Category Archives: Germany

Tiny Worlds

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Our theme at Snapshots Around the World this week is Reflection.  It's actually been a personal theme of mine for a few weeks now.   An article I read recently made the point that if you take the obvious shot, chances are it's been taken countless times already.  Now, if you are traveling, you are going to want the obvious shots anyway for memory keeping's sake.  Still, it's a good visual exercise to also look for less obvious perspectives.  

A good for instance was this pipe we passed while wandering around waiting for my husband's race to finish.  It was a rainy day and I just caught this pipe out of the corner of my eye.  It stuck straight out of the ground and was full of rain water. 

Dec 2011 tree pipe reflection web

Looking closer I realized it also contained a perfect teeny tiny image of the very large tree it sat under. 

Dec 2011 tree pipe reflections close web

We'd love to see what you notice this week.  Come play along! 

Eating Out(side)

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Normally we travel cheap.  They way this shakes down typically is that we pick a destination within a few hours of home, surf online and print out the history of the sites we will see, and pack lunches.  We make a day of it and see all we can in that time.  The reward for long car rides and trekking up and down cobblestones and in and out of churches is a treat from an outdoor vendor or bakery late the day. 

Eating out lately….

sit

Coffee

chneeballen
heidelberg

 

sucre

Some kind of deadly deep fried cake fries from the "sucre" stand in Luxembourg.

luxembourg

Grillwurst, also known as why they prefer to travel on any day besides Fridays. 

trier
You would not believe all the things you can adhere to a pretzel – nuts, frosting, sprinkles, cheese, meat pieces…..

pretzel

berliner
Ahhhh the beloved Berliner which our German teacher pronounces "Bay-LEEN-uh"  Brendan just calls it good. 

koln

koln
If you have a whole bunch of boys you may know why I have to snap these signs wherever we go.  I think I have mentioned before how easily amused this bunch is. <g>  

Pardon our potty talk. 

4711

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I don't know why I never put two and two together, but the city of Cologne and the perfume didn't connect for me until our recent visit.  As it turns out Eau de Cologne is not in fact French, but German.  The formula was originally given as a wedding gift from a Carthusian monk to a young businessman.  He set up shop in Cologne and used the building number "4711" to name the scent.  

This story had come to light before we visited Cologne.  While wandering the city I was thrilled to stumble upon the store which still bottles the original scent.  We had to stop and check it out.  I travel better with Fun Facts at the ready. ; ) 

4711

 

cologne

4711

Three Kings

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Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, when we celebrate the Magi who brought gifts to the Christ Child.  When I was little the thing I remembered most about the Magi was that they came from "Orien-tar". <g>  In our home, the day is usually commemorated with the same song, crown cake, and stories.  Since living in Germany, we now have more stories to share. 

In the Cathedral of Cologne (Köln) there is a magnificent gold reliquary which holds the bones of the Three Kings, which were brought originally to Constantinople and then in 344 to Milan, and finally in the12th century sent to Cologne.  The reliquary was constructed by the famed goldsmith, Nicholas of Verdun, in 1180 and is considered the largest reliquary in the world. 

reliquary

The history of the cathedral is intertwined with the relics.  It was due in part to the steady stream of pilgrims over the years that the cathedral was enlarged to it's current size.  

Our other Magi fun fact this week was discovered on a trip to Trier, a city whose history also dates back to Constantine. Near the Haupt Markt you can see the Dreikönigen Haus, the house of the Three Kings, so named for it's "Moorish" design. 

three kings haus

The house has a door on the second level which served as an entrance – by way of ladder which could be pulled up for security reasons if needed.  Today the lower level houses a coffee shop. 

three kings haus

Silvester

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One of the things I love about Germany is that the festivals and holidays are still referred to by their liturgical names.  You may or may not be a Catholic, but if you're here you probably know when St. Andrew's feast day is, or the second weekend in advent and so on because the signage for events often leaves out actual dates but will just name the feast day.

 Silvester – named for Pope Sylvester I – is one of those events, and everyone here knows that is New Year's Eve.  It is also the date of an annual 10k.  Those 10 kilometers  brought my husband's total miles run in 2011 to 1000.   The boys and I went to cheer him on. Very cool.  

(I think I say that alot.)  

10k 1
10k 2

Kaffee und kuchen.  Not sure if Runner's World is up to speed on this yet but cheesecake seems to top the list of pre-race, carb loading choices here. : ) 

3

table
Jan
10k
start
cane

Likewise, there was no free water afterwards, as is the American race norm, but rather hot tea all around.  And a lot of steam from hot runners on a really chilly morning.

10k

Speaking of hot runners….. ; ) 

10k
Did I say that, or was I just thinking it?  <g>

Anyway, it wrapped up just as the sky opened and buckets of rain fell.  Half and hour earlier it wouldn't have been pretty.  As it was, it was perfect. 

Snapshots of Heidelberg

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on a blustery day downtown….

pigeon

I find myself short on words these days.  They are there to be sure, but tend to remain tucked away, mulled over, prayed over, dreamed on, and blanketed snugly in my heart.

address

Our days have been full of images like these.

skaters
hard rock

forrest

face
carousel
galeria
and yes, I dream in black and white very often : ) 

 

Frohe Weihnachten

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It is late on Christmas Eve and very loud in our house and I wouldn't have it any other way.   Nine of the ten kids are under my roof at this moment.  Ten, if you count the young man who is like family who is joining us for Christmas.  

cupcake

There have been movies and debates about football, remembering days gone by and talks about plans for those to come.  There has been a lot of wrapping and a little bit of cookie making.  I have a full fridge but nothing made for Christmas dinner.  But that's ok.  There are lots of capable hands and it will all happen one way or another. 

tree
There have been many hours logged in the car driving to and from the airport, to and from the grocery store, running in and out of gift stores.  While I normally detest running it is different these days.  The children we used to live with are no longer that.  They are grown and fascinating. They make me laugh and make me think.  The hours and errands have passed so delightfully with them along. I cannot imagine being blessed with better friends. 

mushroom
This year especially, after much separation and challenge, I am grateful for the gift of family.  I hope you are smiling with yours, wherever you may be.

Frohe Weihnachten!