Of course, at the center of it all, is the trains. They are running everywhere around you – but you never seem to see the same train twice.
I counted 78 monitors in the impressive Control Center.
The Miniatur Wunderland is a lot more than model trains, anything you imagine can probably be found within this massive display – but more on that in a moment.
My husband is crazy about model trains. He has meticulously restored and maintained, vintage Lionel trains running around our study and on display. Even though he favors the larger O gauge, popular when he was a kid in the 50’s, he loves any well-done train exhibit.
Since opening in 2001, the Miniatur Wunderland attraction has constantly grown. Current displays (in HO scale), are inspired by scenes from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia and the USA. The newest feature is a working model airport; Italy can be seen under construction.
To get an idea of the massive scope of this attraction, let’s review a few facts we learned on our “Behind the Scenes” tour with Marius, our knowledgeable guide:
Miniatur Wunderland Fun Facts
- 950 trains
- 14,450 train cars (wagons as they say in Europe)
- More than 8 miles of track
- 3,050 switches
- 335,000 lights
- 3728 miles of cable
- Longest train is a 47’ coal train in the USA section, with 66 cars and 5 engines
Four times every hour, each display changes to dusk for about a minute, then night for about three, and sunrise for another minute. Interactive buttons trigger all kinds of surprise actions (just in case you don’t have enough to watch). Along with all the kids, my favorite had to be the Swiss chocolate factory that wraps a small Lindt chocolate and drops it into the hand of each chocoholic visitor.
One of the big crowd-pleasers is the airport, where 40 different planes pull up to terminals, take-off and land. Video monitors, just like those in a real airport, display flight schedules and video of planes. Planes are all types and sizes and include occasional appearances of an emergency landing of the Space Shuttle and a comical flying bee.
In Scandinavia they use real water to maneuver large shipping vessels and passenger lines and even feature a beach with a rising and falling tide. Throughout the displays visitors will find countless surprises and hidden visual treats. Every employee of the attraction is encouraged to submit creative ideas for inclusion. You can tell they have fun – you find yourself constantly smiling when you spot things like a couple of nuns sitting on a bridge, an office worker zipping around the office in their rolling chair, torch-lit skiers coming down a slope, the Coke polar bear, or a couple having “fun”.
A great place to visit if you like trains, or any type of models; the kids and their adults, were all having so much fun. It truly is an incredible engineering, electrical and technological wonder. My only criticism is the gift shop – a very odd collection of not-so-great “stuff”, they are surly missing a huge opportunity. In the past couple of years, we had viewed a number of You Tube videos about the attraction and, I am happy to report, the actual experience exceeded all my husband’s expectations.
Tips: Go early or late to miss the big crowds, if you travel as far as we did, take the Behind the Scenes Tour – it was well worth the $15 fee. If you want the tour, book it in advance, unless you speak German, or it may not be available. They do have senior discounts and you can buy your admission tickets (regular 12 Euros), ahead of time, on-line. www.miniatur-wunderland.de
There is More to Hamburg than Toy Trains
Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city and is filled with tree-lined streets and green spaces. It is biker-friendly, runner and walker-friendly and a very pleasant place to visit. Anchored by the centrally located lake (Alster) and the Elbe River, Hamburg is a port city whose residents seem to be embracing their waterfronts. We are staying by the lake and it seems to be busy every minute, and this is during the week. We’ve watched sailboats, crew teams, kayakers and paddle boarders everywhere.
The Hop-On bus tour is a great option and can get you around key areas. There seems to be a good public transport system – but it is also a great city for walking. If time, you can get out on the lake and/or river for a water tour.
Small bistros, cafes and bars dot the lake-front. We had a lovely dinner at the charming Kajute. No English version of the menu, but we figured it out. In fact, you won’t find as much in English here, but everyone is eager to please and help. We also find this city refreshingly less formal that some other German cities we have visited in the past.
There are dozens of hidden surprises tucked into the detailed displays at Miniatur Wunderland. I’d like to know exactly how many adventuresome couples there actually are . . . but here is one, up high on a roof-top. Others were, under trees, along riverbanks, seen through apartment and office windows, and cavorting in a field of sunflowers. We even saw a threesome, and I don’t mean golfing. I’ve rated this couple PG to show here. Not all the hidden treasures are sexual. We also spotted a giraffe being loaded on a plane, a penguin family, a corpse in a river, and more. But we missed the crocodile and dinosaur . . .
See that cute little tuxedo kitty in the tree? The Fire Department comes to the rescue!
One of the 150 interactive buttons, triggers a response to a church fire. Others play music, start a SWAT team shootout, a knight’s jousting tournament and turns lights on for a sneak peek into an apartment building, and much more.
Along the shore of the beautiful Alster Lake, right in the middle of this very green city.
For my pirate girlfriends – just had to post this flag, seen along the Alster lake-shore, at one of the many small marina/bistros.
“Yankee Spirit” enjoys a little marsh grass. You can see one of the many local oyster beds in the foreground.
Wild Ponies!
I seem to have always known about the wild ponies of Chincoteague Island. I’m not sure how I first learned about the ponies . . . maybe the stories of my good friend who has visited the area for more than 40 years, or because of the famous book and movie about pony “Misty”. In any case, who can ignore the allure of wild ponies. The herd stays in the news due to its annual swim across the water to the historic town of Chincoteague, where the foals are sold at auction each July. But this island is so much more than just the ponies.
On our first night here we visited the Assateague National Seashore to view the beautiful sunset. Only a few people were around and dozens of Plovers were having a feast while running in and out of the incoming tide. Then it was our turn to feast. Our friends had asked what seafood we liked best and given us a list; I selected a few items but had no idea we were going to experience them all! We had plump, delicious local Chincoteague oysters; fried clams and learned how to properly devour blue crabs. Then my friend made incredible soft-shelled crabs and poached flounder – all amazing.
The next morning we joined Captain Dan for his 3-hour wild pony boat tour around the entire island. A local with generations of family history, he provided a wealth of knowledge and perspective about local ecology, wildlife and what the future might hold for this area. His pontoon boat is limited to 6 passengers and was very comfortable on this gorgeous, sunny, bug-free day. We saw lots of ponies as well as an eagle and a small pod of dolphins – a grand slam in terms of wildlife sightings.
Later in the day we visited the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and made a stop at one of the two visitor’s centers, where we viewed a beautifully filmed mini-documentary about the wild ponies that live in Virginia and nearby Maryland. The Refuge is a great spot for biking, hiking, and bird watching. The Visitor Centers offer a brochure featuring a check-list for the 324 different birds seen in the area. There are a number of short hiking trails, the longest being the 3.2 mile Wildlife Loop dedicated to bikers and hikers from opening at dawn til 3 PM, when cars can drive the Loop; the entire park closes at sunset. The short .25 mile hike to the Assateague Lighthouse is a must. Check the times the lighthouse is open for climbing to the top; this day we were the last group up at 2:30. There is a ranger and a small gift shop at the base and a docent at the top to offer information and historical facts.
BTW, the Chincoteague downtown area is small, just off the waterfront, with cute shops and restaurants. Bill’s was a great choice for another exceptional dinner.
Useful links: CaptainDansTours.com www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco
“Golden Moose” one of the 150 famous Chincoteague ponies.
Built just after the civil War, the Assateague Lighthouse still provides a beacon for boaters in the surrounding 20 miles of waters. Seven landing with 25 steps each for a total of 175 take you up about 10-11 stories to a height of 142′.
Sunset on the Assateague Island National Seashore.
Beautiful sunset and con trails from the nearby military bases.
On the shore, in Virginia.
The famous Cliff Walk has fully re-opened after a two-year hiatus due to repairing storm damage. But don’t be deceived, the “Walk” is no stroll on the beach! About a third of the free, 3.5 mile coastal path is across very rocky terrain. Sometimes the large, relatively flat boulders provide fairly easy passage, but other portions require some climbing, as well as navigating loose, sharp rocks. It could be treacherous if conditions are windy and/or wet and slippery. The other two-thirds feature paved or gravel paths, most with guard rails. There are numerous points to stop for photo ops or just contemplate the beautiful scenery.
Today was a beautiful, slightly cloudy, breezy day in the 70’s; perfect for the walk. It took us about 2.5 hours with lots of photo stops and slow, careful movement across the rocks. It was a fabulous experience with unmatched views, not to mention a different perspective of the massive Guided Age mansions spread out like a string of pearls along the rocky coast.
TIPS: There are new public restrooms by the “40 Steps” portion of the Walk, near the Breakers on Narragansett Ave. Wear good rubber-soled shoes and
go with a friend.
Sims Pond.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a hikers paradise. With more than 70 trails along the North Carolina portion of the Parkway, you can find something for every level and interest, from easy to strenuous.
Close to Blowing Rock, near Parkway Craft Center at Moses Cone Manor is the Julian Price Memorial Park featuring a beautiful lake and lovely picnic grounds. BTW, you can rent canoes and row boats by the hour at the boat ramp on Price Lake. Just a few yards from Price Lake you will find Sims Pond (milepost 295.9) and a nice hike with a variety of scenic pleasures.
Officially the Green Knob Trail, this trek is also referred to as the Sims Pond Trail. The well-cut, 2.4 miles loop trail takes hikers 500′ up through dense forests with ancient soaring trees, across pretty little streams, over massive logs, under the Parkway (at .06 miles), across pastures complete with perfectly proportioned apple trees and resident cows, to fields of wildflowers and butterflies.
There are a few strategically placed benches along the way to relax (or rest) and take in the sights, sells and sounds of nature at its best. The most strenuous part is about a 20-minute section up to the pastures, where you are steadily climbing. Generally, a moderate hike, the trip takes anywhere from 50 to 90 minutes, depending on how fast you hike and if you take a break to enjoy the experience.
Simply put, the Green Knob Trail has something for everyone.
For info on trails along the Parkway, visit: www.blueridgeparkway.org/
Rubus idaeus – wild raspberries. Can the bears be far behind?
Whenever we emerged from the woods, beautiful Thistle were abundantly in bloom.
Canopy along the Green Knob trail.
