Stuttgart
Trip Start
May 15, 2006
1
65
71
Trip End
Sep 29, 2006
Where I stayed
Int. Youth Hostel Stuttgart (DJH)
Stuttgart, Germany
Thursday, September 14, 2006
I left Heidelberg this morning and arrived in Stuttgart to find the only available hostel is again an HI hostel. This one is even larger than the one I just left and it feels exactly like a hospital. It's location isn't as bad as usual for HI hostels but it is a 15 minute walk up a STEEP hill from the train station which makes the already extensive check-in process even more abhorrent and tiring. As you can tell, I don't really like HI hostels.
I checked in a dropped off my bag before immediately heading out to check out the big draw of the city. I took the fast train about 10 minutes out of town(again without paying, I am loving this free transit thing...) to the Mercedes Benz headquarters/museum. I heard it was really good but wasn't quite ready for what I saw. They just built a huge new museum that opened in May that is dedicated to their history and their future in the automobile industry. It was so interesting that even people who have no interest in cars would have enjoyed the stroll through this place. The best part is that it is all done with Mercedes class. Leather interiors in the elevators, free audio guides, polished metals on every surface, and just an overall sense of high class permeates the museum. It is also interesting because they discuss their whole history and how they played a role in the world and how the world events shaped their company. It was really interesting to see their involvement in WWII(which was extensive) and the impact on their company with the death of JFK. Who would have thought our President being assassinated would effect a German company. They also had tons of cars hanging from walls, plastered to the roof, or sitting on their own fake racetrack. It was just a lot more fun that I would have thought out of a car museum. I kept thinking that my dad or grandpa should have been there because they would have really enjoyed it.
After the museum, I walked around on the main town square before coming here to do some internet work. Tonight I going to sleep early because tomorrow is Oktoberfest and that may limit my sleep for the next couple of days. I am so excited for Oktoberfest it is hard to put into words, I just hope it lives up to my lofty expectations.
