Dachau

Visited Dachau, the concentration camp, which now stands a memorial to the people who lost their lives there. We were only there for 3hrs but it felt much longer. There are no words to describe the horror that lingers in the air, that's seeped into the earth, and felt within the buildings.

Day 7- Dachau

Altomünster

Went down to Altomünster to visit Dachau and Munich. The drive there and back was fun, it was only about 2.5hrs. Oscar, Monica's GPS devise, took us on a couple of scenic detours but always got us were we wanted to go. I am constantly amazed by the number of Catholic Churches there are around Germany, small, large, simple, or ornate. It is wonderful to ask where the nearest Mass will be held and they point across the street! Almost as frequent as the Churches are the number of hops fields there are- we were apparently traveling through the "Beer Mug" of Germany. (Yes there are lots of pictures of fields, but there are other things too!)

Christmas Eve & Day

Christmas Eve Mass was beautiful! The church was so old and cold but so amazingly beautiful. The service ended they turned out all the lights so only the candles on the trees & alter were lit. Then we sang Silent Night, they sang in German but I quietly sang along in English. I love the Catholic Mass, no matter where I am in the world I can go and understand exactly what is happening.

Weiden

A life size Advent calendar in the center of Weiden at the Christmas Market.

The evening ended with some wonderful German desserts! Ben had the damphnudeln covered in vanilla sauce while I had a waffle with powedered surgar and caramel. (I am still surprised that at the Christmas Markets -all outdoors- they give you real plates, forks, and spoons, very rarely do give you diposable anything)

Nuremberg

We went to Nuremberg where there is the one of largest Christmas Markets (possibly THE largest). One thing I could not get over were all these dolls made of PRUNES and walnuts for heads. Not to mention they were all always looking in the same direction. CREEPY! And they were all over the place. Apparently they are traditional but still ...

I did actually eat the bratwurst with sauerkraut and mustard. It was pretty tasty and was excited to take part in a very traditional German custom. However 30 minutes later I was reminded as to why I am a vegetarian. (Not too fun.)

For the rest of pictures go HERE.

Netzaberg

Monday began with another German breakfast, fresh baked bread is probably one of my favorite things ever. From there we took the autobahn to Monica's very large very nice German house. We stopped by base and went to the nearby Christmas Market. Lots of snow everywhere but I am adjusting to needing at least 5 layers with/on me at all times.

Heidelberg

I arrived in Frankfurt at 5:15 am and was in Heidelberg by 8am. Breakfast was huge wonderful event, breads, meats, cheeses, veggies, jams, and pickles. Monica’s family is so nice and welcoming, Anneliese & Guenter (aunt and uncle). After breakfast we went to the local monastery where they brew their own beer and have a little Christmas market. While there I got to have my first cup of mulled wine, the first of many come- I hope. Then we returned to house and had a traditional German lunch (or dinner as they call it). We had beef rolled around pickles and cheese with mashed potatoes and red cabbage.

After lunch we stopped by Heidelberg Army base where they have a Jesus Land(?). If it wasn’t snowing and so cold we would have gone into it so I can’t tell what Jesus Land is all about. From there we headed to the main Christmas Market.

The Christmas Market was so FABULOUS! So many stalls with tons of fun German things and from around the world. We began with another cup of the wonderful mulled wine (or Glowing Wine), Ben had hot cocoa. There were so many people there despite the snow, making the whole atmosphere festive and exciting. I would describe more but I think the pictures tell a much better story than I could.

My first day ended when my eyes refused to stay open any longer (8pm). Looking forward to tomorrow.

Friday/Saturday

I was challenged to take 25 pictures in one day. I was only able to get 8 on Friday, apprently school days just aren't that exciting. But I was then given an extention and was allowed to include Saturday pictures. The total is now 30 pictures. They are pretty normal days given that it is the holidays.

Friday after school I went to the gym and the Lighthouse.

Saturday I went on a run around my neighborhood (there is a picture at the start, middle, and end), back the Lighthouse for gingerbread decorating, and then Mass in the evening.

Slideshow

Friday/Saturday

Orchestra

I feel very cultural today.

After church this morning Jill and I went to a community orchestra concert. They played Beethoven and it sounded beautiful. The instruments were mostly played by local students (one of which being a student at YMS) and the chorus was almost entirely older Japanese people.