Christmas Markets: Augsburg & Ulm

Before we left the cousins' house, Lizzie had to get in some more baby time after letting me braid her thick pretty hair. I love Lizzie in braids and hope Morgan will let me keep braiding hers as she gets older. Lizzie just couldn't get enough of Jake this weekend and took every chance she could to play with him or hold him. So sweet!

We made a couple stops on the way home from Munich to see more Christmas markets. After all the yummy foods at the Munich Christmas market, the kids were pretty excited to try some more.

- Augsburg Christmas Market -

This is a cute smaller market with lots of great food! We didn't get to browse the options very long because the kids were hungry and impatient. They wanted hot chocolate and donuts as soon as they saw them. Ryan and I tried this dumpling in a vanilla sauce sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Yum!

I got a kick out of seeing all these cute faces lost behind a mug. Good stuff!

Morgan and McKay were dying for a hotdog so we got a couple different kinds to share. While we ate and roamed, an Alp horn ensemble decked out in their winter garb started their show. Some pretty young ladies dressed as angels posed for a photo op while representing Augsburg's famous angel performers. Each weekend evening, these angels put on a musical performance from the windows of the buildings that ring the town square.

- ULM Christmas Market -

The Ulm Minster, the tallest church tower in the world, is the backdrop for this festive market.

The kids loved the merry-go-rounds and we're suckers for those happy grins!

Any guesses what sweet treat they can't take their expectant eyes off?

Cotton candy bigger than their head! Have you ever stood in a line or que in Germany? It's an experience! You have to be assertive and vigilant or you'll never make it to the front of the line. It was a tad exhausting keeping the boys moving forward and giving a stern look to those who would take advantage of my little men. But ah, the sweet reward in the end!

Ulm has these life size nativities with live animals which the kids loved.

Apparently famous, the Steiff teddy bear factory is not far from Ulm and it was Morgan's favorite display. She would have watched the robotic stuffed toys forever! Perhaps you can see my three in the center window?

Jake was a trooper the full day. As long as he got to eat before we got on the road each time, he was good! Ryan and I were just happy to have spent some fun time with the kids enjoying the best time of the year.

It's that time of year!

Grabenstrasse, Vienna

Hallelujah!

Christmas Markets!

On our way to Vienna, we stopped in Steyr to stretch our legs. We saw the town's bus with a fantastically melodious horn. Right out of the Sound of Music, "Genau?" (Translation - exactly.) Genau!

Once in Vienna, we visited the heart of the city around StephansDom. Like the spokes of a wheel, long streets each lit up their neighborhood differently. Grabenstrasse (our pic at the top) has a lot of high end shopping so the chandelier theme was very fitting.

The first Weinachtsmarkt we visited was between the beautiful Rathaus and Bergtheatre. When we visited Vienna in August with the kids, this area was one of favorites because of the music and food festival they host each June through September. YUM! With the buildings all lit up, it had such a great festive ambiance as we endured shivering through the snow/rain mix.

We love seeing each of the huts' wares, but it is most accurate to say Ryan is there for the food! Did you see those monsterous canoli looking things? The creme center is meringue filling.

And if you like marzipan (almond flavored paste, filling, fondant, candy . . .), Europe is the place for you! It comes in all types of varieties! Ryan loves marzipan as do many in his family.

The stick he's holding is what tasted like a pepperoni stick cooked/wrapped in a langos. Langos are elephant ear-like fried bread only it's heavily seasoned with garlic. It was delicious!

When eating at a fair of any type, Ryan likes to differentiate his eating by what he calls his sweet and salty cycles. He's always on the hunt for the next cycle's eats! For instance, here's some of his choices at the Schonbrunn Palace Weinachtsmarkt on Saturday.

Potato soup bread bowl = Salty cycle

Miners' burger sized (Yakima burger joint reference for us Bares) freshly fried donut, sprinkled with powdered sugar and filled with either vanilla, chocolate, or marmelade. YUM!!! Definitely the sweet cycle! Eat'cho heart out, or in spite of it!

On a previous salt cycle, Ryan stood in the longest line to get some of these babies!

Fresh cut and fried spiral potato chips. So good!

Not all the food was fried deliciousness, here's some of the other tasty stuffs!

Many kinds of hot alcoholic and non beverages at one hut. When you order your hot beverage, you pay extra for the festive mug. You carry the mug around with you until you either take it home with you as a souveneir or return it for a couple euros back in your pocket. We love hot chocolate and these huts did pretty good, just not as good as Starbucks. I'll have you know there's enough of those all over Europe too!

The gluhwein hut's other side, some tempting loaded potatoes!

And the gingerbread, their infamous lebkuchen that takes all sorts of forms! These were the most intricately decorated we've seen.

The Schonbrunn market was the creme of the crop! High quality artisans, unique huts and amazing food choices! Now time to hit the gym so we can keep up the pace with local markets!

Whirlwinds

Stuttgart Weinachtsmarkt on Monday

Strasbourg, France Weinachtsmarkt last night.

Morgan whined her way to win her new doll! We're sooo in big trouble!

Christmas season is upon us and we're soaking it all up! Between Christmas and Advent parties at schools, touring with some of Ryan's family, Christmas shopping, and taking in as many Weinachtsmarkts (Christmas markets) as humanly possible - I don't have much time to document it as it's happening. Some write-ups have been started and a plethora of pictures have been taken, but I don't expect to get much posted until next week.

On Monday, Ryan and I also got a fun tour of downtown Stuttgart and it's government buildings. Very cool to hear some in depth German-American history of how Stuttgart played an important role post-WWII. I have two new people to research and admire - Lt. General Lucius D. Clay and Sec. of State James F. Byrnes with the Speech of Hope here in Stuttgart. Without their efforts, who knows how the British, French, and Americans would have ever resolved their respective carved up zones in post-WWII Germany and if German reunification could have ever happened once the Wall fell. Man I love history! Pictures coming!

I'm also beyond sad that a good friend and neighbor is moving this week! My friend Heike has only lived here a year and her husband got new orders (Army). She's been so helpful as my German resource and a great friend as we've both enjoyed our little town and the schools. The boys will miss their buddies and playing at Sammy, Taylor and Mason's house! Heike's saved my bacon many a time and I've loved our kindergarten and bus stop chats! I pray their move goes smoothly and for her dear mother's health. Oh they're going to be so missed!