Why yes, that IS a zeppelin
As you might have gathered from the blog title and image, I visited a zeppelin museum over the weekend. But not just any zeppelin museum–THE zeppelin museum.
You see, only a hop, skip, and a jump from where I live in Deutschland is Friedrichshafen, the birthplace of the zeppelin. And, because this monstrous flying machine makes an appearance in Something Strange and Deadly book 2 (which is not titled…yet…but soon! Soon, I say!), the Frenchman and I decided to pay a visit over the weekend.
And we saw some pretty cool stuff.
Me stepping onto a life-size replica of the Hindenburg. I pretended I was Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade boarding the zeppelin he and Dr. Jones Sr. cruise on.
Ahem, yes, I know my imagination is overactive. That’s why I’m a writer (duh).
A stateroom on the Hindenburg. Very cool but also VERY small.
Um, how cool and steampunk-y does THAT look? Navigating a zeppelin?? Yes, please. And even though it’s about 30+ years ahead of Something Strange and Deadly book 2, I’m totally modeling the zeppelin bridge after this one (well, if it works in the story).
All in all, it was a nice break from the usual Sunday of cleaning the house and being lazy.
And all in all, it wasn’t somewhere I would have normally had any desire to visit–but was pleasantly surprised by how cool it was. Plus, the engineer husband was in heaven. It was 100% WIN all around.
You tell me: has your research for books or projects ever led you somewhere you wouldn’t normally visit?
August 24, 2011 @ 10:42 am
Very cool! I love how there are museums for pretty much everything. I’ve made a few weekend trips to London this year for the sake of ‘research’ (if research also includes shopping and drinking copious amounts of tea :-)) Last time I was there I toured Charles Dickens’ house…hoping to suck up some of his mojo, haha. I’m still on the hunt for a tour of a townhouse in Mayfair!
August 24, 2011 @ 11:58 am
@Laura lol of course shopping is research!
@Susan that is very cool Susan! When I go visit the inlaws in Germany I will have hubby escort me around. Thanks for the photos that is groovy!
August 24, 2011 @ 6:14 pm
In-laws in Germany? Definitely go LOTS of places while you can! Where do they live?
August 24, 2011 @ 6:13 pm
As Blair says, shopping is definitely research! 😉
And Dickens’ house? That sounds AWESOME!! Do you have pictures anywhere? That seems like an awesome blog post. 😀
August 24, 2011 @ 12:32 pm
That is SO COOL! Zeppelins have always fascinated me. Heck, the Goodyear blimp fascinates me. 😉 I LOL’d at you pretended you were Indiana Jones because … yeah … I would have done the same thing.
August 24, 2011 @ 6:14 pm
Um, yeah, after wondering the halls of the mock-up Hindenburg, I was DESPERATE to watch LAST CRUSADE and call everyone “Junior”. 😉
August 24, 2011 @ 1:13 pm
Hmmm I haven’t really visited any places yet. But I definetly need to visit an old english plantation manor and a fairy-fort. Or ring fort. Whichever one you heard of. I’m a little bit nervous about the ring fort. I am superstitious and a couple of people have had some freaky (very tangible) events. Meh, I’m thinking if I don’t walk in waving an axe around i’ll be grandXD
I must admit I haven’t really read any steampunk…well I read a series called Shadows of the Apt, which is a pretty cool mix of steampunk and fantasy. But anyway that cabin looks tiny.:O Mind you if it’s a choice between extra living space and machinery that will, you know, stop the zeppelin from plummeting to the earth…
Oh dang. No Sean connery.
August 24, 2011 @ 6:15 pm
Um, so I had to look up “fairy fort”, and WOW. So cool. If you go, TELL ME and share lots of pictures.
And yes, dang to the no Sean Connery. ALAS.
August 24, 2011 @ 3:44 pm
How fun. Yes, if I ever go to Germany, I ‘m going there.
August 24, 2011 @ 6:16 pm
You should! That whole region (Friedrichshafen is on the Bodensee–a.k.a. Lake Constance–is STUNNING).
August 24, 2011 @ 3:50 pm
That is SO cool, Sooz!
August 24, 2011 @ 6:16 pm
Danke sehr, Holly. 😀
August 24, 2011 @ 4:10 pm
Zeppelins! I love it. 🙂
At the end of June I paid for a hot air balloon ride with my boyfriend. It’s research: my MC is a balloon pilot. I’m not normally the girl who asks a dozen questions about how everything works, but this time, I was.
It was awesome.
August 24, 2011 @ 6:17 pm
I am SO JEALOUS of you right now. What was it like??? I really need to take a balloon ride since there’s supposed to be one of those in this book too… I wanted to ride the zeppelin, but it’s like 400 euro PER PERSON. So…yeah, didn’t do that. :-/
August 24, 2011 @ 7:28 pm
This is so much fun. I love museums! and I love Indiana Jones 🙂 Hey, Remember that time we almost duked it out over Han Solo? well I saw Harrison Ford the other day at our corner cafe here in Brentwood- so, yeah, score a point for me! 🙂
August 24, 2011 @ 7:30 pm
NO. FREAKING. WAY. NO WAY, HAPPY!!!! Are you serious? My heart is now doing somersaults somewhere in the vicinity of my spleen. I am so JEALOUS it’s not even fair.
Oh Han, come to Deutschland!!!
August 24, 2011 @ 9:41 pm
SO FREAKING COOL.
I’m so ridiculously excited for SS&D2!!!!!! WOO!
August 25, 2011 @ 6:58 pm
Hehe. Thanks, Sarah. 😉
August 25, 2011 @ 5:49 am
Omg! So cool!!!
August 25, 2011 @ 6:58 pm
Isn’t it?? I’m glad you agree. Great minds think alike and all…
August 26, 2011 @ 12:03 am
That looks like it was completely awesome. Jealous.
I need to find an excuse to go somewhere awesome for the sake of writing. My MC spent a lot of time in Italy…hmmm.
October 1, 2021 @ 1:41 am
Wow that skirt. I definitely want to take you into the statesroom. Show me where the wild things really are!