World Famous Banana Museum

Would you believe there is a Banana Museum in So Cal?

I would bet most Southern Californians don't even know it.  I didn't, but

my sister did. On a recent day trip through the area, she insisted we stop in.

Sure enough, there is an International Banana Museum

World Famous and recorded in the Guiness Book of World Records.

It's official website can be found here.

It is located in the desert Coachella Valley, Southeast of Palm Springs,

on the North Shore of the Salton Sea in Mecca, California.

It made it into the Guiness Book as having the largest

collection of banana-related items.  Do you believe me now?

Everywhere I looked, banana items and more banana items.

Everywhere I looked there was a banana something.

If it were made into a banana - its here!

But not just to look at - but to eat! 

As a foodie, I was all about that.

I jumped on one of those banana and ape stools quickly

to decide what I would have.

Banana Shakes in Banana-Chocolate, Banana Strawberry, or Banana Mango?

How about a Banana Float with Rootbeer, Orange, or Peach Soda?

or a Banana Sundae!!!

My sister and niece split (haha!) a Banana Split

while my mom and I shared a Banana Milkshake but we

didn't wait to take a picture.  Sorry :(. 

But, I did stop this one guy headed out to his

car with this Banana Sundae

(with a cute banana and monkey napkin!)

and he kindly let me take a picture. 

It was a thumbs up for everything that we ate.

I think I will get a Banana Sundae if I ever return.

 

All inspiring, I got home and decided I needed to make

my own banana something.

 

Check back and see what I decided to make...

and if you ever get in the desert -- go see the International Banana Museum.

 

Fondly,

~Karen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Munich's Oktoberfest 2013

I'm just back from Oktoberfest 2013
and
just about over my jet lag!

I joined my youngest daughter in Munich, Germany.

She has been living there for the past year and

insisted that my visit coincide with their Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest is the World's largest fair held in

Munich, Bavaria, Germany. (Bavaria is it's region.)

It's a16-day festival beginning late in September and ending

usually the first Sunday in October.

 

The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to commemorate

the wedding of Crowned Prince Ludwig (later King) and Princess Therese.

By 1960, it became the World's largest festival. 

 

Germans wear their traditional clothing of Dirndls and Lederhosen.

Women can wear either a dirndl or lederhosen but the men, obviously,

just wear the lederhosen like the above picture shows.

 

More than 6 million

people from around the world attend Oktoberfest.

I was one of the 6 million this year!

 

The festival is much like our fair complete with Ferris wheel and other rides.

The focus of Oktoberfest is the beer and their breweries -- and hours of beer drinking!

 

 

Each beer brewery has a "Biergarten" and

sets up a "tent" on the premise.

These tents are taken down and set up every year!

 

The breweries also have a team of horses carrying keg/barrels of their beer.

 

The barrels are gorgeous with their fresh flowers.

 

 

We first went inside Hacker Festzelt.

 

 

It was the first tent I had gone into and I was in awe

at the size, the beauty, as well as the number of people inside!

We couldn't easily find a place at a table so we
decided to try another tent.

 

We then went into Augustiner Bräu.

It was equally as beautiful and equally as crowded!
My German-speaking daughter asked occupants at a table if they
 could fit us in and they made room for us!  Yay!

 

We immediately bought a large pretzel from a cute
"pretzel gal" in her dirndl dress. 

 

 

Then we ordered a "mass" of beer - to share.

I was amazed that the servers could hold so many masses of beer.
Her left thumb and fingers were holding the handles to each of the
bottom six and the seventh was just sitting on top!
She made it look effortless!

A mass glass holds 1 liter of beer and is the only size available.

 

An interesting note on the "Oktoberfest Beer" is that the beer is brewed

specifically for Oktoberfest and must contain a minimum of 6% alcohol.

(A higher alcohol content then in their normally brewed beer.)

It must also be brewed within the city limits of Munich.

 

Needless to say it is a lively crowd who often arrive and stay at their

tables from 10:30 in the morning until 10:30 at night listening
to the live music, eating, and drinking!

 

Eins, zwei, drei, Gsuffa!

(One, Two, Three, Drink!)

 

Food is served all day long...
 

 

and can be ordered table-side inside...
(Chicken, red cabbage, and a boiled potato!)

 

 

and outside...
 (Sausages and the like!)

and sweets for the sweet tooth!

 

I was content sharing my mass of beer and pretzel with my daughter.

 

Another Oktoberfest tradition is buying your sweetie a
decorated gingerbread cookie heart necklace called a Lebkuchenherz.
(Lebkuchen = gingerbread  Herz = heart)

 

My daughter bought me one that actually means "sweetie"
and I wore it around my neck like a necklace.
Many of them were humorous and endearing like "little mouse".

These gingerbread hearts can also be found again
during the Christmas holidays.

What a fun day to be remembered...

 

"Until we meet again!"

 

The next day we were off to visit friends in The Netherlands... Tchus!

 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog!

 

 

This week I will be joining

The Tablescaper's Oh! The PLACES I've Been!

 

 

Fondly,

~Karen

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

On The Back of a Harley

I have returned...

 from my glorious cross-country ride to the Midwest on the back of a Harley!

For those of you Harley Davidson fans, the bike was a 2013 Ultraglide Limited.

We began by heading towards Nevada with a ride

to sight see around Hoover Dam...

which "dams" beautiful Lake Mead.

Then back on the freeway, past Las Vegas...
Did I mention we were in 115 degrees heat?

It fortunately cooled as we rode into Utah by late afternoon.
In fact, as we rode past a grass (alfalfa?) field,
we could feel the temperature drop at least 5 or 10 degrees.
Now I never could have felt that in a car!

  

By night fall, the evening was spent in Cedar City, Utah,
with, surprisingly, no back or leg aches!

Up bright and early, we headed towards beautiful Bryce Canyon National Park.

 How cool was riding through this?

The views were stunning at Bryce Canyon...

and spectacular!

Then, back on the bike continuing through Utah...

headed towards Colorado!

 

The second evening was spent in Grand Junction, Colorado,
then back on the bike...

continuing through Colorado with plans to stop
and visit relatives in Steamboat Springs.

Steamboat Springs is a beautiful town, even
without it being snow season.
On the mountain you can see the ski runs.

We were treated to a gondola ride up those
snowless ski slopes overlooking the Yampa Valley.

After a nice visit and breakfast the next morning,
it was back on the bike...

through the Eisenhower Tunnel...

the gorgeous Colorado valleys...

and charming Colorado towns...

and then through Denver, making our way to our

destination...

of Kansas.  A beautiful state of rolling hills.

 

After a few productive days in Kansas we rode another day's

ride to Illinois to visit relatives and pick up a box that I had

mailed and had waiting ahead of me containing more clothes!!! 

Though the bike's saddlebags were

limited, I really never wanted for anything as long as I could
wear my black boots, jeans, and change of shirts.
Then back to Kansas for a stay before returning to So Cal -
by airplane this time!

Most days were ridden 400+ miles with pit-stops every 100 miles.

My legs and back never were sore - nope! - not at all the whole time!

 

In reflection, it occured to me that only on the back of a bike, with
the asphalt wizzing by beneath me, would I ever

have experienced the different smells of the outdoors
both good - and some not so good - or the mentioned
temperature drops.

 

It was a trip to be remembered and hopefully not my last one.

This year has been a blessed year for traveling and adventures.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

I will be joining
The Tablescaper's Oh, the PLACES I've Been!

Fondly,
~Karen

 



Harley Road Trip!

Headed on a cross-country road trip...

on the back of a Harley...

Got my jacket and got my boots!

Be back soon!

 

Fondly,

~Karen