Sommer Festival

It was a Chamber of Commerce Day, the weather was perfect, the sky was dotted with white puff clouds there was a gentle breeze and the sunshine was warm but not hot. We navigated our way downtown without the NAVI (as they are know in Germany) but had to drive through 2 parking garages before we found a place to park. We’d made out way back to the Bean Quarter and then over to the Market Square feeling like natives of the area familiar with our surroundings versus the foreigners we have been for the last 6 months.

We wondered around downtown watching the shoppers in their mad frenzy to get all their last minute shopping accomplished before the stores closed for the weekend. We then walked through the FlowMart (outdoor flea market) keeping an eye out for that just have to have..... well we didn’t find anything we had to have. As we headed towards the New Palace we remembered that it was the weekend of Sommerfest so we decided to go over and see what this was all about.

The New Palace gardens and Theater Lake had been transformed into an outdoor gastronomy wonderland. Tents and pagoda all decorated in white with splashes of color lined the garden paths and walkways. Restaurants from the Stuttgart region displayed delicious dishes like grilled steak in cognac-pepper sauce, penne and grilled shrimp, tiramisu with marinated berries, tropical fruit cups, pizza, expresso, ice cream with brandy sauce to name a few of the selections.....

We were wishing we had not had a BIG breakfast burrito before we stumbled onto this food festival!! However I managed to enjoy a Nutella and Mandelin Crepe as we watched the parade of people stroll by.

Many were out just enjoying the weather, some were already indulging (who could blame them), kids chased the ducks along the shore of Theater Lake, parents strolled along the shaded walk ways, young loves sat in the deep shade of the pagodas. It was a great place for people watching.

All in all, it was a great way to spend a Saturday in downtown Stuttgart!