Laowai

We don’t have many strict holiday traditions – the main thing is our evening revolves around cheese.

But first a few extra photos.

When I’m in Munich, with Bea, I’m in awe of their transportation system. Right outside her apartment building you can catch an underground train or a tram or a bus. I feel like we spend a lot of our time riding around on the public transport when we’re all together and other than walking it’s just such a pleasant way to hang out as a family. My favorite are the trams – it’s ever-interesting to gaze out the window at the city. It helps that Bea knows her way around so we just follow her – hopping on and hopping off all the modes of transport. I’ve been informed that I may be a passenger princess.

Here’s Brian at one of the pleasantly graphic train stations.

As soon as we arrived in Munich (by train from Zurich) Bea took us to ‎⁨Nymphenburg Palace Park⁩ and we had a nice walk around.

Another highlight of our trip was this restaurant that Bea suggested. The restaurant specializes in Südtiroler Knödel (South Tyrol Dumplings). Bea has a friend from Northern Italy who we can thank for this discovery. This carb heavy food is right up my ally! And this type of Knodel sits on a pond of butter – swoon.

Ok, now onto our Christmas dinner.

Bea has a nice one room apartment and she wanted to have our Christmas at “her place”.

Brian and I found a fondue pot when we did our brocki shopping in Zurich – so we lugged it and two types of fondue to Munich. The day before, we all went to the grocery store and spent way too much time and got annoyed with each other while buying the extra ingredients for our feast.

Our meal turned out great – warm and delicious – and all together.

Bea gifted me a mountain painting.

And then the next morning we were back to the train station heading to Zurich. I am not a fan of saying good-bye lately – especially after spending such a sweet time with my family.

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.