google maps DortmundI promised you guys I would never make a plog (=photo blog) again… But then I got so many enthusiastic reactions on my first (and so-told latest) plog, I thought why not turn our Dortmund trip into a 3-day plog-series?! Let me start by explaining why I choose Dortmund as a destination for our trip. Well, I happen to love old factories and industrial cultur and Dortmund is in the heart of “das Ruhrgebiet” (I went to Essen last year too).  Mia however – and I have to admitt, ofcourse,  I do to – is very fond of shopping. And what a coincidence, one of the biggest Primarks of Germany is located here in Dortmund!!
So here is the plog (ugh, I still can’t get used to that word) of our first day.

And that day starts so great with this delicious chocolate smoothie with banana and oatmeal! (Interested? Recipe is here…)

chocolate oat banana smoothie

But soon there was food for this plog too: we spotted these fine wall art pieces, waiting for us to be  put on a picture.

streetart haarlem koepelstreetart haarlem koepel

After a sharp 2,5 hrs ride we took our first steps on Dortmund ground. Wow, so inspirational…

first steps in Dortmundmailbox dortmund

We checked in at the Unique Hotel and went on our way to do our first activity: a citytour in a showy red “dubbeldekker”. O how we where looking forward to this: just sit and watch and raise your hand (to take the pics ofcourse). We waited for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour… No bus!!!  Checked the folder again “no citytours in January and February“… arghhh$%^&

Pas de problem, our hotel is next to the remarkable U building, a center for art and culture. We went straight to the roof to enjoy the view.

U building downU building up

We had never touched a crane before!! What a day…

Mia CraneBonnie Crane

U building stairsU building bar

After taking the stairs we deserved our first “Dortmunter Kuchen mit Cola und Bier”.

“Mummy, can we go to the hotel now, I want to check my phone..” No we can’t, we are going to Phönixsee. This turns out to be a really weird place. It happens that untill 2001 there still was a huge steal industry active. Due to the steal crisis it was completely dismantled and the idea rised of creating a fake lake and some fancy houses around it. The road around the lake is about 3,5 kilometers, and seeing the crowds walking, skating and stepping, this Phönixsee turns out to be a truely hotspot!

Bonnie Phoenix seeMia Phoenix see

It’s getting cold an the sun is soon saying goodbye to us too. We have to favour Mia’s wish now and go back to the hotel…

Phonixsee

But not before we have checked out Dortmunds McDonald’s!! (you can’t see it on this picture, but on the right is a brandnew plastic bag from the SSMann Drogeriemarkt, stuffed with beet- and vegetable juices, rice crackers and nuts & raisins… waiting to compensate for the junkfood ;-))

MacDonalds Dortmund

And there she sits, my angel… catching up lost time. Wifi-ing at two different devices. And the wifi works more than great!! Even on 5 different devices 😉

Hotel Unique Wifi

Trip to Dortmund day 2
Trip to Dortmund day 3