I get so excited to see you have a new trip post up!! 
I think the pictures are so amazing, makes me even more determined to get going with some sort of job. I want to travel!! 
Your DH took some great photos, so did Anara! 
She's such a precious, little cutie Liesa. 
Why didn't Mr. Zach want to get out of bed? I can't remember...was he sick as well? 
Sounds like a great way to start out a day....quiet, well fed, clean and comfy.
I still haven't gotten called about my holiday job- most not be in the cards. Ah well... we'll get there, dearie!
He did!! In fact, he's often a way better photographer than I am.
Anara is my little spitfire! When she's up, she's really, and when she's PO'd, EVERYONE knows it!
Yeah, Zach had gotten sick on the train as well, and felt punky for a bit longer than Michaela. So he didn't even try to make it out the door.
I agree with your thoughts about German breakfasts! And your Hotel Elch experience is rather typical for a medium class German Hotel. We don't have the variety of hot dishes which Americans have for breakfast, but for hotel buffets there will at least be eggs, bacon and sometimes hot sausages (bratwurst or hot dogs). But no omlettes, pancakes or waffles. But then we Germans think that we really excell at making all kind of different breads - and there usually is a very large variety of cheeses and cold meats.
The little sandwiches we made, coupled with the yogurts and cereals truly was enough. It was a filling and tasty breakfast with an " I feel really, really healthy" aftertaste.
Loved your update, lots of great pictures!
I hope all this stuff about your own backyard isn't too boring for you!!
OH- OH!! Looks like the Clampetts just went through!! See? You have to make a huge bunch of mistakes to learn the culture!!! In Kazakhstan, you can't touch any growing grass. For us sitting on statues (esp. low ones made of bronze) and running on the grass is perfectly acceptable.
Ok, I have a bit more time today, so here is the info about bay windows and the fountain:
The bay windows are called "Chörlein" here in Nuremberg (the normal German word is Erker), which actually means "little choir" - the term comes from the architectural use of "choir" in church buildings, not the musical term. There used to be 450 of these in the city of Nuremberg before 1945, but 350 have been destroyed during the war... There were different uses for them, some of them were used as space for the altar in small chapels within the house. The one your picture is from is from the house where the pastor of St Sebald lives and it is one of those which were used as a chapel. But most of them are just an architectural feature to make the facade more interesting.
That totallly makes sense about them now! Each one was incredibly beautiful and I wanted pix of them all!! I didn't know that individual houses too, would have a chapel in them.
The one I posted is actually in several websites if you google "bay windows in Nuremberg"
I think I once read that the city of Nuremberg was very strict with regard to anything which was perceived as luxury. There were strict laws about how you were supposed to dress and how much money you were allowed to spend on weddings and such. And I think there were also rules on how you were allowed to built. They were very concerned that people should not show off their wealth - or even worse, get into debt for unneccesary expenditures. Those bay windows were one of the allowed forms of ornament for your house.
That is wild!!! Telling private citizens HOW to spend their money. I totally agree with the encouragement about staying out of debt. That advice would have saved america's hiney the last 4 years.
On to the fountain. Camille was right: it is modern, it was built in the 80's and was a huge scandal. It is called "Hans-Sachs-Fountain" or also "Carousel of Marriage". Hans Sachs was a shoemaker and poet who lived in Nuremberg around 1500.
He was one of the "Mastersingers" - possibly the most famous one. Richard Wagner wrote an opera about these poets: "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) in which Hans Sachs has an important role.
He wrote a poem which is called "the bittersweet matrimonial life" and the fountain is a modern interpretation of that poem. Some of the scenes are very crude and therefore it was heavily debated when it was first built. Also because it was very expensive. But today it really is just an everyday feature in Nuremberg and nobody is that excited about it. Just as you discussed with Camille, nudity in art has been around for a long time and I think Germany in general is one of the countries which does mind nudity the least.
The fountain is actually placed there to hide an air vent from the underground station beneath it. This air vent is cleverly hidden inside the fountain.
Well, now it looks like I have a poem to look up and read. I hope I can find a translated copy!!
Portland has controversy EVERY time a public work of art is put up. I think art is MEANT to be scandalous and controversial- I mean it IS someone's interpretation or expression, and of course, not everyone is going to like it. So, I guess the answer is a wide variety that appeals to everyone. I do think that cities tend to overspend, and shouldn't when they can't seem to meet other more important VOTED ON services.
I thought all the bread we ate was delish! Do most Germans buy there bread at bakeries? I noticed when going to grocery stores there wasn't much in the way of packaged bread.
You know what?? We never made it into a grocery store!! Going to where the locals shop is a VERY good exericise in learning culture and rhythms of life. Magdalene, do you encourage your exchange students to do this right away and regularly??
But probably better safe than sorry right. At least she didn't puke at the castle gates. She may have been thrown into the dungeon or something. 
Hate having to go to bed to get up for work in the morning.
