This post should really be titled, “Joe drinking Glühwein”! I swear, there are other things to do at Christmas markets, but drinking Glühwein is really the most fun! This year, our Christmas market-ing was all about re-visiting the places we love, and re-connecting with friends and family we love. Here are just a few of our adventures at the markets this year.
FREIBURG – During the very first night of the Freiburger Weihnachtsmarkt, Joe was interviewed by Baden FM, the major radio station of our state (Baden-Württemburg). After only a few sentences from Joe, the interviewer asked if he was from England or America. Then he asked why Joe was living in Freiburg. We have been through this drill of questions about a million times by now: it has become old-hat. However, what made this experience entertaining was the conversation that occurred after the interview. There were four German men at our table, also enjoying their Glühwein, who heard the entire line of questioning. Well, you know what Germans do when the words “American” and “political science” are together in any conversation…make NSA jokes. We can now add “NSA Agent” to the list of weird ideas people have regarding Joe’s occupation.
STRASBOURG, FRANCE – Hangin’ out in France, drinking vin chaud with American friends. We found out that Strasbourg has a Christmas market dedicated just to cookies!! Yes, pleeeeease!!
DORTMUND – Six months ago, if you told me that I would go to Dortmund, Germany to meet up with a friend from Northern Ireland, who I met in Fiji…I would have punched you in the face. Pow! Right in the kisser! Well, it’s true. We’ve come a long way (literally and figuratively)…from drinking muddy kava in a tin shack to drinking Glühwein under the world’s tallest Christmas tree!
USA and Northern Ireland in Germany, via Fiji.
MÜNSTER – We enjoyed the Christmas market in Münster, but what we really liked about the town was St. Lambert’s Church, where three human-sized cages hang from the spire. In the 1500s, three Anabaptists led a rebellion in Münster and their dead bodies were displayed in these cages to make examples of. Definitely a weird sight to see outside of a church!
DUISBURG – Dusiburg had the largest Santa statue I had ever seen, who apparently prefers to have his dental work done in ghetto-gold!
INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA – Innsbruck is such a pretty town, nooked in a valley and surrounded by the Nordkette mountain range. Every corner seems to have another beautiful winter view.
Innsbruck is also home to a 13 meter/42.5 foot Christmas tree made of 170,500 Swarovski crystals! It was hard to determine what was more stunning: the tree, the scenery, or the weather!
OBERAMMERGAU – We fell in love with Oberammergau during our first visit in September of this year. Returning during Advent just confirmed how charming this little town is. I mean, how quintessential is heading out in 18oF weather, with silver dollar snowflakes falling from the sky, snow crunching underfoot, to enjoy Glühwein around a bonfire and listen to musicians in Lederhosen play Christmas carols while Kris Kringle looks on? Yup…that’s just how perfect it is in Oberammergau!
However, there was something even more great about our visit to Oberammergau than darling Christmas markets in the Alps: we got to meet up with Joe’s missing “track buddy” from our Spain adventure.
Great fun for the entire crowd!!
The white on the right is the Oberammergau Ghost!!
AUGSBURG – The Hurricanes stormed Augsburg as well! The Church-tour might not have been successful, but the Glühwein-tour was!!
Go Canes!
NUREMBERG – My little sister was able to join us for Christmas and we were so excited to share the joy of German Christmas markets and Glühwein with her! I’m pretty sure she’s a fan!
She also did a great job toughing out a 6-hour, 90% German visit with our Nuremburger friends. I think she even picked up a few words!
MUNICH – She even got to try a glass full of Glühbier! Also a fan!
EUROPA PARK – An adventure to Europa Park was never part of our original plans, but it ended up being an awesomely fun surprise for all three of us! I can’t remember the last time I was on a roller coaster, or a flying version of da Vinci’s pedaled “airplane”! Every single inch of Europa Park was covered in holiday decorations, lights, trees, and LOTS of presents!! If an evening at Europa Park doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit…well, then…bah humbug to ya.
So, that wraps up our last Christmas in Germany. Next year we’ll be back in the good ole‘ US of A. Wir sind echt traurig, dass unser letzter Weihnacht schon vorbei ist. Aber trotzdem wünschen wir euch einen frohen Weihnachten und ein schönes neues Jahr!
