An American Car Guy in Europe
#32
The parking lot
it might as well have a big sign out front that says, "no one under the age of 18 is admitted."
This is just pure carnography!
More to follow. Next 50 pics are uploading to photobucket as we speak.
This is just pure carnography!
More to follow. Next 50 pics are uploading to photobucket as we speak.
#34
Trusty Steed Indeed
I cannot go forward without a detailed description of the car I chose to drive in England. As you know, I am going to the Lotus Intensive driver's training in October. As such, I needed to drive a right hand drive car and it had to be a stick. I decided to go with a beast of a car. A true hombre on the roads of Britain.
I strolled into the exotic car rental place, and dropped down my black card and told them I wanted the best they had. I gave them my requirements and I got an awesome steed indeed.
TA -DA
3 cylinders of twisted steel and sex appeal. Enough torque to destroy small towns. Enough power to pause the Earth and turn back global warming.
It was 30GBP per day, and it was prefect. 40 MPG. Engine turns at 4000 rpm in top gear at 70 MPH.
Exotic was code for "Enterprise." Don't worry, I don't have a Black Card.
I strolled into the exotic car rental place, and dropped down my black card and told them I wanted the best they had. I gave them my requirements and I got an awesome steed indeed.
TA -DA
3 cylinders of twisted steel and sex appeal. Enough torque to destroy small towns. Enough power to pause the Earth and turn back global warming.
It was 30GBP per day, and it was prefect. 40 MPG. Engine turns at 4000 rpm in top gear at 70 MPH.
Exotic was code for "Enterprise." Don't worry, I don't have a Black Card.
#39
25 Sept.
Well, I think I have all of my classes picked out. My classes run from Tuesday afternoon to Thursday evening.
Advanced Corp Finance
Applied Portfolio Theory
Financial Markets and Institutions
Environmental Finance (Carbon Trading, etc)
Micro Finance
Financial Engineering
Market Micro Structure
I'm digging out math I haven't used nearly a decade! but I love every minute of it.
On the food front, I have had some of the best bread this week!! I had this absolutely delightful croissant today. Imagine an everything bagel, but then make it a light fluffy croissant. mmmmm. Delicious.
Had a cocoaccino today as well. Basically, a shot sized cup of cappuccino but with hot chocolate instead of coffee.
Apparently there is a chocolate and cheese tasting tour you can go on. SO I may have to partake.
I'll likely pass on the trip out of the country this weekend, as I am nailing down a few details for my bigger trips later in the semester. I may head to Sweden next weekend. Not sure but Stuttgart could happen this weekend. Depending on how soon I finish my plans.
Also saw a very old Ferrari Dino in TdF Blue. Sort of boxy looking like a lancia stratos. ANyone know the correct nomenclature? Sorry, no pics of it.
Advanced Corp Finance
Applied Portfolio Theory
Financial Markets and Institutions
Environmental Finance (Carbon Trading, etc)
Micro Finance
Financial Engineering
Market Micro Structure
I'm digging out math I haven't used nearly a decade! but I love every minute of it.
On the food front, I have had some of the best bread this week!! I had this absolutely delightful croissant today. Imagine an everything bagel, but then make it a light fluffy croissant. mmmmm. Delicious.
Had a cocoaccino today as well. Basically, a shot sized cup of cappuccino but with hot chocolate instead of coffee.
Apparently there is a chocolate and cheese tasting tour you can go on. SO I may have to partake.
I'll likely pass on the trip out of the country this weekend, as I am nailing down a few details for my bigger trips later in the semester. I may head to Sweden next weekend. Not sure but Stuttgart could happen this weekend. Depending on how soon I finish my plans.
Also saw a very old Ferrari Dino in TdF Blue. Sort of boxy looking like a lancia stratos. ANyone know the correct nomenclature? Sorry, no pics of it.
#40
26 Sept
My Rosetta Stone Language Software arrived today. So far I am pretty impressed. I just bought level 1. It seems pretty robust.
I've tried several ways to learn a language. My language courses in high school and college were fairly typical. Memorize your vocab, speak the words in class. recitation, recitation, etc. I have lived in a few different countries so I have had ample "immersion" as well.
So far, I'm about as far as, "Sie madchen rennt."
Good times!
auf weiderluege,
Trevor
I've tried several ways to learn a language. My language courses in high school and college were fairly typical. Memorize your vocab, speak the words in class. recitation, recitation, etc. I have lived in a few different countries so I have had ample "immersion" as well.
So far, I'm about as far as, "Sie madchen rennt."
Good times!
auf weiderluege,
Trevor
#41
I just got back from Stuttgart last night. I posted a little bit of this before but in the interests of keeping stuff in one place, I copied it here.
It was a good trip and totally worth it. Here are a few notes to address some of the questions raised before I left.
1. The new museum is not complete. In my completely ignorant opinion, I doubt it will be finished until spring. But I'll post pics later for you.
2. The small museum is still in effect and was worth the trip. The pics above, just about cover everything you'll see, but it is special to see it in person.
3. The Porsche Center (Zentrum) is also worth the trip. Three floors (much bigger than the small museum), of modern Porsches. I think the oldest car I saw in the Zentrum was a 993 Turbo. Some cool stuff there.
4. Factory tour. Make your arrangements before arrival. I grabbed a card of the guy you need to get ahold of. He is Christian Hoenniger at +49-711-911-25384. Phone is supposed to be the way to go. The email address is factorytours@porsche.de. Be sure to ask for a tour in the language of your choice. A secondary email address is werksfuehrungen@porsche.de. but this one is likely only for German speakers so take your chances with that one.
It was a good trip and totally worth it. Here are a few notes to address some of the questions raised before I left.
1. The new museum is not complete. In my completely ignorant opinion, I doubt it will be finished until spring. But I'll post pics later for you.
2. The small museum is still in effect and was worth the trip. The pics above, just about cover everything you'll see, but it is special to see it in person.
3. The Porsche Center (Zentrum) is also worth the trip. Three floors (much bigger than the small museum), of modern Porsches. I think the oldest car I saw in the Zentrum was a 993 Turbo. Some cool stuff there.
4. Factory tour. Make your arrangements before arrival. I grabbed a card of the guy you need to get ahold of. He is Christian Hoenniger at +49-711-911-25384. Phone is supposed to be the way to go. The email address is factorytours@porsche.de. Be sure to ask for a tour in the language of your choice. A secondary email address is werksfuehrungen@porsche.de. but this one is likely only for German speakers so take your chances with that one.
Last edited by Bleu Omdurman; 10-06-2008 at 08:03 AM.
#42
Stuttgart Pics
Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make it to the MB museum. It was a sunday and they were closing before I was going to make it there.
I'll put up the fun pics first, then at the end, I will give a little tutorial on how to get there on foot, complete with pictures of course!
Here are a few from the Porsche Zentrum (Center). Mostly new cars:
997 GT2
Chopped Turbo so you can see come of the bits not usually available:
996 GT2
I'll put up the fun pics first, then at the end, I will give a little tutorial on how to get there on foot, complete with pictures of course!
Here are a few from the Porsche Zentrum (Center). Mostly new cars:
997 GT2
Chopped Turbo so you can see come of the bits not usually available:
996 GT2
#45
A quick tutorial on how to get there on foot
Getting there on foot is pretty inexpensive and allows you to relax a bit more than other modes of transpo. Even though I love driving, I really prefer to drive something fun, rather than boring.
I left from Zürich but I'll start this tutorial in Stuttgart.
The train drops you off at Stuttgart Hbf. Once there, head outside to the bus stop and buy a ticket in the machine. The ticket you want is #245, it should cost you about 2.35 Euro. Its a one way ticket, but the station at Porsche also has a machine for you to buy one. They are only good one direction and only for two hours. There is also a daily pass you can buy, but the break even point is about 3 one-way trips. If you were doing the MB tour as well, it'd be worth it.
Once you have your ticket in hand head to Gleis(track) 3. There you will find a large set of stairs that go underground to the subway. Head down there. Once down there, you should be looking at Gleis 101 and 102. Look for one of these blue signs:
You are looking to head generally north from the hbf so you want track 102. Wait for the S6 train to Weil der Stadt. The sign above has all the info you need. Once on the train you are heading to Nuewirtshaus (Porscheplatz). It is the stop after Zuffenhausen. Here is a picture of the stop you want:
(that red and silver thing in the bottom right of the pic above is the ticket machine, they all look alike) The train drops you off in the shadow of the new museum which I'd guess should be complete by spring 2009. You are also across a small parking lot from the Porsche Zentrum (Center). Once the Museum is complete, the rest of this post is worthless, but it wasn't totally smooth for me to get to the small museum so here are some directions to that.
From the Zentrum put yourself between the Zentrum and the New museum. Museum on your right, Zentrum to your left. You are now looking in the direction you want to walk. Go across the street heading in a straight line. Once across the street you should see a sign that has an arrow pointing down the street I just lined you up on. From the Porscheplatz (the roundabout you just crossed) walk 300 meters. if you are not sure how far that is, just walk to the next street light. You'll see this sign.
Turn left and walk about 80 meters. On the right side of the street you will see this sign.
Turn left. you can now either enter the museum to your front right about 60meters or go straight until the guards stop you. Go inside, and enjoy.
It's small, tucked away, and totally easy to miss in a car. People in this part of town don't speak much English.
I actually asked a guy, "Wo bist du, Porsche museum." Ya, I know. "Where do you live, Porsche Museum?" He smiled but got the point.
Enjoy your travels.
I left from Zürich but I'll start this tutorial in Stuttgart.
The train drops you off at Stuttgart Hbf. Once there, head outside to the bus stop and buy a ticket in the machine. The ticket you want is #245, it should cost you about 2.35 Euro. Its a one way ticket, but the station at Porsche also has a machine for you to buy one. They are only good one direction and only for two hours. There is also a daily pass you can buy, but the break even point is about 3 one-way trips. If you were doing the MB tour as well, it'd be worth it.
Once you have your ticket in hand head to Gleis(track) 3. There you will find a large set of stairs that go underground to the subway. Head down there. Once down there, you should be looking at Gleis 101 and 102. Look for one of these blue signs:
You are looking to head generally north from the hbf so you want track 102. Wait for the S6 train to Weil der Stadt. The sign above has all the info you need. Once on the train you are heading to Nuewirtshaus (Porscheplatz). It is the stop after Zuffenhausen. Here is a picture of the stop you want:
(that red and silver thing in the bottom right of the pic above is the ticket machine, they all look alike) The train drops you off in the shadow of the new museum which I'd guess should be complete by spring 2009. You are also across a small parking lot from the Porsche Zentrum (Center). Once the Museum is complete, the rest of this post is worthless, but it wasn't totally smooth for me to get to the small museum so here are some directions to that.
From the Zentrum put yourself between the Zentrum and the New museum. Museum on your right, Zentrum to your left. You are now looking in the direction you want to walk. Go across the street heading in a straight line. Once across the street you should see a sign that has an arrow pointing down the street I just lined you up on. From the Porscheplatz (the roundabout you just crossed) walk 300 meters. if you are not sure how far that is, just walk to the next street light. You'll see this sign.
Turn left and walk about 80 meters. On the right side of the street you will see this sign.
Turn left. you can now either enter the museum to your front right about 60meters or go straight until the guards stop you. Go inside, and enjoy.
It's small, tucked away, and totally easy to miss in a car. People in this part of town don't speak much English.
I actually asked a guy, "Wo bist du, Porsche museum." Ya, I know. "Where do you live, Porsche Museum?" He smiled but got the point.
Enjoy your travels.
Last edited by Bleu Omdurman; 10-06-2008 at 08:40 AM.