Frankfurt, Food and FACTS

So, Ive had a lot of time to just relax and fall back into place in Germany. Ive really got to re-experience all the delicious food that I had remembered from the first time around. German food is so much more that just Sausage, Potatoes, Sauerkraut and Beer - contrary to popular belief. I suppose now would be a good time to talk about stereotypes and misconceptions - yeah, there are a lot of them.

Outside Shopping Areas

I have yet to do all that much traveling, but I did recently go to Frankfurt despite the extreme cold (coldest European winter in recent history, people are literally dying). Anyway, it was cold and somewhat sunny, then randomly snowing, but regardless, Frankfurt is a cool city with great Museums and restaurants, home to a good college or two. I would almost compare it to my hometown Indianapolis - the only difference being the amount of public transportation available there. We rode trains, subways and a couple of streetcars just to get around.


So, true false time. Play along. The answers will be at the bottom :)

True or false?

1. German beer is sometimes cheaper than water
2. Germans drink their beer warm
3. Only Munich celebrates Oktoberfest
4. Everyone in Germany wears Lederhosen
5. There is no speed limit on the Autobahn (Interstate)
6. German trains are always on time
7. The German language is very throaty (i.e. lots of hacking and coughing sounds when speaking)
8. Many Germans speak English
9. Germans' sense of humor is dull, or nonexistent
10. There are more than 250 German dialects

Graaaaaains, I want Graaaaaaains!

Alright, enough of that. Hope you did well! So yes, food. Each region of Germany has their own spin on a type of dish. They have their own original beer, their own original flavor of meat or dish that others in Germany might not even know about. Meat, especially sausage and sliced deli type meats are very popular, being eaten for breakfast and such. Most meats can be purchased from the local butcher (and no, not the ones in the supermarket, actual butchers). There are so many types of cheese, you might get a brain tumor thinking about it. There are cheeses from Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland to name a few. And what do you put all that meat and cheese on? ---Delicious, delicious fresh baked bread from the baker. When I think about bread choices in America, I feel annoyed. "Hmm, white bread, or wheat bread....". I know there are other breads, but even those dont compare to the delicious choices here. Dont get me started about their rolls. WOW.

Imported fruit. I had never seen some of this before.

So German Karnival (Called Fasching, Faasend Fastnacht depending on where you are) is starting. Its the equivalent of our Mardi Gras - but with less breasts, beads, random street sex and police. Its a tradition that I have recently learned is more than 5000 years old. People celebrate for a week every year with festivals, parades, parties, and so much more. I'll be making some plans to explore and take some pictures. Expect another entry thereafter.

SO! I know how delightfully excited you are about the answers to the random stereotypical pop quiz. Let me know how many you got right.

1. True. Germans drink sparkling water or Mineral water that is usually somewhat expensive. If you go to a restaurant, thats what you get. No free water from the tap, thats pretty much unheard of. 
2. False. I'm not sure where this idea came from, but they like their beer COLD. Yes, there may be people who drink it warm, but Id rather not associate my beer with piss.
3. True- with exceptions. The major event, the entire Oktoberfest is held in Munich, Bavaria where it has over 6+ million visitors each year. Although, throughout Germany smaller local Oktobefests are held with concerts and a few parties, but nothing compared to the original.
4. False. Lederhosen (leather pants, as well as those German style beer wench dresses) arent worn by everyone. Nowadays they are hardly worn by anyone aside from parties, Oktoberfest and such. Older people both men a women still wear the traditional garb in southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria. There are many shops that sell original hand made dresses (Dirndl) and Lederhosen. 
5. False. Sorry need for speeders. There are many speed limits on the Autobahn, but dont worry, there are still sections of the autobahn that are indeed, limitless, and people DO go as fast as they want. It mostly depends on the surrounding areas, if it crosses through the city or highly populated areas. 
6. False. Well, I know a LOT of Germans who wished this were true. The German train system, the Deutsche Bahn (DB) has numerous delays and cancellations. They do their best to be on time, and it is usually reliable. 
7. False. I say this because I find Dutch (spoken in Holland) is much more throaty and harsh, and even some French words. German can be associated with the rolling of R's especially in certain dialects.
8. True. Some Germans even begin learning English from the 1st grade, while other begin in the 5th grade.
9. False. They are humorous people with a few good comedians. I enjoy a German political satire show similar to Americas "The Daily Show".
10. True. Dialects, which are alterations on the base language, can vary from town to town. Think about that. Plus, German is spoken in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Luxemburg, Holland and a few other places all with influence from the neighboring country. For example, there might be an Italian influence in Switzerland, or Luxemburg, located between Germany and France has very interesting dialects.

Alright. Have a great Valentines day all, and for those singles out there - maybe next year? 

Christmas Markets and Heilig Abend

How can I begin without a wish a wonderful Christmas Eve to you all. Over the last few days, Ive made myself at home and steadily ended my jetlag for the most part, and beleive me it wasnt fun. Nevertheless, its been an interesting few days, with a few trips as well.

Saarlouis, Saarland. In most cities, there are "Weihnachtsmärkte" or Christmas Markets, marking the upcoming Christmas days. They all have their own little traditions, but at most, youll see hot spiced wine, hand made gifts like woodcarvings, toys, and christmas ornaments. Naturally, there are Crepes (with nutella, yum) and a lot of warm food, being that the whole thing is held outside. In Saarlouis, the city was covered in lights and lighted stars and glowing ornaments. It will really put you in the Christmas mood, regardless of the weather.


Everyone celebrates the holidays differently, and this is one of my favorite ways. Besides the lack of Christmas music, I couldnt have been happier to be here, and take a moment to enjoy the good life.

After awhile, we decided to finally make the 1:20 trip to Metz, France to have a taste of the French Christmas Market. Personally, my French is worse than a rock, so I wasnt really in any position to speak too much. Between the three of us, we made a good team, if French needed to be used. Luckily for me, all I really needed to say was a few "excuse me" "thank you" and "I dont speak french". Maybe next time around.

Once again, the weather was not so much to be seen, but the city was beautiful nonetheless. Lights also covered the town, and it was bustling with Christmas shoppers, families and travelers such as ourselves. It was funny to hear a handful of passerbys speaking German. I stepped out of my confort zone. I forgot what it felt like to be in a foreign land without knowing the language.

One doesnt need to speak French to see the amazing things offered. The air was filled with the scent of Churros, Chocolate, Wine, and Meat. Each little wooden hut had so many things that I
was dying to try. I have never in my life seen so much chocolate in one area. Talk about a sweet
dream.

Id only been to France once before, Paris. You cant really compare the two cities. It would be like comparing French Fries to Mashed Potatoes. Theyre both similar, but have totally different aspects to them, with a different "flavor" so to say. In Paris, I felt stressed, tired and so busy trying to understand that damn Metro. This time, I could relax, walk the street side shops, share some Churros and take in the beauty of France in Winter.


So, the Eve of Christmas has finally arrived, and what a spectacular one it was. It had been some time since id really had a special Christmas. This time around, I made every moment count and enjoyed sharing it with my---Family. It is on Christmas Eve in Germany, that people exchange gifts. I was more excited about what the others would think of their gifts. Mine were wonderful, but what I enjoyed most was being together, sharing wine, listening to music, dancing on the living room floor and just living the life abroad.

Europe in General is beautiful, no matter where you go. Of course, my heart is with Germany, but I love to travel and experience new things. This week was wonderful, and ends with a glass of hot spiced wine and spirit in the chilly winter air.

Snowflakes keep falling on my Head

Well, it is certainly Winter in Germany. They got the memo that Winter means snow, and I guess Indiana hasnt, yet. Upon my arraival here, there wasnt really all too much but last night, it really came down. Now its a slushy mess, eww. Nevertheless, I am here, and man it feels good. Over there is a little bit of what Ive get to look at through the window. Its actually quite beautiful. Schmelz is already very pretty.





For those of you that have flown far, far away before, you know how stressful it can be. My grand total for travel time was 19 hours, planes, trains and cars included. Two giant suitcases, a backpack and one purse later, I found myself in Germany. I almost want to say it feels good to be home, because after all, this is literally my second home. I missed it all very much. Naturally, after such a long travel, I really felt disconnected, thanks to the 6 hour difference and lack of sleep. I was arriving at 6am, so it was important for me to stay up as long as I can, so I can easily fall out of jetlag and into a set schedule.

Segwaying into that, I literally passed out later that night at 6pm. Oops. I managed to sleep the whole night through although!

So, back to Germany. I hopped right into doing things with the family. We bought a Christmas tress (Yes, I know its a little late, but thats German tradition.) It was the prettiest one there, even though it is kind of silly looking. Oh well, it has Character. Ive noticed that the type of trees they use arent as full here, I wonder why that is?

Quick tip: just an FYI, Christmas is a big deal here, although not in the sense of buying presents. They celebrate for three days, the big day is on the 24th Heilig Abend "Holy night" but the 25th and 26th are two more days of celebration. During that time, a lot of people make meals special that they otherwise wouldnt cook in the year. Like three big Christmas dinners. I am excited because we even have a little menu. See the deliciousness below:

Heilig Abend:

• Orange Venison Steak and Almond Broccoli
• Celery Potatoes with Shallots
• Saubacher Chickensoup with Noodles
• Hot Spiced Wine

Christmas Day:

• Anglerfish with Lemon puree covered in Candied Tomatoes and Leek Veggies
• Sweet and Sour Pepper Soup
• Creme Brulee

Second Christmas Day:

• Spaghetti Carbonara
• Scallops with a Winter Salad with a roasted baguette
• Sweet Baked Apples with Ice Cream

If none of that has made your mouth water, you are an sad, sad individual. (not really). Nevertheless, this is going to be an excellent Christmas. I suppose Ill end on that note, and I wish you all a relaxing break as Christmas approaches.