Nuremberg Volksfest

Let the festival season begin!

We took the train over to Nuremberg to the spring Volksfest.  It's a lot like Oktoberfest, but with fewer Dirndl's and Lederhosen, and warmer weather.  Well, at least this weekend it was!  To save some money, we stopped at a place in the train station and grabbed some ham and cheese pretzels (it was 99 cents!) and spent a Euro to play with the train while we stood and ate.  I love saving money!  (More money saved now means more beer and roller coaster later, right?)

Wilkommen to the Nürnberger Volksfest!  That tower of terror doesn't scare me!

Ok.  Yes it does.  These clowns are ready to party!  Let's play!

The first ride they saw they HAD to ride on it.  It was a kiddie ride, but they actually were having a blast on it.  They yelled across the ride to each other at the whole time.  Anytime the kids actually like each other, it's money well spent.

Next up, let's let out our pent up aggression on the bumper cars. Look out Grant and Todd!

Next up was the Test Strecke.  Funny story... After we rode the roller coaster, we rode the Ferris wheel.  Todd and I were talking out loud about what "Test Strecke" might mean.  Never mind that there were race cars all over the entrance where you pay.  Oh, duh! Test Track!  Sometimes German is painfully obvious.  Above, you can see Todd and Natalie in the FRONT ROW!!!!  Nat's first double loop roller coaster!  

Of course, I HAD to take a turn.  It was funny... right before Natalie went on the ride the first time, Todd told her she could go with him first and then go with me next.  She nearly burst into tears and said, "I don't want to go on it again!"  Of course, she totally did want to go on it again!  And she did!  Here we are above in the SECOND ROW!

Todd took some awesome pics of us- right in the loop in the second row.

This time, I spotted Todd.  So I'm trying to wave to him but all of my hair is in my face.  You can see my little cutie next to me in the purple shirt!

Next ride, Mommy's least favorite, the Ferris wheel.  Actually, this one wasn't too bad, because unlike the one in Zurich, this one didn't spin around and it was enclosed.  So I was actually ok on this one.  

View from above overlooking the Volksfest.

Naturally next, we had to hit up a biergarten and eat some food and drink some beers that were so massive that my entire arm fit in the handle.  Grant and I *might* be throwing out gang signs here.

From the biergarten, we could see kids doing trampoline jumping.  They pretty much begged the entire meal to go on this.  This was money well spent because they both had a blast.  Here's my spider monkey, Grant!

Nat did her first back flips over and over and over again!  She was so awesome!

Check out my girl!  Unassisted!

Remember at all of the county or state fairs you went to in the States?  They always had the alpine ride that went in circles, at first slow, and then much faster?  Todd and Nat loved this one!  They spotted me every time from the sidelines.  I don't do spinning rides!

Unless of course, those spinning rides are swings and I'm facing outward.  Then I'm ALL for it!  Here's me and Nat (kind of behind me) on the swings.  They were a blast!

Todd and Natalie spotted the Break Dance ride and absolutely HAD to ride it.  Grant and I were vehemently against it. For good reason.  Nat and Todd BOTH almost got sick on this ride and both walked off with a big old headache. 

Even though Todd LOOKS happy on this ride, he really isn't happy at all!  

  

Meanwhile, Grant and I rode the old fashioned cars.  A MUCH wiser decision!  I rode with him the first time and he drove himself the second time.  He loved this ride and asked to ride it again.  (Dude.  It's €2 per ride.  No way!)

After a quick beer and some pizza, (to which the pizza cook looked at Todd as if he was crazy for ordering pizza mit nur Käse), we headed home!  Can't wait to come back next spring (or in the fall since they do this two times a year!) to the Nürnberger Volksfest!