Where's Bertie? He's in a car park by a sports facility just to the north of Neckarrems (exact location: 48.87678, 9.28141)
Weather: Sunny and warm (mid- to high-twenties), although we were nicely air conditioned for most of the day.
Last night's parking spot proved to be quiet, save for one middle-of-the-night emergency siren somewhere within earshot, until 6.30am when we were disturbed by what sounded like a group of men returning rowdily from a night out. They passed by on the street below us (i.e. not far away as the crow flies, but not right outside), and by the time they had gone, we were awake. Better a 6.30 than a 2.30 disturbance, though.
Exactly as planned, at 9am Bertie was parked at the Mercedes-Benz Museum and we were heading for the entrance, where we walked straight up to the ticket desk - a great improvement on last week's attempted visit (I'm not sure what was going on last week, but I peeked out of windows at various points during the afternoon and at no time was there a big queue like last Sunday).
I'm now glad things worked out as they did, as even if there hadn't been a queue last week, we would have only had four hours until closing time. Today we had all nine hours available, and we used just over six of them. Had we listened to every audio description of every item (the audioguide was included in the €10 entrance fee) I reckon we would have been there for 2 days.
The route through the museum (top floor to bottom) started with the first motorised vehicles...
... then went through the decades as we descended...
Once we'd got up to date, the final floor took us through Mercedes's racing history. Being 3pm by then, we fairly raced through this selection, being more focussed on needing some lunch.
A few observations:
- It's amazing how many people can do an entire floor of a museum in five minutes, either not pausing in front of any item or only pausing for long enough to take a photo/video of it. It's also amazing how many people take a photo/video of *everything* whilst looking at nothing. I've wondered before and I wonder again: how many of these people review any of those photos after the event?
- This is a museum that doesn't gloss over the wars. Both world wars were covered extensively, including the wrongs of Daimler-Benz. By way of observation, not as criticism, there was a definite flavour of 'they did this' rather than 'Germany did this' - for example, it was specifically Hitler who started WWII.
- Some of the scene setting of 'other things that were going on at around this time' were a little odd. For example:
- At the end of the tour I felt a little like I'd been fed six hours of advertising that was trying to brainwash me into believing that Mercedes is the only brand of car available and is to thank for just about every motoring (particularly safety) innovation. This is by contrast to, say, the Hymer museum of which only a tiny percentage was about the Hymer brand, and the Audi musem, which at least gave mention to other brands and how its history had been affected by other players in, and the state of, the market.
All-in-all it was a good day out and I'm glad we made the effort to return. I think the only thing I would do differently in hindsight would be to either take more food in with us (two biscuits apiece was not a lot for the time we were there) or pause to visit the cafe.
Back at Bertie and with a very late lunch eaten it was decision time as to where to head next. Based on the information available, it seemed unlikely we would find a spot available either at the nearest Stellplatz, in Feldback, or in the adjacent large car park (open air swimming pool + hot Sunday afternoon = it was clearly going to be busy), but as it wasn't far out of our way we gave it a go. We were right: both motorhome Stellplatz and the car park were heaving, but we did take advantage of the service point before we moved on.
I had similar doubts about the next location - a relatively small car park right on the river Neckar. It was my favoured location as it would have been perfect for a run in the morning. But, right on the river + hot Sunday afternoon = unlikely we would get a space there either. As it went, we didn't even make it to the car park; there were so many cars abandoned on verges on the approach that we didn't want to risk being trapped in a full car park with nowhere to turn around.
We couldn't see anywhere nearby where we could sit and wait until everyone went home as the evening progressed (although experience has shown this can be as late as 9pm), so I selected the next nearest place shown on Park4Night. We only made it 1km up the road when I spotted this car park. I say 'this' but it's not a single car park, it's a series of parking areas dotted around a multi-sports facility. Today 90+% of the spaces are free. We've popped Bertie in one of the only slots that isn't too slopey and unless anyone objects, here we intend to stay (I *think* we're legal here; we're closer to a farm building than I would like, but we are out of sight of it.)
Today's cake was justified by a birthday celebration :-)
Bonus museum snaps:
Each floor had a 10-15 minute film about that era plus interactive displays giving information about the design/comfort/safety/company during that time period.
Some of the displays also had fun facts, particularly on the racing car floor.
The first diesel car. It boasted an incredible (for the time) fuel efficiency of up to 21mpg and the engine could last for up to 60,000 miles. On another floor there was a more modern 240D which had been used as a taxi in Portugal and had 1.2 million miles on the clock!
And there was a tractor!
Weather: Sunny and warm (mid- to high-twenties), although we were nicely air conditioned for most of the day.
Last night's parking spot proved to be quiet, save for one middle-of-the-night emergency siren somewhere within earshot, until 6.30am when we were disturbed by what sounded like a group of men returning rowdily from a night out. They passed by on the street below us (i.e. not far away as the crow flies, but not right outside), and by the time they had gone, we were awake. Better a 6.30 than a 2.30 disturbance, though.
Exactly as planned, at 9am Bertie was parked at the Mercedes-Benz Museum and we were heading for the entrance, where we walked straight up to the ticket desk - a great improvement on last week's attempted visit (I'm not sure what was going on last week, but I peeked out of windows at various points during the afternoon and at no time was there a big queue like last Sunday).
I'm now glad things worked out as they did, as even if there hadn't been a queue last week, we would have only had four hours until closing time. Today we had all nine hours available, and we used just over six of them. Had we listened to every audio description of every item (the audioguide was included in the €10 entrance fee) I reckon we would have been there for 2 days.
A few observations:
- It's amazing how many people can do an entire floor of a museum in five minutes, either not pausing in front of any item or only pausing for long enough to take a photo/video of it. It's also amazing how many people take a photo/video of *everything* whilst looking at nothing. I've wondered before and I wonder again: how many of these people review any of those photos after the event?
- This is a museum that doesn't gloss over the wars. Both world wars were covered extensively, including the wrongs of Daimler-Benz. By way of observation, not as criticism, there was a definite flavour of 'they did this' rather than 'Germany did this' - for example, it was specifically Hitler who started WWII.
- Some of the scene setting of 'other things that were going on at around this time' were a little odd. For example:
- At the end of the tour I felt a little like I'd been fed six hours of advertising that was trying to brainwash me into believing that Mercedes is the only brand of car available and is to thank for just about every motoring (particularly safety) innovation. This is by contrast to, say, the Hymer museum of which only a tiny percentage was about the Hymer brand, and the Audi musem, which at least gave mention to other brands and how its history had been affected by other players in, and the state of, the market.
All-in-all it was a good day out and I'm glad we made the effort to return. I think the only thing I would do differently in hindsight would be to either take more food in with us (two biscuits apiece was not a lot for the time we were there) or pause to visit the cafe.
Back at Bertie and with a very late lunch eaten it was decision time as to where to head next. Based on the information available, it seemed unlikely we would find a spot available either at the nearest Stellplatz, in Feldback, or in the adjacent large car park (open air swimming pool + hot Sunday afternoon = it was clearly going to be busy), but as it wasn't far out of our way we gave it a go. We were right: both motorhome Stellplatz and the car park were heaving, but we did take advantage of the service point before we moved on.
I had similar doubts about the next location - a relatively small car park right on the river Neckar. It was my favoured location as it would have been perfect for a run in the morning. But, right on the river + hot Sunday afternoon = unlikely we would get a space there either. As it went, we didn't even make it to the car park; there were so many cars abandoned on verges on the approach that we didn't want to risk being trapped in a full car park with nowhere to turn around.
We couldn't see anywhere nearby where we could sit and wait until everyone went home as the evening progressed (although experience has shown this can be as late as 9pm), so I selected the next nearest place shown on Park4Night. We only made it 1km up the road when I spotted this car park. I say 'this' but it's not a single car park, it's a series of parking areas dotted around a multi-sports facility. Today 90+% of the spaces are free. We've popped Bertie in one of the only slots that isn't too slopey and unless anyone objects, here we intend to stay (I *think* we're legal here; we're closer to a farm building than I would like, but we are out of sight of it.)
Bonus museum snaps:
Your comments on the museum were interesting and perhaps Mercédes' introspection is reflected in their strategy and success in the current F1 era? BUT your first picture immediately made me think of the penny farthing ( large, thin, spoked wheels.) Often as I drive down the A6 to Carnforth I see cyclists and walkers obviously embarked on a LEJOG ( the A6 is the obvious route here if you are sticking to main roads.) Today I encountered two penny farthings following each other. When I returned three quarters of an hour later they were pulled into a lay-by just south of Milnthorpe alongside a large motor home obviously being "serviced." Our coincidences continue.
ReplyDeleteTalking of bicycles (and oh, how I would like to see a Penny Farthing out on the road), I didn't mention the fact that after the war, when Daimler-Benz was no longer able to make aircraft engines and when the car market had collapsed, the company survived by branching out into making typewriters, bicycles and furniture. That led me to wonder whether Germany's excellent cycling infrastructure was caused by the bicycle being such a major form of transport in that era, when other countries were already developing major road networks.
DeleteNo candle?
ReplyDeleteNot a one (and certainly not the full complement required for my age - that would have thoroughly ruined the raspberry jelly topping).
Delete🤣🤣🤣
DeleteBelated many happy returns.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Delete