Germany Getaway: A Bit of History and More Shopping

On our last full day in Germany, Dad and Mom didn’t go to work. They had decided to close their clinic for that day, making sure they didn’t have any patients booked. Their reason? Because it was our last full day with them. Hubby and I were so touched at their gesture, and really grateful, of course.

The first activity was a visit to Villa Hugel which is the mansion of the Krupp family (of the well-known ThyssenKrupp steel industry). Unfortunately though, it was closed that day so we took a few pictures outside instead.

Next place was the Ruhr Museum.  There we were taken back through the history of Germany, from its early days at the Ruhr Valley, to how it became the successful country it is today. The museum used to be a coal washing plant in that area, so walking through it, you can learn about the history while having a feel of it as well.

the museum from outside

going up

view of the escalator down..so high!

dwarfed by the machines

For more information about how the Ruhr Museum was integrated from the plant, you can read about it here. The museum was huge and there were many interesting things to see, feel, hear and even smell, so we didn’t notice it was way past lunch time already until our stomachs started growling. However, we didn’t go back home just yet.

Since the Metro was on the way, Dad suggested that we pass by there first for all the stuff we wanted to buy before going home for lunch. Which, of course, is what we did.

The Metro is a department store where you can buy all sorts of things at cheaper prices compared to other shops. However, not everyone can go in and purchase items there. You have to be a member, and to be a member, you need to be an owner of a business.

While Mom gathered some groceries she needed, Dad went with us around the store, directing us where we needed to go to get specific items. First stop: chocolates!

We bought all sorts of Lindt chocolates, mainly because they’re so delicious and they had all sorts of flavours:

just a few of what we bought

Of course we didn't buy only chocolates.  We bought sausages and other stuff as well.  We even got a game of Skip-Bo!

After our late lunch at home, we headed to Gelsenkirchen just near St. Hippolytus Church (where M&S got married) to the Deichmann store. Deichmann sells all kinds of shoes (and some bags), and the good thing is they’re not expensive. Plus, according to Irene (who has visited Germany so many times), the shoes don’t wear out easily. She has a couple of pairs that she bought back in 2007 (I think) which she still uses and are still comfortable to wear.

We had been to Deichmann's other branch when we visited downtown Essen a few days ago (that’s where I bought my black shoes), but Hubby wanted to check out this branch because their Essen branch didn’t have his size of a particular shoe he saw. Unfortunately, they didn’t have his size either, but the good thing is he found another one he liked and I saw another pair of shoes which we bought.

After shoe-shopping, Mom and Dad took us to Michaela and Sebastian’s apartment building. Robert and Marion (Sebastian’s parents who live on the floor above them) heard that we would be leaving the next day and invited us over so that we could talk a bit and say goodbye. We all sat around their dining table and talked (of course there were translations for us to understand each other) and laughed…until finally we had to go home. We said our goodbyes and thank you’s and “we hope to see you again soon” amid hugs and hand-shakes.