In October last year, I received my new lease car from work. When I joined this company more than 2 years ago, they gave me an SUV, a VW Tiguan. When the lease was up in April, I could choose a new car. They say that once you have driven an SUV, you will never change back. Well, that is true in my experience.
After weeks of comparing electric SUVs, I have narrowed down my choice to VW ID.4. The order was placed in March but because of a chip shortage last year, I only received the new car in October.
So naturally, first things first, we need to test drive this ID.4! But more importantly, we need to understand the workings of driving an electric car, the whole charging infrastructure, particularly outside the Netherlands, and how to plan and manage charging activities when driving long distances,
We picked Germany as our destination to test drive the new electric car and for a long extended weekend getaway.
I can't really remember where I saw the Saarschliefe but I was so taken by the stunning bend and the lush surroundings. I thought the place was just so raw and beautiful! The bend has graced many postcards of the Saarland region.
Then I came across Saarschliefenlodge, the only accommodation on the Saarschliefe. We quickly booked :). Here we are having arrived at the Saarschliefenlodge.
The lodge has many types of accommodation. From studios to lofts, cabins, and treehouses. I was intrigued with the
Treehouse so we booked this. The treehouse is actually a house on stilts and is situated at the back facing the cliff wall covered in thick foliage.
There is a restaurant in the lodge that has a bar and outdoor seating perfect for the many hikers who visit the Saarschliefe. This is one of the best places to stop, relax and have lunch or a drink
You can see the Saarschliefenlodge in the below picture. The owner of this property must have been lucky to purchase (or could have inherited) this piece of land, and moreover, to be able to get a permit to operate a hotel and restaurant as well.
At the top, you can see the Baumwipfelpfad (Treetop Trail). The Baumwipfelpfad and Saarschliefe are very popular outdoor attractions in Mettlach.
Walking to our Treehouse now...
This is the interior of our Treehouse. It is quite compact with a good-sized bathroom, a balcony, and a loft for sleeping. It is basically a Tiny House.
Taking a picture from the loft.
The treehouse is actually a duplex treehouse. while we have our own section of the balcony, we actually share the stairs access with the other guest.
After checking in, we went to Mettlach town to check out the Villeroy & Boch factory outlet store and this supercharger nearby. For some reason, my e-charge card is not working with the charging stations. Little did we know that it is a matter of patience and placing the card longer where the ON button is until it connects. It takes time to connect. This was new to us being so used to having a screen to reference on and to touch. Many charging stations in Germany do not have a screen.
This is basically the reason for this long weekend trip to Germany, to understand how the charging infrastructure works.
I learned that Villeroy & Boch has its roots in Mettlach. Across the town is the big production factory of the porcelain maker. The factory was once a Benedictine Abbey and you can clearly see from its facade the traces of history. Villeroy & Boch has been around for 260 years! Impressive.
However, I didn't find anything in the factory outlet that I truly want to bring home. Perhaps having an impatient Dutchman waiting outside was not helpful. It has distracted me from focusing on what to buy.
It's dinnertime.
We had dinner at the Hotel-Restaurant Saarblick. They checked our Corona vaccination pass which we could show on our phone through a QR code. With it we could dine indoors, otherwise, we will have to sit outside.
We ordered the local classics of the region. Dutchman chose the homegrown sausage and for myself, I went for a Flammkuchen. Compared to the thin version you can find in the Strasbourg area, this one in Saarland is quite thick but not quite a pizza-thick dough. This was very good!
We can't wait to hike the Tafeltour route the next day. Stay tuned.
Travel Period: October 2021
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
