Can't believe so much time (3 weeks already!? I think...) has passed since my big Christmastime adventure in Germany, das vaterland. I loved it. I'm obsessed. It's not that my expectations weren't high, but that they were...somewhat nonexistent. I hate to admit that Germany was never on my list of dream destinations; it just never captured my attention, and I don't really think that Americans hear a lot about modern day Germany, if you know what I mean.
It's an amazing country. Beautiful places (I sort of did the Northern part of Germany, making my way from Hamburg and its suburbs to Rostock, then Berlin for New Year's, and then Cologne), friendly people, great food & good times.
I had a terrible start to my vacation (my alarm didn't go off and I nearly missed my train from Aix to Paris, from where I was so catch a plane to Hamburg) and an equally (actually 100x worse) horrendous return (abandoned in the wee hours by a no-show Megabus in Cologne, forcing me to miss my homebound train from Paris--a non refundable, non exchangeable ticket...I eventually ended up taking part in the scariest, sketchiest car share of my life and then shelling out nearly $90 for a train ticket home from Paris, missed the last bus home from Aix and had to crash there an extra night. Returned home late, dirty, and exhausted, but I MADE IT). Every single moment in between, however, was glorious.
Berlin may have been my favorite place--and Felix and his German friends certainly showed me a good time as we rang in 2015 there--but some of my most magical memories were celebrating a true German Christmas with Lara and her amazing family. There was Lara, my Couchsurfing bff who stayed with me in DC 3 YEARS AGO and is a beautiful blond amazon of German generosity; Peter, her stepdad who speaks very little English but it wasn't necessary, because we drank beer together to cement the friendship, and his jokes (at least the translations of them that I received) were hilarious; and Mama Tina, my German mom and the most creative, kind lady I have ever encountered in my life. I have to say it: she cried when I left (to be fair, I cried during our gift exchange). I LOVE THEM.
Did you known presents are opened the night of the 24th in Germany? So confusing. I was like, "Uh...so what are we supposed to do tomorrow morning?" (Answer: not a whole lot. Sleep too much, then rouse yourself in order to eat too much).
Long story short, I can't wait to get back to Germany. And guess what?! I will be there next month! I tacked Munich on as the last city during my next big trip (a two week vacation at the end of February and into March, for which I have decided on the killer itinerary of Paris-Amsterdam-Prague-Budapest-Munich), and I will get to have a happy reunion with Giulia, my Berlin touring buddy and NYE pal who also crashed with Felix while I was there.
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| The Christmas Candles at Saint Paul's church, in Paris. They were even giving out free hot chocolate :) |
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| The amazing light display at Printemps department store. The little dude holding the umbrella actually moved up and down! |
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| Lüneburg, aka a Christmas wonderland in Germany that I would never have found without Lara and Peter! |
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| Lara's dog Leni, who never really liked me, but I still love her |
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| GERMANY IS THE CUTEST -Lüneburg's shopping area and Christmas markets |
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| Gingerbread cookies=Christmas |
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| Schnitzel, good dark beer, and a German man (my best friend/drinking buddy Peter). This photo is the most German photo that has ever been taken. |
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| For whatever reason (I think it was my holiday enthusiasm--a few times a day I would have an outburst and yell "CHRISTMAS!" Thankfully the Germans, Lara, Peter, and Mama Tina, thought it was cute and not annoying) Lara and I were put in charge of decorating the tree. We spent a good hour on it, and then...the parents pronounced it hideous. |
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| When I mentioned that I am a baking fiend, everyone got really excited about the idea of a real American cake--Lara waxed nostalgic about her year as an au pair in the US, eating Betty Crocker buttercream icing out of the jar--and alas, the end result was a rum cake with cinnamon buttercream and an aggressively decorated top. |
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| Me and my German sister Lara, overlooking....some sort of river in the suburbs of Hamburg |
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| Being on the beach in the middle of winter is so bizarre. |
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| On my own night #1 in Berlin, exploring the wondrous Sunday flea market! |
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| Wombats Hostel Berlin Rooftop Bar, plus free drink ticket upon check-in. I WIN. |
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| =vin chaud=mulled wine=GLORY. |
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| Santa's sleigh! |
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| Surprise snow storm! Normally I hate winter--and all that it entails--with a mad, burning passion, but in Berlin it was quite charming (if difficult to walk in). |
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| PREACH. |
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| Unclear as to what this was, but it was the best thing that I have ever eaten in my life. |
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| My German buddy Giulia and I spent a day touring Berlin, where "lunch" consisted of two mini bottles of champagne and two muffins (carrot cake and cheesecake) at Europe's 2nd oldest department store after Harrod's, KaDeWe. |
Lots of love to my Germans, but also to the Couchsurfing community in general. That site has allowed me to meet some truly exceptional human beings, and to have the travel experiences of a lifetime--ones you could never get cooped up all alone in a hotel. Ah! And a quick shout-out to my last host and newest German best friend/long lost twin, Gill--miss you! Hoping to show up at your doorstep again soon, though hopefully not at 3 in the morning.
P.S. Fack Ju Göhte is the best movie in the world. If you are not opposed to reading subtitles, WATCH IT NOW. SO funny. This film deserves all the credit for helping me bond with a non-English-speaking German family.
