Travelin

In the last week we have spent time in Frankfurt, attended the Friedricksberg (maybe it was Friedricksdorf, I get them confused) Christmas market (Weihnachtsmarkt) and the Strasbourg Christmas market (marche de Noel). As is typical, I was too busy keeping track of little ones to take many pictures, but we had so much fun exploring the cities I am sure we will repeat the trips.


Strasbourg is one of the oldest, if not the oldest Christmas market in Europe. Our morning began with H1N1 shots courtesy of the Army with our friends the Fords. They are our friends because they also have six kids. After trading children around so the girls could ride together we headed off under the guidance of our GPS. I think our GPS has been taking lessons from my father, because it was back roads nearly the entire way. Beautiful! But, knowing we were going to have bad weather on the return trip we were worried. Plus, back roads means kids prone to carsickness. Cleaning up puke is never fun, but it is especially not fun when you are out in the middle of the French countryside with no gas stations within 30K. Because we were bundled for the winter we were able to find a new change of clothes for Miquia, even if he looked a bit strange wearing Ben's sweatshirt.

The city is old, with a center full of twisty alleyways and shops around corners you wouldn't expect. Most of the center is closed to traffic, but is full of pedestrians and bikes. The cathedral is beautiful,

and under reconstruction, which seems to be true of just about everywhere we visit. The kids were most impressed with the huge nativity scene--Noah's favorite being the elephants.


At one point we found ourselves in a neighborhood along the Ill which looked like it had been transplanted from Shakespearean times. White timbered walls, window boxes, vendors stalls selling confits and wine.

The drive home was even more horrific than we feared, but we made it home and helped a few stranded travelers make it to the train station in Bitche due to our trusty chains. I am going to stop complaining about how lackadaisical Germans are about plowing roads, because the French don't seem to bother with plowing at ALL.

Freezing

You know how I said I can't complain about the weather since this winter is so very mild? Today it was NEGATIVE FOURTEEN DEGREES CELSIUS. Last Sunday it snowed bad enough to make the roads scary. I'm going to start complaining now.

*cough, cough*

Well, seeing as how the LHC has not yet created a black hole large enough to put us all out of our misery, it's about time for an update, no?

I fed 27 people on Thanksgiving. The food was good, except for the stuffing. I have subsequently made a resolution to leave the country next year so I do not have to cook anything, clean, or even look at a green bean casserole. We may have to rob a bank in order to finance this traveling, but it will be worth it!

Noah is going on week #3 of a yukky croupy-sounding cough. The whining is enough to drive even a sane person up the wall.


My two eldest. Twins! (not really, but everyone seems to think they are)

Every time I want to complain about all the mud and the never-ending rain and the fact that we only get about 7 hours of daylight (although daylight may be too strong a term for perpetual overcast cloudiness) I remind myself that this is the mildest winter the Rheinland-Pfalz has had in years. Even mud is preferable to me freezing.

Ben and I ventured out (in the pouring rain, just like the locals) to see the K-town Christmas market, or Weihnachtsmarkt. There was the pervasive smell of gluhwein, a lot of overpriced stuff, and very few people. We bought nothing but enjoyed walking around and now I feel guilty that I haven't taken my children to experience this cultural thing.

Speaking of cultural, Zak and Em attended the play "Pinnocchio" with their school classes this week. They rode the train to get there, which means I had the opportunity to take the three youngest to the train station. I don't think the Germans have fully embraced the concept of park and ride since there were maybe 20 parking spots near the station and with all those American cars trying to find a place to park it was a madhouse. Add the graphic ads posted on the strip clubs across the street and you have me, carrying a very angry No, desperately pointing to the train tracks every three seconds saying things like 'do you hear the train? Let's look for the train!'. I understand that the European standard is different for ads and the like, but I'm still not happy with the preschooler seeing full frontal nudity.