January 22 - Zeppelin Museum

We had a nice breakfast in the hotel including eggs cooked to order.

We set out around 10 AM and drove about 10-miles to Friedrichshafen to the Zeppelin Museum. We drove past dozens of orchards and vineyards. This area is known to have a perfect climate for fruit-growing, and there are over 1,600 commercial growers. The most common crop is apples, but due to foreign competition, apples have not been profitable enough, and the growers are experimenting and supplementing their income with cherries and plums, which are grown on small trees and are easier to pick.

Pat arriving at museum

We first watched a short movie - even though it was only in German it was informative to see the building of the huge airships, the way people of the era were dressed for their journeys, and finally the sad tragedy of the  burning of the Hindenburg on landing in Lakehurst NJ - ultimately the end of the era of the "ships of the sky".

1930's Maybach limo - Maybach engines powered the Zeppelins

Typical luggage and "smoking pouch" of passengers - only allowed 20 KG (about 44 pounds). Passengers could  send 100 more KG free separately on a ship

Mock-up of Hindenburg - lounge area - very modern for its time

The lounge/reading/office area of the Hindenburg

Sleeping compartment in Hindenburg. Upper bed folded up in daytime - there were fold-up wash basins, but the wc's were "down the hall"

Menu and china used on Hindenburg

In that time, the voyage cost about 1,000 Reichs Marks to the US or 1,500 to South America. This was about half the average  annual wage of one of the mechanics employed on the aircraft - in other words, Zeppelin travel was only for the wealthy. It is funny to see the spartan accommodations and no private bath that was accepted by those affluent travelers.

From the museum we walked into the pedestrian zone lined with shops, and found a small Thai restaurant, Bangkok am See, right on the lake. It was very busy, and we had to wait for a table. Prices were extremely reasonable compared to everywhere else we had been. Ron and I had our favorite thom kai gai (chicken coconut soup), Ron had tod mun pla (fried fish cakes), which are difficult to find. For mains I had pad thai (noodles) with chicken and Ron had cuttlefish. Pat had a chicken dish, Mike had duck, and Pat had an interesting fried ice-cream for dessert.

Bodensee (Lake Constance) at Friedrichshafen

Thom Kai Gai 

Tod mun pla (fish cakes)

Pat's fried ice-cream

We had a good time in the restaurant, as we chatted with an Indian couple at the next table. The man said the English had a saying to "Beware of the 4 W's - wine, women, weather and wealth". When they left, he distributed four large chocolate and hazelnut bars to each of us. Another couple also stopped to chat - a German man with Korean wife. They had lived in Korea until medical problems required him to be in Germany. Mike was able to formally greet the Korean lady in her native language.

Mike and Ron went to get the van (as the parking meter was running low), and Pat and I went to an enormous three-story drug store, and she was able to find a magnifying mirror to replace hers that had broken.

We drove beyond Friedrichshafen to the medieval town of Meersburg, where we walked around the Upper Town. It is said the old fortress there dates from the 7th century and is the oldest surviving castle in Germany.

Upper Town - Meersburg

Neckties were hanging everywhere - read it was for Fasching (Carnival)

Neues Schloss (New Palace - built  from 1710-1750)

Alte Burg (Old Castle - from 7th century)

That afternoon we played cards in our room and then ate, again, in the hotel dining room. After the big Thai lunch, all I wanted was an ice-cream dessert. They were grilling steaks and ribs in the open fireplace, but unfortunately, they were already out of ribs - which had sounded good to us.