Burg Eltz

 

 

Hey guys! Does this look familiar?
Piggletino thought he saw this in miniature form some time ago…

 

Somewhere in the hills of Koblenz, Piggletino and his scout found their way to the medieval castle, Burg Eltz. The castle towers over a valley and stands alone in the midst of the woods. Look! 

As the story goes, Burg Eltz belongs to a community of joint heirs (and is still owned by the same family from the 12th century!). Inside the castle, Piggletino was told that no photos were to be taken. It was a delightful trip, regardless. There was a little museum where you could see the treasures of the family. The castle has three complexes, belonging to three family branches. On the walking tour, you can also see the beautiful interior of a hunting room, old-style toilets, and most interestingly, the kitchen! Piggletino was fascinated by the way things were refrigerated in the past! 

On the way out, we passed by the vineyards of Rüdesheimer Rottland – of which much of its produce is the Riesling.
How very beautiful, and if only Piggletino could frolic in the vineyards too!  

Germany: Limburg an der Lahn

 

 

 

 

Hello there! Did you guys miss me?
I think my scout got lost somewhere along the way…
We were heading to Limburg (the one in Germany, not the Limburg of The Netherlands!)

 

Unfortunately, we arrived on a weekend, and the shops were mostly closed. Piggletino shall have to tell you a little bit of the history without much pictures this time!

Limburg is one of those small old towns in Germany that you’ll encounter on your way from one big city to another. Piggletino’s scout was on the way to Cologne when we chanced upon this small town and its old walls. Much of the fortifications of this town no longer stand. What  remains as a significant landmark is probably the orange St George’s cathedral.

Piggletino didn’t get to do much on this road trip. Looks like we should plan MORE road trips!

All over Europe in a day – Mini-Europe, Brussels

After exploring the Atomium, Piggletino’s scout suggested a visit to Mini-Europe, just 10 minutes’ walk away at the foot of the Atomium.

Piggletino was so excited after his last trip to Madurodam! He could now go all over Europe in a day!

Having seen Europe that was meant for his scout, Piggletino now explores the mini-Europe park, where everything is just the right size once again!

Look – the Alkmaar Cheese Market of Amsterdam stands in the background! 

And the Eiffel tower – not too much bigger than Piggletino! 

And that’s the Leaning Tower of Pisa too! Isn’t it a beautiful sight to have the life-sized Atomium in the background?

 

Piggletino took so many pictures that he couldn’t choose which ones to share. Walk around the park to decide where of Europe you might like to visit next time too!
To find out more about the Mini-Europe park, visit the website here.

Atomium, Brussels

How could you miss the Atomium when traveling by the Atomium Line?

What really is the Atomium? That’s it –

The Atomium is a steel structure that appears to be a unit cell of iron crystals magnified billions of times! Piggletino feels like a scientist now! See how much he knows about atoms and molecules!

The tubes connecting the spheres enclose escalators or staircases that brings you to each sphere. Within the spheres are exhibitions and public spaces such as a restaurant. As you first enter the Atomium, you will be invited to stand in line to board the fastest lift, which can take you to the top sphere that gives a panaromic view of the city. Here you go, Piggletino can prove it!

This is one of the staircases that can bring you from one sphere to another – looks a little like time travel, doesn’t it? Be sure to check out all the exhibitions when you visit the Atomium!