Things got a little crazy right after Christmas, so, I'm a little late in posting these pictures.
I hope that you enjoy them! On December 17 we drove from Gdańsk to Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, the High Tatras in Slovakia, and ended the tour in Kraków. Sadly, our trip got cut a little short due to a family emergency, so we had to leave Kraków early and blast off to the States. We are so blessed to have such good and understanding cat sitters!
I don't want to depress anyone, but, this blog may help future Olmsted Scholars in Poland. If you have a pet pass away in Poland, and want the remains returned to you, that type of cremation service is only available in Germany. Please contact me if you ever want or need details. We were lucky, because Danger passed away a few days before our trip and we were easily able to transport him to Berlin.
The Germans really know how to lay on the Christmas charm and good food. We went from city to city, visiting the markets, trying the gluhwein and local holiday street food. There was everything from giant fried pieces of dough topped with goats cheese and speck to grilled sausages to roasted chestnuts. We even found a Czech pastry in Prague, which was pretty much dough rolled onto a metal rod, and then dusted with cinnamon, sugar, and pieces of nuts and then quickly spun over a hot wood fire as it baked. It tasted like a cinnamon bun in tube-form. Amazing!
It was fun to collect a gluhwein mug from each one, as each has its own special design. The really good mugs are the ones with the date on them, and the ones that change the design every year.
If you don't know where this is, you are not an American. (or a German)
Looking the other direction
Some pieces of the wall
I remember the wall coming down, but was too young to really understand what that meant.
The Gestapo and SS Museum in Berlin
The foundations of the old Gestapo headquarters
Lego Santa
The Holocaust Memorial across the street from the US Embassy and Pariser Platz
I didn't like this memorial one bit. Maybe I was supposed to feel scared?
A huge section of wall that was left standing, one of the few spots where the wall was not re-constructed
Dresden!
The giant Saxon Palace
A church spire that fell during the bombings
King John of Saxony
Semper Opera House
The largest porcelain mural in the world - The Procession of Saxon Princes
Church of Our Lady
Complete with Martin Luther
Christmas market! The little booths and eateries were so cutely decorated and designed
The Elbe River
Prague!
City hall, or the Rathaus, or Ratusz
Roasting hams
The church on the main square in Prague, not the cathedral. This place is run by a protestant church that is affiliated with the Presbyterians. Interesting!
Walking across the Danube to check out the Royal Palace on the hill
On top of the hill, going to check out the Palace and Cathedral in Prague
The Holy Family, in straw
We listened in on an English-speaking tour group, and the guide pointed out that carved onto the doors, and into different stones int he church, is the image of some random Saint's arm.
Supposedly this arm is in the alter inside.
Each picture depicts an arm, but sometimes it's the left arm, sometimes its the right arm.
Nobody is exactly sure which arm it is.
The Czech Crown Jewels are housed here. There are 7 keys to the vault that are held by city officials and clergy. They only come out for very, very special occasions, as you have to involve 7 different people.
We had the BEST gluhwein here in Prague. It was made from the pinot noir that they grow on the palace grounds, and it is the oldest vineyard in this part of Europe. It dates to around 990.
We enjoyed our delicious gluhwein as we looked down on the city, through the sleeping vines.
OMG. I must figure out how to make these over a camp fire.
Trdlnik, or, cinnamon buns in tube form. They are not really Czech, they're more Romanian.
Spinning, spinning, spinning over hot coals
Yes, please, I'll have 17 more!
We took the most pictures of Prague because the weather was nice. It rained, and rained and rained in Vienna and Munich, so, the camera didn't leave the hotel room
Munich! Here is Klaus's new chair that we gave him, being enjoyed by his Grandson Leo!
Please sir, can I have another?
Leo and his sister Kosima
Leo!!!!
Adrian flew in from Brazil for two weeks and here he is after his 14 hour flight, eating a delicious sausage at the big Munich winter Tollwood Festival.
Doug also enjoyed the delicious all-organic and locally produced goodies at the Tollwood.
We even had gluhwein spiked with brandy, and then lit on fire!
After eating we attended an indoor circus/acrobatics show.
The Tollwood Discoball Grapes, in the pouring rain!
Heading to Salzburg!
Salzburg!
This appears to be a slip-n-slide baptismal that ends inside the church
Salzburg, with it's many shrines and statues to the horse
The castle on top of the hill, it was a neat place to visit, and a nice walk for burning off all that gluhwein and cheesy pretzels
Haflingers!
Cathedral in Salzburg
Inside the castle on the hill. The chapel dates to the early 1500s.
Wooohooo! Up high!
Ferns growing out of the sides of the castle wall
A view of the city across the Salzach River
Driving into Vienna. back across the Danube again.
Not many pictures here.....too much rain! I swear, the coldest and most soaked I've ever been!
