Somewhere in the Middle

Visiting J & Numeracy Grrrl

Over the pre-lent break, C & I went to Germany to visit Lil' J's family. They live in the Bavaria region which is about 6 to 7 hrs away. Considering I'm usually the first one to fall asleep in a car, driving to Germany was not the best option. So C & I took the ICE train. The train ride to Bavaria went pretty smoothly except our train was delayed in Frankfurt for almost an hour. Once the train arrived it was as if they made announcement that said, "The train is here. Get on NOW!" lol! I felt like within 2 the train arrived and departed. Everything happened so fast. So we didn't have enough time to find our train compartment and the signs were a bit confusing. So we played musical train seats with some of the German passengers not once, not twice but three times. lol! And on our way back, C & I had exactly 8 minutes to exit the train, walk from Track 9 to 18, and board our next train. If we missed it, the next train wasn't for another 6 hours so we literally sprang out of the train, dragged our suitcase & backpacks and ran to track 18!

C & J were so excited to see one another. They were completely inseparable the entire 4 days. I was a bit concerned they'd tired of one another after the first day or two. I even had a conversation with C about savoring the time he's with Lil' J and not to waste time arguing or being upset with one another. Numeracy Grrrl told me she also had a similar conversation with J. But the kids did great. They played non-stop.

According to C, his favorite time with J was spent playing Wii & imaginary pet hospital and watching movies.

Even though the kids would have preferred to be home bound the entire time we did venture out a few times. During one of our outings C & I had the opportunity to meet Carino & Coco, their new horses.

Lil' J did great during her riding lessons. Carino & J make a great match considering they love speed and really enjoy galloping. She looked absolutely adorable on her little pony. 

We also went into town for a nice walk before celebrating Rocker boy's birthday with a delicious dinner and dessert at a classic Italian ice cafe.

It was really nice spending time with Numeracy Grrrl. I miss having her close by. We had a lot of good laughs and spent our afternoons relaxing, drinking tea and catching up. Hopefully, we'll see them again this summer in Belgium.

Ski Week 2010

Early morning wake up calls.

Thermal underwears, Falke socks, cashmere sweaters, and pants that go "swish, swish, swish".

Rushing to beat the morning crowds at the Hausberg.

Dealing with aggressive crowds to get on the gondola & chair lift.

Sore muscles.

Evening pool time with at least 30 other children.

Authentic, traditional German food.

All this can mean only one thing.. that's right... it's ski week, the busiest week in this little Bavarian town we love called Garmisch~ Partenkirchen. It's a bit crazy to say the least but ski week is one of our most fun & memorable family trips. This is our 3rd ski trip to Garmisch, Germany.

The weather was beautiful for the majority of the week. The week was so busy that we weren't able to get C into the Kids Ski Week program. It was our fault really... we didn't pre~register but since we never registered in the past we didn't think it would be an issue. So we enrolled C in the German ski school which is a great program except it's only half a day & none of C's friends were in his class. ;( Fortunately, there were a few other British children so he felt a bit more comfortable.

The first day of instruction is always absolute chaos! Hundreds of kids & parents trying to figure out where to go. Once we flagged down the woman in charge of the program she asked us one main question... "Was C skiing blue or red (in the US this would be red & black) runs?" I was a little hesitant.. C has skied red runs before but I felt more comfortable telling her he primarily skies blue runs. I'm confident the German ski school is a wonderful program where they really focus on teaching children to ski. There isn't a lot of  hanging out in the ski lodge with their schools. They're out on the mountain for the majority of the lesson. It's a serious but fun sport. Unfortunately, I think C fell through the cracks and his instructor seem a bit overwhelmed and spoke very little English. We couldn't really communicate her. It was a bit frustrating. So when C told me he spent the entire 2nd day on the bunny slope riding the "magic carpet" I was a little upset. We put him in the ski program so his skills could advance. So on the 3rd day, I spoke to the manager at the Hausberg lodge and explained our situation. The manager at the lodge is absolutely wonderful. He was able to get me into a ski class two years ago and he remembered me. So we were able to get C into the Kids Ski program.

C's instructor, Tanya, is the same woman who taught him two years ago. She's amazing with the kids. So C was very happy. The Kids Ski program is a full day of skiing with a little bit of playtime.

The class was a perfect fit for him and he seamlessly transitioned into the class despite missing one day. C also got to ski with his two good friends which made him very happy. This year C's class went up the mountain everyday so they ate lunch at the restaurants which I know C loved.

When S gave C 10 € for lunch he told him not to buy a Fanta. Later that day, S asked him what he ordered to drink and he said, "Daddy, I didn't buy a Fanta. I bought a Coca~Cola." lol! I guess S should have been more specific. lol!

My ski class went well. It's was my biggest class yet... about 12 of us. An interesting mix of people... an Indian couple (the wife works for the Embassy in Rome & her husband flies back & forth to India for business), a military couple from Stuttgart (who have lived in Germany for the past 21 years ~ how lucky!) , 3 Brits (one working for NATO in the Netherlands and the other two are stationed in England), a mother & daughter from Finland along with her father who is a retiree living in the US, and a 16 year old American girl from Naples, Italy who has never lived a day in her life in the US (her mother works for MWR & her father is a golf pro). With such an electic group of people there definitely wasn't a lack of things to talk about during lunch.

Tom, my instructor was a young guy from the US and he was great. We skied a variety of red & a few black runs. Some days were better than others.

This year the crowds really got to me. There has to be a better way to get on the gondola & chair lift than pushing your way through the crowds and everyone stepping on each others skis.

Here's a photo of the mob in the late afternoon... it's pretty small compared to the morning crowd. The photo actually doesn't look too bad but believe me if you don't push your way through you'll never get on the chair lift.

Even though my skills are definitely improving I still freeze up a bit on those really difficult runs. It's hard not to when you're skiing and you come to a drop off where you can't even see where you're going. At this point I know what I need to do... I just need to practice so I can face those challenging courses with more confidence.

Because C & I were both enrolled in ski classes our week was consumed with skiing and there was little time to do anything else. Although we were able to get away on Monday since it was President's Day. After C's German ski lesson and registering for my class we drove to C's best friend, Lil' J's home. Lil' J and her family recently bought a house in Germany and the house in under major renovation. The home is in a quaint little German town with lots of open fields. It's one of those big traditional German houses - four floors and Lil' J's grandparents live on the 3rd floor. How sweet it would be to have a big house where you can have your parents live with you and still maintain a level of privacy. We saw lots of people cross country skiing. It was really beautiful and it made me long to have a home in a quite little town where people spend their weekends talking long walks through the fields and enjoying time with family & friends. That night Lil' J's parents took us to their city centre and we ate the most amazing Bavarian food. It was so nice going with someone who is fluent in German and could translate the entire menu! I sampled German foods I'd never tasted before... Everything was delicious! 

We did manage to do a little shopping in Garmisch. Since I'm absolutely in love, love, love with my  Falke ski socks I decided I needed a few more pairs.

These are the warmest socks I have ever worn. My feet never get cold in these babies. Since my ski socks are extremely thick I went for a mid volume trekking & cross country. I also found a wool pair from Sweden so I bought two pairs in different weights. The weather here in Belgium can be so damp and cold. I'm forever cold. So I finally decided enough is enough and I bought some amazing winter undergarments too. The Falke undergarments were a bit too tight - like the seams digging into my underarms but the sets by Odlo were a good fit.

 

I'm in LOVE! These undergarments are keeping me super warm. I bought a pair in white and cobalt blue along with a black zip turtleneck. They were worth every penny! There's something about buying winter gear from a country that experiences extreme cold climates... they know what they're doing and design clothes for those conditions.

Our evenings were pretty relaxing... dinner, watching the winter Olympics, swimming, warming up in the jacuzzi, and playing bingo. C LOVES Bingo! lol! S bought him two cards and they were the luckiest cards ever. C won 10 times!! TEN! After so many Bingos, I think people thought he was cheating but he really was winning. Unfortunately, C's luck didn't rub onto us. lol!

On Friday all of the classes participated in a ski race. You don't race against anyone just you and the clock. Last year none of the people in my class wanted to race but this year everyone in my class raced. It was fun. C did really well too! I was super proud of him!

Exploring Schwarzwald

When we realized there was a four day weekend and it fell on our anniversary we knew we had to take advantage of the time and go somewhere. It was between Luxembourg and the Black Forest. I'd love to see Luxembourg but my heart was set on the Black Forest. I just thought it would be so relaxing to do some hiking in the Black Forest. We'd have to save Luxembourg for another time. Being that everyone was on holiday finding a place to stay was a bit of a challenge but I got lucky and found a room at a hotel with a pool. C loves it when we stay at hotels that have a pool. If it were up to him he'd stay at the pool the entire time! lol!

After doing a little research on the Black Forest I decided to stay in a little village called Gengenbach. Everything I read about it sounded wonderful... traditional, historical, charming town. Perfect. And it didn't appear too be too touristy like some of its neighboring towns.

We arrived in the evening and the centre was a complete ghost town. There was no one. Granted it rained earlier so that may explain the lack of people. Luckily, the following 3 days were gorgeous. As we walked around looking for a German restaurant we realized it was Spargel season. Spargel is the German word for asparagus. Most of the asparagus in Germany is white, as it is grown covered in soil in order to prevent photosynthesis. This process prevents the asparagus from turning green and results in a sweeter and more tender taste. It is generally harvested from late April to early June. During this season restaurants create special menus which feature Spargel as the star ingredient.  That night S ordered from the set menu and had enough Spargel to last him the whole year! lol! I tried the Spargel soup and it was quite delicious but I thought my potato soup was better. ;)

The following day we drove to Triberg and stopped along the way to visit the Clock Museum. Our visit was very interesting and while I knew the area was known for its cuckoo clocks I didn't realize the range of styles. So often I think of the traditional chalet looking cuckoo clocks which I find very pretty but it was so nice to see some other styles. Here are two of my favorites in an Art Nouveau style.

   

This clock was beautiful as well. It did a whole lot more than just tell the time. lol!

Afterwards went shopping in Triberg to see if we could find a clock that we liked.

The variety of cuckoo clocks at these shops was just incredible. If I had wanted a chalet looking cuckoo clock I could have spent hours trying to find the right one.

There were hundreds and hundreds of them or as this store claimed 1,000 clocks. Some had couples dancing, men drinking beer, children playing, you name it and they had it. After looking at so many unique clocks at the museum I decided I didn't want a chalet. Not that I don't think they're beautiful because they are but I was hoping for something a bit different. And we found one that I thought was perfect. It's a reproduction from a clock in 1870. The clock has the little bird that comes out each hour which may drive me a bit crazy I'm not sure yet. lol! I was hoping to find a clock that played "Edelweiss" but I was ok without the music. We haven't had a chance to hang the clock yet since we have to wait for our landlord to drill a hole into our walls. But as soon as it's up I'll post a photo.

After we were done shopping we took a walk to see the waterfalls which are among the tallest in Germany with a total vertical drop of 496 feet. The area was really pretty. Lil' C had fun playing along the trail.

  

After our walk we went back to the hotel to swim. Lil' C had so much fun. When you have kids staying at a hotel with a pool is ideal. We had the pool all to ourselves which was great!

The following day we took it real easy and walked around Gengenbach. It was market day so there were a handful of vendors selling breads, cheese, fresh fruits & vegetables as well as a brat stand. Perfect for lunch. We also bought some sweet strawberries which were so good we couldn't resist and ate them all at the park.

During Christmas this building in the centre of town turns into an advent calendar. I'm sure it must look quite magical. These traditional timber homes were so incredibly pretty.

   

After we walked around the town we let Lil' C play at the park. Here is the view from the park. I love the wine vineyards in the background.

And of course we couldn't let the day go by without having some ice cream. I love how serious they take ice cream here. It's like a mini meal. Lil' C & I couldn't resist ordering the strawberry delight. Fresh, local sweet strawberries are the best. And yes, Lil' C ate every last bit of that ice cream.

Later in the day we went hiking in the Black Forest.

We had lots of fun being explorers and discovering various things. Here are some of the things we found that day. And yes, that first photo is a baby snake.

  

  

Lil'C also had fun picking a variety of wild flowers.



That night we chose a restaurant near the walking trails and ate a wonderful German dinner while enjoying the warm weather. It was perfect evening. Before we turned in we went swimming and wrestled S for the water noodle and played fun water games like Marco Polo.

The following morning while I was getting ready I noticed something black on my leg. I tried to brush it off with the back of my hand but when it didn't come off I became a little curious. As I looked closer I realized I had a tick on my leg! Surprisingly I didn't freak out. And I HATE Bugs! I quickly took it out with a pair of tweezers and THEN I started to freak out about all the possible diseases I could get from this tick bite. I've never been bite by a tick so I wasn't sure if I got the tick out completely. Ugh... makes me sick to think I have a tick's head embedded in my leg. So gross. After thinking about it for a while I don't think the bite occurred after our hike since I spent a good 15 mins in the sauna that night. The temperature in the sauna was so hot I almost passed out. Could a tick really survive those hot temperatures? What I think may have happened is that while I was folding the jeans or perhaps the jeans Lil' C wore it jumped onto my leg. It's the only explanation I can come up with.

As soon as we got home I started to research tick bites and learned what signs to look out for.  I made an appt. with the doctor just in case because I could have sworn I saw a little black dot. Was this the tick's head? Well, the doctor didn't do much except make it worst by trying to get this little black dot out. When I saw the doctor's tweezers were much bigger than mine I knew it wasn't looking good for me. The doctor told me most of the ticks in this area don't carry diseases and that my chances of getting anything were extremely low. Of course I don't believe him. My friend's husband developed Lyme disease when he was bit by a tick here in Belgium. I think the doctor could see I was having doubts about his advise because at one point he said, "I can tell you are skeptical about what I'm telling you." He's right I AM skeptical. On the positive side it's been over a week and I haven't experienced any of the symptoms associated with diseases much more serious than Lyme. Since it can take months for me to show symptoms of Lyme disease all I can do is watch the area and hope for the best.

Fairy Tale Castles

Friday night we decided to leave Garmisch a day earlier. So instead of driving 8 straight hours on Sunday we split the drive into two days and spend Saturday night in Heidelberg.

Neither S or I really wanted to leave Garmisch. As you can see S is pretty upset. lol! In so many ways this area feels like home to us. It's so familiar... like a vacation spot where families visit year after year.

On the drive home we thought it would be fun to take Lil' C to the Neuschwanstein castle. He adores fairy tale stories & being that the Neuschwanstein castle was the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty & Cinderella Castle at Disneyland & the Magic Kingdom we thought it would be a cool experience for him.

Before our tour began I went to the Information Center to ask how we could access the bridge near the castle. When S & I visited the castle years ago I remember we took these amazing photos on a bridge with the Neuschwanstein castle in the background. The photos were like postcards. It was that pretty. Unfortunately, the woman at the desk informed me that the Lookout Point on the Marienbrücke was closed due to snow & ice. I was so disappointed; I really wanted to get a photo of the three of us on this bridge. Looks like we may have to make a trip to the castle again in the summer. ;) If we do, it would also be nice to show Lil' C the Hohenschwangau castle where King Ludwig II grew up as a child.

Lil' C really enjoyed the tour which is quite short so it's perfect for little kids. He was fascinated with the details of the rooms. Lil' C especially loved how the king used the color gold throughout the castle.

The history behind the Neuschwanstein Castle fascinates me. Today I spent some time researching King Ludwig II life and I was captivated by the what I discovered. King Ludwig II was considered quite eccentric & preferred a life of fantasy which completely explains the various creative projects he supported throughout his lifetime. In addition to Neuschwanstein he also commissioned the building of two other castles: Herrenchiemsee in the middle of Chiemsee Lake & the Linderhof castle near Oberammergau, Germany. S & I have visited both of these castles and they're quite extravagant and well worth visiting.

It was also interesting to read about his personal life. King Ludwig II was actually engaged but after postponing the wedding several times he finally called it off. He never married but had many close male relationships throughout his life. Copies of the King's personal journal suggest he was a homosexual and struggled to suppress his sexual desires while remaining true to the Roman Catholic faith. From a very early age, the King developed a close relationship with the famous conductor & composer, Richard Wagner. Ludwig was attracted to Wagner's music and talents and despite their tumultuous relationship Ludwig supported his work throughout his lifetime.

The information about the Kings mysterious death was also quite intriguing. While many believe Ludwig committed suicide others think his enemies killed him.

The King's remains were interred in the crypt of the Michaelskirche in Munich but his heart doesn't lie with the rest of his body. Bavarian tradition calls for the heart of the king to be placed in a silver urn & sent to the Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of the Mercy) in Altötting, where Ludwig's heart was placed beside those of his father and grandfather. The little town of Altötting is famous for the Chapel of the Mercy which is the most visited shrine in Germany. "According to the legend, in 1489, a 3-year-old local boy who had drowned in the river was revived when his grieving mother placed him in front of a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary at the high altar."

While we were walking back to our car I noticed some numbers & letters written in chalk above the door of the Tourist Office. I'd seen these numbers & letters above some of the doors in Garmisch and wondered what they symbolized. The man at the Tourist Office was most helpful and explained how the letters & numbers were written by children dressed as the three kings. The letters represent the Latin words "Christus Mansionem Benedictat" which means "Christ bless this home" and the numbers represent the year of the blessing. The message stays on the door until the following year.  When I got home I researched this tradition further and here is what I found. It's very interesting....

Germans observe Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, Jan. 6. Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season. The Christmas tree will be lit for the last time, discarded, and the ornaments will be packed away until next Christmas. It's one of Germany's most traditional and characteristic religious holidays, but only in the states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Sachsen is it a legal holiday.

The children asking for donations represent Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. In former times, when ringing door bells, they received Christmas cookies, pretzels and sausages. Today, people donate money which mainly is used for supporting projects in developing countries and other missionary projects.

After receiving a donation, the three holy kings bless the house by writing with chalk "20C+M+B09" above the doors to keep evil from entering. The three letters C, M and B don't stand for the kings' initials, but for the Latin words "Christus Mansionem Benedictat," and literally means "Christ bless this home." The blessing has to stay over the door until the next Three Kings Day.

Caspar is Hebraic and means treasurer; Melchior is Hebraic and means the king of light; and the Babylonian name Balthasar means "the Lord may protect the life of the king." The three wise men were considered kings, because when Christ was born they came to the stable and brought gifts of gold, incense and myrrh.

Ski Week :: Germany

We just got back from a fabulous week skiing in Germany. The snow conditions were great and my skiing really improved. Yeah!! It's so nice to actually have some control when you're zipping down the mountain. I'm excited to go skiing again! I just hope I don't forget everything I learned. ;)

I kept a little journal while I was away so it'd be a bit easier to update my blog.

Saturday

Arrived in Garmisch in the late afternoon. We spent the morning in Bickenback looking at furniture at a little Mom & Pop shop. When we were stationed in Germany I bought a beautiful armoire from this same shop. I've had my armoire for about 14 years now & I love it even more than when I purchased it. Over Christmas, Nana was very generous & sent me some money so I thought I'd use it to buy another Bavarian piece. This way every time I look at the piece I'll think of her. There were so many pretty pieces it's going to be hard to settle on one. I'd love to bring them all home with me! I took several photos of my favorite pieces to help me finalize my decision. The couple who own the shop are so sweet. The furniture is stored in rooms of their home that are not heated so we were freezing by the time we looked at everything. After we looked at everything the wife invited us into her home for coffee. We also had a chance to meet her husband who makes all the furniture himself. It was definitely a unique experience. Left the furniture shop around noonish and got back on the road.

We ran into a horrible stau on the way to Garmisch. We saw license plates from Germany, France, Luxembourgh, Netherlands, and Belgium; looks like everyone is going skiing this week! lol! We arrived in Garmisch in the evening. We were so happy to finally arrive at the hotel.

When you're staying at this resort it feels like you're in the US. Most of the guest are Americans as is the food. But it's really nice. It's like getting a slice of the US while you're staying here. And it's a kid's paradise! If we continue to come here I'm sure Lil' C is going to have some fond memories of this place. It's a perfect family vacation.

Sunday

We spent the morning walking around the center of Garmisch. It's such a pretty quaint little town. I just love the architecture. I find the Bavarian style so charming. 

After having lunch in town we stopped by the tourist information followed by a trip to the Hausberg Lodge to sign up for ski classes and rent our equipment. S thinks we should buy our own equipment but I'm just not convinced yet. It's an investment to buy all your ski equipment; I want to be sure I love the sport and will continue to ski once we move back to the US. 

S took Lil' C to the pool today. Lil' C had a blast in the jacuzzi. S told me C & a friend were jumping out of the jacuzzi and making snow angels in the snow and then they'd go back into the jacuzzi. Wish I could have snapped a few photos of this! lol! I hope Lil' C doesn't catch a cold.

We tried to go to our favorite restaurant, "La Biata" for dinner but they were booked. The owner recommended his other restaurant in town so we set off to find it. But while we were looking for it we found a great German restaurant. The food was delicious! To warm up I order a Grog von Rumverschnitt. I had no idea really what this drink entailed but I knew it was hot and I needed something to warm up. When the waitress brought me my drink it was basically a wine glass with hot water and a little bottle of caribbean rum to mix in with the water along with sugar. It was pretty good.

S & I ordered some wonderful appetizers... a pair of Munchner Weißwürste with a Brez'n (Pretzel) and some potato pancakes.

For dinner I had the Schweinemedallions mit Hausgemachten Eierspatzle und Geimischtem Gemuse (Pork Medallions with Spatzle, Mushrooms, and other Veggies).

S had the Jagerpfanne von mit Schweinelende mit Bratkartoffeln, Gemischtem Gemuse and Schwammerlsosse (Pork with mushrooms and fried potatoes). Very traditional German food and absolutely fantastic. We were rolling out of the restaurant tonight! lo!

Monday

We just got back from an amazing dinner at La Mamma’s. S had a delicious Lemon Parmasean Fetticini and I had my favorite...Penne Quartro Formaggi. The house red was incredible too. But what made me fall in love with this restaurant was the service; it was absolutely fabulous. Our waiter was a total sweetheart even if he did keep calling me Mamma. lol! When they served Lil' C his pizza our waiter immediately took the plate and began cutting the pizza into little pizza and said in an Italian accent, "Mamma, you eat. I cut the pizza". How thoughtful is that! I almost wanted to squeeze his cheek and give him a kiss! lol! When we asked our waiter what part of Italy he was from he said Sicily. He told us that he didn't want to work for the mafia so he came to work in Germany.

Making it to dinner was a bit of a miracle. After a full day of skiing we were all so exhausted and of course relaxing in the jacuzzi almost did us in but the food at the resort is... well.. very American and not the best especially when you compare it to the restaurants in town. So we showered and got dressed and I'm so glad we did. Our experience at La Mamma's was well worth it.

Ski lessons today were great and my instructor is very easy going. Everyone in the class is about at the same level which is nice. I felt really comfortable with the runs today despite the visibility being so poor. It snowed the entire day. Instead of telling us what to do our instructor asked us what we wanted to do which was different. I'm excited about skiing tomorrrow. It’s only 9:40pm and I’m exhausted. Falling asleep as I write this.

Tuesday

Snowed over a foot last night and it’s still coming down hard. I love to ski when it’s snowing. There is nothing like skiing in fresh powder. Even if the sun isn’t shining it still looks pretty. The roads were an absolute mess this morning. One of the local buses got stuck in the middle of the road and when another bus tried to pass it it also got stuck. With all the craziness our lessons started a bit late. But we made it up by skiing until 1ish and then breaking for lunch which was perfect. Despite the visibility being so poor I skiied pretty well. Not being able to see more than 30 ft ahead of me was a good thing plus the powder helps slow me down. After my lessons were over I really wanted to ski another run but everone in my class was done for the day so I decided to head back to the lodge. Even though I don't mind the fog it can be a bit scaring when you’re skiing on your own. I'm afraid of taking a wrong turn that will lead me who knows where. So I decided to head back to the lodge with everyone else.

After I met Lil’C & S we walked over to the gondolas at the Hausberg and went sledding. It was really fun. But I have to say the sled we bought was totally out of control! I don't think it's possible to steer that sled. Almost every time we rode it it would start to spin around and eventually we'd slide down the hill backwards. It was crazy fun. Lil' C loved it! The only thing I didn't like was sharing the hill with other skiers especially when our sled was so unpredictable.

   

Wednesday

Woke up to a gorgeous day. At 8:00am, the sun was shining and the skies were clear. Perfect day for skiing. Apparently, everyone in Garmisch area was thinking the same thing. What normally takes 10 mins to drive to the lifts today took 45 mins! It's so incredibly busy. After watching the traffic light turn red several times without making any significant progress I decided it would be better to walk to the Hausberg Lodge. I grabbed my ski boots & Lil’ C and I started walking. It didn’t take long before S actually caught up with us. So we jumped back in the car and made our way to the lodge. I was a half an hour late for my lessons but luckily I ran into my classmates as they were making their way out of the building. I quickly got my gear and we were off. We skied a variety of runs today. But I just wasn’t feeling it today. I just didn’t feel that rhythum I felt the first two days. I’m sure it had to do with the fact that we had great visibility and when I’m on a steep mountain that itsn’t the best thing for me.

The queues for the chair lift was absolutely mad! To avoid the lines Dave, our instructor had us ski runs that were only accessible by using the T bar. I’m not crazy about the T bar but Dave told us that if we're going to ski in Europe we have to get used to it considering you must use them to access about 85% of the runs here in Europe. I have the balance down but if I’m not on the side exiting first it gets especially tricky. When it was my turn to catch the T bar I positioned myself correctly to grab the bar when all of a sudden Helga, the woman minding the area tells me something in German and grabs my ski jacket and pulls me to the right. The next thing I know I’m riding the T bar with a strange woman to my left. Great! Don't get me wrong I don't care about riding up with strangers but at least let me know and by letting me know I don't mean grabbing my jacket and pulling me the side. Right before we reached the top the T bar stopped which isn’t bad except for the tug the bar gives when it restarts. If you fall off the T bar, they stop the machine (which is quite embarrassing in itself) and you need to scramble to the side and ski your way down. But today that would have been a bit difficult considering the snow was piled about 2ft high on each side of the T bar. Anyway… when we reached the top the woman let go of the bar and skied off leaving me to take care of the bar. So I let go but half of the bar got caught in between my legs. When I finally did manage to get the bar off my leg I had completely turned myself around so I was sliding backwards. This is not the best area to get stuck either since more people are getting off the T bar and I was in the perfect spot to get hit with a flying T bar. Dave, my instructor started yelling, “Get out of the way”.  He really didn't have to tell me this. I knew I needed to get out of the way!! lol! So I used my ski poles and pushed with all my weight to get out of the danger zone. I finally made it out to the slope safely but I was so upset with that freakin’ woman at the T bar for not letting me go by myself. I mean I suppose it’s good to know how to use the T bar in both directions but being forced to learn wasn’t too fun.

 We had lunch at a new restaurant today. The view was so pretty. Total winter wonderland. The cost of eating at this restaurant was skiing a semi red run. I didn’t fall but I also didn’t feel like I was completely in control either. My left leg just wouldn’t cooperate. It’s so frustrating when your body won’t do what your mind wants it to do. It’s always on unfamiliar, steep runs that I tense up and that feeling of knowing what to do flies right out the window.

By 2ish my legs were killing me and no matter how beautiful the day was I knew I wouldn’t be able to ski another run. But because Lil’ C’s class was skiing in the same general area I was excited to ski some of the bunny slopes with him. When I found his instructor and asked about Lil’ C. She said, “He had a little accident.” I’m thinking “Oh, my god. What kind of accident” But before I could say anything she said, “In his pants.” I was relieved it wasn't anything serious but I still felt bad for Lil’C. Like many little boys, Lil’ C tends to hold it in but rarely does he have accidents. I knew he would be upset with himself and was probably crying. The instructor said he was upset but that the rest of the kids didn’t know what happened. One of the managers at the ski lodge brought him down the gondola and called S to pick him up. Poor baby. I later asked Lil’ C what he ordered for lunch and he told me he had a bratwurst, fries with a Fanta & a Sprite. And if I know Lil' C he probably drank the entire drink before the food even arrived. And these glasses are pretty big too. S & I really don't let Lil' C drink soda. S is more relaxed about this issue than I am. I think Lil' C has had a few sips here and there with S. If it were me, he still wouldn’t know what Fanta taste like but he getting bigger now so I don’t want to be so restrictive that he goes overboard on bad foods when he is old enough to chose what he eats all the time. At home we tend to drink mineral water spritzers with juice instead of soda. But today was the first time he's ever had the opportunity to order something completely on his own. And it looks like he was bewitched! lol! Later, Lil' C told me he also wanted a hot chocolate but didn’t have enough money. I gave him 10 Euros which is plenty. I suppose it didn't help that his instructor is pretty young and let the kids get what ever they want.

Enough writing for now. S just got back from doing a little load of laundry. Tonight’s Bingo night so S is going to grab some yummy food from La Mamma while Lil’ C and I play some games at the lodge.

9:40pm ~ C won twice at Bingo. He was so excited about playing and paid close attention to every number called. Each time he won he threw his hands up in the air and quietly yelled in the cutest little voice, “Bingo”!

 

Thursday

Can you believe this photo is the same view as the one above. The visibility started off pretty poor but it did clear up a bit later in the day.

This morning I woke up before my alarm went off; my shoulders are so sore. I suppose pulling your body weight with ski poles up a steep hill can do that to you. My body is begging for a break. That is one thing I loved about the ski school in France... Wednesdays were family day. So you could take a break which was nice. Being so tired I thought for sure it was going to be a bad day. But it was the complete opposite. Skiing went great today. I was really feeling it. I was so happy.

As my class prepared for another run, I saw one of Lil’ C’s classmates on the top of the mountain. Apparently, they got split up at the chair lift. Which doesn't surprise me considering how people shuffle and try to get ahead of the line regardless of who was first. I'm amazed how the instructors keep all their students together! A few seconds later Lil’ C got off the chair lift. For a second I thought how great it was that Lil' C was skiing the same run I was. Once my instructor was ready to go I gave Lil’ C a kiss goodbye and I was off. As I waiting in line on the T bar, I started thinking about how Lil' C REALLY WAS skiing the same area I was and I started getting a little nervous. I mean his class was skiing a small red run. I tried not to think too much. There are so many children younger than Lil' C skiing more difficult runs. As long as he's with his instructor I feel good.

Later in the day Lil' C told me he & another classmate fell right before they sat on the chair lift. Lil' C said, "Mai, this really nice man picked me up. He saved me."

Rode the T bar and completely got my leg caught. I felt like a fish ready to be hooked and hung upside down. It was funny & awful at the same time. Right before this happened Sarah Beth (0ne of the girls in my class) was telling me how every time she rode the T bar with Lily (classmate from Ireland) she would jump off the T bar just fine but leave Lily to have yet another accident in the snow. It was a bit funny until I was taking Lily's place. I joked with Sarah Beth that I was never riding the T bar with her again. lol!  

Dave explained to us that there are a variety of red runs ranging from rosé to burgundy  It was a great analogy. He asked us if we were ready to ski a true red and most of us said yes. I was a little nervous but talking to myself really helped me concentrate on my turns. And you know what? It was great. I was in control and comfortable. After I completed the run I was so excited. I was ready to do it all over again. I just wish I would have had this feeling all week.

After class I picked up Lil’ C and we skied the bunny slope together; it was a lot of fun. Lil’ C wanted to ride the chair lift and for a second I thought it but I quickly came to my senses. lol! Maybe in a few seasons more.

Friday

Today all the classes had the opportunity to race. Not really race against one another just you & the clock. But no one in my class was interested so we just skied the entire day. It was great. I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of this sport. After lunch Lily asked me if I wanted to ski after the class was over. But I misunderstood her. Instead of taking the gondola back to the bottom she wanted to ski the entire run. Earlier that morning Dave recommend we not ski the run because of the increase in temperature and how this change was impacting the snow conditions. I have to say one of the things I liked most about Dave was how he encouraged us. I've had some instructors who push you to the point that you become nervous and everything you've learned flies right out the window but with Dave it was different. He pushed you in ways that enhanced your skiing experience using the techniques you learned. Anyway... everyone in my class was completely for skiing the entire run. Me? Well, I wasn't too excited about it.

Even though Dave didn't like the idea he said, "If you really want to do it, I think it's best if I ski it with you. So let's do it now instead of at 2:30 when you're tired and the run is going to be crazy with lots of people. Once we ski it we'll ride the gondola up again and do one more run."

I didn't have a watch on so I knew it would be difficult to catch up with the class later in the day plus I'd be stressed out figuring out what time it was so I could make it to Lil' C's race. So I decided to ski to the bottom. It was quite challenging. Dave told us with the ski conditions changing some of the areas were black runs. Luckily, he took us down some alternative runs to avoid super steep areas. When I saw the view I immediately clamped up and thought, "OH, MY GOD, WHAT did I GET MYSELF INTO!" Where was the fog when I needed it! lol!! Poor visibility would have been a gift at this point in time! But I did it. And I actually felt pretty much in control most of the time which is a great feeling. Lily, the woman who originally came up with the ski plan completely tensed up. She had the most difficult time getting down. Dave was a bit upset. He made me feel good when he said to me & Sarah Beth, "If I had six of you, we would have already skied this run on Wednesday". It was a wonderful compliment but at the same time it was a tough run and I'm actually glad he didn't have six of us! ;)

Lil' C did a fabulous job in his race. All the kids had to ski around little obstacles and under arches. Everyone was cheering! Little kids really do look so cute skiing! After the races, there was a ceremony and all the kids received metals and certificates.

After the races, we followed another family to a furniture store they found. The pieces were beautiful. Very much in the Bavarian style. We met the owner and looked at a catalog of the various pieces you can have custom made.

We went back to the resort and met up with the same family to go night sledding. The Hausberg closes the area to skiers and opens it for sledding from 5 to 8. It was so much fun!! But little did I know what I was really in for. We decided to leave our crazy sled at home and rented the old fashion wooden sleds. Our plan was to rent two sleds so we could do the run together; Lil' C riding with me. BUT when we got off the gondola and I saw the first hill I knew there was no way I could ride with C. It took us 45 minutes to sled down the run. It was crazy fun. My sled was flying sometimes I couldn't slow down. The curves & steep hills were a bit scary. There were lots of little bumps too but when you're flying the sled barely touched the ground. My sled went airbourne over these areas. My bum was killing me. Lil' C's friends Dad was making me laugh because he said at one point he looked over at his daughter and she wasn't even touching the sled. lol!! It was a lot of fun but once was enough for me. S really enjoyed the run and sled down two more times-once with Lil' C and another time by himself. Flying over several mogules gave me a major headache but you know what? I would definitely do it all over again.

I have a few more photos I'll post tomorrow.

Where is my springerle cookie mold?

One of the things I love most about Christmas in Europe are the Christmas markets. Usually, we try to go to a few German markets before Christmas but this year was so crazy I only had a chance to attend one... the one in Cologne.

Cologne is known for their large Christmas Market. I believe they have either 5 or 6 scattered all throughout the city. Each area has a different Christmas mug too. Over the years, we've collected over a dozen of these mugs and while I think they're great I'd rather use my pretty Villeroy & Boch set.  I'll admit though the designs are much more unique now than they were in the early 90's. So I decided to pick up two for S. He loves these little mugs and even though we decided not to exchange gifts this year I knew he'd be happy to see them under the tree.

It's been years since I've visited Cologne but it was just as beautiful as I remember. Much colder though. ;) The city looked so pretty with quaint little red booths surrounding the cathedral.

We arrived in Cologne in the early morning. I had plenty of time to roam around the church and take a tour of the cathedral which was very interesting. One tid bit I found interesting was that Villeroy & Boch created the cathedral's mosiac floor tiles. The cathedral is immense. There was no way I could capture it all on my camera so what you see above is actually the area on the side. It's quite magnificent.

After our tour, my friend Blonde K & I made our way through the markets. I was on a mission to purchase an antique or just antique looking Springerle cookie molds. Of course there were lots of other things that tempted me. lol! There was a fabulous section selling food items. So I bought some Gluwein spices and chocolate balls spiced with cinnamon & speculoos to make hot chocolate along with a few delicious fresh out of the oven pretzels. Yum.. I actually froze a few hoping to enjoy them in the new year. And you can't leave a German Christmas market without purchasing some ornaments. ;) I found a very pretty one to bring to the General's wife's coffee. 

Ever since I fell in love with my silicone molds at the Chocolate Festival in Brugge I'm constantly on the search for new ones. But not just any silicone molds. I want molds that are unusual or those with really pretty designs. And if they're manufactured in France I'm in heaven.  At the Christmas market I found a beautiful one shaped like a circle with a flower on top. Very pretty.

Towards the very end of the evening I finally found my Springerle cookie mold. The detail on some of these molds is just incredible. I fell in love with a fine little man dressed to the tee. Of course, I didn't want him to be lonely so I found a gorgeous woman to keep him company. But unfortunately, she was 80 Euros or maybe 80 Deutsche marks. It was all so confusing. Sometimes the woman would say the price was in Euros but other times she'd say they were in Deutsche marks. Anyway, she insisted that the woman was 80 Euros. 80 Euros for a cookie mold! That's over $100. My, my, my... I just couldn't stomach paying that much for a cookie mold no matter how much I wanted her. Plus, I don't have any plans nor will I ever bake cookies with these molds. They are purely for decoration. Since I'm not a serious collector I also had no idea if she was really worth the money. So my little man will have to be content with being a bachelor for the time being. lol!

As Blonde K & I made our way to another Christmas market we decided to walk through the city centre. The shopping was fantastic. We even found a wonderful craft store where I stocked up on vellum, paper, and other fun crafty items. Now I have to tell you my friend Blonde K can SHOP! I've never meet anyone who has the shopping stamina I do but this grrrl gave me a run for my money! lol!! We shopped & browsed until the very end not even stopping for a sit down dinner. We walked from early morning to about 7 in the evening. But I wasn't complaining. German wurst and potato pancakes were all I needed to keep this grrrl happy!

Shopping :: Villeroy & Boch

Today I spent the entire day in Mettlach, Germany & Luxembourg. The travel group left at 6:30am for a shopping trip to the Villeroy & Boch outlet. My head aches and I'm feeling quite exhausted & dehydrated. But I don't want to let this writing opportunity slip by. I'm so behind on my postings. So let's get started...

I've wanted a simple, white everyday china set for a while now so I figured this was a perfect opportunity. I have a set from Villeroy & Boch that I bought about 12 years ago and it's in great shape. I love how sturdy the plates are for being fine china.

The trip was a lot of fun. I met Eka, a sweet woman from Slovenia; we talked the entire way back home. It made the time go by so much quicker. I also reconnected with Inma, a woman from my Spanish conversation group which was great since I went on the trip alone. For those of you who really know me well, you know I'm a serious shopper. So it was really best that I go by myself today. I hate being rushed or pressured. I like to take my time and look at everything even if that means going back to look at the same item 5 times! lol! I had lunch with Inma & her friend Conchi and they were hilarious! The surrounding area was just beautiful and the weather was perfect too. It was your typical fall day.

The shopping trip was a huge success and I bought a ton of china. And I mean a ton. But now I'm having some buyer's remorse about my dinner plates. I think they're too big. This always happens to me. arghh! We'll see maybe I can exchange them for a different size. But that's a long drive to exchange plates. ;(

My big purchase of the day was a beautiful tea set. It's my birthday present to myself. ;) I was a little nervous buying something so expensive but I really do love it. And this birthday is a big one too... the BIG 40! The floral tea set is totally me. It's delicate yet sturdy and quite girly with mauve and gold accents.

Several weeks ago I went to my Turkish friend's home and she served me tea on a very delicate looking tea set. And I thought, "I'd really love to have a set like this so I can serve my friends on pretty teacups." But what I currently have is an eclectic collection of Christmas mugs from various Christmas markets in Germany & Austria. Not that there is anything wrong with my Christmas market mugs but they're just not girly. I'm looking forward to inviting my friends over especially some of the international women I've met for tea. Maybe I'll even go a little crazy and make scones & tea sandwiches! lol!

I want my 40th birthday to be special. And with this being our last year in Belgium I want to create some wonderful memories with the tea set so when I use it back in the US I'm reminded of my time here in Belgium and all the amazing women I've had the pleasure of meeting.

Going down Memory Lane...

Now that I live in Belgium, I'm only allowed to have my teeth cleaned once a year. The dental clinic isn't equipped to handle bi-annual dental cleanings. This is torture for me. I enjoy having my teeth cleaned. S on the other hand gets the total royal treatment! He's allowed a dental cleaning quarterly! The catch is he has to drive to Germany for two of those visits. So when S scheduled an appointment for last Friday we decided to make the most of it & spend the weekend in Germany.

Going back to Germany always makes me happy & brings back good memories. We spent most in favorite city, Heidelberg. The weather was awesome so we spent most of our time walking around the castle & University area, eating great German food and visiting our favorite local shops.

We even drove through the town of Alsbach, where we spent our first 3 years together after we got married. The area hasn't changed much in the last 15 years except for a few more houses on the hill top and the little castle we could easily see from the bottom of the hill isn't so visible. It felt weird seeing the house we used to live in.

Never did I think I'd see this view again. No matter how many times I drove or walked up this hill I never got tired of seeing this view. Living in Southern California for so many years, I wasn't used to living in an area as lush and green as Germany.

As we drove around this weekend I kept thinking how I didn't fully appreciate the time I lived in Germany. Since it was my first time being away from home I spent the first few months so caught up with missing my old home I missed out on what my new home offered.

Why is it that we don't truly appreciate what we have until it's gone.

Aachen Weihnachtsmarkt

Sunday, we met our friends Jon & Eva at the Aachen Christmas market. It was great seeing them!

The Aachen Christmas market was bigger than I expected and there were thousands of people there so finding a place to meet was going to be difficult. Until Eva sent me a text message to meet them at the local Starbucks!

A Starbucks in Aachen, Germany! Yeah!! S loves Starbucks coffee; I'm not a coffee drinker but when so much sweetness is added to coffee I can be tempted. ;) It was so cool to see the menu in German. We were spoiled by getting real mugs instead of the regular paper cups. So much more cozy!

Aachen's Weihnachtsmarkt was magical! Little huts lined up with all kinds of Christmas decorations... Beautiful glass ornaments hand painted with winter German scenes, gorgeous wooden windmills, nutcrackers, and ornaments from Kathy Wohlfahrt, hand-bound photo albums and journals, handmade soaps, unique jewelry, and much much more!

And don't get me started on the food! My stomach wasn't big enough for all the food I wanted to taste. Bratwursts, sauteed mushrooms, apple fritters, crepes, fried dough, and Gluwein, a holiday favorite. But what I craved most were the Germany potato pancakes with apple sauce on the side. They were delicious!

We spent about 5+ hours at the market enjoying the food, talking with our friends, and of course doing a bit of Christmas shopping. We also listened to some traditional German music. Lil' C loved it! At one point, he was even doing a little dance. So cute! ;)

 

More To Come...

Just got back from the Christmas Market in Aachen, Germany. Lots of photos to share but I'll post them tomorrow. Must get some sleep. ;)