Christmas Markets

No, I haven't completely fallen off the face of the earth. I know I haven't posted on here in quite some time, but that crazy thing called work has really gotten in the way of my fun. I was actually planning to be back in US around now and would stay through Christmas (for work actually), but a really big project came up here that was too good of an experience to turn down. Now, I'll be back right around Christmas and stay through New Year's.

This weekend, I did some Christmas shopping around the many Christmas markets here in Munich. Germany is well known for its hand-made Christmas ornaments and other decorations such as nutcrackers. These are similar to an arts and crafts fair we see at home. Most of the vendors are from Germany, but I also saw some from Africa and Ukraine. I was actually quite surprised this year and found some really neat gifts -- now I just hope the recipients think so too!

The Christmas markets are also a place to go to socialize. They have sausage and other food stands and various types of hot alcoholic drinks. The most common one is gluehwein (a spiced wine), honey wines, or other punch-type drinks. There is even one called a "feuerzangenbowle", which is a cup of gluehwein with a shot of rum and a sugar cube on the side of the glass and is lit on fire so the sugar slowly melts into the wine. It sounds too sweet to me, so I haven't tried that one. My favorite is the honey wine.

Mmmm, sausage.

Just when I thought I couldn't think of anything else to give anyone, I ran across this! (yeah, that's right, dreads and "conrows".)

While I was at one of the markets (actually where Oktoberfest is held), these abominable snowman, scary looking guys came by. If kids are scared of Santa, they really aren't going to like these guys. Not sure what they were.

KU-OU Football Game

I can't say too much for our football team or the excitement of the game itself, but it was very nice to be back again and see some friends. I just love the college football atmosphere and being part of the experience. It's the one thing I miss more than friends and family.

When I'm back I never think to take pictures, but here are the few I did manage to take. It was a really pretty time to be back too - great fall temperature with all the leaves turning bright orange and red. The hill was packed with tailgaters. It's so nice to see a full stadium and some excitement around the football team even when the basketball team is ranked #1.

Guys Week - Oktoberfest Style

My good college friends Tim and Josh flew to Munich last week for Oktoberfest. Needless to say, we had a great time doing what us guys do best -- drinking a little, reminiscing about the good ole days, drinking a little more, talking politics, and then making great decisions such as going to Oktoberfest 3 days in a row. It was quite the marathon let me tell you.

On Thursday we took a bike tour of the city and then went to two of the best beer halls in town - the locals' favorite, Augustiner-Brau and then of course the Hofbrauhaus.

Here we are drinking the best beer in town - Augustiner Dunkel (well, I still think it's a toss-up between this and Konig Ludwig Dunkel, but I'm not going to argue with a beer that's been around since 1328).


We had tickets to the Schottenhamel tent at Oktoberfest on Saturday and Sunday. I always laugh when they say "tent" because this one holds 6,000 people inside and 4,000 in the beer garden outside! This is also the tent where Oktoberfest officially begins with the first barrel being tapped by the mayor of Munich.

Inside the Schottenhamel. All of the tents have a band in the middle playing music. The music ranges from traditional Bavarian music to Country Roads to some other songs that I just can't explain but that everyone here knows (or at least well enough to belt out some random words) and some songs even have "actions" to go along with them.

Our first Oktoberfest beer.

I'm sure you can imagine the weight of a mug that holds a liter of beer (34 ounces). Even if you can't, let me just say that they are practically indestructible. I guess Tim was anxious to pose for this picture because he knocked Josh in the head with his. HA! (sorry guys, I just couldn't resist this one)

Horse-drawn cart rolling in the barrels (not kegs) for the day.

Tim showing off his ability to hold 4 liters. The waitresses carry 6 in each arm. We're not sure how they do it.

We had tickets to the Hippodrom tent on the 3rd day. This one holds 3,300 inside and 1,100 in the beer garden outside.

We also rented a car and drove to Salzburg and Berchtesgaden to see the Eagle's Nest. This is one of the benefits of driving in Germany - driving 100mph, literally...and still getting passed.

Tim and me in Salzburg.

Josh and Tim in Salzburg on the hike up to the fortress.

Fortress on the top of the hill in Salzburg.

City of Salzburg looking down from the fortress.

Tim and Josh posing in the puppet gallery inside the fortress.

Medieval exhibit inside the fortress.

Cart full of huge wheels of cheese in an outdoor market in Salzburg.

At the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden, Germany just outside Salzburg.

Last but not least, we went to the Dachau Concentration Camp in Munich.

Memorial depicting prisoners purposely running into the electric barbed-wire fences surrounding the camp.

Bunks

Crematorium

European Family Vacation

No, not Chevy Chase-style either -- although we did go through a roundabout a couple times just for good measure! Mom and Dad flew in last week to visit and travel through Europe for a couple weeks. We had a very busy two weeks, but had a great time every day. It was their first time to Europe, so we wanted to get to as many places as we could. I'm sure they were hating me more than a few times from making them walk for miles upon miles, wake up early, catch trains, subways, and planes all while trying to relax and enjoy their time off -- and not to mention trying to figure out what to order for dinner with me trying to translate using my broken German and none of us being able to speak any French!



We went to Vienna, Berchtesgaden (Hitler's Eagle's Nest), Bastogne Belgium for a Battle of the Bulge tour, Paris, Berlin, and of course Munich.



VIENNA, AUSTRIA



Here we are at the Hofburg Redoutensaal sitting in the 2nd row of a classical music concert of Strauss and Mozart music. Strauss, Mozart, and Beethoven all performed here. The concert was excellent!

The conductor is also world famous and conducts the New Year's Eve concert at the Hofburg as well.

The Hofburg Imperial Palace.

Republicans in Vienna.

BERCHTESGADEN, GERMANY
After 2 days in Vienna we went to Berchtesgaden (just outside of Salzburg, Austria), which is where Hitler had a house (Hofberg) and also where the Eagle's Nest is. The Hofberg was destroyed, but the Eagle's Nest and the tunnels under the complex still remain.

View from the road from the old Hofberg (Hitler's house) to the Eagle's Nest (Hitler's mountain retreat). Unfortunately it was cloudy at the top.

Tunnel entrance to Eagle's Nest.

Inside Eagle's Nest. This is the room shown in the movie Valkyrie. The fireplace is behind me.

Mom and Dad outside Eagle's Nest.

Patio/breezeway of Eagle's Nest. This is featured in one of the last episodes of Band of Brothers where the Americans arrive.

BATTLE OF THE BULGE TOUR (Bastogne, Belgium)

This is the American Cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg.

I took a Battle of the Bulge tour from a tourguide in April and loved it, so convinced Mom and Dad to take one from him again too. The tourguide again was excellent and shared many stories from the veterans he knows (some are from the Band of Brothers, like Bill Garnier and Babe Heffron).

This is a farmhouse where you can still see bullet holes.

Foxholes from the "Jack's Woods" between Bastogne and Foy. This is where some of the Band of Brothers episodes were based.

Mom and Dad and our tourguide Reg. We found some shrapnel right near this foxhole. This is also about where Bill Garnier and Joe Toye lost their legs.

PARIS, FRANCE

Arc de Triomphe

This is the tunnel/underpass where Princess Diana was killed.

Napolean's Tomb is inside this building.

The French "White House". We were walking back to our hotel near here and saw a motorcade with a black "Presidential" car in the middle. There was a man and woman in the car, and we assume it was Sarkozy and his wife, but they went by so quickly we aren't positive.

St. Eustachy church

St. Chapelle church

Notre Dame cathedral

Luxembourg Gardens in Paris

BERLIN, GERMANY

Checkpoint Charlie

Brandenburg Gate

The German "White House". We saw a helicopter land there so maybe we saw Angela Merkel arrive too, who knows.

Reichstag

Inside the dome of the Reichstag

This is the courtyard where the conspirators in one of the plots to assassinate Hitler (Valkyrie) were executed. The scene in Valkyrie was actually shot here too.

Many buildings in Berlin still haven't been completely restored since the war.

Charlottenberg Palace in Berlin

In the gardens behind the palace.

Before eating the Obama Burger, we had to split it in 3 equal sections. Then, the one of us who has the highest salary had to divide our portion between the other 2. Then, when the bill came, the highest paid had to pay for the whole burger. OK, maybe we didn't really eat here, but I'm sure that's how it would work, right.

MUNICH, GERMANY

Inside the Hofbrauhaus. What trip to Munich is complete without a trip here!

Castles in southern Germany. This is Neuschwanstein (the one the Disneyland castle was modeled after).

We decided to have a relaxing day the last day of the trip, so we went to a beer garden in the English Garden near my apartment. There were a few bands there and of course good food and beer, so what could be a better way to end a great trip? Thanks Mom and Dad for a great 2 weeks!