deutschland

Instead of a turn and burn trip, to be safe and also to enjoy yourself more it is better to stay in a hotel. I suggest to either stay the night before and then an optional night after if you feel like staying late at Disneyland.

Where to stay for the first stop:

Qualys Hotel Reims Tinqueux

1 Avenue D'Afn - Tinqueux
51430 Reims, France

It is a great place to stop for many reasons. The location is right off the autobahn, so you don’t waste any time or gas traveling to the hotel. There is free, safe parking right in front of the hotel and you can see your car from the window. They have strong WiFi in the rooms. It is an hour away from Disneyland so when you wake up the next morning, have their great breakfast with amazing French coffee (oh yes!!) then you feel refreshed and ready for the day at the park.

 

 

Getting to the park:

Parking cost 15 euro. But Hooray! You made it!! The excitement level in the car at is about at a 10 right now!

Saving in the park:

It is possible to not spend any money when you get into the park. First way to save big is to bring in your own drinks and snacks. They tell you that picnicking is not allowed in the park, but you can bring small snacks and sandwiches. Everyone can carry a backpack, or if you have young kids, it is a great idea to bring in a stroller, if not for the kids than for your bag of snacks! Bring a big water bottle so you aren’t needing to buy the expensive gifts in the park.

Another way to save is with the gift shops. There are so many shops and your kids will see everyone with princess dresses and Mickey ears. The items cost much more than what we are used to. A good idea is to bring dresses, ears and even new toys that you bought before and give it to them in the park!

Where to stay the second stop:

This stop is good for if you stay late at the park and you feel like you can’t drive home. If you are trying to save some money, it is better to leave the park after the last parade at 6:30pm and just drive home.

This is a FUN and awesome hotel for kids. It is an Explorer themed hotel, with a huge ship in the middle and also a very cool pool with slides. We felt like pirates!! Argh matey!!

Explorers Hotel
50 Avenue de la Fossé des Pressoirs,
77700 Magny-le-Hongre, France

Fuel in France: Check your GPS to see how far it is to Homburg, Germany. My car needed about 25-30 Euros of Fuel in France. There are many along the highway and I stopped at one where you are able to pay at the pump. This saved a lot of time!

The tolls: The tolls are very easy and contrary to rumors they are not that expensive. It was perhaps 30 euro each way. Being a frequent traveler of the New Jersey Turnpike I am familiar with tolls…but perhaps not everyone is. Don’t be intimated by them! I first I was reluctant to go to the credit card lane because I thought it was only for a European chip card but there was a huge line in the cash lane, so being the daredevil I am I went to the credit card lane. Luckily they take any credit card. I took some photos of the different types of the tolls. Either you will come to a toll where you have to take a ticket or one where you pay with your card/ cash. They have an option for English.

Last fuel stop: Stop here to fill up with your fuel card to get you back home!

Holger Doetsch
Autobahn
66424 Homburg/ Saar
Deutschland

Need for speed?: Follow the speed limit in France. They definitely don't want to hear the excuse of oh sorry I'm used to Autobahn like you think you can pull when you go and leave in the States. Admit it: You thought of that! I don't think I have to go into detail about it, but I would definitely eliminate all possibilities of getting pulled over as an American with German license plates driving too fast in France! Set that cruise control and tame your heavy foot.

Well you are all set to go enjoy the magic of Disneyland Paris!!
  

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

Appel Happel Apple Fest: Pony Rides, Apple Picking and more!

Appel Happel Apple Fest: Pony Rides, Apple Picking and more!

Pumpkins, apples, leaves falling, scarf and boot season…these are a few of my favorite things! I love autumn and what better way to kick it off than at the Appel Happel Apple Fest in Mainz!

Coming from the North East of the USA, going to a farm and having fresh squeezed cider at the end of September is very fond tradition for me. Luckily we have Appel Happel in Mainz so we can celebrate the beginning of another crisp golden autumn.

This wonderful apple orchard has a great store to buy fresh vegetables, fruit, wines and you guessed it, a lot of apples. You can even sample the different types of apples that will you buy for either eating whole or for baking.

 

  

After shopping for home items, it was time to eat! The best selection was the homemade apple, pear and plum cakes! So for this fest we made an exception and had dessert first. After that we went to the tent and had some German sausages on bread.
  

This is such a wonderful kid friendly fest with so much for them to do. Located in the back of the fest was 2 big bouncy castles and the very popular pony rides.

Most likely my daughters favorite treat of the day (or year) was the make your own chocolate covered apples!

Adjacent to the fest is where the apple orchards start and you can get a wagon or bring your own bag and start picking! Some of my earliest childhood memories are of filling up my own bucket of apples in the orchard. The apple and pear orchards are so well kept here, even if you aren’t picking that day, it still makes for a lovely walk through the trees.

What to do with all of the apples?

Below is a yummy recipe for German Apple Cake very similar to the cake I had at the fest. Lecker!

http://www.marthastewart.com/343813/german-apple-cake

Address:

Marienborner Bergweg 33, 55127 Mainz, Germany (Parking is located along the street. )

Happy autumn, everyone! Here I am wearing my apple hat that was knitted with love by my Nana. <3

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

Short Video of the fest:

Wiesbaden Folklore Fest

Wiesbaden Folklore Fest

If NYC’s Greenwich Village and Wiesbaden, Germany collided, it would create: The Wiesbaden Folklore Fest

Held at the Wiesbaden Schlachthof during the last weekend of August, the Folklore Fest brings out the funky, cultural, alternative and artistic side of Wiesbaden.

This 3 day open air festival has been entertaining the funky masses every late August since 1976. This felt like an end of summer celebration in the sun! This fest had the normally provided fest entertainment such as music, food and drink but unlike other summer fests in the area, it also had one of my favorite pastimes: Shopping!

The Folklore Fest was small in size, compared to other weekend long music festival, but they really had a great shopping tent area like the big fests. The vendors sell items you normally would not find in Wiesbaden stores. They sell handmade clothes, jewelry and unique gifts from around the world. They sell funky and hip items at great prices. Even if you don’t go to shop it is still really fun to walk around the shopping tents and see new things.
  

The fest wants to give the feeling of welcoming all different types of people, they are strongly against anti-discrimination, racism and wants everyone to be there with an open mind. For example the interpretive performing arts, displayed crafts and music acts.

There was a performing arts group walking around the fest that looked like two big babies doing interpretive dance. My daughter was pretty scared of these guys and I had to cover her eyes every time they passed by us! Even though they were kind of creepy, I appreciated the uniqueness of the situation and art form.

A very popular area for the kids was the huge block pile. All day kids were busy creating with the massive pile of wooden blocks.

To match the creative fest vibe, the food vendors were also extremely unique! One grill vendor looked like right out the movie ‘Mad Max’. They had great food variation as well, such as Afghani vegan food and Mexican burritos.

  

A food vendor had one of the best quotes that I totally agree with! “You can only be happy with a happy stomach”.

In addition to all the cool funky food and art, no doubt the main attraction of this fest is the music…big and small! One of our favorite activities at the fest were the homemade musical instruments all around the park. Made from hula-hoops, bicycle wheels and even rubber boots, these creative instruments made magical sounds!
 

Located in the back of the fest is the main stage, which brings around 30,000 visitors throughout the 3 days! For a small fest and not so large city, this fest really gives the experience of a huge music festival! They have an exciting line up each day with a great variety for the fest goers which include, metal, rock, pop and hip-hop.

Along the side of the area with the big stage, there was a water spray station set up to cool off the music fans during the shows. I envisioned a second Woodstock mud party breaking out!

If you want to see this alternative/ funky side of Wiesbaden, be sure to check out the Folklore Fest in August!

Address: Murnaustrasse 1, 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

Mainz Beer Bike

Mainz Beer Bike

Can’t decide if you want to spend your weekend sitting outside drinking beer or perhaps go on a nice bicycle ride through the city? Well, with the Mainz Beer Bike you can do both!

Anytime you see Beer Bikes in big cities they are always the main attraction on the street! Everyone waving and honking their horns in celebration. Most likely also wishing they were on the beer bike! Luckily we can have this biking and beer drinking experience right here in Mainz with the company BierBike Mainz.

How it works:

The beer bike sits up to 16 people plus one provided driver on the bike. 10 people pedal the bike, 5 people can sit on the bench and one person is doing the important job of serving the beer in the middle. You don’t have to worry about being a good bike rider because the trained driver will do all of the steering and choose the safe routes for the beer bike’s 2 hour journey.

The bike comes with a tap for beer, lights for night time rides and a stereo for your favorite tunes! If that isn’t a recipe for a good time all over town, I don’t know what is! Just bring Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ and press repeat.

Even though it is a beer bike, the company wants to stress that drinking isn’t the main attraction. The real fun comes from the togetherness with your group and having a great time riding on the bike through beautiful Mainz. Not only are you having a blast with your friends while drinking great German beer, they have guided tours that take you passed all of the gorgeous landmarks and sites in Mainz. For example you will pass the Dom, the Old Market Place and the Rhine River waterfront.

Winter time on the Beer Bike:

BierBike Mainz has a great offer in the winter time where you drink German hot mulled wine (gluhwein) and eat holiday gingerbread cookies (lebkuchen). This would be so fun to do with friends while singing carols then getting dropped off at the Mainz Christmas Market!

Beer Bike Prices: Sunday to Thursday: 200 euro and Friday to Saturday: 270 euro. Beer must be ordered for the tour at 4,50 euro per liter and you also have a choice of other drinks like wine at their station.

Here is the link to book your very own Beer Bike experience: http://www.bierbike-mainz.de/english/contact.html

  

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

Trappist Westvleteren: How to score some of the ‘best beer in the world’

Trappist Westvleteren: How to score some of the ‘best beer in the world’ 
Brewed by the Belgian Trappist Monks at the Abbey of Saint Sixtus, the Westvleteren Brewery is known around the globe to produce perhaps the best beer in the world. This is could be due to the Monks esteemed reputation as brewers, the unmatchable taste and quality of their beer and the rationed/ reservation style of ordering.  


According to Ratebeer and Beeradvocate, the Trappist Westvleteren 12 has complex dark flavors of caramel malt, figs and dark fruit which makes it one of the best beers on the planet, no scratch that, the universe. This beer is not sold in stores and it is only sold in small quantities (60,000 cases per year) every week right at the gate of the monastery, from their hands to your trunk! So for any beer enthusiast, or those curious to what the best beer tastes like, living in Europe is like being so close to the Beer Mecca of the world, you just have to make the trip to try it!

Here’s how to get some Trappist Westvleteren:

The Call:

First you have to check out their webpage to see the beer schedule and when you can call the ‘beer phone’ (yes kind of like the bat phone).
 

  
You call the beer phone during the times listed on the left side only. It shows what beer you are calling for, so if you call for a yellow block “TW 12” that is what you will get. If you get a busy signal, call them over and over until you get through. If you get a recording, press ‘1’ to talk to someone.

Then when you speak to someone they will ask you for your licenses plate number. He will then ask what day and time you can pick it up. Your options are on the other column of the website you saw online, indicated by the color you ordered. He will tell you your day and time for your pick up!

The Pick Up:

You will receive 2 cases of the highly coveted beer! There are no changes available! Don’t be late for your order and do not show up with a car that has a different licenses plate or you will not receive your beer! They ask you to pay with your credit card and your receipt will say that you are not allowed to resell your beer (Niet verder verkopen). Also you are not allowed to order beer with that license plate and phone number for the next 60 days! So you better make it last until then! :)

If you missed the calling times for the beer phone, and you find yourself in Belgium one weekend, you can still try the Westvleteren liquid gold! Across the street from the brewery they have a beautiful café called ‘In de Vrede’ where you can order it in glasses and drink it at your table. They have a small gift shop where at times, if you are lucky, they sell a 6 pack per person.

They also have gorgeous and historic walks in the area listed on their website, so you can make your beer pick up a really beautiful day out in the Belgian countryside. http://www.indevrede.be/wandelen.php?lang=en

Address: Donkerstraat 13 - 8640 Westvleteren, Belgium - T +32(0)57 40 03 77

Prices: €30.00 (Blonde), €35.00 (8°) and €40.00 (12°) per 24-bottle crate (excluding bottle/crate deposit). Deposit for empty bottles and crate: €12 (€9.60 for the crate plus €0.10 per bottle). But most people would want to keep the crate as a souvenir.

Follow on Reading: To learn more about how the Monks “Make the beer to live but do not live for the beer” check out the article by The Independent, who got a rare interview, called: Monks who make the world’s best beer pray for quiet life.

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

German Bakery Technology: Combating Cooties!

German Bakery Technology: Combating Cooties!

We tend not to think about how gross it is to touch money then touch the food we are going to eat. Or maybe we just block it out so you don’t think of the frequently passed bacteria on your scrumptious baguette.

In 2014, The Wall Street Journal wrote an article about Why You Shouldn’t Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. NYU researchers found that hundreds of different kinds of bacteria is passed from hand to hand when you exchange money.

“Easily the most abundant species they found is one that causes acne. Others were linked to gastric ulcers, pneumonia, food poisoning and staph infections, the scientists said. Some carried genes responsible for antibiotic resistance.” How disgusting is that! Um, acne?!

TIME also wrote about Dirty Money and how majority of the U.S. bills are contaminated by cocaine. And that paper money can carry more germs than a household toilet.

Even though we are talking about ‘Dirty Dollars’ it must be the same with 'Icky Euros'. Even though they are much more prettier and colorful than the US dollars, they most likely have the same about of microbes living on there.

Okay I think you get the point.. and I don’t want to gross everyone out any further! If you really do the research, I think we all will be swiping our credit cards to pay for a pack of gum just to avoid touching the fecal cocaine glitter on the money.

So what about the bakeries!? Well, in Germany they are getting it right!! I went to one of my favorite food stores in Germany to get some German Brotchen goodness and I saw this new contraption. I actually said outloud…“NO WAY! How COOL!!”
 

Here you tell the bakery employee with the acne-causing-dollar-dust free hands what you want to have, he places it in the bag for you, then from his side of the counter he inputs the price of your purchase. Then from your side you use this handy dandy, cootie combating money machine. You can either insert the money or you can even swipe your credit card (which is a rare thing here!). Then.. voila! You take your bread! How come it took so long for this to happen!? Well let’s just be happy that it is here.

Here is a video of how it works!

 

 

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.