Goodbyes, Mexican food and a day in Augsburg

Jan. 1 to 3, 2013

After an awesome weekend with the Schaefer's in Lambsheim, we had to say goodbye.  They showed us so many wonderful things!  But even if we never ventured out with them, it would have been awesome.  They are such great people and we all get along so well!  Stefanie and I were talking about when she came over and it was 1985.  Then she said, "Lori, that is almost 30 years ago!"  What???  Holy cow!  We are old.  I am so glad we kept in touch over the years.  Most of that was thanks to Stefanie because she is much better at writing than I am!  It's been easier since the invention of email, though.  (That's right, Kids, we met a long time before email!!)  We said our goodbyes, but this time we didn't have to cry because they will visit us in Augsburg in February!  :)

We stopped along the 3 hour drive home at a Burger King.  Hmmm, interesting.  Not bad, but not the same!  It was expensive, too, but that's because I didn't know all of those German words and we got the big combo meals by mistake!  That'll teach me.

We got home and unpacked, then via Facebook, the Erath's invited us over for dinner.  Let's see....cook something here when I am tired from the trip, or go eat something yummy that Karen cooks while hanging with them?  Yes, we will be right there!  She made chicken enchiladas which is not something I have ever made at home, for some reason.  It was DEEEEELICIOUS!!!

Lydia is ready!  Cheesy or non-cheesy enchiladas :)

We had fun with them, as usual!

Wednesday was Brad's first work day here in Germany.  He left at about 8 (I think.  We were still sleeping!!)  He had a few issues getting up and running, so it wasn't as much fun as he was expecting.  Over here, most German businesses are closed or very low staffed until after Jan. 6 which is a holiday here.  The girls and I didn't do much today.  I walked to our local store for a few groceries, did many loads of (tiny) laundry in my (tiny) washing machine.  Lainie went for a walk with Emma and Linus (the doggie) and then she vacuumed and washed the floors (wow!).  It was a boring but relaxing day.  Brad came home and we had pork chops and fries for dinner.  Brad and I took a walk around our neighborhood kinda late and it's getting cold.  We have been blessed with temps in the 40's to 60's since we've been here!  It's getting down in the 30's lately.

Thursday:  a big day!  Lainie was invited to go into the city (Augsburg) with Emma and her friend Vera.  Just them, no adults!  Back home, Lainie has never been to the mall without an adult, LOL!  Things are very different here.  Very safe, and even young kids are always on the city buses going to and from school.  I was a little nervous, but I trust that it will be ok because Emma has done this before.  Plus it is really cool that Lainie has made a good friend already.  She has always had the ability to make friends easily, although she never thinks she will!

Lea and I made plans to hang out with our friend Anja today! (Our Christmas Eve friends from an earlier blog!)  Anja picked us up and we drove to Augsburg and parked in the City Galerie which is their big mall.  We saw this Sushi place where there is a moving thing full of food!  You pay per item you remove, or pay one price for an hour and eat all you want.  Lainie heard about this from her friend!  Too bad we can't eat fish, it looks fun!

You sit at a table, and open the little door when something you want drives by!!

We went in a few stores then took a small shuttle bus to the city center.  Lea was free!  (A nice feature here in Germany.  People with disabilities are free at so many places.)  It was fun to take a bus because we just don't have that opportunity in Rochester Hills!

We walked around a bit, enjoying the sights.  Many stores are still decorated for Christmas.

The gummy bear store!

The architecture amazes me

A little adorable courtyard

We went to a really good bookstore called Thalia that has many English books and lots of kid items.  Lea got another Top Model book, which is a book with blank drawings of people, and you color them and add the stickers to decorate them.  She really likes these.  We also had a coffee drink!

Enjoying yummy drinks and good company :)

Next we went to the Rathaus which is the city hall.  Lea wanted to go again because she remembers it from last time.  There is a huge Golden Hall which is really beautiful. The building was started in 1600 something.  Wow.  The room and the views are incredible.

A small part of the Golden Hall ceiling

The pedestrian center, where they are taking down the Christmas market :(

The giant stove that used to heat the room

Look at the details in the wooden walls and ceiling in this room

Lea gave a speech :)

A Holocaust memorial for the Augsburg Jews.  Very moving :(

A Roman sculpture from 15 BC.  BC people!  Whoa.

From here we did some more shopping.  While Anja was buying a new coat, Lea and I went next door to a little shop where we met Lola.  People bring their dogs everywhere in Germany, even restaurants.  Little Lola was so happy to meet Lea!  She gave her 8000 kisses!

She was so licky!

We went in a few more stores and grabbed (what else?) a fresh pretzel for lunch.  There is no shortage of pretzels in Germany!!!

They are everywhere!

We took the shuttle back to the mall, found the car and went to a pharmacy so Anja could help me find some natural nose spray.  At home we use Similasan which is made in Switzerland, so I assumed we could find it here.  Nope.  So we got something similar and then went on to Alnatura which is a grocery store along the lines of Whole Foods, only much smaller.  Organic and natural stuff.  Lea passed out in the car on the drive home.

Lainie had her own awesome day in the city.  They shopped and talked and rode buses, then came home and went back to Vera's house to hang out.  Apparently Vera is as nice and sweet as Emma, so it was all good!

We just ate spaghetti for dinner and are very tired.  Brad was going to go play pool with Soeren tonight but is too worn out.  Maybe we need a little more rest around here!!  So while it's only 6:45 pm, I am ending my blog with the promise to edit in anything good that happens after I am done.  :)

Frohes Neues Jahr!

Monday, Dec. 31, 2012

Happy New Year!!

So here we are, spending the last day of 2012 with great friends in Germany!  It's like a dream!  Speaking of dreams, look what they eat for breakfast:

Fresh baked roll (of course) with butter and chocolate sprinkles.  YES.

Stefanie couldn't get the day off of work, so she had to leave.  She is a nurse in an NICU.  But she very nicely made us spaghetti for lunch before she left.  We also prepared for the dinner which she said would be "Raclette."  I had no idea what this was, even after they explained.  All I know is we cut up some meat, cheese, she cooked up some veggies.

We were able to visit Stefanie at work, which was so exciting!  Stefan took Lainie and I, and we even got to go in the NICU.  I wanted to cry!  Because all newborns make me want to cry and because I have never seen such tiny human beings.  And there were even twins!  Oh every baby was so adorable I could have just died right there.  We saw one born earlier that day, and one that was about 2 months old but still tinier than my babies were.  She started off less than a pound.  It was really a great experience.  I couldn't take any pictures of course.  I am certain those parents don't want their adorable tiny babes on some crazy American's blog.

We hung out for awhile and then Brad, Stefan, Philipp and I took a walk.

In front of their house, looking down the street

Brad and Philipp played football the whole way

There is Lambsheim in the distance!

The creek right by their house

We started prepping more for the Raclette.  I still had NO IDEA what we were having.  Stefan got out the Raclette grill pans.  They have one and their other NYE guest Carmen brought one.  Here they are:

Round one...little pans cook under the grill

Rectangular one

So we got tons and tons of food ready for this enormous feast!!

Cheeses, ham, salami and onions

Sausages, tomatoes, little hot dogs

The table...all ready!  Raw meats to grill on top, lots of choices for the broiled parts

So you can grill meat on top, or anything, really.  Lainie toasted bread, we grilled onions.  Then you take your individual pan and fill it with what you want.  Then top with cheese if you want and broil it under the grill pan.  It is so delicious!  And fun!!

A good view of everything cooking!

My first one...made with ham, salami, grilled onion, broccoli, cheese

Sliced potatoes, corn, grilled onions, cheese

Brad's with broccoli, corn, cheese and ham

This was so much fun!  Reminds me of the fun of fondue.  I was envisioning dessert this way...thin cake slices, chocolate chips, marshmallows....

The girls tried some cheese!  Since they have been eating a bit of milky stuff, they both decided to risk it (and were fine, thank God!!)

Cheeeeeese!!!

The Schaefer's friend Carmen spent the evening with us.  She is their neighbor and very nice!  In Germany, we have seen many "Good luck pigs" for the new year.  Carmen made her own out of marzipan and brought one for everyone!! They are so stinkin' cute!!!!

Oink

We played games...Wii, Uno Extreme, and one called Ligretto which is a super crazy card game that had us laughing and screaming in frustration at the same time!!

The big Wii Challenge...Wii Party.  Manly :)

So all over Germany, people watch this short film from the UK called "Dinner For One."  It's even in English.  It plays on many, many channels and is on throughout the evening.  It was totally hilarious!  Since the showing we watched started at 6:50 pm, we discussed TV show start times.  I can not believe shows start at such odd times.  Here is the proof:

Seriously.  The strangest thing about Germany so far.  I don't get it!!! 

Stefanie got home at about 9ish and we played more games.  Then it was almost time!!!  We got ready for the ball drop!  (Oh wait...that's the US.  We got ready for the fireworks!!)

Fireworks ready: check!

Champagne ready: check!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  FROHES NEUES JAHR!!  (Lea was upstairs feeling safer in a quiet place.)  Lainie is NOT drinking champagne.  Ok she is.  Don't judge me.

Then we ran outside for the most spectacular fireworks all over the neighborhood!  Everyone does this at midnight!  Other than the Windsor-Detroit Freedom Festival near July 4, I have not seen so many fireworks at once!  And that is, of course, professionally done.  This is just people in their neighborhoods!  It was really cool to see so many, all around us, all at once.  I wish pictures could do it justice.

Oooo, aaaaahh

From Lainie's sparkler

More sparkler fun

We came back in and played some more games, like Schwarze Peter which means black Peter.  He is a chimney sweep.  It is the same game as Old Maid.  Lainie thought this card was particularly funny:

Hee hee

We had some snacks.  Stefanie showed me in the grocery store that you can sometimes find American snacks.  The bags have a picture of the Statue of Liberty on them.  She had these things that are like Cheetos.  But taste like peanut butter!  Peanut butter Cheetos!  Now I have seen everything.  (Yes, they were very good, in fact!!)

We went to bed at about 2.  A truly amazing New Year's Eve!  It can be scary to go off somewhere new and leave behind all of your old traditions.  But sometimes, making new traditions can be wonderful!  I foresee us watching Dinner For One every NYE from now on, while we eat our peanut butter Cheetos!!