Life with the Lokeys

Top things to do in Heidelberg, Germany

As soon as the travel restrictions were lifted a little, we decided to take the short road trip to Heidelberg. After being required to stay at home for almost 2 months, it felt so good to get out and explore. Nestled on the banks of the Neckar River, Heidelberg is one of the most romantic and beautiful German towns. This 17th century German town is only about an hour south of Frankfurt. Heidelberg University, the oldest and most prestigious university in Germany, is located in this gorgeous city. Tourists flock to this charming town because of its rich history and beautiful landscape.

Heidleberg is a fairy tale town with cobblestone streets lined with shops and cafes. As we drove into the city, there were so many couples and families having picnics along the river bank. It was a gorgeous spring day and all the flowers were blooming everywhere.

Schloss Heidelberg

The highlight of our trip was the Heidelberg Castle. The castle sits high above the city and from the top there is the most amazing view of the city. One of the most romantic castles in Germany, the magnificent sandstone ruins of this castle showcase the history of German romanticism.

Several wars and fires contributed to the castle falling into ruins. The Friedrich and Ottheinrich buildings are some of the best-persevered structures on the castle grounds. The castle gardens were constructed around 1616 and were regarded as a masterpiece of their time. The gardens are built upon several terraces and contain flower beds, mazes, arbors, sculptures, ponds, and beautiful trees.

I suggest taking a walking tour of the castle to learn more about its history and legends.

Heidelberg Tun

The Heidelberg Tun is the worlds’s largest wine barrel. It was built in 1751 to house all the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers in the region. There was a dwarf that guarded the wine, and he was known for his ability to drink a lot of wine. Legend has it that he died when he mistakenly drank a glass of water.

Apothecary Museum

Located in the Ottheinrichsbau Building, the Apothecary Museum allows visitors to learn about the pharmacy and dispensaries they used back then. It takes you back in time as you learn about the types of medicines, potions, and remedies they used a long time ago.

Explore the Old Town in Heidelberg

Take a walk through Alstadt, or Old Town, and take a step back in time. Here you will find Hauptstrasse, the longest pedestrian walkway in Europe. Old Town is beautiful with lots of shops, cafes, book stores, and ice cream shops. There is definitely something for everyone here. You can also take a walking tour and learn more about the history and architecture of the city. In the heart of Alstadt is Marktplatz, the city’s historic main square. This is where Heidelberg’s annual Christmas Market is located.

The Old Bridge

The Old Bridge is a beautiful arch bridge. The view of it from the castle is amazing. It connects the old and new parts of Heidelberg. They also offer cruises along the river, which is a great way to see the city. It is said that Mark Twain spent a lot of time here, and was the inspiration for Huckleberry Finn.

The Christmas Market

If you are lucky enough to visit Heidelberg during the holiday season, you must visit the Christmas market. During this time, Heidelberg is transformed into a beautiful Christmas wonderland. It is spread over five beautiful and historic market squares with over 140 individual stalls. There is also an ice skating rink that sits below the castle and is truly a magical experience with the lights and Christmas music. I can’t wait to go back and experience the Christmas market this holiday season!

If you are in Germany. you must visit the magical town of Heidelberg!

The Most Magical Fairy Tale Village in Germany: Rothenburg ob der Tauber

When looking for the perfect place in Germany to spend our anniversary, I came across the magical town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. As soon as we entered the walled city of Rothenburg, I felt like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Rothenburg reminds me of a fairy tale storybook in real life. This tiny village is in southern Germany along the “Romantic Road”, which is a route through Germany that takes you to beautiful castles and villages.

This medieval village is surrounded by its original protective wall from the 12th century. The city is also the inspiration for several movies like Harry Potter (which my boys thought was so cool), Pinocchio, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. When you first enter the walls of the city, it feels like you have stepped back in time. There are colorful half-timbered houses, shops, cafes and hotels lined up with cute little signs.

WHERE TO STAY

There are so many cute little hotels inside Rothenburg. It was hard to choose the perfect one, but I absolutely loved Hotel Reichskuchenmeister. It is one of the oldest houses in Rothenburg built in the 12th century. In 1540 the future Emperor Ferdinand I stayed in this house and in 1546 Emperor Charles V. It is in the perfect location in the center of the city and perfect for an overnight stay in Rothenburg. The rooms are historic and decorated with the cutest antique decor. You can even open your window and look out over the beautiful city. From the hotel, it is only a short walk to everything in the city. I also recommend eating here. There is a beautiful outside seating area that is perfect for lunch or a beautiful evening dinner.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

I was so surprised at how much there was to do in this little village. My favorite thing to do was walk around and get lost down all the cute alley ways lined with colorful houses. It truly felt like taking a step back in time. There are so many cute shops and cafes!

You can also walk the entire wall of the city. The view from the top is amazing. Colt loved looking though the little holes where they used to shoot arrows when under attack. There is also a Crime and Justice Museum where you can see all the Medieval weapons and what they did to people that broke the law.

Christmas is everywhere in Rothenburg. We definitely want to come back and enjoy the big Christmas market they have here. They also have a German Christmas Museum and a Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas store. I found the perfect ornament for our tree this year!

There are also several guided tours you can take and learn about the history of the city. We were hoping to go on the Night Watchman’s tour, but it was cancelled that evening. You can join the Watchman as he makes his nighttime rounds. Listen to his tales and catch a glimpse of how people lived a long time ago.

I also suggest checking out the gorgeous St. James Church. This beautiful cathedral was constructed in 1485, and the stained-glass windows and amazing architecture are not to be missed.

And Finally, after all the walking, stop and get a famous Rothenburg snowball! Also know as a Schneeball! We joked about getting one the entire trip! There are also lots of cafes to choose from that offer a variety of food and wine.

WHERE TO EAT

Since it was our anniversary, I decided to book one of the most romantic places to dine in Europe. The Cellar Room at Zur Holl, which dates back to 900. This medieval wine tavern is in the town’s oldest original buildings. They serve amazing German food and a great selection of Franconian wines.

If you come to Germany, you must visit Rothenburg. It is like being in a fairy tale! I can’t wait to visit during Christmas and experience the Christmas market!

Just a little Seoul searching in Korea!

After exploring all the beautiful cherry blossoms in Jinhae and Gyeongju, we headed up to Seoul. Brandon comes to Seoul all the time for work and couldn’t wait to show us this amazing city! We stayed at the Dragon Hill Lodge, which is a military hotel located on Yongsan Army Base. It was perfect for our family. Most of the base has been closed down so I’m not sure how long this hotel will be open. Another great place to stay is the Millennium Seoul Hilton. Brandon stays here when he comes for work and it is in a perfect location to walk around and enjoy everything in the city.

After getting all settled into the hotel, we headed to Vatos Tacos. This is the most famous taco place in Seoul. Everyone I know recommended we eat here! It was so amazing, and the first real tacos I had eaten in almost three years! We ate until we couldn’t eat anymore!

The next morning we headed to my favorite place in all of Seoul to see the cherry blossoms…Lotte World. It’s the world’s largest indoor theme park, and also has an outdoor park called “Magic Island” that is built on an artificial island inside Seokchon Lake. I wish I had been able to get an aerial view of the park because it is absolutely beautiful.

We were so lucky and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. We were there the first week of April so if you are planning a trip to see the cherry blossoms that is the perfect time of the year.

The great thing about Lotte World is that if you come on a cold or rainy day you can spend all day exploring the indoor part of the park. If you are military you can get 50% off by showing your military ID when you purchase tickets at the entrance. The indoor section is called Adventure, and consists of 4 floors of rides, activities, and food. There is also a hot air balloon ride that will take you to the very top of the park and makes for amazing views of the entire park. All of my boys had so much fun exploring all the rides! My favorite was the carousel!

After exploring most of the indoor area, we headed outside to Magic Island. To get to Magic Island you cross a bridge that is so beautiful especially with all the cherry blossoms in bloom. It also leads to the perfect photo spot overlooking the Lotte World Castle. Magic Island sits right on Seokchon Lake, which is the most beautiful lake in Seoul to walk around and take in the magic of the cherry blossoms. There is also amazing views of Lotte World Tower which is the 5th tallest building in the world and the tallest in all of Korea! I would have loved to go up in it but we ran out of time! See if you can spot it in some of the pictures!

Watching the sunset over the park and the cherry blossoms was so beautiful. Then you watch as the park is all lit up at night! There is also an amazing parade inside the park that is one of the best I have ever seen! All of my boys had the best day exploring Lotte World!

The next morning we got up early to head to the DMZ. Again, this is a place I never thought I would visit. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Joint Security Area (JSA) stretch for just over a mile on either side of the border between North Korea and South Korea. We decided to book our DMZ tour through the Dragon Hill Lodge, and it was the perfect tour. I learned so much about the Korean War and the history of Korea from our tour guide that I did not know. The tour stopped at several locations along the way. We were also able to go down in the tunnels that separate North and South Korea. You are not allowed to take pictures in the tunnels but at the end you can look through a little hole in the tunnel and see the North. The walk through the tunnels was definitely not an easy walk. It was very long and tight in some places. At the end of the tour, we visited Dorasan Train Station that connects the North and South. It was an amazing day, and my boys loved to learn all about the history. Braydon enjoyed it the most, and he is my son that wanted to go home when the tensions were so high between our countries.

After we returned from our tour, we decided to rest for awhile at the hotel and then head to Myeongdong Market for some food and shopping. If you love Korean beauty products this is definitely the place for you. It is a beauty lovers paradise. One of my sweet friends went to Korea all the time and would always bring me back the most amazing face masks. Myeongdong also has clothing shops, restaurants, cafes, and the most amazing street food. We had to try a little of all the street foods and everything was so delicious! My favorite place was Milky Bee Ice Cream! They have perfect rose shaped ice cream in several different flavors. You have to try one if you are ever in Seoul!

Before visiting Seoul, I was not sure we would have enough to do. Brandon kept telling me what an amazing city it is. He was absolutely right, and there was so much that I didn’t have time to fit in. I need to go back and finish my Seoul bucket list before we leave Okinawa. Seoul now has a piece of my heart!

The trip I thought I would never take and my complete guide to all the cherry blossoms in Korea!

Shop the Look~ Sundress

When we moved to Okinawa in 2016, tensions with North Korea were high. Over the next year, every time I turned on the news it was talking about a potential war. That same year, I would attend several emergency evacuation briefs in case they had to evacuate the families off this island. All I could picture in my head was a scene out of Titanic. All the women and children would be evacuated, but we had to leave our husbands behind. Even my older boys knew what was happening, and Braydon wanted to go home. I told him that at any time Daddy thinks we need to leave he will tell us. And I told Brandon the same thing…if you think we need to go home tell me before any evacuation might happen.

During all of this, I told Brandon I would never visit South Korea. I did not want to take my boys over there if anything were to happen. Fast forward three years later and there I was planning our next vacation to see the cherry blossoms in Korea. I am so thankful that the tensions with the North have calmed down so that we had the opportunity to visit this amazing country.

Brandon travels to Korea all the time, usually a few times a month. A few years ago, he saw all the beautiful cherry blossoms. He knows how much I love cherry blossoms and he couldn’t wait to bring me to see them. Korea is only a quick fight from Okinawa. We flew Peach airlines to Incheon Airport. The airport had robots that would meet you and help you with any questions you might have. The boys had the best time questioning the robot.

We decided to rent a car and take a road trip through Korea to see the cherry blossoms. Brandon also signed up to run the Cherry Blossom Marathon so our first stop would be to Gyeongju. It was late by the time we got to Gyeongju, but we were able to see all the cherry blossoms lit up at night.

We stayed at the Gyeongju Hilton, and I highly recommend it. The view from our room was absolutely magical. The hotel sits right on Lake Bomun, which is one of the best places to view the cherry blossoms. There are lots of restaurants within walking distance and even a Starbucks right next door to get all your cherry blossom drinks and snacks.

The next morning we took a short road trip up to the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s held every year around the first week in April. It’s the biggest cherry blossom festival in Korea. The two main areas to view the cherry blossoms are Yeojwacheon Stream and Gyeonghwa Station. We really needed a full day to see all the cherry blossoms, and it does get very crowded in the afternoon so I recommend getting there as early as possible. We were only able to visit Gyeonghwa Station because of our limited time. It was absolutely beautiful to see the trees lined on the side of the train. There were lots of vendors selling all kinds of amazing street food and cherry blossom snacks and souvenirs.

It was late afternoon by the time we got back to the hotel from the festival. The boys just wanted to relax in their rooms so Brandon and I headed up to the lounge to watch the sunset over the lake. We had to get to sleep early so Brandon could be ready for the Cherry Blossom Marathon the next day!

While the boys were getting ready for bed, I headed down to take a walk around the lake to see the trees all lit up at night! It was such a magical sight!

The best time to have the cherry blossoms all to yourself is early in the morning. The boys and I got up early and took a walk around the lake while Brandon started his marathon. We had so much fun taking pictures and stopping at Starbucks for warm drinks and muffins.

After Starbucks, we met Brandon at the finish line! I was so proud of him! He amazes me more every day. I can’t even imagine running that far. He had an awesome time for this marathon. We headed back to the hotel through the cherry blossoms that were starting to fall off. It looked like it was snowing cherry blossoms. It was a magical experience!

Before we moved to Okinawa, Brandon attended USMC Command and Staff College in Quantico and there were several international students at the school. While working in Korea, he met his new counterpart from the ROK Marines that he would be working with. It just so happens that he was one of the international students at the school with Brandon. He invited us to meet his family and set up a beautiful lunch for us. He had an entire room reserved for us in a hotel that overlooked the cherry blossoms. He has two boys that love beyblades and so do my boys. They were able to battle each other while we ate lunch. It was such a neat experience!

We finally said goodbye to our new friends, and headed to Daegu to visit E-world and see the starlight cherry blossom festival. It ended up being a little bit of a disaster. I never imagined so many people would come to see the starlight festival and it took us hours just to go a few miles. I would recommend going on a weekday for this festival and to get there early. We did stay for a little while and I was able to get a few pictures!

After several wonderful days of adventures, we headed up to Seoul to see the cherry blossoms and have a few more adventures along the way!

Cherry Blossoms and Sunflowers

Tis the season for cherry blossoms and sunflowers here in Okinawa! I just absolutely love this time of the year in Okinawa. The beautiful flowers begin to bloom all over the island. The Japanese have a festival for each flower as soon as they are in bloom.

Every year I have lived in Okinawa, I have visited a different cherry blossom festival. The last two years I visited Nakijin Castle and Nago Castle Park. This year we decided to view the cherry blossoms at Mt. Yaedake. It was so beautiful. We walked down the mountain through a trail of cherry blossoms!

The beautiful sunflowers also bloom all over the island. My favorite field is the one in Kitanakagusuku. I have visited this place every year. This year when I went to visit the sunflower field, I was interviewed by the Japanese news. We had a little bit of a hard time communicating because my Japanese is not very good especially with my Texas accent.

I love a beautiful sundress especially when visiting a field of flowers. I found this cute pink sundress at Shein, which has lots of cute dresses at very reasonable prices. I thought the pink would be perfect for a visit to the cherry blossoms this year! My white sundress I have had for years but I will link some similar ones to this post. And finally, my new favorite sunhat for Spring. I found it on Etsy, and you can personalize it with your favorite saying!

I hope that you find a beautiful field full of flowers to visit this Spring!

Shop the Look ~ Pink Sun Dress ~ White Sun Dress ~ Hello Sunshine Sun Hat