Laowai

So this year Christmas was different. Bea is waiting for her student visa and she is advised not to leave Germany. So we had to go to her. I know the day will come where I don’t get to spend Christmas Day with my kids but I was NOT ready for that day yet.

We arrived a couple days before Christmas and Bea took us to a bunch of Christmas markets. I used to think Christmas markets were about buying ornaments and decorations. I thought they were markets. But I’ve learned they’re really about getting outside in the chilly weather and socializing and eating and drinking. So we had raclette and fried apples and pommes frites and Knoblauchbrot (garlic bread) and spiced nuts and more raclette. Bea and I tried egg liquor (Eierlikör) and we had hot steaming Glühwein. And it was fun.

Here we are are at a smaller Munich Christmas market. The egg liquor verdict – good but I only want a thimbleful because it’s so sweet.

One day we took the train to two cities – this is Augsburg.

I want to live at the potato house!

Here is the other town we visited – Ulm. It’s know for it’s cathedral – the tallest in the world until Barcelona’s Sagrada Família recently surpassed it. Unfortunatly we couldn’t really see the top of the cathedral because it was so foggy.

I think the Ulm Christmas market was my favorite. It was so pretty and they had the cutest little train ride for kids. Claire and I watched it go round and round while we waited in the raclette line.

Here we are at the big market in Munich – Marienplatz.

There are actually ornaments for sale – I think the best were at Marienplatz. After seeing a tree inside the Ulm cathedral decorated with big beautiful straw ornaments I had to buy a set for myself. Love them!

Here are a few more photos of Ulm. Starting with its very tall cathedral shrouded in fog.

Ulm’s buildings seemed so well cared for and beautiful.

So many photos, so many pretty spots. I’ll stop now and put some photos of our Christmas feast in another post.