There are so many places in Germany that get very little mention in guidebooks.  One of these is Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg.  The town actually started in 1715, when the head guy of Baden, or margrave as he was called, ordered a lodge to be built in the middle of his favorite hunting grounds.  Old Karl Wilhelm von Baden-Durlach liked the place so much that he decided to move there, have a palace built, and live out the rest of his days in peace, hence the name “Karlsruhe” or “Karl’s Rest”.  Unfortunately the palace, along with most of the rest of the town, was destroyed by World War II bombing.  But the palace has been completely restored and is truly impressive. Although Karlsruhe is not the kind of medieval quaint kind of German town most tourists are looking for, it is a pretty fun place.  It seems to have an active kind of vibe and there are some good places to eat in the city center.  We were glad we stopped here.

In front of the Karlsruhe Palace

Along the main street of Karlsruhe

Now, how realistic is this really?

Not completely sure what’s going on here.