Saturday, December 28, 2013
December's Adventure: Day 1, Part 2; Haus der Nachhaltigkeit Christmas Market
After spending time together in Frankfurt, I drove my cousins back to Kaiserslautern. We took a much-needed short nap at my house before our evening trip to the Haus der Nachhaltigkeit's Christmas market in the woods.
The Haus der Nachhaltigkeit, or House of Sustainability (which I'll refer to for the rest of this as the "Haus"), is a nature center, of sorts, located in Trippstadt, which is twenty minutes south of Kaiserslautern. For the last ten years the Haus has celebrated its "Romantische Waldweihnacht," or "romantic forest Christmas" on its grounds. It is truly a special Christmas market, quite different from most other German markets.
Offerings at this market are most often organic, handmade, and high quality. There are many local specialties, including some that are hyper local and put the focus on the forest: it's possible to eat venison and wild boar products made from animals from the very woods!
I used this market as an opportunity to introduce my cousins to the staple of German Christmas markets: glühwein, which is a hot, spiced wine (which also made many future appearances in our trip). Internally, I was a bit blasé about drinking more glühwein. I had some when I first moved to Germany, and it was overly sweet and tasted like it had cheap fillers in it. I didn't finish that first glass of it.
The glühwein at the Haus's Christmas market restored my faith in mulled wine. It was amazing! I think that the major difference is that this glühwein was a higher quality and was homemade by the winery selling it. Another bonus is that the supplying winery uses ökologisch growing techniques, which means that they are environmentally sound ways of growing the grapes (something along the lines of bio, or organic). It seemed like just wine with spices and no added "junk." My cousins loved it, too.
Warmed up by the glühwein and trying to stay focused (which the drink didn't help), I led us around the grounds where we checked out handcrafted Christmas decorations, handmade soaps, and other quality items. My cousin was hungry so I suggested that he try flammkuchen, which is a common and beloved dish in this region.
It was then that I witnessed some behavior that is somewhat out of character for what I have previously observed in the locals: one woman in line made small talk with us (usually people don't really talk to strangers in line) and another guy let my cousin know he wasn't in line properly but kindly showed him how to find his place. The fact that the line was being respected blew me away. Folks here don't usually queue here in an orderly fashion, if at all!
Really, it was like the whole event was somehow magically blessed with happy, smiling, and friendly people. After we had sat down to eat the flammkuchen, I told my cousins that I thought we might have been transported to another dimension instead of just into the forest. I'm not saying that the locals are mean or anything; it's just that people normally mind their own business and don't make small talk with strangers.
As we finished the flammkuchen, we realized that the market was closing up for the night. We reluctantly made our way back to the bus, which offered us a packed ride home with many enthusiastic older people who were a little silly, probably from drinking too much glühwein.
The Haus's Christmas market is, without a doubt, my favorite Christmas market that I have attended. I can't wait to go again next year. I will definitely go much earlier to give enough time to fully enjoy the market and to see some of the free shows that it hosts (such as fire spinners, brass bands, etc.).
Thursday, December 26, 2013
December's Adventure: Day 1, Frankfurt am Main
Saturday, December 14
On day one of our epic journey, I met my cousins M and D at the Frankfurt am Main airport to begin the trip. They were lucky enough to have direct flight in from Detroit (thank you, Delta!). As we were leaving the airport through the parking garage, they were immediately struck by the Fraunenparkplatz. Of course, it's not hard to miss at the airport because it's painted this crazy Pepto Bismol pink, maybe to drive home the fact that it's parking reserved for women.
The first order of business (in my mind, at least) was to ditch my car and get on the public transportation, which was available at the Stadion Park and Ride lot just a short drive from the airport. We grabbed a Gruppentageskarte, which allowed us to take the train into town and ride the public transportation in Frankfurt for one rate.
Our first stop was Römerberg and we visited the cozy (reproduction of the original) square. Since I have been to Frankfurt once before in the fall, I cheated and took my cousins through the same tour that I wrote about here, except I skipped Sachenhausen. I also started to tell them about the "very special" local drink, Apfelwein, talking about how the locals are so fond of it. M and D were keen to hear more about it. However, I don't want them to make the same mistake that I did and try to drink the bitter stuff so I came clean and told them that it doesn't taste good at all. Even my German colleague, who lives in the area, has agreed how unpleasant we find it. With a name like "apfelwein," it brings to mind a sweet, fruity wine. It's definitely not! It's a bitter cider. Be warned!
After we cleared up the mystery surrounding apfelwein, we enjoyed the Christmas market in the Römerberg square and then moved on to Paulskirche. I also mentioned that in the linked entry, Paulskirche is where the first constitution of Germany was written. Luckily for us, it was actually open that day so we took a look around inside. There are displays on the walls (in German and English) that tell the history of the building and the German struggle for democracy.
We continued with a visit to the Kleinmarkthalle and then on to the horror of all horrors: Primark on a Saturday. It's a clothing store chain that sells excellent warm leggings. I prepared my cousins and told them that my plan was to get in, grab some leggings and pay, and get the heck out. As I had expected, it was pure chaos but we managed to complete the errand (though I screwed up and bought tights instead of leggings, but they're still warm so it was okay).
After that, we were all quite worn out from our wanderings and my cousins were tired from jetlag. I attempted to get us back to the Park and Ride. Though I've visited Frankfurt before, I won't lie: I found the Hauptbahnhof incredibly confusing (am I just dumb, or do others find it that way, too?). It seems like I always stumble along, trying to find the U-Bahn within the confluence of the S-Bahn, buses, and long distance trains. Getting back to the Stadion stop is confusing, too, because of the number of lines that stop there and getting the right one that actually makes the stop. After fumbling around, I finally got us back and we drove to Kaiserslautern and took a much-needed nap so we could attend the House of Sustainability's Christmas Market in the forest. There is more about that to come...
On day one of our epic journey, I met my cousins M and D at the Frankfurt am Main airport to begin the trip. They were lucky enough to have direct flight in from Detroit (thank you, Delta!). As we were leaving the airport through the parking garage, they were immediately struck by the Fraunenparkplatz. Of course, it's not hard to miss at the airport because it's painted this crazy Pepto Bismol pink, maybe to drive home the fact that it's parking reserved for women.
The first order of business (in my mind, at least) was to ditch my car and get on the public transportation, which was available at the Stadion Park and Ride lot just a short drive from the airport. We grabbed a Gruppentageskarte, which allowed us to take the train into town and ride the public transportation in Frankfurt for one rate.
Our first stop was Römerberg and we visited the cozy (reproduction of the original) square. Since I have been to Frankfurt once before in the fall, I cheated and took my cousins through the same tour that I wrote about here, except I skipped Sachenhausen. I also started to tell them about the "very special" local drink, Apfelwein, talking about how the locals are so fond of it. M and D were keen to hear more about it. However, I don't want them to make the same mistake that I did and try to drink the bitter stuff so I came clean and told them that it doesn't taste good at all. Even my German colleague, who lives in the area, has agreed how unpleasant we find it. With a name like "apfelwein," it brings to mind a sweet, fruity wine. It's definitely not! It's a bitter cider. Be warned!
After we cleared up the mystery surrounding apfelwein, we enjoyed the Christmas market in the Römerberg square and then moved on to Paulskirche. I also mentioned that in the linked entry, Paulskirche is where the first constitution of Germany was written. Luckily for us, it was actually open that day so we took a look around inside. There are displays on the walls (in German and English) that tell the history of the building and the German struggle for democracy.
We continued with a visit to the Kleinmarkthalle and then on to the horror of all horrors: Primark on a Saturday. It's a clothing store chain that sells excellent warm leggings. I prepared my cousins and told them that my plan was to get in, grab some leggings and pay, and get the heck out. As I had expected, it was pure chaos but we managed to complete the errand (though I screwed up and bought tights instead of leggings, but they're still warm so it was okay).
After that, we were all quite worn out from our wanderings and my cousins were tired from jetlag. I attempted to get us back to the Park and Ride. Though I've visited Frankfurt before, I won't lie: I found the Hauptbahnhof incredibly confusing (am I just dumb, or do others find it that way, too?). It seems like I always stumble along, trying to find the U-Bahn within the confluence of the S-Bahn, buses, and long distance trains. Getting back to the Stadion stop is confusing, too, because of the number of lines that stop there and getting the right one that actually makes the stop. After fumbling around, I finally got us back and we drove to Kaiserslautern and took a much-needed nap so we could attend the House of Sustainability's Christmas Market in the forest. There is more about that to come...
December's Adventure: a Christmas market trip
Two weeks ago, my cousins from the US visited me in Germany. I was excited to see them; after all, they're always fun travel companions and they're my first visitors of family/friends from the US!
I arrange a whirlwind 8-day tour for us. Below is our itinerary. Most of our focus was on visiting Christmas markets in each town. As I get time, I'll blog about what we did in each city and add pictures.
Saturday: Since they arrived in Frankfurt am Main, that was our first stop. Without giving them pause to catch their breath, I drove us back to Kaiserslautern and went to the House of Sustainability's fantastic Christmas market in the woods.
Sunday: we took a trip to Heidelberg. Though I've been quite a few times in the last year, this time I played tourist, too. My friend lives there so normally I play the role of semi-local.
Monday: we took a trip to Strasbourg, France. It's less than two hours away from where I live and is quite pretty, too!
Tuesday: we made our way to Cologne and stayed there until Thursday morning. Our main focus was the cathedral, or Dom.
Thursday: we stopped in what I call the "chicken strip" part of the Netherlands (seriously, it's just a small strip of land!) to see the Valkenburg caves and the Christmas market inside. We then continued to Brussels and stayed there until Friday night.
Friday: we continued to Liège and stayed at a ridiculously bad hotel. On Saturday, we wandered around town and then concluded the trip with dropping my cousins off at the airport so they could fly home.
After all of this, I came home and slept for 10 hours on the evening of my return. I was tired!
I arrange a whirlwind 8-day tour for us. Below is our itinerary. Most of our focus was on visiting Christmas markets in each town. As I get time, I'll blog about what we did in each city and add pictures.
Saturday: Since they arrived in Frankfurt am Main, that was our first stop. Without giving them pause to catch their breath, I drove us back to Kaiserslautern and went to the House of Sustainability's fantastic Christmas market in the woods.
Sunday: we took a trip to Heidelberg. Though I've been quite a few times in the last year, this time I played tourist, too. My friend lives there so normally I play the role of semi-local.
Monday: we took a trip to Strasbourg, France. It's less than two hours away from where I live and is quite pretty, too!
Tuesday: we made our way to Cologne and stayed there until Thursday morning. Our main focus was the cathedral, or Dom.
Thursday: we stopped in what I call the "chicken strip" part of the Netherlands (seriously, it's just a small strip of land!) to see the Valkenburg caves and the Christmas market inside. We then continued to Brussels and stayed there until Friday night.
Friday: we continued to Liège and stayed at a ridiculously bad hotel. On Saturday, we wandered around town and then concluded the trip with dropping my cousins off at the airport so they could fly home.
After all of this, I came home and slept for 10 hours on the evening of my return. I was tired!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas from Germany!
For those who celebrate, enjoy the day.
In Kaiserslautern, I enjoyed a leisurely day of a late wake-up and cooking a pasta dish to take to my friend's gathering. It was 54 degrees F and raining. Thanks to my friend's hospitality, we had a nice holiday despite the gray Christmas.
In Kaiserslautern, I enjoyed a leisurely day of a late wake-up and cooking a pasta dish to take to my friend's gathering. It was 54 degrees F and raining. Thanks to my friend's hospitality, we had a nice holiday despite the gray Christmas.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
American food in other countries: Dresden, Germany
As we were shopping in Dresden, we came across Beyond the Pond, a cute little store that sells imported British and American foods. On the American end, there was plenty of our TexMex style foods. Of course, as imports, they were significantly more expensive than they are in the US.
The British portion includes things like Walker's crisps, British bacon, etc.There are books, craft beers, and wine too.
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| 2,30 euros; in the US the Old El Paso taco seasoning is about 89 cents. |
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| 3,65 euro tostada shells. I'm guessing they'd be about $3 or less in the US. |
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| Eep! Pop-tarts for almost 5 euros. |
Monday, December 23, 2013
Cool trick! Free cell phone charging at Zeil Mall in Frankfurt
We stopped by the Zeil mall in Frankfurt. In the basement, near the Rewe, there is this cool locker thing where one can plug in one's phone to charge and lock it up. It says that it's free for 30 minutes. I didn't look at it closely, so I'm not sure if there's a catch, but it's a neat idea.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Ten Tips for Enjoying German Christmas Markets
For those living in or visiting Germany during the Advent season (end of November until Christmas), a must-see is the German Christmas markets. They are truly magical with many delightful things to eat, see, and buy.
Here are some tips for enjoying the markets:
1. Do a bit of research before you go. Usually there is information on the website of the city hosting the market. Find the opening hours, location of restrooms, etc. Some cities have more than one market (such as Cologne) so it's nice to know ahead of time where they are. Not all sites will have an English version, but Google Translate can be your friend.
2. They tend to be quite busy, especially in the evenings and on weekends. Decide if you like a packed environment that's festive but offers the possibility of being crushed by crowds of people. If you like more room, consider going earlier in the day, which is not as crowded.
3. Even though dogs are welcome almost everywhere in Germany, rethink bringing Fido along. It can be so packed at these events that he might get trampled. The few times I saw people with their dogs, I saw that they had to carry them. Save your dog the stress.
4. If you're going to bring a child to the market, have a strong game plan. I'm not saying that the markets are unfriendly for children, and it's quite a magical thing to see, but having your young one get crushed in a crowd of people probably won't be super fun. Also, if you have a stroller, you will probably bump into other people or run over their heels, which is also not super fun for the people you're doing it to. If it's an option, consider carrying babies in one of those baby slings. Think about visiting earlier in the day to avoid the crowds, or if there are two adults, have the child walk in the middle so he's a bit safer.
5. Be careful with your valuables! Pickpockets love the crowded atmospheres. Don't leave a wallet in an outside pocket. Ladies, keep a firm hold on your purse.
6. Learn about the regional culinary specialties and if they sound interesting, be sure to sample them! Not all Christmas markets have the same things (though things like glühwein and beer are quite common!). I learned this after I ate some delicious quarkbällchen in Dresden but didn't see any more in my travels on the west side of the country (though that's okay - I don't need to eat that much fried food anyway).
7. Carry local currency (but of course keep it hidden from pickpockets). Many vendors don't accept credit cards.
8. If you want to drink glühwein (traditional hot spiced wine common at the Christmas markets), try out the "bio" (organic) or the ökologisch (wines grown in an environmentally-friendly manner) versions, as well as those sold by the wine growers themselves. I found that they taste so much better than the regular version.
9. Have a plan for what happens if the group gets separated, such as where to meet. If bringing a child, be sure to tell him what to do if he should get lost.
10. If you are concerned about buying genuine, handcrafted souvenirs, ask where the products were made. For example, not all traditional German decorations (such as Räuchermänner or Christmas pyramids) are made in Germany; some might have been made in China.
Here are some tips for enjoying the markets:
1. Do a bit of research before you go. Usually there is information on the website of the city hosting the market. Find the opening hours, location of restrooms, etc. Some cities have more than one market (such as Cologne) so it's nice to know ahead of time where they are. Not all sites will have an English version, but Google Translate can be your friend.
2. They tend to be quite busy, especially in the evenings and on weekends. Decide if you like a packed environment that's festive but offers the possibility of being crushed by crowds of people. If you like more room, consider going earlier in the day, which is not as crowded.
3. Even though dogs are welcome almost everywhere in Germany, rethink bringing Fido along. It can be so packed at these events that he might get trampled. The few times I saw people with their dogs, I saw that they had to carry them. Save your dog the stress.
4. If you're going to bring a child to the market, have a strong game plan. I'm not saying that the markets are unfriendly for children, and it's quite a magical thing to see, but having your young one get crushed in a crowd of people probably won't be super fun. Also, if you have a stroller, you will probably bump into other people or run over their heels, which is also not super fun for the people you're doing it to. If it's an option, consider carrying babies in one of those baby slings. Think about visiting earlier in the day to avoid the crowds, or if there are two adults, have the child walk in the middle so he's a bit safer.
5. Be careful with your valuables! Pickpockets love the crowded atmospheres. Don't leave a wallet in an outside pocket. Ladies, keep a firm hold on your purse.
6. Learn about the regional culinary specialties and if they sound interesting, be sure to sample them! Not all Christmas markets have the same things (though things like glühwein and beer are quite common!). I learned this after I ate some delicious quarkbällchen in Dresden but didn't see any more in my travels on the west side of the country (though that's okay - I don't need to eat that much fried food anyway).
7. Carry local currency (but of course keep it hidden from pickpockets). Many vendors don't accept credit cards.
8. If you want to drink glühwein (traditional hot spiced wine common at the Christmas markets), try out the "bio" (organic) or the ökologisch (wines grown in an environmentally-friendly manner) versions, as well as those sold by the wine growers themselves. I found that they taste so much better than the regular version.
9. Have a plan for what happens if the group gets separated, such as where to meet. If bringing a child, be sure to tell him what to do if he should get lost.
10. If you are concerned about buying genuine, handcrafted souvenirs, ask where the products were made. For example, not all traditional German decorations (such as Räuchermänner or Christmas pyramids) are made in Germany; some might have been made in China.
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