random adventures auf Frankfurt

(I'm slightly embarassed to say) this was a really good movie!

Dippemesse 2011

Yummy fair food - fresh chips, Langos, brats, flamekuche, dipped-erdebeeren, etc.

This was not as fun as I imagined.  Scary!

View of the Festplatz from the top of the Ferris wheel.

The girls.

ketchup: Rüdesheim

Went to Rudesheim (twice in once week!) back in April to shop for Christmas Decorations.

Germany is well-known for these wooden windmills that have candle holders and depict creche scenes.  I pretty much love them.  Added bonus - because it was right before Easter, all the Christmas items were an additional %50 off!  Some of these pieces can cost upwards of 300EUR at designer stores, but I got six pieces for under 50EUR.  I am the queen of bargain hunting.

Yummy doners

This is what we bought - EEKS!!

The six windmills I bought, all set up (before I packed them up to ship home).

march madness

This year is just going by so fast!

First of all, I am so very thankful the month of March is over because I am SO SICK of hearing about stupid Jimmer.

In other news... here's what I've been up to lately:

 Watching these two studs play some baseball.  

(Last night we beat DODD's Wiesbaden 14-3!!  I have high hopes for the season.)

Venturing down to the Hauptwoche to shop, eat some yummy food, and walk around.

 

And finally running the Marine 5k on March 18th in Celebration of St. Paddy's Day!

(My third race this year... be impressed.)

home alone

Last week the fam went to Garmisch for ski week... ergo, I was all alone.  Sad day.

Monday was President's day, or some such nonsense, so I decided to venture downtown  for some good old-fashioned pedestrian exploration.  I had big plans to visit an art museum (couldn't find it) and the botanical gardens (got there, realized it was WINTER).  Instead, I walked through the old town and along the Main river and played with the new camera.  I also hit the Zeil and bought a few trinkets at H&M.

 

Take out from Ngon-Ngons

Dog-sitting has done wonders for my lazy fat bumbum.  I went on several looong walks this week, looping through the cow fields and around the castle.  Germany is so pretty.  It's a pity the people are such meanies.

 These posters are ALL OVER TOWN.  I think they are for city-council elections or something.  Regardless, I love this graphic of the Konigstein castle.  I am seriously contemplating stealing one.

the goings on

I think we've well established my utter failure at blogging.
Here's an update of recent goings-on:

I've cut all the squares for my quilt - now I need lay it out and hunt down a sewing machine!

Next up on my reading list..

We recently discovered the mall at Nordweststadt (hello, Primark!) and this awesome billboard marks the toilets. 

Made a bazillion cupcakes for a JAE activity.  Nearly died of a diabetic coma.

Got my new CANON g12 in the mail!!  This is the view out my bedroom window.

Swede's last basketball game of the season - and an excuse to try out the new camera!

starting '11 right

With good food...

 

... and barely legal fireworks.

Christmas

Our tree!!

 Christmas Eve started off with 'Tron' at the AFEES theatre (I really don't recommend it.  I was so confused the whole time.)  Ander's annual sibling sleepover started with an old 'Little Rascals' VHS, but we all zonked out on the couch pretty quick.

Christmas Day was pretty relaxed - I got a some more Polish Pottery, a new Straightener, a German Christmas decoration thing, and lot's of treats.  I have a sweet London Fog wool trench coming in the mail (I will have to put up some pictures, if it ever gets here!)  The rest of the day was spent mostly eating and watching movies!

We did make one outing - it was fun, but Germans do not understand how sledding works!

After sledding at the Feldberg ( the tallest mountain in the Taunus range).

Christmas done right

The one thing they do right in Germany is Christmas!

Starting at advent (the beginning of December), the Weinachtsmarkts pop up all over the country.  Each town has its very own market.  This year we hit up the Frankurt-Main (the best one, in my opinion), the Hessen Park (a giant disappointment from 2008) and the one in Wiesbaden (also REALLY good).


Excellent food and treats, cool Christmas ornaments, and lot's of handicrafts.  I strongly recommend to anyone that December is the best time to visit Germany.

Chocolate covered pears, chili peppers.. they have just about everything.  I usually go for the dipped strawberry-kebap.

Popular German Christmas decorations.  I got one this year.

The classic 'Meat Wheel'.

They have all sorts of candies, licorice and roasted nuts..

AMAZING potato & cheese flammekuche.

Here are some highlights:

November re-cap

Disclaimer - you have been warned that I am terrible at this blogging thing!

Here are the highlights from good ole' 11/2010:

• Spent Veteran's day downtown Luxembourg, then a quick stop at a nearby WWII American Cemetery.
• GOT A JOB!!  I spent most of this month filling out paperwork, but I finally am working on base.
• Did another 5k.  The CLO sponsored a Thanksgiving 'Turkey Trot', so the boys and I went.

Pumpkin Patch in Wiesbaden

View of Luxembourg

Grave of General Patton, WWII

The "Nurnburger"... gotta love McD's regional menu items!

my (wo)man cave

I guess I owe you kids a tour of the digs. 

I have the top floor/attic-like room to myself.  It is a decent-sized space, but comes with a sloped ceiling and  piles of boxes, storage and extra luggage.

Luckily, I took some photos a few months back, as it is a HEAPING MESS today.  Anyways, here goes:

My big bed (ok, so its just a Full, but I was stuck on a twin all summer when my sister was here, so this is a big deal!)

Don't worry, I have like 50 scarves.

... And at last count, about 34 pairs of shoes (just in Germany.. I probably have another tote-full in storage, plus I chucked several before the big move.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I have two stand-alone clothing racks, since Germans don't believe in closets, apparently.  The digs also include a kitchen and a balcony.

Overall, its pretty cozy (but FREEZING... still waiting for the hausmeister to fix my radiator).

I am officially crazy

GUESS WHAT I DID FOR HALLOWEEN?

I ran (ok, walked...) a 5k!!

The event was sponsored by the Marine Detachment here in Frankfurt.  It was a 10k/5k "Fun Run" raising money for wounded soldiers.  And hey, I got a free t-shirt out of it.

I've never really participated in a race before, but I'm glad I did.  It took me about 45 minutes, but hopefully I can do better next time!  Holler.

touristy auf 'schlaaand

I just sent Elizabeth and Jon off on the train to Paris.  Sad face.

Its been a whirlwind week.  The gang flew in Monday morning and since then we have been all over the place.  Its been awesome for me... first of all, cause Liz is the best, but also to see all the sights that I have been too lazy to go do this summer!   Going downtown just isn't as fun alone.  Here are some of the highlights.

Grabbed döners and hiked up to the castle ruins in Königstein

 Checked out Eppstein at night... gate was closed, so we messed around in a park for a bit.

ok, maybe alot :)

 walked around the Roman ruins at Saalburg

Drove the Romanticstrasse/Rhine, walked around Boppard, and took a scary car ferry across the river

Took the train to downtown Frankfurt and walked around/shopped

Hit up a festival-fair-thingy at the Festplatz... did a few rides and ate a LOT of junk

Took a bike ride through the cow fields

 Did a little trespassing...

Hit a massive STAU... there was one guy who was jogging laps up and down the autobahn while we waited

Spent ALL day in the car to see Neuschwannstein (above) and Hohenzolleren

***PLUS***

• Watching ghetto movies like "Swiss Family Robinson" and "Xanadu"
• eating tons of kebaps and gelato
• too much walking
• making friends with crazies on the train
• and shopping it up at the all-mighty H&M

BE JEALOUS.