Tag traveling on a dime

Struy Guest House, Cozy place to stay in Inverness

Anna--The Adventurer

The Struy Guest House has honestly been the very best

accommodation that I have stayed in while traveling and adventuring. The property manager, Kasper, has been super friendly and accommodating, the premises clean and neat, everything is tidy, and it is very affordable.

I love that it is located about a Mile from downtown Inverness, easily within walking distance (with a lovely walk to and from) but also located about 2 blocks from a bus stop. The quiet neighborhood provides an extra air of serenity.  A simple breakfast is provided with a small extra charge but it is a great way to kick off the day.

I really liked it, too, because it wasn’t the run of the mill, generic place to crash, very pretty cottage style house, which added to the ambiance of visiting Scotland. Shared rooms and suites both have amenities such as coffee/tea pots and more, which is super helpful, comfortable bedding and always kept clean.

I thoroughly enjoyed staying here as I met some really great people and felt very comfortable, relaxed, and at ease, which is a huge thing I often don’t find at hotels/motels, etc. (Keep in mind, I have never tried an AirBnB)

Struy House 109 Ballifeary Road, Inverness, Scotland iv35p3

struyguesthouse@gmail.com

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/15229912

Giving a Schwarzwald tour

Anna--The Adventurer

Woohoo!! My Grandfather came to visit me….and I marked off another item on my dream-list. I gave a family member a tour!!! Yes, it is true and I found it fun and exciting.

My Grandfather visited from Sunday through Tuesday evening here in Southwest Germany and willingly adventured with me around the area. We had so much fun!! I enjoyed being a tour guide more than I had anticipated. Grandfather was a great companion and we had so much fun together–I found it super nice and enjoyable to experience new coffee places as well with him–while going to some of my favorite places.

We went to the Monastary Ruins in Bad Herrenalb, the Kloster ruins in Frauenalb, the Schloss in Karlruhe and Ratstatt, and enjoyed the lovel art and architecture in St. Alexanders on Marktplatz in Ratstatt. A lovely fountain, bridge, and river tour in Ettlingen also had taken place, with coffee and lunches intermixed in our ventures–we used the tram and sometimes the car, making transportation very versatitle and easy.

All the places we went to gave us the beautiful sites and scenes of the Black Forrest, also being able to see the changing of the leaves this autumn–all in all, quite an event.

Want to check out some of the hot places we dined and enjoyed coffee?? The links and references are below.

 

Golden Mann Cafe Am Schloss Ratstatt

Schwarzwald Stub (Restaurant) Bad Herrenalb, Germany (no website) Kurpromenade 5, 76332 Bad Herrenalb, Germany

DLounge (Coffee shop), Karlsruhe, Germany

Täglich (Restaurant), Ettlingen, Germany

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Drinking from a fountain, Karlsruhes Downtown

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The River Alb, Running through downtown Ettlingen

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Schloss Karlsruhe Statue Tours

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The River Alb, Frauenalb Germany

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We stopped at a local Bakery for snacks and coffee, a German classic

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Taking a break from touring the Black Forrest at the DLounge, Kronenplatz, Karlsruhe, Germany

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1000 year old ruins at Frrauenalb, Germany, in the heart of the Black Forrest

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My grandfather in Frauenalb, standing next to a very old, established trees by the ruins.

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Grandfather and I riding the trams to adventure together

The Verranda on Schloss Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe,

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The Crest of the Markgraf Wilhelm von Baden Baden, primary resident of the Schloss Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Baden Wurtemburg Germany

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Exquisite Cappucinos at the Cafe Am Schloss, Ratstatt, Germany http://www.goldener-mann-rastatt.de/kontakt/

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the Tour guide (me) outside of St. Martins Church, Ettlingen, Germany

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Grandfather crossings the Lockets of Love Bridge, Ettlingen, Germany

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The flood water marker on St. Alexanders Cathedral, Marktplatz, Ratstatt, Germany

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Wooden Pews and grandfather, St. Martins Church, Kirch platz, Ettlingen, Germany

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Roman Ruins, Bad Herrenalb, Germany

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Grandfather and I, Kloster Ruins, Bad Herrenalb, Germany

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Dropping postcards in the post for loved ones back in the States

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Roman Ruins near the Protestant Church (1650) Bad Herrenalb, Germany

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A tradtional German lunch at Schwarzwald Stub, Bad Herrenalb, Germany

 

Date Night at the Irish Pub

Anna--The Adventurer

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Thomas and I on our date night

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Thomas

Date nights are always fun!!

Thomas and I ventured to downtown Ettlingen to the Irish Pub on the Alb River!!!

The barkeep speaks very good English, which is always a big perk for me.

The good news?? We had a lovely date night but i also found a place that serves a pretty good Grog, which is always welcome when the weather starts to get cold and chilly.

 

 

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I found Grog!!!

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Grog is awesome!!!

Pumpkin Spice Fall Fashion

Anna--The Adventurer

A very long #pumpkin #spice colored #fashion and warm #scarf. Folded over and doubled on a chair. It is very #long and would work great as a #scarf #wrap #shawl or #accessory around there are so many options of how you could wear this.The photo looks on the red side but the coloring is truly a pumpkin spice. Just in time for a lovely #autumn !!!  Make me an offer!!! #Free #Shipping–Ships #Worldwide.Available on my eBay

$40.35 OBO–Free Shipping

Over the River–and into Lauterbourg, France

Anna--The Adventurer

 
A new friend’s invitation drove me to the edge, over the river, and thru the woods to a local French Restaurant—Au Bord Du Rhin

Changing countries in this part of Europe is easy, by American standards. Planes, trains, automobiles, trams and so much more make it convienent and super accesible to cross borders.

The menu was divided into three langues–French (of course), German (which I am in the prelimary classes of learning) and a very unique version of English.  When the ingredients or key words of a dish are still foreign, guessing (or asking) is best when ordering and finding yourself lucky and on the receiving end is always a pleasant surprise.

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French Desserts–Caramel Flan with a vanilla sauce and fresh fruit–including St. Johns Berries

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The Restaurant’s Logo placed artistically on a plate

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French Mouse (chocolate) with cream sauce adn fresh seasonal fruit

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Monika, a local German friend, showing me the ropes of French Cuisine–from lochs to Chevre and so much more

 

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.

 

 

St. Martins Church, Ettlingen, Baden-Wartümberg, Germany

Anna--The Adventurer

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One lovely, very sunny (and thus hot day), I leisurely went into St. Martins to enjoy the shade and for prayers.  The church was silent, in reverence of peace and quiet–the church being void of other humans.

I bolted upright from a very bizarre sound, not from the ding dang dong of the musical bells, for it was only 10:12 in the morning. Thinking something amiss, I searched for the source of the disturbance and was but awoken by the reverberations of my own rumbling snores echoing off the walls.

 

St. Annas Potthoffs 2780Martins Church, located in downtown Ettlingen (Kirchplatz) is a lovely place to visit–the church has different periods of construction (having been destroyed at points during previous wars.) The Spire is original and is easily seen from about anywhere in town.  Annas Potthoffs 2777

Upon looking up (once inside) the painting on the ceiling will fascinate as it is not rendered in the traditional sense.

The wooden, standardized pews are a lovely way to sit, relax and enjoy the divine presense of our Lord Saviour.

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.

Kneipp Bath

Anna--The Adventurer

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Splashing around in a Thermal Pool Together

Spending time with my sweetheart is such a joy–I asked a local woman what the open-air foot/leg bath and arm bath-trough was intended for–and she answered (with a smile) that it is for health and refreshment….exactly what we needed on a hot, hot summer day.

Thomas and I sluffed off our shoes and went for it. Wowser!! That water is cold but awesome–the floors of the pool (only about knee deep) is covered in bumps, creating a lovely, slighlty ticklish feeling…and it is truly refreshing… and it exfoliated our feet…no more callouses….Thomas is a trooper, for sure, willing to try anything and adventuring with my sweetheart makes it so much more enjoyable, laughing and trying it all.

Neither of us has ever been here before today…an adventure with laughter, beautiful scenery and soft feet after adventuring all day….it does not get any better than this–and it is a free venue located in Bad Herrenalb.

Thomas getting into the pool

Thomas getting into the pool

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Thomas enjoys the ‘arm bath’–very refreshing on a hot day.

A cool summer meal

Anna--The Adventurer

Cooking is like snow skiing: If you don’t fall at least 10 times, then you’re not skiing hard enough.

Guy Fieri

Summer Pasta Salad

Summer Pasta Salad

Summer Pasta Salad..My Recipe

1 pkg spirally pasta–cooked accordingly to the package directions–drained and cooled

2 small ripe tomatoes, chunked

1 can of sliced, pitted black olives

Sunflower Oil

6 large basil leaves, minced

1 small clove garlic, minced

the lemon juice of 1 large lemon (with pulp)

Pepper Jack Cheese, sliced into thin strips, small pieces

I mixed all ingredients with the pasta, and let chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator–absolutely delicious—and my cooking adventures continue.

Check Out My eBay!!!

Country Roads, Rheinstetten

Anna--The Adventurer

Sunday Drives are always lovely, especially with suprises.

The Rhein, with aid from heavy rains, ran over its banks. There is a levy that blocks the road from Rheinstetten to the next town as it is unsafe to cross–being flooded.

An adventure is wonderful–with a small price of just 2 liters of gasoline in the car and natures amazing ebbs.

 

Don’t forget to check out my eBay

 

The Porcelain Palace–

Anna--The Adventurer

Amazing day!! The chapel is not normally open to tourists-visitors but today, with special perimissin, Thomas and I not only got a tour of the private chapel on estate grounds but I also was given the opprotunity to cross something off my bucket list–our guide ENCOURAGED me, with full permission (without me even asking) to ring the bell in the chapel–all after an amazing, personal tour of the estate–including the private chambers of the Margravine Franziska Sibylla Augusta of Sachsen-Lauenburg.

A week after touring the estate, Thomas and I were invited to attend a classical concert at the estate–an amazing evening where the musicians dressed in period correct costumes.  Champagne and delights were served during intermission and oh, what fun!!!

History Courtesy Wik.

Schloss Favorite is a castle on the outskirts of Rastatt-Förch in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Built by Johann Michael Ludwig Rohrer between 1710 and 1730, it was a pleasure and hunting palace (French: Maison de plaisance) used by Margravine Franziska Sibylla Augusta of Sachsen-Lauenburg, widow of Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden (‘Türkenlouis’). It is the oldest of the German so-called ‘Porcelain Palaces’ and the only to survive intact to this day. The castle was only used for several weeks a year as a summer residence.

The castle houses a large collection of Chinese porcelain, black lacquerwork and Schwartz Porcelain.

Address: Am Schloß Favorite 5, 76437 Rastatt, Germany