What’s it like to try out a tamping machine simulator? Well, on September 15th was the big day: Tag der Schiene, or Day of Tracks! Like many railroad construction companies, the Deutsche Bahn, parts manufacturers, maintenance halls, and other railroad academies, mommy’s training facility also celebrated this day around the railroad. And what could be…
What’s it like to care for a carnivorous plant? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Lyons Cub loves meat-eating plants. He got to know the Piranha plant through…
What’s it like to go to a bouncy castle festival? On this hot and humid August weekend day, we set out to attend an Altano bouncy castle festival. On the posters, they had promised to flood the water slide if it didn’t rain — well, it didn’t rain YET, so we were hopeful, and we…
What’s it like to go to the open house day of the local fire department? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Wrapped around the light poles, we had…
What’s it like to go swimming in the CaLevornia pool in Leverkusen? This weekend was very hot, around 33 degrees C, so we went swimming on both days: On Saturday, we ventured out to the Waldbad (forest pool) in Hilden, and on Sunday, we visited the CaLevornia indoor pool in Leverkusen from 9 a.m. to…
What’s it like to visit an interactive drop forge industrial museum? The Bergisches Land, literally “hilly country,” where the city of Solingen is located, has a deep industrial history. Today, Lyons Cub, mommy, and grandma visited an ancient “Gesenkschmiede” or drop forge, which functions as a museum nowadays. We were able to participate in an…
What’s it like to visit the Botanical Garden in Solingen? Lyons Cub has visited several attractions in Solingen already: Today, we set out to visit the Botanical Garden, which already exists since 1963. It was July 2nd, the day of the pineapple festival (but alas, mommy had forgotten her wallet in the car, so we…
What’s it like to go to the playground Engelsberger Hof in Solingen? Actually, Lyons Cub sat on my lap while we were looking on the Internet where to find a very cool playground in North Rhine-Westphalia, and we happened upon this playground, which was almost like a tiny version of Irrland, where Lyons Cub traveled…
What’s it like to visit Schloss Drachenburg and ride the Drachenfelsbahn in Königswinter? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Lyons Cub loves knights, castles, and medieval markets. He…
What’s it like to go to a summer festival at a Schrebergarten? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. A Schrebergarten, founded in the late 19th century, is a…
What’s it like to visit the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann? Are your kids interested in ancient human beings, tools from the Stone Age, mammoths, skeletons, and the like? Well then, a cool destination would be the Neanderthal Museum in the city of Mettmann, on the traces of one of the first human beings, the Neanderthal…
What’s it like to meet a waitressing robot? Well, if you’ve never seen one, come to Leverkusen to Pagode Wang for lunch or dinner. You will enjoy their delicious buffet, and then, all of a sudden, a cute, round, smiling robot with big eyes will roll over to your table and bring you your drinks!!…
What’s it like to visit Schloss Burg in Solingen? Which little boy or girl doesn’t like to play knight and princess? The name “Schloss Burg” is an oxymoron, for in German, “Schloss” refers to a representative building (castle) and “Burg” to a fortification (fortress). This building has been remodeled many times and is still under…
What’s it like to ride the suspension monorail in Wuppertal? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Today was my son’s first ride on the suspension monorail in the…
What’s it like to visit the Galileum in Solingen, Germany? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Has your child ever visited a planetarium? The Galileum is a modern…
What’s it like to keep a Mainland Chahoua gecko? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Rhacodactylus chahoua are commonly known as the mossy New Caledonian gecko, short-snouted New Caledonian gecko, or mossy prehensile-tailed…
What’s it like to visit a dripstone cave? Today, it was wet and cold (4 degrees C). Where could we go for an outing? Got it — somewhere warmer and drier — a dripstone cave!!! We picked up grandma and drove to the city of Iserlohn to visit the famous “Dechenhoehle.” It is the only…
What’s it like to go to the Dortmund Zoo? Well, Lyons Cub has already been at the Nashville Zoo, the Wuppertal Zoo, the Duisburg Zoo, the Aquazoo in Duesseldorf, the Cologne Zoo, the Fauna Park in Solingen, the Solingen Bird and Animal Park, and the Reuschenberg Animal Park in Leverkusen, so he had something to…
What’s it like to find a huge spider in your basement? First of all, stay calm. Then, don’t hurt the spidey. It’s not its fault that it’s cold and rainy outside, and it would rather be in your warm and safe basement. Then, take a fun picture with your kid (who is not afraid of…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. This momma noticed quickly that it’s no fun running along next to her son’s Hudora stunt scooter that he got for his…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. What’s it like to celebrate a kid’s birthday in Oki Doki? We were sure that this time, we would celebrate it at…
What’s it like to celebrate carnival in Germany? Well, we’re not living in one of the prime destinations for carnival celebrations, such as Cologne or Mainz, but even small cities and towns have parades and celebrations for the kids (and adults alike). So even if it’s not Carnival in Rio or Carnival of Venice, German…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. A couple of months ago, Lyons Cub and mommy went to the Hugodrom in Remscheid, where he tried out an orange stunt…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. What’s it like to go to judo class? It was Lyons Cub’s second day at the judo course, because the tryout was…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. It’s that time of the year again — we missed it during our time in the U.S., but in Germany, we don’t…
Guest post by Maria F. PART I You know how they say that, once you’ve reached a certain age, you should have a mammography every two years? At least that is the standing recommendation in Germany, and it is also what health insurance will pay for, no questions asked. Well, when I was 50, I…
What’s it like at Family Paradise in Leverkusen? First of all, this is not an indoor playground like the others we have visited so far: GeckoFun in Burscheid, Hoplop in Cologne, Okidoki in Langenfeld, Trampolino in Hilden, Tiki Kinderland in Solingen, and Hugodrom in Remscheid. The others have trampolines, inflatables, climbing structures, bungy jumping, mini golf, and a…
Are you traveling to or living in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany? If you have kids between the ages of about 2-12 who like to climb, slide, and jump, we have seven recommendations for indoor playgrounds in the region for you here. We’ve tried them all out and will tell you our honest opinion (from young and…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. What’s it like to go to the Hugodrom in Remscheid? Well, it’s like a huge, empty hall with toys and attractions in…
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. For Christmas 2022, mommy gave Lyons Cub a new Hot Wheels set for his city: A shark garage. Last year for his…