Salzburg, Austria

We had a wonderful trip in Salzburg this Christmas and I thought I would share some of the city's photos with you. Salzburg is the home of Mozart, but it should also be noted that Salzburg is the site of "The Sound of Music", one of my all time favorites. FYI, TJ never saw it until we arrived and it played in English on a loop on its own channel. Of course the Hollywood version wasn't historically accurate, but I still loved to come upon some of the sites.
We started our official tour on the third day we were there as we were tied up snowboarding and decided to do a walking tour from one of our guide books rather than take a formal tour. Maybe next time we will take a formal one, and go when it is much warmer!
The first site was one of the cities oldest buildings dating back to 800 AD. It is the pink church below, St. Michaels, and sits on a square where the first people settled during Roman Salzburg.

One of our favorite sites was St. Peter's Church, along with its gorgeous cemetary. Here Tut and I are out in front of the church...

The cemetary was certainly a bright spot, although we would love to see it when the gardens are in bloom. It is very well kept and was the inspiration for the Hollywood setting where the von Trapp's hid from the Nazis...although this cemetary does not sit in the convent as the film shows. There are also quarters carved out of the large rock wall. There is a claim that midevil hermit monks once lived in the rock itself. Very cool.

The Salzburg Cathedral is also very gorgeous and was the site where Mozart was baptized and then, years later, he was employed as the organist for two years.

Hohensalzburg Fortress is something you can see from all over the city as it sits on a very steep and high hill. It was never really used or armed, as it didn't need to be until Napoleon came and took the city. It was originally meant to intimidate others from attacking it, and wasn't for thousands of years before Napoleon. Now it is used as a tour site and a place for open-air concerts.

Yep, we climbed up. Not an easy feat for one girl who was very sore from boarding! I promise it was a very steep climb. But here is a great view...

And here is a view of the city from the fortress wall. Pretty, huh?

We took a different way down...one that led to the Nonnberg Abbey where Frauline Maria once served. It is really pretty! On the way we saw these paintings in the rocks...

Of course, as fate would have it...the battery died and I have zero pictures of the Abbey!!! Huge bummer. But there is a great little chapel in there that I cannot describe as it is very unique and beautiful.

The von Trapp's might be tops to me, but Mozart is the big guy here. There is a square named after him, with a giant statue of him in the middle. Here it is...

That afternoon (after a great lunch that included an open-face and oven baked baguette sandwich), we toured his family's residence house. It was pretty cool, and FYI his family had plenty of money. Then that night we attended a concert (Mozart music) at Mirabell Castle. It was dark, so the exterior photos ddn't turn out, but here is a look at some of the interior...

And another...

And then here one last shot before we headed back to the hotel...me in front of one of the statues.

It was a great trip! We will probably go back to see it in the summer when it is warmer and greener. Some other close attractions are the Eagle's Nest, the Berchtesgaden salt mines, and Konigsee.

We leave for Ireland tomorrow and I still have our snowboarding blog to do, but it will have to wait until the new year. Until next time, Auf Wiedersehen!

A Salzburg Christmas

We had a very Merry Christmas and hope you all did as well! Salzburg is fantastic! It is a beautiful town that has an amazing feeling at this time of year. It is also unseasonably warm here, so there is no snow, but there are a ton of people out enjoying the city. We are actually doing more in the town tomorrow, including a classical Christmas concert (Mozart's music of course) and taking some tours. Here is a beauty of a photo that we took on Christmas Eve. Isn't it festive? The Salzburger Weihnachtsmarkt was also finishing up that night, so we joined in the festivities...and the Gluhwein! Here is a picture of some of the decorations in the old part of the city near the markets.

After a long walk through the city, we headed back to our hotel before dinner to open the gifts we got eachother. We didn't have a tree here, but it didn't seem to matter as we had a good time anyhow. We opened some family gifts as well, but our favorites were from eachother. The next picture I am posing wearing two gifts given to me by my hubby. He gave me some new Oakley snowboarding goggles, and a Jack Wolfskin fleece (don't worry Northface I am not cheating on you, I promise). I love both!

I LOVE giving gifts, even more than receiving them, and have been waiting patiently for weeks for TJ to open his gift. That would be tickets to The Killers concert in Dusseldorf, Germany in March! FYI, buying concert tickets here is not as easy as in the US. There were hoops...lots of hoops.

Christmas just wouldn't have been the same without the entire family! Tut Anthony also made the trip and loved all of his gifts as well...thanks Grandma and Grandpa! Here he is with a toy we gave him, the fuzz is now missing from it.

After gifts we had a wonderful "TJ and Annie style" Christmas dinner out. Yes, I am sure Joseph and Mary had some sort of sushi the night Christ was born...

Honestly it was delicious and matched the wonderful evening we were already having. The dinner led to another Christmas gift for me. Ready? The waitress told me I spoke wonderful German!!!! I can live on that one until next year!

Christmas day and today we spent snowboarding in the Austrian Alps near Salzburg. It was so much fun, and we have great pictures as well as videos of my bad ass husband to share within the next days. Until then,

Auf Wiedersehen!

Heiligabend

The title of the blog means Christmas Eve to us, but translated in German it means "Holy Night", and I wish all of you a very blessed one! TJ's bag finally came last night around 7:15 and then we flew out of the house and headed to Mannheim for the market's last night. It was so busy, and even if I had remembered my camera, there were too many people to even get a good picture. We had our last bit of Market Gluhwein for the season and some street food. It as nice, but a little chilly! The Mannheimer Market has two locations, one around the Wasserturm and another smaller more art filled one across from Engelhorn Sports. I like the smaller one better as the huts are filled with less trinkets and more art. The souvenir cups were even cute...porcelain boots with cute handles! Anyway it was fun, but now the market season is over. Sad but true!
In the next hour we will be heading to Salzburg to celebrate Christmas, and should have many pictures and stories to tell upon our return. Frohe Weihnachsten (Merry Christmas) everyone! And, Auf Wiedersehen!

Gorgeous Day

It is a beautiful day here in Mannheim for many reasons except one. Our car needs a whole new engine, so we are stuck with the luxury hooptie until next year (boo, hiss). Other than that it has been a wonderful day. First of all, it is a sunny 43 degree day here and I couldn't be happier about it. I went into the city center today to pick up some things and meet TJ for lunch and it was awesome. There are people everywhere shopping, people are playing music in the Quadrat, and the last day of the Mannheimer Weihnachtsmarkt is in full swing. I found myself wandering the Quadrat just looking at all things Christmas, and the best part, no snow! Sorry midwesterners...I know you are sitting pretty on a heap of snow in subzero weather, but I rarely am on the good end of the weather spectrum.
The best news of the day would be that TJ's bag was found and is arriving today, which is wonderful for me as there are many US goodies in there that TJ lugged back for me. Yes, one Christmas gift early for me! We leave tomorrow morning for Salzburg, but we decided to start the Christmas holiday early and join in the Mannheim Weihnachtsmarkt tonight. There should be many people there as no one is working this week, and it is the last night so we couldn't resist. I will try to have pictures and a blog to match for you to see before we take off tomorrow.
Auf Wiedersehen!

Poor TJ

Good Monday, Everyone! So I have a very boring weekend update for all of you as I spent much of it waiting to hear where my husband was from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. TJ took a two week tour of the US that turned into 16 days due to bad weather in the Midwest...I know, shocker, right? He started out in Chicago to hang with the guys; worked in Moline and visited the Kremer's; worked in Waterloo and saw my parents; went to San Diego for April's wedding; Aspen to snowboard with JD; and then to Nashville to visit his brother. He was supposed to leave Nashville Friday night, connect in Chicago and be here on Saturday about noon. It sure didn't happen that way. He did leave Nashville, but got stuck in O'Hare and didn't get home to me until 3:30 yesterday. Oh yes, and his bags are somewhere between the two continents. This is mostly a problem for me as he was bringing back our photo Christmas cards and they are in the bags. Sorry family and friends, you will not be receiving them until the New Year...we can just call them New Year cards, okay?
TJ was a mess and totally exhausted yesterday...he had no idea what the time was and if he was supposed to be tired or hungry. I am sure it was worth it as he said he had a great time, although he did find some things interesting! We had been warned by international HR about having different reactions to going home for visits and then repatrioting after our assignment. TJ only had a couple, thankfully! He said the lack of recycling bothered him, as well as driving. Here we recycle everything, and you rarely see paper cups or nonsense trash. I suppose we get used to that here as he really noticed the waste. And driving here is really different too. I don't really know how to explain it, I think you have to be over here driving for a while to notice. Since I haven't any plans to go back until October, I wonder if I will have similar reactions. Any way, hopefully he recovers by Wednesday morning as that is when we are to leave for Salzburg. Thats all from Deutschland! Auf Wiedersehen!

Some Friday Shout Outs

Well the weekend is almost here and I can't wait as my husband will be home and then our holiday season can finally begin! But that is not the lone reason why this weekend is worth celebrating. Many of you, especially those present at our wedding, know that TJ and I have really great friends and love them like family. I have had four very unbelievable friends since high school, actually two of them before that dating back to the 8th grade. The two I am referring to are Rebecca and Kelly and they are both celebrating important events tomorrow. So, I would like to give a very loud and special shout out to each of them.
Kelly's shout out is actually to both Kelly and her husband Jedd as he has been another friend of mine for years. They were married six years ago tomorrow, I can hardly believe their wedding was that long ago! I had wanted to picture them together on that day, however, sadly I have to admit that I only have paper photos of that day and they are still in the US. Sorry Jedd, I only have limited photos here, so this is my beautiful friend Kelly pictured with me and may she and her husband have a fabulous anniversary! On to the next celebratory shout out to my gorgeous and most fun friend, Rebecca! I love birthdays, and tomorrow Rebecca slides down the hill into her 30's. (FYI, I wouldn't have revealed her age if she hadn't on her own blog). Any way Bec, if I can find some absolute mandarin and some cranberry juice (we call them mans-n-crans, and it is Bec's signature drink) in this country, I will have one for you! I love you, girl, and have a very happy birthday!
This is a photo that was taken right before my move of the two of us with our mans-n-crans!

Don't I have pretty friends? I certainly think so!

Have a great weekend, everyone...Schones Wochenende and Auf Wiedersehen!

So Much For German Engineering...

I am in a little bit of a bad mood as I have been dealing with car problems since Monday. We have a brand new (4.5 weeks old and straight from the manufacturer) BMW 120d wagon and since Monday have had 2 catastrophic events that have interrupted my life. FYI, this kind of thing only happens when TJ is in other countries. For example, last year in Le Claire, Iowa every time it snowed enough where I needed to use a snowblower TJ was here in Germany. Any way we waited over two months for this car to be manufactured and now I have problems. It all started with my need to recycle glass bottles and pick up a liter of milk. To do this I drive to the market where I can do both...about three blocks away. When I get back I smell diesel petrol...but did I think anything of it, not yet. About an hour later I come out ready to go to the gym and it really smells...I look at the street and there lies a trail of diesel. My thoughts...oh shit. I get in the car and turn it on to quickly get out and check the undercarriage to find diesel running out under the engine! After a few calls it is determined that after 4:00 forget getting anyone to help you! This prompts me to call my husband in Aspen to which I hear, "what did you do to it?", clearly I did nothing...he even asked if I put gasoline in it instead of diesel...to which I say, "GIVE ME A LITTLE CREDIT"!
Tuesday. I need you all to remember what I said about customer service and how it doesn't exist. It does with BMW...unless you are trying to get someone on the phone! Finally I was at the end of the rope. I decided to screw the right channels and call service myself and to my dismay they wanted me to bring in the wagon. I was like hell no, with that much gas leaking in a smokers paradise like Germany...forget it! The guy mentioned something about a service mobile that could come to the house, but didn't know what to call it in English...don't worry I helped him out and said, "yeah, its called a service mobile". Did it stop there no, I had to call Munchen, where the factory is to declare why I needed it sent and then they make the arrangements. And now three hours of the day is wasted. Finally this man gets here and speaks zero english. I know what you are thinking, Annie Speaks some, well Annie doesn't know how to say jack about cars in German. We had a little problem. When I asked what the problem was after he fixed it he, said, "keine grosse problem". That would translate to not a big problem. Clearly, this is not to be the case. So it appears to be running fine.
Wednesday. I am ready to go to the monthly coffee with all the wives (about 9:15 am), and I am really looking forward to it and what happens...car trouble. It takes several attempts to start, and when it does it bounces around and emits an exhaust that fills the entire strasse (street). A few choice words later I am on the phone. Does anyone call me back, NO! So I send an email to the guy that handles the ex-pats at TJ's work to CMA and then call Munchen directly, yep, skipped the Mannheim branch completely. (I kind of went to that place that few have seen, except maybe Melissa, Jennifer, and Cindy in Augusta, where I clap the hands and curl the lip...Melissa it was just like the Target incident of 2006). Any way the same guy comes out and says something to the affect that it wasn't put together correctly. That's just fantastic! He calls it in and I am to wait for the truck guy. It is now 1 pm. The truck guy comes and speaks beautiful english and before he does anything he tells me that the street has to be cleaned, and that I am responsible. Whatever...if BMW hadn't given us a lemon maybe, but no. Street cleaner comes and he needs an insurance number. I don't have one as it exists through the company person who set all of this up, and I don't really care...its 1:30. The truck guy takes me to the dealership where I hear three men discussing the car and every other word is Munchen. Not good as TJ and I are going to Austria on Wednesday and need our car. So they offer me a rental and I say yes but it has to be automatic. Apparently in German that translates to I am difficult and an inadequate driver. Again I don't care it is after 2:00. Actually in all fairness, I did receive excellent customer service once I stepped inside the doors, but it took them forever to find an automatic....and once they found it they kept saying that this was the only automatic available...thanks, I get it. The rental car lady also explained that when it took longer than 6 days the rental agreement renews itself. I think she may have been alluding to the fact we are not getting it back soon. So what am I driving? The biggest freaking car ever! It certainly rivals the Buick my mom had when I was growing up...it is a giant BMW 5 series sedan. My neighbor had to come out to help me get it into my park platz! Let's just say I am not driving it unless I have to. All in all this mess took almost 6 hours yesterday! And those are hours I can never get back. Then something funny happened, I turned on slingbox and the first commercial I see is the VW one with Brooke Shields about people lusting over German engineering...whatever Brooke, not this gal!
Through this mess I kept thinking of my inexpensive 2002 Saturn SL1 that I had one minor problem with in its 5th year. That car was amazing, certainly not fast or high performing, but reliable! She drove from Arizona to Iowa once, Georgia to Iowa once, and Georgia to Missouri twice. So much for German engineering...I just hope GM is around when I get home in a couple of years, so I can drive a reliable car again!
Hopefully today will be better...Auf Wiedersehen!

3 Years Ago Today

Three years ago today, I received the best Christmas gift I could have ever asked for, and it keeps giving too. TJ picked out the best little dog for me, and now Tut Anthony is a permanent staple in our family. Here is a great picture of Tut the Christmas we got him in our house in Augusta (PS our Augusta house was my most favorite of all three). The story goes that TJ is allergic to most animals and this includes dogs...for me this a big problem as I grew up with them and need them in my life. Any how there are a few breeds that he could put up with and the Basenji (Tut's breed) was one of them. They are typically warm weather dogs that are very low allergenic because they shed minimally and don't have a saliva or dander problem. I had never heard of them, as most haven't, but TJ knew the breed as one of his high school friends had one. I told him I didn't care much what kind of dog we had as long as we could have one. So after the 2005 national championship game in Chattanooga, TN between UNI and App State (sadly UNI lost) we stopped off in Atlanta to take a peak at him. Of course we thought he was amazing and took him home with us (him and all the doggie delights per Pet Smart). I was driving and Tut curled right up in TJ's lap and relaxed the whole way to his new home! Here is a photo of him playing with his former favorite toy "Frog" the night we got home.

That was him three years ago...and this is him today at the ripe old age of almost 5...

Even though he has aged a little bit, he hasn't lost his puppy attitudes, and by puppy I mean naughtiness. Being naughty is certainly his deal, but it makes him funny! He is certainly an interesting dog and brings the entire family such joy. Just ask my mother...sometimes she misses Tut more than me! Through the years he has gained many nick names, Roo has been the one that sticks, but Naughty, Stinky, Tutter, Baby, and others have also been mentioned. We call him Roo because sometimes he does this thing where he digs...carpets, beds, back seats, and while gardening...and the only reason we think is for attention. Any way so we coined him Roo. Here is a video of TJ, Tut, and I in our bedroom in Augusta shortly after we got him. The video shows off his nick name, naughtiness, and of course me with bed head and no make-up. Enjoy!

He is a funny little guy! I should mention that even though the breed is unique there are some things to know about a basenji. First, they are not like your average dog. They are more cat-like, and have strong personalities. This breed is dependent upon the dog as to whether it would be good with kids or other animals, so make sure you do your homework before getting one. They do not bark, but are not quiet as they yodel and sound off a bit...but are extremely clean. Tut cleans himself before bed at night, and also whenever he feels dirty. He will also attempt to clean others if he feels they are dirty. For example, Ellie (my mom's dog) had an eye that produced a lot of sleepy stuff (she is half blood hound so this is normal). Tut felt it was his responsibility to keep it clean. Also, our dog is very social, but most are rather aloof...so don't be offended if you come upon one and they don't care about you. And they are fast! I love watching Tut at a paw park as he usually out runs every dog there in a game of chase.

We adopted Tut from his breed's rescue, and went through somewhat of a process including a home visit. With this breed especially it is important to understand the breed for you and the dog. Why? We were Tut's fourth home. He started with a breeder who abused him and then took him to the pound. The next was a family on a chicken farm. FYI you can't have a basenji on a farm with active animals...he is a sight hound and a hunter and will kill them on instinct. Then he went to a single red neck man in south Georgia who hit him and Tut bit back...that got him a first class ticket back to the rescue. And now he has finally found a permanent home. I can only be thankful for his experience with moving as it has been easier for us to take him to new places...he has already been to two other countries besides the US and will soon visit another! It took a lot of training and lots of love, but he has come full circle!

We love our little guy, and for those of you who want to know more you can contact the BRAT rescue at http://www.basenjirescue.org/. There are pictures and bios listed.

Thanks for letting me share our 3 year anniversary with you! Auf Wiedersehen!

The Dry Cleaner

Here in Germany, customer service is less than desirable in every situation that I have been put in, especially when eating in a restaurant. But on occasion you can find a really good thing...and I have with the Seckenheim dry cleaner. The day after we moved into our house I had to take a bunch of clothes into town as TJ had been living in a hotel for a month and needed some clean clothes. I spoke almost ten words in German at this point, and the man that owns the business was very nice and understanding. So nearly every week since I have visited the shop and have conducted business, but also have enjoyed a little conversation. He knows that I am learning the language and has helped with my speech. Since I have finished he refuses to speak English, and won't let me either...if I say something incorrectly he helps by correcting me. I love going there! And more importantly he loves my dog, he always greets me and then comes around the counter to greet Tut. I should of known...he's a dog person, he must be good people!
Auf Wiedersehen

Weekend Update

My husband has been in the US, so I spent the weekend flying solo. Not much happened as after my two day trips on Thursday and Friday as I was a little tired. Friday night Tut and I went for a long walk and then stayed in. Saturday called for a long workout, which felt great...but not so much on Sunday when I was sore! Saturday night was very fun as one of TJ's co-workers took me to an improve comedy show. It was supposed to be in English, but it ended up mostly being in German. Thank God I took that long language class or I would have understood NOTHING! I couldn't understand everything ...they were talking too fast for me...but I did understand enough where it was still funny. After that we went to a "mexican" restaurant in the zentrum which was pretty good for Germany. Sunday was low key and consisted of a lot of laundry.
TJ was in Moline working and then headed to San Diego for his cousin's wedding. Congratulations, April and Evan! TJ said it was very nice and April looked amazing. I am not surprised...she is normally very beautiful! Then he spent all day yesterday getting to Aspen to snowboard with his best bud, JD. I am most jealous about this stop on his grand US tour, as I miss Jess and JD and would love to hang out and have "sippers" and cups of "hat chyacky" with Jess! Maybe T will send pictures that I can post so you all can what he was up to on his trip.
Speaking of trips...I booked another one on Friday...we have added another to our holiday season. Some friends of ours from Augusta will be Europe for Christmas and New Year's, so we have decided to go and meet them in Dublin for the New Year. I haven't seen them since Augusta...about a year and a half ago so it will be really fun to see them! Also, Ireland was on my top 5 places to visit while we were here...so I can't wait!
This week I am planning to blog about a special anniversary, why I love the dry cleaner, and my ex-pat coffee. Bis Morgen (until tomorrow)...Auf Wiedersehen!

Strasbourg, France Marche de Noel

The Strasbourg Christmas Market has been going on since the mid 1500s and is the largest in France. Hazel and I could not pass this one is only an hour and a half from us. Strasbourg is a very cool town, but the Christmas Market is really something. The bulk of it surrounds the Cathedral of Notre Dame in the center of the city. Here is a photo of the massive church in the center. There are a ton of huts and people as well as another sweet little ice rink with festive music and decorations. Hazel and I spent hours there today. It really feels like Christmas and makes you want to shop...even though it was entirely too cold. And that is exactly what we did! Here are a couple of pictures of the market itself...

This one is a picture of a square just off the shoppong district that has a fun ride area for kids. I love the architecture in this town. It is also much bigger than I had expected.

We had lunch at a really cute french cafe and also endulged in the local treat of the holiday season pictured below...

Yes I know it looks like a nipple, but is actually a chocolate mousse filled bell. Yummy, much better than the schneeball from yesterday. I would actually love to see the market, and the city at night as each passage way of the city center is decorated differently and I am sure lights up beautifully. Next year I may take TJ and stay the night to get into the social aspect of this market. It is a very busy place, so if you do go make sure to be ready to wait in line for some popular items. Also, even though you might hear that this is mostly a German town simply located in France, french is definitely the language and most do not speak much english.

So far I have been to three markets, Heidelberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Strasbourg. I would like to get to Mannheim and Schwetzingen in the next week to see what they are like.

As for this weekend, it looks like homework and workouts. The bright spot would be an invitation I received from German friends to go to an improv show tomorrow night that is being performed in english. It should be fun! I will let you know on Monday...Schones Wochenende and, Auf Wiedersehen!

Rothenburg ob der Tauber Weihnachtsmarkt

Hazel and I, along with my wonderful dog Tut, went to Bavaria to the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber today to check out their Christmas Market. It did not disappoint! Here is a quick snapshot of one of my festive travel companions. It certainly felt like Christmas in Bavaria as the snow was beautiful and covered most everything. Rothenburg ob der Tauber's old city, or Altstadt, is so cool as it is surrounded by an old wall and has a midevil feel once inside. This is also where you will find the Markt Platz and their adorable Weihnachtsmarkt. We went to the edge of the wall to capture the view below. Check it out...so pretty!

The huts in this town are so cute as they have red interiors, lights, and evergreen draped around them. This one also has a non-Charlie Brown looking tree in its center. In this picture you can see it, along with the old Rathaus (city hall) on the left, and some huts.

Here is a different view of the cute cobblestone streets. The shops here are really festive...even though they aren't in the Market Platz they are completely dressed for the season, inside and out. This place is painted everything Christmas! FYI, there are also 2 Kathe Wohlfahrt stores in the area and they are amazing. A very special 4 of my readers may even be receiving something beautiful and Kathe Wohlfahrt in the Post very soon! Hint, Hint!

After strolling about the Altstadt for a few hours, we decided to catch some lunch at a very cute Italian cafe. Reason number 344 of why I love Germany is that Tut can go anywhere with us and behaves beautifully, even in a warm restaurant with savory food! For those of you who can't believe that he didn't care about us...even when eating...check out this photo of him minding his own business!

After lunch in addition to shopping, we decided to take part in something special to this market, the schneeball. In english it simply means snowball, and it is a pastry filled with who knows what and is huge. We were actually too full to consume it, but this is what the chocolate one looks like...

Aside from the market, the Altstadt is really old and charming. I decided to snap a couple for you to see how adorable it is. This one is a fork in the road with the cutest house I have ever seen, and an old tower in the background.

This one is as we were leaving. I mentioned that there is a wall around the old part, and this is part of it. Neat, huh?

If you love Christmas and the feel of the holiday season, then you should definitely come here. There is one person that I know of that loves Christmas and the season unconditionally...Rebecca you must visit at this time next year. We will come to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and you will be further enchanted. For anyone else, you are always welcome! Tomorrow, Hazel and I (minus Tut) will travel to France to the Strasbourg market. I will be sure to let you know how it is!

Auf Wiedersehen!

It all comes back to Heidi...

In Europe, in all the places I have been this fall and winter, their are a couple of trends that everyone seems to get on board with and I kinda like it too. The first...scarves. Since September everyone has had a scarf around their neck and all seem very fashionable. The next major trend for women is tall boots (without a heel, more than with a heel). People wear anything with them and most of the time it works, but most wear skinny jeans inside of the boots. This could be a smart trend too as winter here seems to mean wet, and this is a great way to save the bottoms of your pants and have dry socks. Okay so, I have never been a skinny jeans kind of girl, but I need them here, so a whats a girl to do besides to go shopping. And the story begins...
I have gone shopping before, but I can't seem to find jeans that fit me well here and the brands are not exclusive of what you would find in the US, example: no Joes Jeans. Also, just go ahead and figure you might be a size bigger here in certain stores. This especially goes for short girls with a small waist an hips and muscular legs. Any way, I was told by a friend that I should go to the top of one of the department stores in the Zentrum as they have some designer brands that I would recognize...the down side is that I would pay for it. So my thought was I will go and try on a brand I know and then have TJ pick me up the same jeans in the US for much less. Good idea, right? The shock value of the price of 7 jeans about made me fall over. At Von Maur, I can get a pair for 140-150 USD...here I can them for around 190-200 EUR-conversion is 246-260 USD. I know, ridiculous! And then some of you might think it is ridiculous to pay the US rate, and now it should be said...designer jeans are more expensive because each pair of the same size fits differently and when you find a pair that fits perfectly (which is rare) you can never put a price tag on that. Oh yes and I can tell you that I bought my first pair circa 2002 and I still have them and wear them.
So here is what happened in the store...My sales associate spoke fluent English, which is very good, and knew what I wanted so she brought me a bunch of different brands of jeans. BTW, the only two I recognized were Citizens and 7s. So I find a pair that I fall in love with of a brand I have never heard of, which thankfully are much more inexpensive than the brands I knew. So I am done and going to purchase when she brings me another pair to try on. So I take the pair of jeans and look at the brand and price. I ask her, "Do these jeans sell in this department?", and confused she replies, "Yes, of course". People, she handed me Jordache jeans for 120 EUR!!!! Come on, Jordache jeans are far from designer unless suddenly all things sold at Kmart appreciated by 500%! So because I was stunned and a little embarrassed I tried them on. Apparently Jordache jeans sold here are made for children as I could barely get my big toe in them. And not quality denim...you know what I mean when I say they could stand up by themselves. Okay, so it gets better...She comes back and I am ready to check out with my other jeans and she asks, "My manager and I would like to know how much you could buy these jeans for in the US". Quickly I apologize to her and play the I am an American so therefore I am rude and unpleasant role. She presses on and I tell her, "I am not for certain, but I believe that if you have $50 you may be able to buy 2 pair at the discount stores in America". I am honest, and was not bitchy in the least. She about fell over and said, "Well these are new to this department as Heidi Klum redesigned the entire line". Of course I told her how much I loved Heidi and hoped the line would become more successful because of it, and offered that Americans (which there are a lot of) would not pay almost 150 dollars for Jordache. I also said I thought they were cute, which they kind of are. The result...I think that those jeans may be relocated in the store.
It was certainly an experience! The moral of story...during this awful time of financial crisis, if you need a new pair of jeans and you only have about $25, just remember you can run to Kmart and pick up a pair of Jordache and be perfectly fashionable in Germany!
Auf Wiedersehen

Heidelberger Weihnachtsmarkt

Last night I received an invitation from my friend Hazel and her man Wilhelm to go to the Heidelberg Christmas Market. It is so cute! This was primarily a social trip to the Market as at night most people come out for the Gluhwein (hot, spiced red wine) rather than the shopping huts. FYI, I have decided that my favorite Gluhwein flavor is amaretto. If I could figure out how to make it, I would bring it back for a holiday festivity upon our return. This is a picture of Hazel and I drinking this wonder out of special mugs. Each market will have mugs that you pay a deposit for and then use for the night. If you choose to return them then you get your 2 EUR back, if not then you can take it home. I liked this one so I kept it! It was special because it has the name and the year on the mug along with cute illustrations of Heidelberg. I love how the Germans do not waste...you will not find a disposable plastic cup anywhere!
The Heidelberg Market has three areas in three different platz, so if you go, don't just stop at the first one you come upon. This photo is the platz next to the really old church. You can't miss it!

I liked the one on the Markt Platz the best as it was a bit more romantic for me. It is sort of at one end and under the castle (which didn't turn out due to lighting). Isn't it pretty and simply adorable?

Of course my favorite part of the Markt Platz is the sweetest little ice rink with curtains of strung lights behind it. I wish I would have brought my skates!

Hazel and I have decided to take ourselves on the road this week to a couple different markets in driving distance to shop and check them out, so I will have more to show by weeks end.

Auf Wiedersehen!

My Little Tree

I wasn't going to do a tree this year as TJ will see it for only a few days until we leave for Salzburg and then a little after until the Epiphany (when the catholics take down the tree). Then I realized that I love Christmas and was going to be here, so I bought a small fake tree for Tut and I to look at. Cute, huh? TJ and I left all of our Christmas stuff in storage as we didn't think we would have anywhere to store it...boy we were wrong! I almost got a real tree (so we wouldn't have to take a fake one back) and then remembered that I don't like live plants in the house, and the thought of shedding pine needles all over the floor might send me to the moon! So here we have it...our German mini tree. It will be a nice addition to our others once we get back to the States. So that is what I did this weekend...finished Christmas shopping, wrapped gifts, and put up a minature tree. TJ, what do you think?
This week I will be blogging about my jeans shopping adventure (which was very funny), how much I love the dry cleaner, and Christmas Markets. Until tomorrow...
Auf Wiedersehen

Rome Necessities

After going to Rome there are certain things that I would not be without when traveling there. I have decided to compile a list to help those of you who haven't gone so you can be prepared. This list might actually help in any city as you travel through Europe...so these are the things you should take:

1. A city map. I would have one complete with train information as well. TJ and I both had one and used them all the time. I would have one before hand and then also pick up another one at the airport as that one does have the train info. If you dare to take a taxi on your own, you may get ripped off...make sure and ask how much it costs before accepting the ride. I'd get a train map. The one at the airport is free.

2. Fantastic walking shoes. Yes Rome is a fun and trendy place where high heels are fashionable, BUT the next day will be miserable if you wear bad shoes. I would recommend two pairs and alternate them. I did this with my Born flats and my totally comfortable Keen mary janes and had no pain or soreness. What most of you may not know is that there are the strangest giant smooth cobble stones all throughout the city, and walking there is not like walking anywhere else. Save you feet, bring comfy shoes!

3. A camera. For obvious reasons, and if you can take along your own personal photographer as I did it can make the trip even better!

4. A sling pack. I stole this idea from Mel and Whittle when they were at Oktoberfest with us. it is a backpack with only one strap and it goes over your head. It is perfectly comfortable and handy. Also, pick pockets run rampid through the city and it can be a safety precaution. For those of you in Mannheim, I purchased mine at Engelhorn Sports. They only have two on the 4th floor. Mine was a Jack Wolfskin, the cheaper version at 40 EUR. It is worth every penny!

5. An umbrella. Our weather was beautiful one minute and a downpour at others. If you forget yours it is okay, I picked mine up at a street vendor for 10 EUR. And you can easily put it in the sling pack when you don't need it.

6. An empty suitcase. It is a shoppers paradise if you like that sort of thing. TJ and I boosted the Italian economy a little, buying things for ourselves and others for Christmas. Things seem to be much more inexpensive there and great quality!

7. An empty stomach. The food is crazy good! We ate and drank our weight in Italian food and wine, and looked forward to every meal. Walking the city creates quite an appetite...and don't skimp. The best way to do it is to do every course and take a long while to eat. Tipping...is not necessary as we were told, but if you receive good service or they know you are an American and tip, 10% is considered wonderful.

It is also best to have the tours booked that you want to take before hand, as in some big cities they may already be booked or they may need a few day lead time. I hope this helps all of you future travelers!
Our next big trip is Christmas and we are going to Salzburg, Austria for 4 nights. It will be a mix of city exploring (which I heard is amazing) and snowboarding. This one should come up quick...Christmas Eve is only 19 days away! As for the days in between while TJ is in the US, I will be trying to hit various Christmas Markets (in Germany they are called Weihnachts Markt) in the area. For sure the local ones, and then maybe some day trippers. I will keep you posted!
For now I will wish you Schones Wochenende (have a good weekend)!
Auf Wiedersehen!

The Vatican

As a catholic and catholic school attendee, going to Vatican is kind of a big deal. The only thing bigger might be to go to Croatia and do the whole Medjagori pilgrimage- which isn't necessarily out of the realm of possibilities considering our location. Any who, it was pretty impressive and the thing that surprised me the most was the amount of art in its galleries. The weather held out for us until the end which was nice as we were at times going in and out of buildings.
For those of you who don't know, the Vatican is its own independent state and surrounded by a huge wall. Here is one of the entrances to the museum. FYI, go with a tour group or you can wait for hours in a line to get in. After you go through endless security, you go into a courtyard area to learn about the Sistine Chapel. They do this because no one is to take pictures or video and it is supposed to be silent once inside the Sistine Chapel. Of course it is not, but the security looks very serious and mean. In the courtyard they take you through the story of how Michelangelo came to pain the ceiling and then how he was asked back to The Judgement Painting on the altar wall.

This is a picture of The Judgment (ofc ourse this is just a poster in the courtyard). This painting is huge and takes up an entire wall. It took Michelangelo 6 years to complete. I liked it better than the ceiling which took him 4 years and is the story of Genesis from his point of view.

There is very long hallway that connects the palaces and displays a ton of art from tapestries to statues and mosaics. Check out the ceiling on this one...

After the gallery, you enter into a series of "apartments" that were painted by period painters. One of which was Raphael. This is an amazing painting of his take on a conversation between Plato and Aristotle. Their faces are those of famous painters.

He also painted an entire apartment from bottom all the way to the top. It was amazing!

After the Sistine Chapel, which was much different than I had envisioned, comes this very old hall as you make your way to the Basillica of St. Peter.

St. Peter's is absolutely ridiculous! I wasn't ready for it being so magestic and amazing. This is just the front entry area, before you enter.

Oh yes, and there are Cardinals everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Quick story...so my husband was Mr. Photography and lagged behind the group quite a lot (it was a little annoying at times but very much worth it). Well we were going through the doors and I was looking back for him to make sure he was there and I smacked right into a Cardinal. Yep, right into him!!! I already made my penance with the Our Fathers, and Hail Marys... so I think I still have a chance. Any ways aside from embarrassment, we are all okay. Here is a look at a few (but not the one I was just talking about).

The church is amazing, as you can see...

There are statues and marble, mosaics and tombs. There is so much to see!

And this is what it looks like from the outside...

One of the works of Michelangelo is in there and was my favorite...The Pieta. It was a sculpture he did out of alabastor marble when he wasnin his early 20s. It is completely surrounded by bullet proof glass and is gorgeous!

I also love the square where St. Peter's stands. It is huge and beautiful, with 284 columns surrounding the piazza and an obelisk in the center. The top floor on the far right is the Pope's residence and he goes to the window at noon every Sunday to bless those below. Pretty cool!

After we did the Vatican in the morning, we went back to Imperial Rome to see the tomb of the unknown soldier at the Vittorio. Yes, those are semi-automatic weapons and there are many rules. No leaning or sitting...anywhere, no animals. no eating, and no noise...to name a few. Here it is...

Rome is fabulous. Great food, shopping, history, and fun. Go there and you will not regret it! I hope you have enjoyed the summary of our trip.

Auf Wiedersehen