After Maria’s students returned to the US, we did some traveling outside of Prague before coming home ourselves. Our first destination was Legoland, in rural Günzburg, Germany. After that we went to Munich, then back to the Czech Republic, to the town of Plzeň (where pilsner beer was created) and finally back to Prague. Maria did an excellent job researching the logistics, and we discovered the wonders of the Bayern ticket: a family of up to five can travel all day on a single 2nd class ticket, on any regional trains throughout Bavaria (and into the Czech Republic as well) for the equivalent of about $40. German trains are a lot like Japanese trains, so 2nd class is downright posh compared to any American train.
The only glitch happened when we arrived late in the day in Günzburg, which is in the middle of nowhere. The train station was small, and there was no one around to ask how to get to our hotel, and there were no cabs. We tried to call the hotel but for some reason we couldn’t connect. The only transportation other than the train was a shuttle bus to Legoland that came every 20 minutes. We decided to go even though it was late, figuring someone there could help us. They did help us, and we got to our hotel in the end, but the price we paid was a total meltdown from Eidan. The park was about to close when we got there – standing outside its amazing gate and not being able to go in was too much for him after spending most of the day on trains.
The next two days were great, and the four of us had a blast – check out the pictures!. This is the first theme park I’ve visited that I really got into, probably because of all the time I spent as a kid playing with legos (score one more successful brainwashing by the lego marketers 
). The highlight for me was Captain Nick’s Splash Battle simply because, after more than 10 years together, I got to see a look on Maria’s face I’d never seen before: bloodlust and the thrill of battle. The highlight for Kai was the Bionicle Power Builder ride (he went on it twice), where you get to program your own ride on a touchscreen before climbing aboard a gigantic robotic arm that spins and rotates you according to your programmed instructions. And Eidan pretty much loved all the attractions that involved him getting soaked. Overall though, the most impressive part of the park is MiniLand, featuring large, highly detailed lego scale models of landmarks from all over Europe.
At the entrance to Legoland in Günzburg, Germany12-Aug-2009 00:25SONY DSC-W55, 10.0, 12.4mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100
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Kai trying to pull the sword from the stone, in Knights’ Kingdom10-Aug-2009 19:21SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.0050 sec, ISO 100
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Kai and Eidan in the belly of the beast10-Aug-2009 19:52SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0050 sec, ISO 100
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The Bionicle Power Builder ride. You program the ride you want, then strap yourself into a robot arm10-Aug-2009 18:29SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 320
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Eidan at driving school10-Aug-2009 19:40SONY DSC-W55, 5.2, 18.9mm, 0.0040 sec, ISO 100
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Mike with an old friend10-Aug-2009 20:44SONY DSC-W55, 3.2, 8.2mm, 0.0020 sec, ISO 100
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Mike and Kai enjoying the wave racers . People on the perimeter can shoot at you with water cannons as you spin around10-Aug-2009 21:00SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.003125 sec, ISO 100
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Eidan enjoying the Water Works10-Aug-2009 21:06SONY DSC-W55, 5.2, 18.9mm, 0.0020 sec, ISO 100
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Maria, Eidan and Kai in Captain Nick’s Splash Battle. I blasted them with water from the shoreline.10-Aug-2009 22:14SONY DSC-W55, 4.5, 14.3mm, 0.0080 sec, ISO 100
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Mike and Eidan on the Safari Tour10-Aug-2009 22:33SONY DSC-W55, 4.5, 14.3mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 160
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An elephant in the Safari Tour10-Aug-2009 22:33SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.0050 sec, ISO 100
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Zebras on the Safari Tour10-Aug-2009 22:33SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.01666666 sec, ISO 100
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LegoLand Atlantis10-Aug-2009 21:56SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 1000
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Kai races his creation in the Build and Test Center11-Aug-2009 00:59SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 100
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The Allianz Arena – the largest Lego creation in the world – 5 meters across, 1 meter high, 1.5 tons11-Aug-2009 02:19SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.0040 sec, ISO 100
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The Allianz Arena – the larget lego creation in the world – 5 meters across, 1 meter high, 1.5 tons12-Aug-2009 03:03
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Berlin, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 17:29SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0025 sec, ISO 100
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Berlin, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 18:00SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.003125 sec, ISO 100
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Berlin, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 17:59SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.00625 sec, ISO 100
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Berlin, MiniLand – that’s Merkel and Obama on the red carpet11-Aug-2009 19:51SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0050 sec, ISO 100
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Venice, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 18:17SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.00625 sec, ISO 100
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Venice, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 18:17SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0040 sec, ISO 100
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A halfpipe just outside of Venice, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 17:58SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0040 sec, ISO 100
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Munich Airport, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 18:05SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0040 sec, ISO 100
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Munich Airport, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 22:08
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Neuschwanstein Castle, MiniLand – made from more than 300,000 lego bricks11-Aug-2009 18:09SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100
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Kai in downtown Frankfurt, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 18:15SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0040 sec, ISO 100
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Switzerland, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 19:55SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0080 sec, ISO 100
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Netherlands, MiniLand11-Aug-2009 19:52SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.003125 sec, ISO 100
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Eidan with Bob the Builder (Bob der Baumeister)11-Aug-2009 18:31SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.0040 sec, ISO 100
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Eidan in the Duplo water park11-Aug-2009 20:22SONY DSC-W55, 5.2, 18.9mm, 0.0015625 sec, ISO 100
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Eidan in Duplo land11-Aug-2009 20:53SONY DSC-W55, 4.0, 10.9mm, 0.0020 sec, ISO 100
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Kai with the little sister he never had12-Aug-2009 00:09SONY DSC-W55, 4.0, 12.4mm, 0.003125 sec, ISO 100
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Mike with an old friend
Eidan enjoying the Water Works
Kai in downtown Frankfurt, MiniLand
Neuschwanstein Castle, MiniLand – made from more than 300,000 lego bricks
Riding on the German trains
November 7th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Michael,
Looks like everyone had a good time.
Dad