Day off in Wolfsburg

It was a rainy overcast kind of day so the timing was pretty darn perfect. Instead of riding in the rain, I puttered around in the morning after breakfast at the hostel. At noon, I showed up for the factory tour. All very antiseptic. In the 70s when I last did this tour, there was much more walking and much more to see. They now drive this 4 section articulated bus through a building. You can see a small piece of the line and production of CV joints and half-shafts though the tour guide called them 'small parts.' You can see the whole thing is dumbed down.

In about 1973 when I last did the tour, a guide kept me and one other kid aside after. He took us to lunch and to a room with cars which was not open to the public. It was very nice of him to do it and I remember his kindness to this day.

After the tour I walked over to the castle and went through a little history museum which included the impact of VW on the town. Interesting take on it's initial uses and workers below.

Anne, I thought of you after going to the local art museum. They had a wonderful statue of her Majesty and her little right hand did the wave. Batteries not included. Not unlike the cat. I'm so sorry, but the picture is all you get. The  poor thing would be royal parts and queen dust in the panier.

And I finally found the wolf at the castle.  Mounted, behind Lucite.

This is going to be hard to explain to most but I believe the power station is quit a beautiful structure. Apparently the Ritz-Carlton agrees because they face it squarely.

Why the glass wall? They are double sided glass floor to ceiling doors which pivot to let the lobby of the Autostadt be open to air. The things are huge, probably on the order of 60' high.

And lastly. Kids in the local shopping mall discovered that if they rock the little platform, they can get a nozzle to give a squirt of water. Man, kids are easily distracted.... Or, isn't it nice that the little darlings find wonder in simple things? Whatever.

Hasta la bye bye. I think I will go clog an artery with pizza or perhaps a Donner kabob, or both. I had melon and bananas for lunch so I'm good. I can justify anything.