Week 121: Kicking off Fest Season & a Visitor!

We had a busy week at home! Brooklyn had tennis every day, Girl Scouts, and piano lessons. Ryan had Boy Scouts and started baseball. Matt worked a couple of days at the school and work was super busy for me. It’s September, so that means it’s also the start of ‘fest season.’

On Friday, my cousin Louis came from Italy for a visit. Friday night, we headed into Stuttgart for the Stuttgart Winefest, aka the Stuttgarter Weindorf.

Sampling some of the wine from the Stuttgart Wine Fest while giving Louis a tour of the city.

Beautiful but crowded night at the Stuttgart Wine Fest

My favorite wine fest offering; the wine slushy!

Saturday, we headed to Wiesbaden, about two hours away, for Brooklyn’s first tennis match. Our friends, Ray and Susan, who live in Wiesbaden, were able to come and see her play.

She really battled her singles’ opponent and was beating her for the majority of the match. Unfortunately, her opponent came from behind and tied the match for so long that the coaches declared a sudden death tie-breaker where Brooklyn lost. She played amazingly though! I can’t believe how much she has improved since the last time I saw her play at a joint lesson over the summer! She was so good and had a beautiful serve! My cousin Louis plays several times of a week on different teams and he said he didn’t even have any tips for improvement. We can’t wait to continue watching her play!

Ray and Susan came to see Brooklyn’s match

We were back in Stuttgart in time to get to Waldenbuch for the Marktplatzfest, aka the Meatloaf Festival. The Marktplatz Festival is an annual celebration of the town of Waldenbuch, and the community life within the marketplace. We arrived just before the Parade of the Butchers began.

Before the parade started, the ceremonial bier keg was tapped and a special festival bier was served. A brass band played in the Market Square until the parade arrived. The parade was led by flower girls, and another brass band. A giant, three-meter-long meatloaf followed, being carried in on a slab by the town’s butchers, guarded by a Guard of Honor.

The three meter meatloaf being brought into the Town Square

The meatloaf was set up on a giant table, custom made for the event. Then, it is served, with two pieces of bread and mustard, to everyone in the down for a small donation. I was a little too afraid to try it, but Matt had some and said it tasted like a hot dog.

The three meter meatloaf set up on its long table in the middle of the Marktplatz.

The meatloaf is made of pressed meat and tastes like a hot dog.

The meatloaf is served with two pieces of bread and mustard so that a sandwich can be made with it.

The entire meatloaf was consumed in about an hour and half, and then the empty meatloaf slab was paraded out of the Marktplatz while being serenaded by the brass band.

After the meatloaf was finished, another brass band took over and played music into the night, and more bier was served. Other food stalls opened, including a chicken truck, crepe stand, and wine stand.

Sunday, Brooklyn was booked just about all day. She had a tennis lesson in the morning, a Bake Sale for the tennis team at the commissary, and an interview for a babysitting job.

In between running her around town, we had lunch with Louis at Seegärtle by the lake in Boblingen, and sthen topped by the Medieval Festival in Sindelfingen in the afternoon.