Christmas Markets

Allison and I planned to spend Monday in Nurnberg - a two hour and fifteen minute drive from Frankfurt.  Nurnberg boasts the biggest and oldest Christmas market in Germany along with other sites such as the former Nazi Rally Grounds.  We opted to focus on the amazing ornaments, German "smokers", and more gluhwein and skip the troubling history.

I just don't understand the appeal of these prune men.

I bought a skiing Santa smoker.

I had to work Allison's last day in Frankfurt.  She suggested she go with Dave to get our Christmas tree since I had to work the following two weekends.  Yes, she traveled over the Atlantic Ocean to spend one of her five precious days running errands and decorating my apartment.  How lucky am I?

Allison Arrives

Allison, my first and second year UVA roommate, sacrifed turkey, stuffing, and family gatherings to enjoy currywurst, jagerschnitzel, and our company in Frankfurt.  She landed at 7:05 am on Black Friday and quickly acclimated.  After a short nap, we headed downtown for a four hour tour through the Christmas market, the Zeil, the Dom and a quick stop at MAC.  Dave and the kids biked in the snowy-mixture to meet us for a German dinner.

She brought the kids a bracelet weaver, which of course they loved.  (She also showed me a more efficient way to load my dishwasher.)  The next day, we went to our favorite farmer's market and introduced her to the best waffles in Frankfurt (pretty much in the world).  As Allison and I headed to the art museum to see Durer, Germany's beloved Renaissance artist, Emily protested, "Mommy, you are hogging Allison.  She is here to play with us."

On Sunday,  we visited Trier, Germany's oldest city located at the top of the Mosel Valley.  Augustus founded this ancient town in  16 B.C. and the city thrived for the next 400 years.  We arrived in time to beat the crowds and enjoy the Christmas market at a leisurely pace.

We quickly found my favorite treat - dutch popovers.

We walked through the oldest Christian Church in Germany.  According to my tour guide Rick Steves, in 326 A. D. Constantine began construction on two great Churches, St. Peter's in Rome and this church, also St. Peter's.  The Church holds the supposed Holy Robe of Christ brought back from Jerusalem by St. Helena, Constantine's mother.

After a few prayers, we found gluhwein.

We admired Porta Nigra, the only surviving gate from the original Roman four-mile town wall, as we left.

On our way home, we stopped in Koblenz, another town along the Mosel, to check out the Christmas market.

As we left, I had to take a picture for you Jennifer - Keith Haring is everywhere.

A Week Without Dave

Usually when Dave travels to the States for a week,  I attempt to work 40 hours while manically maintaining an Anne-Kalletta level clean house, completing worksheets and reading homework, serving veggies and protein to my two masters, and making lunches, picking out clothes, and actually catching the school bus on time.  ("Emily, you have to eat!   Lift the fork, put the eggs in your mouth, and CHEW.  The bus is pulling around the corner.")  I avoid eye contact with the chatty, put together moms who stand at the bus stop, watching.  I kiss my first grader, run back up to make a cup of coffee (with a shot of amaretto) and bundle up the kindergartner, and walk him to school.  I frantically take his coat off, figure out where his snack goes, change into his indoor shoes, and drop him in early daycare under the judging eyes of the pre-school teachers - who I am sure are thinking "my husband deploys all the time - what's your problem."  I arrive at work thinking I should have put three shots of alcohol in my coffee.

This time, I decided to use my annual leave - not an easy decision.  I value my leave more than money.   If I take three days in a row,  I should visit Prague, Berlin, or Budapest.  When I moved to Germany, I added a new pressure - to travel at every opportunity.  The voice in my head frequently says "Once in a life time opportunity." I forget Frankfurt is a foreign city for me.  A stay-cation here counts as travel.  

With Emily's 100th fall break on Thursday and Friday, we planned mommy and me dates.  We biked downtown, got haircuts, did our nails, and went to two art museums.  Emily asked if we could get treats at the coffee store.  I stopped in front of a European cafe.  "No, the REAL coffee store."  What is the real store?  "Starbucks."

We also started new lego kits.  Emily is building a winter wonderland and Owen, a crazy eagle.

Towards the end of the week, Adriana - Aunt Linda's best friend Joyce's daughter visited.  Adriana, a junior at Brenmar, studied in Scotland this semester.    While she spent a few hours shopping, visiting museums, and walking around Frankfurt, she also made a chocolate cake, played Sorry, and biked with us.

We happily welcomed Dave home on Saturday.

Geneva: NOT a Beautiful City

While responding to personal e-mail earlier this month, I mentioned I was working in Geneva for the week.  Several friends responded, "Hope you have some time to see Geneva - I hear it is beautiful!"   Um no.  The name instantly invokes images of quaint European architecture, French bakeries, and fashionable citizens.  Grey, post WW II industrial architecture, streets filled with construction, and a lack of green spaces should come to mind.  Not a place I would want to spend three years.

And. the. prices.  I spotted Citizens for Humanity jeans sitting in a window for 495 Francs - about $550.  A white gold coil ring called me into a French jewelry store.  As I waited to ask the sleek sales woman the price, I noticed her issuing a certificate of authenticity to a customer purchasing a simple charm necklace on a nylon band.  I thought, really.  I guess the 1800 Franc, which is over $2000, ring price makes sense.

To save the government money, I stayed with my friend Heather who is posted there.  (Dave and I get a kick out of her legendary morning routine.  She gets up at 5:30 to leave her apartment by 8:30.)  She explained the ridiculous restaurants charge for mediocre food - except for one French Bistro.  Since Geneva sits in the French speaking part of Switzerland, I had high expectations - and the restaurant did not disappoint.

In the Sates, a side of vegetable at Ruth Chris consists of a broccoli stalk.  Not here.  A stuffed tomato, colorful ratatouille, and luscious green beans decorated our plates.  And how perfect is the fillet??

My last day, we travelled two hours by train to visit Callier, the first chocolate factory in Switzerland.  Callier actually invented the chocolate bar.  His son-in-law, who inherited the factory decided to partner with his neighbor, Henri Nestle who was producing condensed milk, and create the milk-chocolate bar.

(Wouldn't this place be a great school field trip?)

Similar to a Disney ride, visitors walk along chocolate's historical timeline with major events represented by theatrical, decorated rooms.  (At one point, the Catholic Church tried to ban hot chocolate because of the "effects" it had on women.  Suppression comes in many forms.)

The factory section displayed the ingredients.

This gadget picks up the "bad" chocolates - like there is such a thing - and tosses them in the trash.

We ended our visit in an all-you-can-eat tasting room.

After gorging ourselves with sugar, we visited Gruyere to see how my favorite hard, yellow "quiche" cheese is made.

The day of feasting ended at an amazing sushi bar.