Germany Getaway: Tetraeder and Spaghettieis

To continue with our trip, that Wednesday after breakfast, we went with Mom to the clinic (Dad had left for work earlier). While they took care of their patients, Hubby and I walked around the area to do a bit of sight-seeing on our own.

 

 

As we walked back to the clinic, we saw a park with a playground at the other side of the road.

By 12 o’clock, we headed back to the clinic, and after Dad locked the door, we headed back home for lunch.

After a delicious home-cooked meal of Bohnensuppe (bean soup) and bratwurst, Dad asked us if we wanted to go out while Mom stayed home.

Our delicious lunch

Of course, we said yes. We wanted to see as much of Germany (well, Essen and Gelsenkirchen and the other nearby cities) as possible. So, making sure that we were wearing the right shoes and clothes in preparation for the long walk, cold and expected rain, we headed to Bottrop.

As he drove, Dad reminded me that Bottrop was the place where we went indoor skateboarding; at Alpine Center to be exact. Ahh, memories. Those were the good old days.

A few minutes later, he parked the car and out we went towards a hill that had actually been a mine dump several years ago. It was a long walk, and difficult too, because we had to go up to the top. Finally we reached the peak, and were welcomed by this amazing steel structure. 

Hubby staring up in awe at the Tetraeder

Our walk didn’t end there, though. Dad said to really appreciate the view of the entire city, we should go to the top of the Tetraeder. So up we went. I honestly can’t remember how many steps we climbed, but there were a lot!

The view down the first flight of steps

Hubby’s and my legs were shaking by the time we finally reached the last step from all the climbing and because it had started to rain a bit. Plus, the air up there was really, really cold, and we were trying to catch our breath.  But Dad was right, the view was fantastic! We enjoyed a 360 degree view of the nearby cities, and it really was amazing from where we were standing.

 

A view of the Alpine Center

 

There were a few lovelocks on the barriers, and if we had known of it earlier, we would have brought a padlock as well and done the same thing. Oh well, we’ll do it next time.

Soon after, we left the Tetraeder, walked down the hill, and headed towards Gelsenkirchen to have a rest and refreshments. There, Hubby had cola, I had a strawberry milkshake, and Dad ordered this for all of us to share

Spaghettieis = Ice-cream Spaghetti

It looks weird, huh? But one taste of it changed my mind instantly. It was absolutely delicious! So unique, yet fun to eat. They had all sorts of varieties, from spaghetti regulars carbonara and Bolognese, to the usual gelato flavors chocolate, strawberry, cherry, etc with a mix of fruits and sauces. Of course, the carbonara and Bolognese didn’t really have meat and vegetables; they just used different toppings to make the spaghettieis look like them. Really, it was sooo yum! It’s definitely something to try when visiting Germany.