HOLIDAY FAMILY REUNION

We were blessed to have all our children and grandchildren join us in Germany for Christmas. The office was closed for two weeks so we went on holiday together. So many Christmas markets and castles; so much snuggling, and schnitzel! We feel so blessed.

TEMPLE TRIP

CHRISTMAS MARKETS

FRANKFURT

BAD HOMBURG

RUDESHEIM

STRASBOURG, FRANCE

The Peeling of the Bells on Christmas Eve is a Frankfurt tradition when thousands of people gather on the market Platz to hear 50 bells of 10 city churches ring out in collective harmony for 30 minutes. Following the bells, musicians gather to accompany the crowd in the singing of Christmas carols.

HEIDELBERG
Our tour guide dressed up as Ludwig Pfister, a policeman in the 1700’s, complete with top hat.

RHINE RIVER CRUISE

MAGICAL MIDIEVIL ROTHENBURG
The nightwatchman reminded us how this medieval city was preserved. #1- Poverty. Between the plague and the Thirty years’ war the economy was too depressed to do any new building. #2- Part of it was bombed during WW2. The target was a gas production plant 70 km away but because of fog the pilots could not see the target so they ditched the bombs here. Then the order came to destroy the remaining city with artillery. But the US commander had a mother who had visited Rothenburg and told him stories of its beauty. He told the Germans that if they would surrender, the city would be spared. The German commander had left town and told the officer in charge that there were to be no negotiations of any kind. The man in charge however raised a white flag and handed over the city to the American troops. And thus, this beautiful treasure was preserved.

We brought in the New Year in Bavaria. Germans really know how to celebrate!

Torchlight Tour at Partnach Gorge

Lake Eisbee

Neuschwanstein Castle, built by King Ludwig II. Ludwig was Richard Wagner’s patron and Wagner’s opera inspired many castle rooms.

Hohenschwangau Castle, 19th century palace built by King Maximilian II of Bavaria, Ludwig’s father.

Suspension bridge to Ehrenberg castle ruins

Tobogganing in Lermoos, Austria

Munich
We arrived just in time to watch the glockenspiel. This carillon recounts a royal wedding of 1568, a jousting tournament and a traditional dance. After lunch we split up. Some went to the BMW museum while others toured the Residenze- a beautiful Bavarian Palace, with a stop at Laduree on the way.

Baking Class- Pretzels & Strudel

German bowling called Kegel is much more fun than bowling in America. You play in teams trying to reach 100 points, but you must start over if you bowl a double number (11, 22, 33…) The Muller family that Josh knew on his mission joined us for this evening of fun.

Marksburg Castle is the only hilltop fortress along the Middle Rhine that has never been destroyed.

Delicious German Food

One Sunday afternoon we drove by the Frankfurt home where Ann Frank lived for the first two years of her life. We spent time remembering the atrocities that occurred during WW2. The Neuer Borneplatz Memorial Site was very moving. There was a stone monument made of stones from displaced Jews homes in the center of 60 sycamore trees. It was surrounded by a wall with names of over 11,000 victims. We also searched for stumbling stones or Stolpersteine- Scattered throughout Europe, planted in city streets and sidewalks, commemorative brass plaques eternalize the lives that were lost in the Holocaust.