Nuremberg Christmas Market

Nuremberg is supposed to be have of the biggest and best markets in Germany, but I think I prefer the smaller ones. We were there on a Saturday so it was especially crowded. It was fun and I'm glad I finally saw it, but I bet the small one we're going to in the Baileys' little town is going to be more fun. Their kids are so cute and, except for the occasional hunger-induced whine, are incredibly well-behaved. Todd and Colleen are great parents!!  We'll leave here tomorrow heading toward Amsterdam, but we'll spend a night in Rudesheim on the way so we don't have to drive too much in one day. Rudesheim is a small town on the Rhein and it looks like the Christmas market is adorable. 

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The only pics the blog will let me post so far - first night in Cologne!

Baileys!

After a morning of more Prague wandering, we hit the road to return to Germany and visit the Baileys!!  It's so great to see them and get to know Natalie and Grant.  Soo cute!  Their house is HUGE!  I could definitely live with them permanently without causing much disruption. ;) More Christmas markets tomorrow!

Prague!

They're so different, I feel like it's fair to declare a tie in the contest for world's most beautiful city (that I've seen so far):  congratulations Venice and Prague!!!!  I just love it here. Last night, we ran into an older American couple who are here for the full 3 months allowed in the Shengen area.  The first time they came here was supposed to be 2 days, but they stayed 2 weeks. Then they shit for 2 weeks and stayed 2 months. Now they just stay all 3 months allowed and come back when they're allowed back in. What a great life!  It's so cheap here that it's quite doable. We have a room right next to the Charles Bridge with 2 bedrooms (complete with desks, flat screen tvs and chandeliers!), and what appears to be a butler's prep room for $100 a night.  That's just 50 bucks per person! We also get free breakfast and wifi - which I'm enjoying right now. It's amazing!  Beautiful, cheap, and absolutely everyone speaks English - what more could you ask for from a European city?  We wandered all over yesterday and will be doing a bit more strolling this morning before setting off for Todd and Colleen's house in Germany. Yay! Pics available on Facebook.

Really the last full day in Berlin

We arrived in Berlin on Sunday in time to settle into our TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENT ONE BLOCK FROM BRANDENBURG GATE (!!!!! - cheaper than hotels!) and stroll over to the gate and the Reichtstag for some lovely nighttime photos. Then we walked to what is supposed to be the prettiest market in Berlin. It was beautiful because it's in the middle of three gorgeous old buildings, but it started to rain so we didn't get a perfect version of it. This market was different from others I've seen in that it had a lot of restaurants and bars - not the little huts that can hold about 10 people, but full-sized restaurants in tents. They were amazing. We settled into one that was a bar and enjoyed a few beers, a seranade by a guitarist I called Albino German Gay Jesus, and a chat with a strange, drunk, older German man who helped Mel with some of her German. Another weird guy had taught her "schmekt lecker" in Hannover and she's been perfecting it ever since. It just means "it's tasty."  On the first full day we got tix for a hop on/hop off bus. What I learned from the not particularly interesting audio guide is that Berlin has a lot of shopping areas and there were cool things to see but they were all bombed during the war. Geez, sorry, but we didn't start that. Of course, we stopped at more Christmas markets - another pyramid, a full carnival with big rides, and brats (we eat brats once a day). We got off the bus at Checkpoint Charlie, learned a bit about the wall and touched a piece of it   Overall, the city isn't especially beautiful or interesting (so far) but I'm hoping for better today on the bus that goes to East Berlin. It seems they don't want to talk too much about the stuff I would find interesting - Nazis. We'll see how it goes today. If nothing else, we're having a great time at the markets!  If you're wondering how I finally found time to blog - I found that there is ample time between my shower and the completion of Mel's beauty regimen. :p

Last full day in Berlin

I'm sorry I have been blog-delinquent, but it's definitely more difficult to find time to write when you're traveling with another person...who isn't in the hospital. ;)  Quick recap of the trip so far:  I met Mel at her departing gate at Heathrow on Friday. I couldn't get on her flight but we had time for a quick hello and to make it clear to her flight mates that we are American, rather than British. Two hours later I caught my flight and we got in and out of the Brussels airport without a hitch. There were soldiers in the airport and two cops on the gangway(? is that what you call the thing that connect the plane to the airport?) when I boarded the flight to Brussels, but no problems. We drove to Cologne and then Hannover the next night. These were just two spots on the map that appropriately broke up our drive to Berlin but they were great!  There was a Christmas market outside our door in Cologne and a gorgeous one a block or two away in front of the Cologne Cathedral, making it a lot easier to stay away the afternoon and evening of my first day in Europe. In Hannover, there was another market right outside our door (and we got free parking for the night!) and the coolest two things I had ever seen at a market. First, we happened upon a giant thing they call a Christmas pyramid. Bars on the first two levels, manger scenes on a few more increasingly smaller levels, and a big propeller on top. All festively decorated!  It was awesome. Then we stumbled upon a man-made pine grove. The trees on the outside were decorated with white lights and inside there were little huts serving drinks and pub tables scattered along the windy path. It was sooooo cool. And the pine smell (and glühwein, of course) was fantastic. Free breakfast the next morning and then we headed to Berlin with 6 Christmas mugs each tucked into our luggage. I'll write about Berlin in a new entry - this blog freaks out when I add too much. Also, it's not letting me add pics...yet. I'm putting more than usual on Facebook to make up for that for now. Two-stop shopping!

Another European Adventure!!! Nov - Dec 2015

Day 3 in Germany with Mel - heading to Berlin!  So far, we've just stopped along the way rather than drive 8 hours in one day (Brussels to Berlin), but the random stops have been a lot of fun. Thanks to Christmas markets!!!  Pics not cooperating at the moment and Mel has arrived at breakfast so more later!  It's hard to find time to write.

Day 11 - pics

Day 11 - Bunratty

Today is my last day of vacation and my birthday - a real mixed bag!  This is the first time I've spent my birthday out of the country and away from friends and family. It's not bad!  Of course I miss everyone, but I love traveling. I think I'm actually going to think of yesterday as my Irish bday though because it was such an awesome day. Today was fine, but it rained all day and Bunratty was my "might as well see it cuz it's close to the airport" stop on this trip. I had little interest in the castle but wanted to walk through the folk village - the Old Sturbridge Village of central Ireland. It was really cute, but the rain definitely put a damper on the excitement. I would have spent more time there on a nicer day. But it wasn't a bad end to my trip. I even got to hear an American say, "That must be the Irish flag. Green, white, and orange?"  Oh, Americans. I know we're not good at world geography and national flags, but where has this 50 or 60-something guy been every St. Patrick's Day?!?  Ugh. Oh well, I'm excited to see Buddy and Giz. I miss them. Farewell Ireland, you've been grand!!!  Here's the flag the genius was looking at....

Day 10 - Pics

Day 10 - Killarney National Park

Surprisingly awesome day!  Not because I didn't expect to like Killarney - it's just that I didn't think I'd really get to see any of it. The weather forecast was dire, but it turned out to be one of the nicest days I've had. Of course, it did rain a few times, but not for long. I was enjoying the view of one of the lakes when I turned my head and saw a wall of rain coming over the mountain. I wasn't too far from the car, but I wasn't all that close either. I walk/jogged toward the parking lot, but was still in the woods when the rain hit. Luckily, I happened upon a jaunting car (horse and buggy) at that moment and the nice driver let me sit up front with him.  The people who had paid for the ride ended up being parked next to me so I got a ride all the way back!  I tried to give the guy 5 euros, but he absolutely refused, while waiting for the German couple to cough up the agreed-upon rate. Lovely!  Next, I had lunch at Kate Kearney's Cottage - how could I not?  It's right near the trail to Dunloe Gap so I set off for the viewing point after lunch. Knowing how the rain sneaks up on you, I examined the area throughout my hike for trees and stuff that might provide some shelter. I picked out a bunch of good spots along the way, but there wasn't much left by the time I got to the viewing point. Of course, that's when I saw the wall of rain headed my way again. This is also the same moment that I realized I left my umbrella in the car. Doh!  I fast-walked back towards where I saw some sheltery places with hopes of finding something better than I was originally looking for because now I was umbrella-less. Again, I was saved!  I found a little cave (for wont of a better term for it) and crawled in, keeping my bag behind me. I wouldn't really have minded getting wet, but I wanted to protect my camera and phone. It was perfect!  And quite lovely to be curled up in there watching the rain fall in the pond across the road. I love vacation!  After that, I drove to Kenmare and saw a festive, but poorly executed "Ball Race" fundraiser. Great day!  Here's my shelter....

Day 9 - Pics

Day 9 - Galway to Killarney

Mostly driving and wandering around town today. I didn't stop along the way, but I got some drive-by photos in adorable Adare. Killarney is cute too. It's mostly the flags over the street that make it cute but there are a few good buildings too. I saw a huge line at the funeral parlor across the street from the Cathedral. It went down the street and around the block. I wonder if the bishop died.

There's an International Bikefest in town and it's a bank holiday weekend so my off-season traveling mojo has been destroyed. Lots of traffic and noisy bikes. Yuck. I wish I had known - there were so many other places I could have gone. And it's supposed to be "a total washout" this weekend according to the lady at the front desk. I hope she's wrong and I get to enjoy the national park (additional hope: sans motorcycles) tomorrow!  I had a delicious dessert tonight thanks to the early bird special I was able to enjoy because I didn't get breakfast or lunch today. Apple and berry crumble - yum!

Day 8 - Donegal to Galway

Another lovely drive with a stop for a short hike to a pretty waterfall. I explored Galway this evening. Pretty tired....in a good way. Killarney tomorrow!

Day 7 - pics

Still loving the panoramas!