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January 26, 2009 – 10:00 am

Other Little Germany Fun Facts

1. Over here, the main car makes you see are Mercedes, BMWs, Citreons, Peugots, Opals and VWs. You rarely see pickup trucks (I think I’ve only seen one!). If you see an SUV, it’s usually like a Jeep or Hyundai Sante Fe type. They pay a lot more in gas prices over here so gas guzzlers are even less practical here as they are in the States.

Even the taxis are Mercedes:

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Speaking of vehicles, here are some interesting vehicles we’ve come across…

A little Vespa ice cream truck:

A little three-wheeled, covered thing that had apparently just been in a little fender bender (there were scrapes on the side and sideview mirror was siting on the seat)… there’s a website listed under the name at palmo.info:

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2. Their standard pillow is big and square. I find it really, really uncomfortable and still prefer our American King size standards, but I can’t find any over here.

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3. They make this wonderful rosehip jam over here that is so delicious. Rob says he’s never seen it in the States. His mom doesn’t think it’s over there either. It would be a brilliant import. They make it out of the little bulbs or pods, if you will, that grow on rose bushes after the blooms have died.

When we went hiking up in wine country, we found some rosehip bushes. You pull one off, break off an end and squeeze the big seed out from the middle. You can then squeeze out the sweet/tart rosehip “paste” from both ends, which is a lovely orangey-red color. It’s a bit messy eating from the bush like that, but such a treat!

I want to see if I can have some shipped back to the States or maybe, someone is already importing it. Oh wait, I just did a search and here’s a great page that explains more about rosehips and making your own jam: http://www.springvalleyroses.com/inthegarden/roserecipes.html

Here are what rosehips look like on the bush:

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4. They absolutely adore their dogs over here and take them everywhere. Dogs are welcome in most restaurats and stores, where they stroll and shop right along with their owners, LOL. It’s such a crack-up. They treat them like their own kids. There was one image in particular I can’t get out of my head and I wish to God I had taken the photo, but there was a woman in one of the open-door bookshops and I’m not kidding, she had her little dog in a stroller wearing baby clothes! Why-o-why did I not take that photo?! I’m kicking myself now, LOL. Anyway, Rob says the only place they’re really not allowed is the grocery store. Here are some cute shots:

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5. All the homes and apartments and building windows have rolltop shutters that they put down at night. It’s such a trip. It reminds me of Omega Man where the guy has to blockade himself in at night so the zombie/vampire creatures don’t get him, LOL. But it’s just a commonplace way of life over here. Rob says it’s to help keep out the colder nighttime temps and privacy. It’s a bit eerie to me to walk around at night and see all the homes and apartments all shuttered up.

Here’s a house that has shows some of the shutters all the way down and some left half way:

6. I hate to say it because I absolutely LOVE the U.S. (being over here makes me even more grateful for all that we have at home and country) and I am actually really homesick, but being in Germany really spotlights how wasteful and consumptive we are in the States as a society. For example, you don’t see lots of disposable stuff like paper cups. At the Xmas markets, when you order a drink, it comes in an actual cup or mug. You can either save it as a souvenir (like when it’s painted with that year’s special holiday tidings) or you can turn it back in to the vendor when you’re done and you’ll get $2 euros back. When you do see paper cups, it’s usually from some commercial place like Starbucks. They pay attention to ceremony–they don’t skimp on details because it’s cheaper. It’s very soul-nourishing. For example, here’s what you get when you order coffee in most places:

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7. I needed a quick caffeine pickmeup the other day (I don’t do coffee) when we went shopping downtown and I’m kinda getting tired of having to make special requests for ice and a straw (I know I’m in another country and I’m not trying to be the Ugly American; just sayin’ is all) so we ducked into McDonald’s where I knew THEY’D do me up a Diet Coke the American way, no prob (they call it Cola Light over here). So as I stood in line, I was looking at the menu: Over here, they call a quarter pounder w/cheese a Hamburger Royal. They also serve fried shrimp (McShrimp, anyone?) and curly fries; I’ve never heard of a McDonald’s in the States offering those (do they?), but then again, I’m not a patron of McDonald’s much. Thought that was kinda funny. Oh, and they had cute little McDonald’s outfits: the pants sorta looked like Lee jeans, but instead of the usual stitching, they had a big McDonald’s “M” on the right back pocket. I wanted to take a pic, but I’m sure it would have looked odd taking a pic of someone’s rear-end, LOL.

8. T-Mobile (which we in the States are familiar with as a cell phone service provider) is a German company and seems to be the dominant player here as far as telephone service goes. They have phone booths all over the place. What I thought was cute was their pink receivers:

9. My other new favorite phrase is “schmiki miki.” It means something like “hoity toity” (I have no idea how to spell that; I’ll have to go look it up now). I don’t know how often it would come up in common conversation, but it’s just fun to say, LOL.

10. This was just too funny not to take a pic:

11. Oh, and not that Woolworth’s is the most high-quality store, but it was a bit nostalgic to see one. The last one in our area closed over 20 years ago. When I was litle, we’d go there for ice-cream sundaes. I don’t even know if they have any left in the U.S. (do they?). I have heard they’re still in the U.K. and now I know they are here in Germany, too.

12. They have a much more relaxed, human, if you will, approach to life and commerce over here which I think is very healthy. For example, most businesses including grocery stores are closed on Sunday. Other than restaurants, you won’t find much open. Also, they take a lot of time off during the holidays. They get two days off for Christmas, but what I thought was interesting was that they don’t seem to have any kind of Boxing Day (the big sale day the day after Christmas. Wow! Retailers not killing themselves to get those last bit of year’s revenues in? In fact, many businesses actually closed for the entire week of New Year’s and left signs saying they wouldn’t be open until after the 2nd. I can’t think of any business in the US that would or could afford to do that. Rob says they can’t really afford it here either, but they do it anyway. Because that’s just their lifestyle and values over here.

13. You can buy beer to go from just about every restaurant and pub. You can even get it delivered from the local equivalent to Dominos Pizza called Joeys! I don’t know why, but I find that hysterical.

14. The mounted politzei have the most HUMONGOUS horses! They gotta be at least 18 hands. Gigantic, draft horse height horses, but as sleek and graceful as Thoroughbreds and not big-boned like the draft breeds. They look like they might be Hanoverians or something similar. I plan to ask next time I see them.

15. Their electrical outlets over here are round with two round prongs.

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16. Their keyboards over here are different, too. They have extra keys for the special letters and punctuation they use, and they have some letters and keys moved around. It drives you crazy trying to type on one!

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17. My other breakfast food over here… Dinkel Pops. How fun is that?!

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18. Their postal services are privatized over here, meaning they aren’t government-run. I don’t think it’s such a good idea to have such an integral part of a nation’s infrastructure left in the hands of private industry. I would not want to have that in the States… but I do have to admit their postal employees don’t look like some of the sloppy, crazies we have working for us in the States, LOL.

Their postal service colors/logo are black and yellow:

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2 Comments

By Danielle Keister | Comments (2)

January 19, 2009 – 10:00 am

Where In the World Is Cologne?

Okay, I’m a moron, LOL. A couple weekends ago we were in France (which I’ll back-track and blog about next week). I was so awed by the cathedral in Strasbourg that Rob said he’d take me to see another spectacular cathedral in Cologne for my birthday January 15 (which I am so proud to share with Martin Luther King Jr.–one of the most brilliant minds and wonderful spirits in history).

Well, being that we were in France, and the fact that I’d been gushing how much France felt like home (I’m French on my father’s side; Québecois to be precise), and loving that I was actually able to use some of my rusty French and read things for a change, I assumed he meant Cologne, France.

Doesn’t that sound French? Isn’t there a Cologne, France? Turns out Cologne (Koln in German) is in Germany. But it was just as lovely as could be and we had a blast for my birthday celebration.

We took the ICE, which got us there without any stops in just about two hours.

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Of course, Rob always wants to do these things at the butt-crack of dawn so I had to get a little more shut-eye on the ride there and didn’t really get any pix of the countryside along the way.

On a side note, have I mentioned how awesome their train system is over here? Sleek and smooth, comfortable and CLEAN. With such an efficient, extensive multi-modal transportation system, there’s very little need for personal transportation. The U.S. could definitely take some pointers.

What else was interesting was that it made me realize how quiet, relatively speaking, people are in Germany and possibly Europe in general.

Sorry, but you and I know that we are a nation of loudmouths and attention-seekers. Hey, the truth is the truth. If that had been a train station in the U.S., you wouldn’t have been able to hear yourself think. As it was, you quite possibly could have heard a pin drop (well, I’m exaggerating a little, but you know what I mean).

I’ve been in the train station early in the morning and in the middle of the day and it’s so conspiculously noticeable how much more quiet people are over here and how much more respectful they are for other peoples’ personal space. It’s quite a contrast.

Anyway, we reached Cologne and the cathedral is literally, bam, right there. And it was magnificent! You almost can’t comprehend the astounding architecture and engineering and labor that went into building these things.

Train station in Cologne/Koln:

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Fun Facts: Rob tells me that in 1880, the top of the church tower was the tallest building in the world at 157.38 meters and approximately 500 feet high. They started building it in 1248. The plan, at 12 feet long and drawn on cowhide parchment, is apparently the largest known detailed architectural map from the middle ages.

I so wish my pix did the cathedral more justice. When you are in its presence and seeing this stuff with your own eyes, you are just floored by the magnificent scale and loving craftsmanship that went into every minute inch of detail. You can’t help but marvel, and are reminded of the wonderful feats of artistry humankind is capable of.

Of course, Cologne was heavily bombed and destroyed during the war, damage you can still see today and that they are still slowly but surely rebuilding (such as the cathedral), so you are also reminded of the feats of destruction against each other that man is capable of.

Following are some of our pix that turned out the best. Sorry they aren’t better; I’m definitely going camera shopping when I get home.

Exterior shots:

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(No idea who this guy is, but he wouldn’t get out of my shot, LOL)

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These shots show you some of the ongoing reconstruction:

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Interior shots:

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I don’t remember what this was, but it was really old:

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Like the cathedral in Strasbourg, we climbed to the top of the tower through this teeny tiny spiral stone staircase (super claustrophic). So many feet have climbed the staircase that each step has worn down to a concave indent in the middle.

Here are some shots once we reached the top:

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See these shots?

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I’ll tell you what I thought was so interesting about this. See, these panes used to be filled with stained glass. If you’ll notice just past the full length of each pane, you see carved statues (an angel in the first and a figure of St. Peter holding a rooster in the second). These statues are part of a series of two or three that surround each turret at several points along the length of each tower.

When these panes had stained glass, no one would have been able to see these statues in the back in all their glorious, intricate detail. No one but God. And the soulfulness of that kind of craftsmanship and attention to wholeness is what struck me so profoundly.

If that had been built in this day and age, we perhaps would be looking at a smooth, blank wall. Any kind of corner that could be cut would be. What’s the point of wasting labor and effort and expense on something no one will ever see, right?

But see, that’s the beauty of real craftsmanship. There is grace and dignity and meaning in its wholeness. That is soul. Shortcuts strip us of that substance and leave a thing hollow. It’s this soulful wholeness and embracing of that sensibility that makes the old world so delicious.

Overlooking the city and the beautiful Rhine River:

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When we had finished exploring the cathedral and touring its various museums of artifacts, it was still only 11:30 in the morning. Time to get my birthday party on!

I think I’ve mentioned before that the Germans love their beer and drink it any time of day or night. I’m not saying they’re drunks. You don’t see people stumbling around the streets.

They are simply connoisseurs and beermaking is an artform to them. In fact, they even have a standard brewers must adhere to called the German Purity Law of 1516. They enjoy a good beer with their meals as routinely as they would a superbly roasted, brewed cup of coffee or glass of exquisite wine.

Then again, it does just crack me up that you can get liquor just about anywhere, including the corner newspaper stand or doner shop. Heck, even their version of Dominoes Pizza, which is called Joeys, will deliver beer to you!

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This is doner:

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What they do is shave the meat and you can have it served with salat and vegetables in a roll or taco or on a plate. I don’t recommend it. They seem to love it over here, but I tasted Rob’s and it was gross.

Back to the story, so first we set out to get some lunch and ended up at this place called Brauhaus-Sion where it looked like all the local business people congregated at this time of day.

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Cologne is where they make the regional beer called Kolsh and this restaurant is where I discovered my new favorite beer, Gaffel Kolsh!

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I so totally have to get these glasses, too. I usually love to drink out of pilsner glasses, but these small cilindrical ones (called stange) are so dainty and classy. This is the only style of glass that kolsch is served in.

By the way, here’s the custom for how a lot of places keep your beer tab… with each beer you are served, they put a little pencil mark on your coaster. It’s a sin in Germany to have an empty beer so they are always right there with your next full glass (hurray!). To signal that you are done and don’t want any more beers, you put the coaster on top of your glass.

Oh, here’s another custom… they don’t really tip here in Germany. It’s not expected or obligatory in the way that it is in the U.S. However, you can tip if you like; they just don’t do it on a percentage basis like we do. Instead, they round up, which is called auf runden. For example, if your bill is $8.50 and you have a $10, you could just give them the $10 and say “stimmt so” which means “that’s correct.”

Um, okay, I’ll tell you… between the two of us, Rob and I must have had about 10 marks on our coaster. But, hey, it was my BIRTHDAY and I’m in Europe! So I totally have an excuse. We definitely left with more than a glow going on and were having so much fun being silly.

Oh, another by the way… Fasnacht (Fasnacht = Fat Tuesday) is going on through Ash Wednesday over here. They actually begin celebrating on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (November; you get the picture).

Once Christmas is over, you start seeing groups of people dressed up in costumed themes and painted faces. I’ll tell you a little story that happened in Strasbourg when I post about that next week.

So it was extra festive and a good excuse to get a wee bit snockered, LOL. I’ll tell ya, I don’t know that I’ve ever done this, but there is something so fun about walking around sightseeing with a little buzz-on, LOL.

We spent the afternoon walking around the city streets, going into shops (I collect those carved, polyresin magnets of the places we’ve been so I had to get my obligatory souvenirs), strolling along the Rhine River, and just enjoying the people and the buildings and all the sights.

Here are some modes of tourist transportation that I thought were fun:

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Double-decker tourist bus:

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City sights:

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Here’s a place we stopped in for some refreshment (Rob, coffee; me, Cola Light):

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I wish to God I would have taken pictures of the restroom, LOL! The Germans have the cleanest restrooms you have ever seen. You can pretty much use any restroom anywhere; they just typically expect you to pay something and will usually have a dish or attendant to collect.

But this place has a restroom like no other! It had a contemporary Asian teahouse theme going on. Ultra sleek and sophisticated.

The faucet wasn’t so much a faucet as it was a sculptural water fountain down which water cascaded. The stall doors are clear until you lock them; then they turn a milky opaque. You can still see out, but no one can see in. And the toilets themselves weren’t toilets. They were thrones! LOL

I am so kicking myself for not marching right back up to our table, grabbing the camera and going back down to photograph this marvel of toiletry for posterity, LOL.

Anyway, after walking around and getting away from the tourist beat, we were thirsty for some more good beer and decided to find a nice, local pub. I can’t remember the name of this place, but it was along the Rhine River and so quaint:

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We sat in this large corner booth by the window which was great fun because it was more like a community booth so you got to chat with other people who decided to sit with you.

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We met a mom and her son who were going to a Tina Turner concert that night. They were nice, but our two most favorite people we met were these two older gentleman:

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They were the neatest guys! Klaus, the man on the right toasting us with his beer, told us the most interesting stories about the city and the war. His mother was German. His father was Russian and had spent five years in a POW camp before being allowed to go home to his family.

These two fellows have been friends for over 50 years and said that they meet here once a month for a beer. Klaus is in the industrial sand business and travels frequently to the U.S. He gave us his card so we could email him and stay in touch. I just love meeting people like that!

It was dark by the time we left and started heading for home. Here’s a shot of the pub’s outdoor seating:

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We stopped in a couple other places as we made our way to the train station:

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I thought this door knob was so neat:

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Some wild bunnies we found frolicking around in Mannheim once we got back to town:

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Your thoughts? Post a comment!

By Danielle Keister | Tagged Cologne Koln Germany, Virtual Assistant Abroad | Comments (0)

January 12, 2009 – 10:00 am

Lahr (Germany) & Strasbourg (France)

This past weekend our mission was to go to Lahr, Germany. Lahr is a quaint little village that my dad had fond memories of when he was in the Air Force and stationed there back in the 60s. He asked me, if we were ever in the area, to stop by there and take pix of the city, a few landmarks and some of the places he used to frequent.

There was an extreme cold snap going through most all of Europe, but the weather was so beautiful you almost didn’t notice the cold. Of course, it helps to be all bundled up warm and snuggly.

It’s only about a two hour drive on the autobahn from Mannheim to Lahr. We left at 8:30 am and got there in time to stop in at the information office before it closed. The ladies there were so nice and helped Rob’s mom locate all the spots I wanted to shoot for my dad on a map they gave to us.

Although it was still morning, we didn’t get to go into too many places. This being one of the small towns, it’s the custom where shops typically close at noon on Saturdays. Some places (like restaurants) will open back up a few hours later, but most are closed the rest of the weekend.

We did catch a delightful bookstore before it closed, and I was able to get a few books on the history of the city for my dad, which was nice. But darn it–I wasn’t able to catch any souvenir shops open long enough to find my polyresin city magnet for Lahr (I collect these from all our travels).

We strolled over the downtown streets. I just love how the cities here are all built in a circular fashion. Everything you need is always within walking distance. The streets and alleys meander this way and that; you never see what’s coming up next and turning every corner and curve is an adventure.

Here are some shots of the downtown shopping district:

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I just love the little details you always find on the homes and buildings in Germany. This is a little doodad for holding down the shutters:

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One of the landmarks on my dad’s list was the Storchenturm (Stork Tower), which was built in the 17th century. Storks mate for life and at one time there was a pair who nested at the top, but we were told it’s been empty for many years now.

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Our luck was great as one of the few pubs/restaurants that stayed open was right across the street. We had the most delicious meal here and the owner was quite a character. He spoke English very well, which he told us he learned when he lived for many years in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The beer, needless to say, was stupendous. They pulled it straight from the kegs which are hooked right up the taps.

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By the way, here’s something you should know if you ever travel here and like to partake of a brewski now and then… Every region is known for its own kind of beer. Only beers brewed in certain regions can legally be called that particular region’s kind of beer.

When you travel to different areas, it’s the polite custom to order that region’s particular brews (we generally ask for whatever their region’s pilsner or ale is). It’s considered extremely rude to ask if they have another region’s beer. Don’t ever do that! LOL

After filling up on yet another wonderful repast and a couple beers, we decide to walk up one of the hills out of the shopping district and into one of the tonier residential neighborhoods.

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After that, we headed to the hotel that the ladies on the information center recommended to us, the Dammenmuhle.

Wow! What a treasure this place was. They sure didn’t steer us wrong and we definitely plan to return again. It’s more bed and breakfast than hotel. It’s billed as being on the outskirts of the Black Forest, although truth be told, it’s not really that close, but it is in its own little isolated forest wanderland, complete with its own lake.

The entire hotel consists of the main building with office, dining hall and ballroom along with three or four outbuildings each of which has its own design. All the buildings surround the little lake, along with some storage facilities and animal barn. The lake even has its own island and at night is lit up with bright, multi-color globes and little white tea lights.

In the summertime, you can rent canoes. But in the winter, when it’s freezing cold as it is and the lake freezes over, people and their children play hockey and slide and ice skate on it.

Here’s the hotel during the day:

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One of the dining halls (they had all kinds of wonderful old paintings and furniture and other artifacts):

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I loved this chair:

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One of the mangers:

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They had a few darling little animals (even a mama llama and her baby):

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Here’s the frozen lake during the day:

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You can see how cold it is… This is a creek. You know it’s cold when running water freezes!

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After taking a little nap, we headed back out to the lake where some kids and families were skating:

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Below is the beergarten where you can warm up with some gluhwein or a beer. It was extra festive that night because we are still officially in the Fasnacht (Fasting Tuesday, which is like our Fat Tuesday) season leading up to Ash Wednesday.

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The ballroom all lit up with the crystal chandeliers aglow. They had some kind of party going on, but we didn’t crash it. We opted instead to watch all the crazy shows on German cable tv.

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(By the way, I don’t know why, but the Germans seem to be about twenty years behind the music scene and are OBSESSED with our old 70s and 80s pop music!)

Here’s the view of the lake from our private patio. We had the very top floor rooms, which were just gorgeous.

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Here’s a shot of the night sky (there was a full moon that night) with one of the colored globes making for an interesting photo:

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The next morning we had a big buffet for breakfast. The Germans don’t eat a whole lot for breakfast. It’s commonly just a little bread of some kind and maybe some fruit. The hotel had all kinds of yummy, healthy stuff to choose from.

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You remember I mentioned Fasnacht (Fasting Night). This is like our Fat Tuesday holiday, but it lasts much longer. It begins on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (November) and lasts up to Ash Wednesday in February.

Generally after Christmas, you start to see more and more groups of people dressed up in matching themed costumes, and there are parties going on all the time. This group was supposed to be a bunch of Cossacks:

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Funny, but not so funny, story… the chef and the owner visited with us over breakfast. The chef pointed to a group travel bus outside and said that one of the partiers was found passed out in front of it in the early morning hours. Apparently she had wandered outside after everyone else was asleep, perhaps to smoke a cigarette, and ended up with barely a pulse!

Luckily, someone found her in time, but it’s no joke to be outside in that kind of weather drunk off your ass. You can die in a heartbeat. But they got her all warmed up and she was okay they told us.

Our plan for Sunday was to go to Strasbourg, France, and see the cathedral there. Along the way, the extreme cold made for the most hauntingly beautiful shots of the countryside and farmlands:

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We hit France at about 11:30 am or noon (somewhere around that time):

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Strasbourg is in the state of Alsace and at various times in history has been alternately German, then French, and back and forth. Much of the architecture and culture is originally German. It is now part of France again and decidedly French although much of the population speaks a dialect that combines both German and French. It’s not uncommon for people to have a French first name and German last name.

Strasbourg was just lovely. I felt so at home here. It was really nice to actually be able to read things for a change and even use a little of my very rusty French!

Here are some shots of what I would say is the city center:

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Look at that gorgeous iron work!

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And the sculpural ornamentation!

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Look at this crazy skinny little building sandwiched in there!

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We bought some roasted chestnuts from one of the little cart vendors you see here and there:

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We had lunch at this lovely place called Le Gruber:

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Rob’s mom and I had this delicious coq au vin dish. Rob had some kind of big ol’ sausage with sauerkraut which was good also.

Rob’s dad had an Alsacian pizza which is supposedly renowned worldwide. I can see why… it really was to die for. The crust is done very, very thin (like the Italians do) and is covered with this special cream type sauce with the teeny diced ham and tomatoes (or whatever you are having on it) sprinkled over the top.

Here are some shots inside:

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A French beer:

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A couple four-legged friends:

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After lunch we headed for the main event of the day… the cathedral!

There just are no words to explain the awe you feel in the presence of these structures. It’s a very visceral reaction.

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You almost can’t even comprehend the details. See how each and every little sculpture and carving is a completely different scene:

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Here are some interior shots (sorry they didn’t come out better):

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This is where the organ is located:

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These are the steps up to the pulpit:

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This is the amazing astronomical clock. It’s the one picture I am just dying didn’t come out well. I even tried to take a movie, but it was just too dark. I so wish I could better share how amazing this thing was:

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Rob and I climbed to the top of one of the towers. You get there via this windy, enclosed, spiral cement stairway which opens up at various levels along the way (very claustrophic). Here are some shots on the way up:

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See these marks in the next two shots? They are mason’s marks. Each mason had their own symbol (you could even say “brand!”) he would carve into any piece of stone he was responsible for laying. I thought that was so interesting. We spotted these inside the staircase.

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Sundial:

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They had graffitti even back in the olden days! Notice how neat they were back then even while they were defacing church property.

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And then you would find these odds-and-end, sneaky little details like this little puppy… Who know why it’s there. Does it have any historical, symbolic meaning? Was it a particular mason’s brand? Or was it just someone having some fanciful fun? We didn’t find out, but who cares? We were just grateful that it exists in the world.

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2 Comments

By Danielle Keister | Tagged Dammenmuhle, Lahr Germany, Storchenturm, Strasbourg Cathedral, Strasbourg France | Comments (2)

January 6, 2009 – 10:00 am

Luisen Park

Last Monday, January 5, we woke up to an inch or two of snow. Finally!

I just love snow. We don’t get a whole lot of it where we live in Western Washington. So when my daughter tells me I’m missing the biggest snow that side of the mountains in 20 odd years, I was bummed. Snow just gives everything such a festive, magical feeling so it was wonderful to be able to get a bit here in Germany so I wouldn’t miss out.

The other cool thing is that Jan. 6 is a holiday over here called Holy Three Kings Day. Everything is closed and it’s a work day off for most everyone. So Rob and I decided to explore Luisen Park, all sparkly from the fresh snow cover, which is basically across the street from us and runs alongside the Neccar River. It was such a wonderful, exhilarating day being all bundled up warm and toasty like eskimos and walking around in the icy cold. It was a crytal clear, sunny day to boot!

Luisen Park is a gorgeous wanderland with trails, lakes, ponds, streams, reflection pools and art installations where you can walk your dog, get your exercise and take in all the beautiful scenery.

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(These lawn chairs in the snow cracked me up.)

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Chess anyone?

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Park of the frozen lake where you can rent gondolettas in the summertime:

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Boat launch:

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One of my favorite sights that day: the flamingoes, along with storks, pelicans, cranes and other water birds:

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Storks:

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Oh, they also have wild parrots ala “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.” Lord, they are cute. What personalities! They are really loud, too. When I first got to Mannheim and Rob and I walked around the neighborhood, I saw some flashes of birds zipping by that sounded like parrots and whose silhouettes looked like parrots. Now we know they were parrots!

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The park has beautiful outdoor gardens and indoor green houses with themes from all over the world. They also have a little zoo where you can see all kinds of birds, fish, butterflies, reptiles and other various small animals, as well as a farmyard petting zoo where it is set up to show how they used to farm and do things back in olden times in the area.

One of the greenhouses:

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Some of the greenhouse plants:

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They have several *real* restaurants on the grounds where you can get full dining service and even sit outside at night or when it’s cold underneath the gas heaters with blankets.

Before looking at the animals, we decided to warm up with some lintzen (lentil) soup with bratwurst.

Here’s shot of the outside of the restaurant where you can view the multi-level reflection pool complete with live flamingoes as you eat:

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Afterward, we couldn’t pass up dessert. Our desserts came two pieces to a plate so we shared. Mine was definitely the best. The dollops of real cream with chopped pistachios sprinkled on top was a heavenly touch.

My dessert:

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Rob’s dessert:

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By the way, that’s one of the neat things about Europe. They have more of a reverance for food and observing the ceremonies in life that we Americans take for granted. Food and dining is an experience to languish in. That’s why you’ll see real restaurants on park grounds, for example, instead of crappy, unhealthy food-to-go joints.

Also, restaurants here don’t rush you out the door. You are allowed to savor and enjoy, converse with the people in your party and just *be.” Much of the service we see in American only in three or four-star restaurants is commonplace here, such as full, beautifully presented place settings and services.

Take this coffee service below for example…. Each person’s coffee comes in its own pitcher (can’t think of the right word off the top of my head) along with all the accoutrements on a little silver platter. Often, you’ll get your own personal little creme pitcher and sugar dish as well.

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This is just the everyday, common way of serving over here. These are important things in life here to people and they don’t cut corners. This is what I call “soul” and I think we need more of that in America.

Below is a shot of the outdoor restaurant seating. This is something else commonplace, where they’ll provide gas heaters and blankets so you can enjoy the out-of-doors even in the dead of winter. I love it and wanted to eat out there, but Rob was being prissy, LOL.

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Oh, and it being Holy Three Kings Day, there was some kind of event going on which we missed, but here are some shots of the “kings:”

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I won’t bore you will all our animal pix, but here are a few of the hightlights. The otters were definitely the most entertaining!

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One of the other main attractions is this huge, gorgeous Chinese tea house in the Chinese Gardens which was brought over from China piece by piece and recontructed.

The little train that will take you around the Chinese Gardens:

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We had planned to also take the train to Swennigan (I need to look up the correct spelling), which is a neighboring city not too far away that is supposed to be even lovelier than Heidelberg. But there was just too much to see and do in Luisen Park and we ended up spending the entire day there.

A few dusk-time shots as we ended our visit:

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Your thoughts? Post a comment!

By Danielle Keister | Comments (0)

January 1, 2009 – 5:00 pm

Crazy New Year's Eve in Heidelberg!

We decided to go to Heidelberg to ring the new year in. It’s a popular spot to celebrate New Year’s Eve, according to Rob, because of the spectacular fireworks show that happens along the Neccar River against the backdrop of the Heidelberger Schloss (schloss = castle/palace) all lit up.

We caught the train to Heidelberg at about 8pm. Walking to the train platform was treachurous as it had rained earlier and by this time the sidewalks were a sheet of ice. It’s a wonder I didn’t slip in my boots and break my neck, but I didn’t!

The plan was to go across the bridge to get the best view. But first, we wanted to eat something hearty and have a couple beers so we decided to check out Binsebub’s, not knowing if it would be open. It was! AND they had a free buffet with all kinds of yummy German dishes, appetizers and other finger food. Score!

We had a few beers, bought a couple to go (yes, you can buy beer to go from just about every pub and restaurant here, and you can walk around with beer, too), and at about 11:30, right when we were about to leave, the proprietors broke open some fabulous champagne and starting serving everyone. It would have been rude not to drink what was set down in front of us. Rob gulped his down so we wouldn’t be late, but I can’t drink like that so I put us behind schedule. The proprietor signaled me to guzzle it, LOL, and told us to be sure and come back to eat some more as they would be still be open. (Champagne is the quickest way to get me absolutely drunk, by the way!)

We didn’t make it across the bridge. By the time we got up there, it was already midnight and too crowded to move through, but the fireworks in the street were still festive and exciting. It was crazy like the Wild West! People singing and cheering, shooting off firewalks and walking around with all manner of bottles and drinks, LOL! We got to the bridge entrance, broke open our beers and took in all the fun, video rolling.

So here’s a couple videos from the Rob and Danielle Show and all the action and festivities along the Neccar River right before and after the stroke of midnight, raw and unadulterated, LOL. Sorry, they’re a bit dark, but they lighten up at places and you can definitely hear how crazy it all was. First one is about 9 minutes and the second one about 8 minutes long:

At about 12:30, we wanted to check out our other favorite watering place, a world famous university gasthaus located right by the bridge towers called Schnookeloch, which means “mosquito hole”, but they were already closing for the night so we headed back to Binsebub’s where there was more partying to be had. We chatted and partied with all kinds of interesting people there that night. A retired professor (from the University of Heidelberg) and his wife who had just come from a classical concert in Mannheim. He was also a musician and regaled us with his stories of working with classical musicians who couldn’t play a thing unless it was on a sheet in front of them, and his other passion–playing improvizational and dixieland jazz on his accordian.

Then we met a couple of sociologists. The guy was super intense. He was one great big giant brain, but very funny and gregarious at the same time. Rob and he talked and debated about history and politics all night. The girlfriend, also a sociologist and psychologist, was so nice and spoke a bit of English. We pretty much hung out together the rest of the night and made fun of the guys. Another one of the more interesting people was this cancer researcher who was originally from Russia and, like Rob, had been all around world. He definitely had some very strong opinions and ideas about the state of affairs in the world today!

Bars here in Germany stay open later than in the U.S. and it was 3:30 in the morning when the owners started closing down! Time had flown by and we had no idea it was that late (or early, as the case was). Trying to get home was an adventure in itself. By the time we walked back to the depot, our last train had already left. While we waited around to see if there were going to be any buses headed back to Mannheim, we met a couple American guys, civil contractors working at the U.S. base in Mannheim. We decided to all catch a cab together and split the fare in half. We were lucky to get one since EVERYONE was trying to do the same thing, and it was a huge relief once we did. I think we probably got home about 4:30 or so.

Today, we have just been laying around in bed having a totally relaxing day and listening to old radio shows on the computer (one of my favorite things to do). It is an absolute wonder that I am not hungover when I think of all the booze we drank last night, LOL. I think the good, hearty German fare helped cushion our abuse, LOL.

Your thoughts? Post a comment!

By Danielle Keister | Comments (0)

December 26, 2008 – 2:00 pm

I Hope You Had a Lovely Christmas!

I hope you had a lovely Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year. I love to observe and experience the traditions and customs of other religions and cultures. I’m so thankful we live in such a rich, diversified world!

On the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce forum, we were sharing some of the special goodies members received (or gave!) this year, and how we all spent our holidays. In my family, we grew up giving and getting lots of gifts. Even still, my dad makes me and my sister give him our Christmas gift lists.

But I really tire of it. It’s become more of chore to me anymore and I find it all really commercial and consumptive and wasteful, especially when you don’t need for anything (and can buy exactly what you want yourself when you do) or you get things that will only sit in a closet or be given away.

Rob and I live a very intentionally simple, not-so-consumeristic lifestyle. I always try to buy gifts I know loved ones really want or will use. I absolutely hate buying people things without putting any thought or effort into it just to get them something. What’s the point of that? There’s no soul in it and when that’s the case, we aren’t doing something nice for someone; we’re just doing it for ourselves.

I love the idea of gifts that are super meaningful and unmaterialisitic, not necessarily purchased–one of the reasons I really loved Christine’s article last issue of The Portable Business. I hate to say it, because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the U.S. and am actually very homesick, but being in Germany really shows the contrast in how wasteful and consumptive we are in the States as a society.

Rob’s family doesn’t really do gifts and instead focuses more on family and friends and getting together. Of course, every year, they always give us some little thing or other after making a big deal out of reminding everyone NO GIFTS, LOL.

We spent Christmas eve and Christmas day with his folks. Christmas eve it was just me and Rob and his parents. We always have a toast of champagne before eating. For dinner, his mom made wienersnitzel (she knows how much I LOVE that!) with mashed potatoes and veges and pumpkin bread. Then we sat around the table until 11pm just gabbing and drinking good German beer.

On Christmas day, we went back to his parents. They had their good friends, Ute and Rolf, over as well. His parents live on the edge of the Kaefertaelerwald (wald = forest) where you can walk through miles of woodland trails or see the several kinds of deer, bison, goats and wild boar they keep in a park. That afternoon before dinner, we all walked over to the park with a bag of chopped up veges, apples and bread to feed the animals. The little boar piglets were so stinkin’ cute!

That night we had turkey, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, cranberries, green beans, corn and stuffing with wine and champagne. Dessert was pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie. Rob’s mom is such an amazing cook! That woman deserves sainthood, I tell you!

Today, we have been doing nothing but laying around and eating the leftovers his mom sent home with us and the Roche’s chocolates Ute gave me. It’s so funny–we’re like the wild boars fighting over the grub, LOL. Neither of us wants the other to get any more than the first, but Rob keeps stealing bites off my plate anyway. My strategy is to eat everything on my plate and THEN steal bites off his-he can’t counterattack because there’s nothing left to steal, LOL!

I’m actually a little under the weather with a sore throat trying not to get sick. They say to feed a cold, right? Who am I to argue? LOL

Your thoughts? Post a comment!

By Danielle Keister | Comments (0)

December 22, 2008 – 10:00 am

Ambling Around Wine Country

Yesterday, we went with Rob’s parents to this lovely little town in wine country called St. Martins on the Pfaelzer Weinstrasse (weinstrasse = wine street) up in the Pfalz which borders the Pfaelzerwald (wald = forest).

Our first objective of the day was to hike up the Kalmit which is about three miles/2000 feet up and overlooking the town. Here are some of our shots…

Sign post:

A little fountain on the way up:

The misty forest:

Looking down at our progress:

This is the Kalmit Huette (huette = hut) at the top. As with most of these mountain hikes, there’s usually a volunteer-run lodge at the top where you can take a break, warm up, and get a hot meal and something to drink (including beer, which Rob and his dad did partake of!).

We had split pea soup with bratwurst:

Shots of the valley and wine town we walked up from:

Man, I tell you, those “old” people kicked my ass. I say that jokingly because there’s nothing old about Rob’s parents. His dad will be 70 in January and his mom is three years younger and they bike and hike and play volleyball (his mom is on a team) and do all kinds of other activities. You notice that a lot over here. Seniors are very active and, hence, you see many who look really great and are very fit for their age. Not too many couch potatoes over here.

After gettin’ our grub on and looking around a bit, we headed back down to walk around the town a little more and then go to dinner at one of the wonderful restaurants. Here are some of the picturesque sights I got to take in…

The vinyards:

A castle in the distance:

We had the most delicious dinner at this cozy little place called Altes Schloesschen. Then we sat around and had some wine, talking until late in the evening. Around 10:30 it was finally time to head home for beddie-bye!

Your thoughts? Post a comment!

By Danielle Keister | Comments (0)

December 20, 2008 – 11:56 am

I Do Love Heidelberg

Rob’s been taking Fridays and Mondays off from work so he can take me around to see some of the sights. We’ve been spending quite a bit of time in Heidelberg which I’ve decided I really love. I’ve been there four or five times now so far. Here are a few of my favorite shots so far…

A church:

I fell in love with this darling little villa:

An example of some of the common building architecture:

Across the Neccar River:

The Alte Bruecke (the Ol Bridge) over the Neccar River:

These towers are a world-famous attraction called the Bruecken Tor (Bridge Gate) which guard the entrance of the bridge over the Neccar:

Flood marks on a nearby building along the Neccar:

This is the Stadthalle (City Hall) building:

City streets:

During our last excursion there together, we happened upon this delightful used and rare book store. Rob wasn’t able to get an old, old German historical set out of his head so we decided we’d go up on Friday to spend the day in Heidelberg again with the intention of doing a little wheeling and dealing with the bookseller and then visiting the majestic Heidelberger Schloss (schloss = castle/palace).

First stop of the day was back to our favorite restaurant, Binsebub’s:

There’s a little story behind the name and if you can read German, this is it, LOL:

A photo on the wall of the owner’s cute little dog (who is now deceased, God rest his cute lil soul), “having a drink” at the bar :

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The food at Binsebub’s is so deliciously authentic and off the beaten path, which is exactly why we love it so much (we don’t like the tourist spots; getting the real flavor of the country and culture is the only way to travel). The proprietor is this sturdy, efficient German woman who comes off a bit gruff at first, but then will bestow upon you her big, warm smile and you see she has a heart of gold. Like last time, we had the pork roast with a delectible gravy and home fries (sliced potatoes) and this time had red cabbage as our vege. Of course, we also had to have a couple of the finest Pils bier (bier = beer) to go with!

BEFORE:

AFTER

(Let me tell ya, if we hadn’t been in public, we would have licked our plates clean.)

We also decided to eat a little dessert and settled on some apple pie. They put slivered almonds over the top and serve it with real whip cream and vanilla ice cream. By the way, they do ice cream over here like Italy. If you’ve ever had gelato, you will never look at ice cream in the States ever again.

Okay, enough about food. Afterward, we spent a couple hours in the bookstore. Rob got a good deal on the historical set. We walked around the Christmas market and did some window shopping. Here are some pix of the main shopping district street which leads up to the Christmas market and then up to Heidleberger Schloss:

It was getting to be eveningtime so we decided we’d better get to the castle if we were going to get any good photos. First, since our pix don’t do it justice, here are a couple photos of the castle, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Here are some of our pix that came out the best:

Your thoughts? Post a comment!

By Danielle Keister | Comments (0)

December 18, 2008 – 4:53 am

Lost in the Sex District and Other Misadventures

On Sunday, we got up extra early and headed to Rob’s parents’ house for a nice breakfast before driving to this particular Christmas market up in the Pfaelzerwald Forest.

Here’s the moon over Mannheim that morning; it was a clear, beautiful day:

Daybreak on the Neccar River:

Driving through the woods up to the market:

The market in the woods is an annual tradition in Rob’s family. It was so fun. Had pumpkin soup and gluhwein to warm up (it was CO-OLD!). The soup was delicious and I’m sure very healthy. Gluhwein is mulled wine (you drink it hot). We drink it all the time at home. It’s very watered down so you don’t get buzzed; it’s just gives you a nice rosy glow, LOL. You can go to just about any German deli or store and buy a bottle. Try it–it’s yummy.

Pumpkin soup:

Some pix of the market:

A couple cute little miniature ponies:

Wild trout being smoked (we bought some–delish!):

This cute little “yoda” dog who was keyed in on the wieners his owner was eating the whole time:

After we walked around there and bought a few things, we drove to this little village in the Elmsteiner Tal (tal = valley) where the Spangenberg castle is located high up on cliff on an outcropping of rock that you can hike up to:

Creek crossing:

View from the trail:

Shots of the castle on the way up:

Inside the castle walls:

(Notice the stocks, LOL):

Summary of the castle history. Notice that it dates back to the 1100s:

Burg Erfenstein (burg = castle) which is another castle on the mountaintop opposite from Spangenberg:

The cool thing about these castles (they’re everywhere in Europe) is that most of the time, once you get up to them, they’ll have a lodge/restaurant in them so you can get a drink and a nice hot meal. So we hiked up, took in all the amazing feats of engineering of old and then cozied up inside the restaurant for some liver dumpling things and a couple beers (my first time eating any kind of liver in my life, and yes, I still do not care for it, thank you very much).

The volunteer-run lodge/restaurant inside the castle walls:

Notice the real suit of armor on the right:

The Burg Spangenburg coat of arms:

Looking down on the valley below:

After hiking back down, we went drving around the countryside a bit. The little villages go back thousands of years and I just adore how cute and quaint they are. When it got dark, we headed back to Rob’s parents’ house and had sauerbraten and dumplings that his mom made. We always joke about how much it must suck to be Rob’s dad and have to eat all that “terrible” food his mom makes every day.

Really fun day. We slept like babies that night.

Yesterday, I went to Heidelberg by myself on the train to go shopping. It was a lovely day. But coming back, this sweet little old lady lost her balance as she went to get off at her stop, and fell and hit her head on the step. It was so horrible and gut-wrenching! Like a movie in slow-motion, it all happening before your eyes in a split second, but nothing you can do.

She lay there on her back, still as a rock, her eyes wide open, but unseeing. I thought for sure she was dead! The crack her head made when she fell, I fully expected a pool of blood at any minute. Luckily, as it turned out, she was only unconscious!

Two women rushed to her side to comfort her. She didn’t come to for the longest time, and then just she lay there, which I’m sure was a good thing. She had to have had some serious injury with the force that she had hit her head. Another woman lent her scarf to put under her head. The driver poked his head out briefly and then we kept going. Not speaking German, I don’t know what was going on. I kept trying to ask if anyone had called for an ambulance, but the two ladies sittin by me couldn’t understand.

I’ll tell you what, I don’t know if this is typical, but it really makes me appreciate our emergency system here in the States. Nothing is perfect, and everyone is quick to criticize when something doesn’t go right, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing–it helps us improve and get even better. But if that had happened back home, that train would have stopped immediately, not moved another inch, and emergency would have been there within five minutes or less.

As it happened here, we kept going through several towns until we finally stopped and it was about 20 minutes before the paramedics showed up. After they had helped her to a seat and she had answered some questions, obviously to their satisfaction, they got her to her feet and walked her off the train. No stetcher or head brace like they would have done in the States.

And that’s as far as I know what happened because we then continued on our route.

To be fair, the spot we were in when she fell was a little farming village and Rob thinks that the driver probably called someone and was told to continue on to a certain point in order to get to a better location where the paramedics could more quickly and easily get to us. I sure hope the little lady is doing okay. That sound her head made being cracked on the side of the step is still haunting me.

So by this time, it’s very dark out and when we get to Mannheim, I’m havng trouble getting my bearings because they keep the lights on inside the train and it’s hard to see outside, and this huge, hulking guy had sat down down next to me and was blabbing loudly into his cell phone so I could neither see nor hear the stops and signs.

By the time I realized we were at my stop, it was too late and the doors locked so I had to get off at the next stop. Which was in the shopping district, but not anywhere I had been before so I got completely turned around in my bearings and ended up in some sex district, LOL. Signs saying “sex” and “eroctica” and posters obviously advertising nude dancing and escorts were everywhere I looked, LOL.

I finally made it out of there, but then had to trudge the long-way home. All that after realizing, I didn’t have our address or Rob’s phone number or his mom and dad’s address or phone numbers on me, LOL. I also wasn’t carrying the cell phone Rob’s parents lent me. I wouldn’t have been able to call anyone or tell a soul a thing about how to help me get home if I hadn’t found my way, LOL.

But I made it home safe and sound (where I promptly got all our contact info together so I have it in case of emergency) and we ate the leftover sauerbraten and dumplings Rob’s mom sent home with us on Sunday–ate it out of the same dish like a couple of fattening pigs at the slop, LOL.

Life is rough, huh?

Your thoughts? Post a comment!

By Danielle Keister | Comments (0)

December 15, 2008 – 10:00 am

Grateful Mondays: Guten Tag from Germany!

Well, I made it safe and sound, and no other passengers were injured! I did really well. The worst part was having to be confined for nine hours. I was about to go stir crazy. I did watch a few movies and read some of my ebooks. Also, I had a nice companion in the seat next to me. We didn’t talk too much, but exchanged some pleasantries here and there and she gave me some direction for once we landed on how to get to baggage claim (she was coninuing on to Barcelona).

Here are a couple shots from the plane:

This is coming into Frankfurt:

The Internet situation is not great right now, which is why it’s taken me this long to post. Rob ordered Internet for the condo and thought they would have it hooked up in time for me, but they didn’t. Every week we get a new letter with a new date. When I got here, it was supposed to be done 12/16. Now they say it will be after Jan 1. Grrr.

So we found a no-contract, prepaid aircard provider called O2 (not sure if that’s the brand or the provider name) and I was all excited, but when we got it home and tried it out, the transfer rate was atrocious. It would take 10 minutes to open up a page, and forget trying to log into LogMeIn! So we took that back. The only other option is to get a T-Mobile Web-n-Walk aircard, but they want a two year commitment and we don’t know how long we’ll be doing this back and forth thing.

I did try to find some wifii hotspots, but it’s not that easy. Most of them want you to pay now, which I don’t mind, but I’d rather just have my own Internet so I can work at my leisure and not have to lug around the computer whenever I feel like working. So I’m back to square one until our Internet gets hooked up which is tediously and uncomforatbly standing at the dresser in the bedroom in the one teeny tiny spot we get some free wifii, LOL.

It’s very beautiful here, although cold and overcast. The architecture is amazing. So much history. It’s awe-inspiring to touch a building and think of all the hundreds and hundreds of years (and lifetimes) it has seen. My first night here, after getting a bit of a nap in, Rob and I strolled around the neighborhood and he was pointing out some of the buildings that were left standing from the war, but had parts bombed. You can tell which parts are original and which are new.

The old-time iron work is incredible. You just don’t find that kind of care and craftsmanship these days anmore.

This is a really, really old pre-war building Rob spotted:

Recognize this? It’s the fertility symbol that Starbuck’s borrowed for its logo:

This is just one teeny part of a palace that is now an university (I’ll have to get the name and info from Rob when he gets home). It’s astounding how expansive it is and to think about all the goings on that occurred back in the olden days of kings and royalty:

This is a house where Mozart lived briefly:

This is the water tower where one of the Christmas markets is located:

This is a store downtown. Rob thinks it’s ugly, but I was fascinated with the intricacy of the facade:

Rob’s mom is spoiling us. She is an amazing cook and my first night here we had wienerschnitzel (my fav) with mashed potatos and steamed, sliced leeks in a white sauce that she had sent home with Rob the day before. Soooo good!

This bag of oatmeal cracks me up every morning:

I just love to say it: Dinkel Flocken. Say it with me: Dinkel Flocken. How can you have a bad day when you have words like that to put a smile on your face?

Rob’s been taking Mondays and Fridays off so he can take me around and show me the sights and stuff. We’ve been eating like a king and queen, LOL. Here’s one of my first meals at a German resaurant (that’s the name of it on the napkin to the right):

I don’t know how I ate all that–but I did! The Germans love their wieners, that’s for sure, LOL.

They have several outdoor Christmas markets this time of year which are open every day until 9 or 10pm. It’s really festive and fun to be able to stroll over to the one by our place and watch the kiddie rids and look at the wares the vendors are selling. Oh, and of course, sample the food, LOL.

My favs there are the bratwurst (which are about double the size of U.S. hotdogs in width and length) that they put in between a round roll, and these steak sandwiches which they also put between a round roll along with carmelized onions. The mustard here is sooo good and I like to put the mustard, ketchup and curry powder on my bratwurst. On the steak sandwich, it’s a big round slab of tender, juicy beef. Just melts in your mouth!

On one of our walks, we went through this tunnel next to the Neccar river and I thought the grafitti was interesting:

Some Initial Observations

1. Germans LOVE their eyewear. Omigosh, you have never seen such uber hip and trendy eyeglasses. The funkier and more outlandish the better. It’s fascinating!

2. Fast food chains haven’t entirely infiltrated the place. Thank gawd! I’d hate to see the landscape uglicized with that crap. They are here, but just not all over the place like they are in the States. So far, I’ve seen McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Subway and KFC. Oh, and Starbucks.

3. Everyone is in such great shape for the most part. There’s a very noticeable difference in the general physique of the population compared to the States where obesity is such an epidemic.

4. The German women are beautiful and stylish even in their late ages. I love this. Just because you get older doesn’t mean you have to look like a grandma and give up on taking care of yourself and having a sense of beauty and style.

5. They don’t really drink soft drinks too much over here. And where you can get them, it costs an arm and leg, seriously. I was having some jet lag the first few days and wanted a cola for the caffeine (as some of my readers know, I gave up my cola addiction earlier this year, LOL) so we ordered one from the restaurant we were at and 3 ounces damn near cost $5!

6. Tap water (and ice in your drinks!) is almost a foreign concept to them at restaurants here. When you order water in a restaurant here, you usually get sparkling water from a bottle. You have to ask specifically for non-carbonated water if that’s what you want. But the bottles are typically small so you have to have a special conversation to get what we in the US consider a normal glass of water and they think you’re weird to boot.

7. As I already knew, they drink beer with everything, even in the middle of the day. Even the oldsters. It’s such a crackup. We were at this little hole-in-wall restaurant off the beaten track called Binsebub’s and there was a couple, probably in their seventies, sitting next to us. The fellow was a little flirt and jokester and kept everyone laughing. One of the things that cracked us up was his little quip when he ordered another beer, “One beer is no beer.” Oh, and the beer is stupendous over here. (I’m an imported beer drinker–can’t stand domestic crap–so this is like beer heaven, LOL).

8. They walk and bike everywhere here, even in dress clothes and skirts and heels. Mannheim is really flat so you can bike for miles and miles without getting funky, if you know what I mean.

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9. And speaking of fashion, I purposely packed very lightly so that I could gauge the fashion scene once I got here and buy some clothes to fit in. The aesthetic here is decidedly dark. Rob’s mom confirmed my observation. She said colors lighten up a bit in the warmer months, but it was true that people here tend to like a lot of black and other dark colors. If you see color, it’s typically a splash in a scarf, tights, shoes on the younger people, and especially and most commonly in the eyewear. The women love their boots. Long patent leather or suede boots, in either flat or high heels, is the style. They wear them with jeans tucked in, with or without leg warmers. They also like to wear colored tights or thicker leggings and boots with skirts or long tunic tops and sweaters.

10. You don’t see sweats and ball caps. They “dress” over here and are very stylish. You don’t see a lot of sloppy or overly casual dressers out in public. Sweats and ball caps are frowned upon as they consider it unkempt and not dressed for polite company.

11. You don’t see many joggers like you do in the States. Probably because everyone already gets their exercise walking and biking everywhere. The only jogger I saw was when we were in Heidelburg shopping the other day, which stood out to me because I hadn’t seen a one thus far. Rob said a lot of people here do that kind of stuff at the gym or really early in the morning or late at night. Might also be the time of year.

12. They also like to smoke over here. A lot. You’ll see people walking down the street smoking or standing around in groups smoking. You’ll even frequently see people smoking in restaurants (although there are many where they have to go outside to smoke, which is a good thing). Rob says lots of places let people smoke at work, too. He said everyone in his shop smokes except him and this other guy and it’s pretty unbearable at lunch because when everyone is done eating, they all light up. They even sell cigarettes in machines on the streets:

Don’t tell Rob, but I really love Heidelberg. We’ve been there three times already. It’s just gorgeous with the Rheine and Neccar rivers and the village nestled at the base of mountainside and the majestic Heidelberger Schloss (schloss = castle) sweeping the landscape in the background. We walked through several of the windy village streets where the homes are so darling and cozy.

I’ve a bunch of pix from there, but have to upload them still so I’ll save that for a future post. We also went to a Christmas market in a mountain forest (it’s an annual tradition that Rob’s family does). We’ll be going to Lahr for an overnight trip, and Rob’s mom is looking into booking us a week in Bavaria at the Alps. So more adventures to come!

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By Danielle Keister | Comments (6)