Audi Museum

We had a bit of time Friday morning before Grandma and Grandpa needed to take a train back to Munich.  The kids insisted that we walk to the bakery first thing.   So everyone started their day out with a pretzel, croissant, sandwich, or sweeter fare.  Matt tried to schedule us for an Audi factory tour, but too late.  You have to schedule those weeks in advance, we learned too late.  But the museum was open, no appointment needed.  So we drove over there for an hour or so.  The girls LOVED wearing matching jackets with grandma.

Here they are posing with Isaac's current favorite car.  Audi R8.  We saw at least 6 while living in Ingolstadt.  One was parked on our street for a bit.  

The museum was very nice with great information on all the exhibits in both German and English.  They start you on the top floor, back in time and work forward and downstairs.  There was interesting information about the creation of the Autobahn and VW during Hitler's reign.  

Doesn't this car look futuristic?  We thought it might be a new concept or something and wondered why it was on the top floor. . . .until we read the sign.  1937.  They had a series of "silver bullets" they used to break speed records.  

The kids liked the crank demos that showed various things like difference in wheel suspension, how pistons fire, transfer of energy from engine to wheels. . . .

Makenna is having a "Cam Jansen" moment.  Click.

This car had an interesting story.  It's been too long (bad for not blogging more promptly!) to remember all the details, but it's one a a few made, but somehow ended up in Texas.  The son of the owner decided to trace it back, for kicks, and found out it's worth a lot and it recently came back home to Ingolstadt.  

Transition of old and new symbols.

I couldn't take a picture of the car because it's on the ferris wheel of cars and being blocked, but this is the car that won the Pikes Peak race a few years ago.  They even named the film room after Pikes Peak.  How nice that we drove that same road and understand the importance and their pride.  I wouldn't want to race that road--especially when it was still all dirt! 

Isaac couldn't resist taking another shot. 

After the museum, we had to say good-bye to grandma and grandpa so they could head back and get ready to fly back to the Utah.  It was fun to have visitors.  It's been a bit lonely with only ourselves to talk to in English.  Later, when Matt got home from work we went over to the river to feed the swans.  This is how we found that they like leftover Schneeballs.  

Donau--German     Danube--English