Christmas Day - Dezember 25
"I can't believe my eyes!". These words were our alarm clock at 6.30 this morning. Mads had awoken and spied the pile of presents Father Christmas had left her. And very well chosen presents they were too - just perfect for Mads.
We had a lovely day: cooked and ate and drank, unwrapped and walked then ate and drank some more. It was so nice to share the day with Hil in Hobart via Skype. Aint technology grand?
Great presents all round. Most surprising for me was a necklace from Matt which I had admired in a shop window when we were on our way to a coffee shop yesterday. There were several similar but he bought THE one. I couldn't believe my eyes!
Jim was equally touched by Matt's gift to him: a trilobite from the dinosaur museum
Germany is now closed. It closed at lunch time on Christmas Eve and won't re-open until Monday. I have never seen streets so quiet - not even on Grand Final Day in Melbourne
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Dezember 21-22 Heidelberg
We all went to Heidelberg for an overnight stop. Our room in the hotel was at the very top and had a sloping roof with a skylight. Right Foot could not stand up in half of it. The hotel is connected to a university which offers courses in hospitality and is run by students. We were asked to overlook any 'mishaps'. We tried our best.
We took the funicular up to the top of Konigstuhl where we did all the traditional snowy stuff: snowmen, snowballs, apple streudel etc. Then half way down to the ruined schloss which had great atmosphere in the gloom and snow.
No crepes for dinner tonight: we went to a Chinese restaurant where Mads chummed up with the owner's 5 year-old daughter. They played happily despite language challenges.
It was a great day
Tuesday was much milder - in fact not cold at all and we could actually take our hats off for the first time in 2 weeks. I have tulip-shaped hair after all that time in a beanie. Because it's necessary to wear a coat, scarf and hat all the time, my photos give the impression that none of us has changed clothes for a fortnight.
We went to the museum where we saw, amongst other things, the jawbone of Heidelberg Man, our 600,000 year-old relative.
He still had most of his teeth. If his can last so long why do we have so much trouble keeping our teeth for 50 or 60 years?
We all went to Heidelberg for an overnight stop. Our room in the hotel was at the very top and had a sloping roof with a skylight. Right Foot could not stand up in half of it. The hotel is connected to a university which offers courses in hospitality and is run by students. We were asked to overlook any 'mishaps'. We tried our best.
We took the funicular up to the top of Konigstuhl where we did all the traditional snowy stuff: snowmen, snowballs, apple streudel etc. Then half way down to the ruined schloss which had great atmosphere in the gloom and snow.
No crepes for dinner tonight: we went to a Chinese restaurant where Mads chummed up with the owner's 5 year-old daughter. They played happily despite language challenges.
It was a great day
Tuesday was much milder - in fact not cold at all and we could actually take our hats off for the first time in 2 weeks. I have tulip-shaped hair after all that time in a beanie. Because it's necessary to wear a coat, scarf and hat all the time, my photos give the impression that none of us has changed clothes for a fortnight.
We went to the museum where we saw, amongst other things, the jawbone of Heidelberg Man, our 600,000 year-old relative.
He still had most of his teeth. If his can last so long why do we have so much trouble keeping our teeth for 50 or 60 years?
Monday, December 21, 2009
White Christmas
We really are having a White Christmas. The snow is thick and heavy and right up to the front door. The trees are decorated with real snow not foam from an aerosol can. I have never seen snow falling before and never seen it in an urban area at all. Now I trudge around like Good King Wencelas in a white white world. It's an amazing experience.
We are off to Heidelberg tomorrow to check out the uni where Hamlet went to school
We really are having a White Christmas. The snow is thick and heavy and right up to the front door. The trees are decorated with real snow not foam from an aerosol can. I have never seen snow falling before and never seen it in an urban area at all. Now I trudge around like Good King Wencelas in a white white world. It's an amazing experience.
We are off to Heidelberg tomorrow to check out the uni where Hamlet went to school
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Strasbourg Day 3 - Samedi
We woke this morning to a snowy vista dotted with pretty Christmas trees. Who knew the view from a 2 star hotel could be so romantic? But did I want to go out in it? Mais non! Did I have to? Mais oui!
Oh well. Another crepe. Another museum. Followed by more adventures on the ICE train back to Frankfurt where it is minus 10 degrees.
We woke this morning to a snowy vista dotted with pretty Christmas trees. Who knew the view from a 2 star hotel could be so romantic? But did I want to go out in it? Mais non! Did I have to? Mais oui!
Oh well. Another crepe. Another museum. Followed by more adventures on the ICE train back to Frankfurt where it is minus 10 degrees.
Strasbourg Day 2 - Vendredi
Today we explored beautiful Petit France: the old city where the entire French army holed up in the Napoleonic wars. I bought some gorgeous Alsation lace Christmas decorations, tres chic. The street decorations are the classiest, most sophisticated and stylish I have ever seen.
Thankfully there are numerous excellent museums in Strasbourg where we could shelter from the cold. I would have agreed to anything, even a car museum or the Museum of Toenail Clippings
Today we explored beautiful Petit France: the old city where the entire French army holed up in the Napoleonic wars. I bought some gorgeous Alsation lace Christmas decorations, tres chic. The street decorations are the classiest, most sophisticated and stylish I have ever seen.
Thankfully there are numerous excellent museums in Strasbourg where we could shelter from the cold. I would have agreed to anything, even a car museum or the Museum of Toenail Clippings
THREE DAYS IN ALSACE
Jeudi - Death Avoided By Chocolat
We took the Intercity to Strasbourg to check out the Alsations, the sausage (Stras, Fritz or Devon depending on which state of Australia you grew up in)and the famed Chistmas markets.
Because we are old buggers we got a 25% discount on our train fare which, according to our calculations, meant the price came down to 150 Euro. But no. The tickets cost 152.80. Turns out the last 2 stations are in France and the discount stops at the border.
Strasburg is very beautiful, historic and interesting but absolutely freezing. Big Jim bought another coat to wear on top of the one he already had and all the clothes beneath.
Dinner was crepes in the markets and to drink Vin Chaud followed by Chocolat Chaud which was a cupful of melted chocolate with coconut sprinkled on top. Rich and sickly, it tasted like a liquid lamington but warded off death by hyperthermia for a couple more hours.
Jeudi - Death Avoided By Chocolat
We took the Intercity to Strasbourg to check out the Alsations, the sausage (Stras, Fritz or Devon depending on which state of Australia you grew up in)and the famed Chistmas markets.
Because we are old buggers we got a 25% discount on our train fare which, according to our calculations, meant the price came down to 150 Euro. But no. The tickets cost 152.80. Turns out the last 2 stations are in France and the discount stops at the border.
Strasburg is very beautiful, historic and interesting but absolutely freezing. Big Jim bought another coat to wear on top of the one he already had and all the clothes beneath.
Dinner was crepes in the markets and to drink Vin Chaud followed by Chocolat Chaud which was a cupful of melted chocolate with coconut sprinkled on top. Rich and sickly, it tasted like a liquid lamington but warded off death by hyperthermia for a couple more hours.
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