Country is about to meet City...in EUROPE

Souvenir Shopping

2013-01-14T00:08:00.000+01:00

Well hey there. It's been a very long time since I last posted. I blame it on the fact that my amazing journey came to end and the craziness of starting something new at home. Although I now find myself playing back the memories in my head, sifting through photos and wanting to write about some of the amazing things I experienced. I will start with this one because Christmas has just passed and I had the opportunity to display all of my amazing souvenirs in all of their glory.

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Hitting up a lot of places? Want to get a little something from each place but don’t want to end up with a big pile of things that will collect dust on your shelves? I may be able to help you out with an idea.

Our plan, right from the start was to live in Germany for a year, travel during our breaks, and then take a month to travel some of the other European countries, before returning home to Canada. Besides Germany, we have already gone to Prague, Czech Republic, and Paris, France (and I hit up Dublin, Ireland on my own) throughout the duration of this visa. That’s already 4 countries worth of souvenir collecting and there are at least 4-5 more on the list. So while a key chain and a few beer glasses are among the top collectables on my list, I do not need 9 key chains to add to the collection I already have at home. So this time, I have decided I will collect Christmas Ornaments. This ornament might be either a nice glass ball with a local scene painted onto it or a little monument or thing to represent the country, but it must be in Christmas Ornament form. They’re generally small and when you do eventually have your own place and want to get your first Christmas tree, you will actually have ornaments to decorate it.

I’ve received a Christmas ornament every year since I was born and have been told they are mine to take when I eventually move out. That’s 23 ornaments plus all of the new ones that I will purchase abroad. I cannot usually settle on one ornament so I will actually have a few from each country, but hey, I will just have to get a bigger tree. And while I will only get them out and use them once a year, at least they will be used EVERY year, they won’t be left to collect dust/ take up room on a shelf, and then eventually thrown-out to make room for something new. There will always be a spot for them and I will get to relive the memories each year. This is not to say I haven’t purchased/accumulated a few other things as well…beer glasses, coffee mugs, a hoodie, and I will probably get a key chain somewhere, but if that key chain breaks or the hoodie wears out, I will have Christmas.

You might have to look in a few souvenir stores, but they DO sell Christmas ornaments in the off season.

Here are the ornaments I have collected throughout my travels.

Prague, Czech Republic.

This is an interesting ornament to start with. It's not actually an ornament...it's a marionette. I could not find any ornaments in the stores of the Czech Republic. However, the Czech Republic is known for manufacturing marionettes and I DID find a ton of shops selling them. So I decided to get a Pinocchio (as he is the best known marionette) and I bought the smallest one I could find (still fairly large) and purchased it with the intention of hanging it on my tree.

Czech Republic, the second.

A Ball made out of Czech Glass. There were glass stores all over the city.

Dublin, Ireland.

How appropriate that I would find Leprechauns (an Irish myth) holding a pot of gold and a pint of Guinness.

Nürnberg, Germany.

Did you know that Nutcrackers are made in Germany AND that the original story was written by a German? These are what I had set out to find and was determined to get in ornament form. But they weren't the only German ornaments I picked up...

Germany, the second.

Coo-coo Clocks are also a product of Germany.

Germany, the third.

A little man dressed in lederhosen, holding a beer stein, wearing a Bavarian hat, AND sporting a mustache? Just as perfect as the leprechauns!
And with a Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas store in every city and a whole Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas Villiage in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, purchasing another ornament was unavoidable.

Germany, the fourth.

A girl wearing a dirndl and bavarian hat. Dirndl's are very popular in Bavaria. You can see many locals AND tourists dress in these dresses at Oktoberfest, various other beer festivals, and sometimes even just for an everyday outfit.

Can you guess which country it came from?
..
The skiing Santa has nothing to do with any of the countries I have visited. However, the majority of the cities in Germany have a month long Christmas market leading up to the holiday and most of the stalls sell Christmas Ornaments. Since these markets are special to Germany, I decided I could purchase extra ornaments whether they represented Germany or not.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Given the number of windmills all over the Netherlands, I felt this was appropriate. On top of that, Matt and I had the opportunity to visit a working windmill that is used to power a wood saw. The saw cuts through logs which are used to restore local houses.

Voorhout, Netherlands

A little pair of wooden shoes, from the wooden shoe store, that showcases how wooden shoes have been being made over the years.

Helsinki and Turku, Finland

Apparently, Reindeer are a big deal in Finland and Reindeer meat is a popular dish

Paris, France

I had not yet decided to collect ornaments at this point as it was my very first stop, so this key chain of the Eiffel Tower will become an ornament. Also, the Eiffel Tower for France seemed fitting.

The End Result: Germany, Czech Republic, Ireland, Finland, France, and the Netherlands all wrapped into one cute little Christmas tree. And because this is a fake tree, I will admit that it's January 13th, and I have not yet taken it down.

Sadly, I was too sick when I was in Scotland and Spain to concentrate on the hunt for ornaments and so the tree is not quite complete. If there's anyone who wants to find and send me a little Scottish tam or bagpipe ornament, I would forever be grateful.

German Food Diary

2012-06-01T23:05:00.001+02:00

As I mentioned in the Czech Food Diary entry, I am making a photo diary of traditional German dishes for my friend Julia. I am photographing each item as I am brave enough to try it; my descriptions were not enough to satisfy her. This post has taken the entire eight months that I have lived in Germany to compose. Why? Because when you live somewhere for this long, you are not required to dine solely on the food of that particular country. No one is going to say, “you LIVED in Germany for 8 months and you went out for MEXICAN food” and then physically recoil at the very idea. At least, I hope they wouldn’t because not even the Germans eat traditional German food every day. No, that reaction is reserved for the tourists who occupy a country for two weeks and their first stop is McDonalds. Who goes to McDonalds in a foreign country? GUILTY! My first meal in Cologne was at McDonalds. I had just arrived, I was alone (Matt was at his orientation), it was dinner time, I was starving, I was unable to translate a German menu, and it was right there! So was the Curry Wurst stand but I wasn’t quite ready to jump into that one yet. I also do not care what your thoughts on McDonalds are.

But eventually….I practiced my German, I put on a brave face, and I went out for German food. Could I read the menu? NOPE! The only translations I was able to make were those for Weiner Schnitzel and Potato Salad. I wasn’t even sure what the differences between the beers were! Luckily, I have had Matt to translate the menu for me. After all of his translations, this is what I have ended up with from the traditional German menu.

Spätzle
A type of pasta with cheese sauce and fried onions

Flammkuchen Classic
It's basically like a toasted tortilla with cheese, onion, and bacon

Flammkuchen Classic mit Käse
Classic Flammkuchen with the addition of cheese

Weiner Schnitzel mit Kartoffelsalat
Schnitzel with potato salad

Brezel
Pretzel

Nürnberger sausages mit Kartoffelsalat und Bretzel
Nürnberg sausages with potato salad and a pretzel

Currywurst mit pommes
Sausage covered in ketchup and curry powder and served with fries

Schäufele mit Sauerkraut und Kloß
Pork Shoulder with sauerkraut and a spongy potato ball

Apfelstrudel
Apple Strudel

So there it is! My complete German Food Diary. Now let's see what I can find in France!

The Horse and Rider Statue

2012-04-16T05:00:00.000+02:00

Every city has its own unique statues, fountains and monuments, some of which are very famous. When you hear Eiffel Tower; you think Paris, when you hear Big Ben; you think London, and when hear Statue of Liberty; you think New York. But when you hear about a statue of a man riding a horse, are you able identify the city? You could actually name a number of cities and you would be right. It seems that every single city I have visited has one of these statues. It’s common, and after you've seen 10 of them, they no longer seem special. It's just another man on a horse.

It made me wonder what the significance of a horse and rider were. Why are there so many of these statues? Apparently riding a horse depicts the heroic character of the rider. It usually meant he was a warrior or hunter.
Source: Freud Museum London

And in case anyone was wondering, the number of feet the horse has off the ground does not indicate the rider's fate. It is a myth and done for aesthetic appeal.
Sources: Snopes and The Equinest

The following pictures are of nine common Horse and Rider Statues and one Horse and Rider Statue that ACTUALLY depicts hunting.

Cologne

Munich

Regensburg

Prague, Czech Republic

Berlin

Nürnberg
Source: Vitold Muratov, Wikimedia

Düsseldorf
Source: Our 7 Worlds

Bamberg
Source: Hochmittelalter

Paris, France
Source: Daderot, Wikipedia

Finally, the one statue that brought on a bit of excitement.

The other Horse and Rider in Berlin

What I’ve learned and observed as an Au Pair

2012-04-13T21:51:00.001+02:00

1. That while I like children, I will not even consider having my own for a minimum of 5 years. I am quite enjoying my youth thank-you.

2. The best or most effective ways to deal with temper tantrums are subjective. Each parent has their own idea of “what’s best”. How a situation is managed should depend on the severity of the child’s actions. One method does not fit all.

3. That ‘being at home with children’ is a job in itself. Well obviously as I am employed in such a position. It’s not all clean floors and endless relaxation time. In fact, there is rarely any relaxation time.

4. When children are involved, you are never finished cleaning up. And just when you think you’ve got everything done and back in order; someone is hungry, dumping a big box of Lego onto the floor, or emptying all the CD cases of their CDs.

5. There is rarely a break. Even when you think you’re going to sit down and enjoy your lunch, someone doesn’t like what they have and wants something else or has already finished and wants more. Nap time is used for clean-up. It isn’t until both kids are in school, that you get a minute.

6. Children under the age of two should be in a high chair or booster seat they cannot get out of when drawing and colouring utensils are involved. Otherwise you end of with marker on: the wall, the chair, the dresser, other toys, and even...your pants. Does that song about black socks apply to jeans? Black jeans they never get dirty...?

7. The ‘all by myself’ thing starts early. I sit with the toddler as she eats her yogurt. I watch her load up her spoon and bring it to her mouth. I continue to watch as she turns the spoon upside down, prior to it entering her mouth and watch as half the yogurt spills onto her bib and the other half eventually make it into her mouth. I watch as she scoops up the yogurt from her bib and places it into her mouth as well. We’re having Chicken Noodle soup for lunch. It is much runnier than the yogurt and runs right off the bib. I then watch her pick up the bowl and tilt it so she can drink the broth. Her pants are always soaked after soup. But she doesn’t want help. Good for her. I think she’s even starting to get it bit better.

8. Dumping yogurt out onto the table and then moving it all around with your hands is a fun game.

9. 5 year olds have a great imagination. Tight rope walkers named Zucchini and people who dance with snakes are not imaginary games I would have thought of playing.

10. Lock the bathroom door when anyone else is present in the house. Otherwise, children will let themselves in and expose your rear for anyone in the hallway to see.

11. Children always get stuff on your clothes. Food, tears, snot, juice, marker, sand, etc.

12. Their noses always run. Don’t go anywhere without Kleenex.

13. I hate the parents that send their kids to school with the flu or any other stomach viruses. Naturally, the children touch everything and all the other children bring it home and pass it on to you. I’ve had at least two stomach bugs this winter. The last time I had a stomach bug, was when I was the child and in elementary school.

14. People who park their car on the sidewalk or block more than half of it are the worst. Yes, I will wait as you move for me as I am not about to dodge into traffic with a stroller full of someone else’s kids. Also, your bike belongs somewhere other than the sidewalk. Oh yes, just let me pull the stroller over so you can wheel on by. And finally, hey street planners, if you want everyone to be so damn environmentally friendly and ride their bikes, put in some more damn bike lanes!

And finally, while I am already ranting about the sidewalk blockers and other sniffling children, I would like to add a note to the coffee shop/children’s indoor play place. Your store is geared to parents with children under the age of 5. Yet, your food is not overly kid friendly and you have placed toys that are for sale within the reach of a toddler under 2. In fact, you have put it at their eye level and then pointed out to me that the children are not allowed to touch anything that is for sale, just the toys in the buckets. Yeahhhh, the children don’t see the difference. And if you own or are working for such a business, you should know better.

What to do on a Sunday in Germany

2012-04-10T19:00:00.000+02:00

While I value my time off, I don’t enjoy spending the whole day sitting inside. But Sunday’s in Germany are considered to be a day of rest for the majority of the town. That means the malls/ outdoor shops are closed, the grocery stores are closed, and even some of the local restaurants are closed.

As I mentioned in my last post, the past 2 weeks have been gorgeous!! The sun has been shining and I have been gearing up for summer and working on my tan. MY TAN. It’s only just turned April and I’ve already got some distinct tan lines. But anyways, I’ve been spending my afternoons sitting outside on our balcony or going out for lunch with Matt and sitting outside at one of the patios. But this week, the weekend turned cold and rainy. I had already forgotten what kinds of things I could be doing that didn’t involve sitting outside in shorts and a tank top. Result: I ended up wasting a Saturday and the only productive thing I did was go grocery shopping and make homemade soup. I was tired by 7 o’clock. I decided I wasn’t going to waste my Sunday and would perhaps go out and take in a museum. Matt was already going to play American football with his co-workers so why should I be at home? The answer is I shouldn’t. So here is a short list of the various tasks you should save for and partake in on a Sunday

-Sit out on your balcony or join the locals sunbathing and napping in the park.
I’ve spent the previous two weekends slathering on sunscreen and sitting outside on our balcony; soaking up the rays, reading a book and enjoying a beer.

-Go to a park.
I have also been going to the park with Matt, people watching and noting all of the activities we can do in the weekends to come (including badminton, mini-putting, grilling, picnicing or paddle boating by the lake).

-Go to the Zoo.
And find out if they offer anything special at particular times…a dolphin show perhaps? The Nürnberg Zoo offers this.

-Take a guided bus or walking tour.
Matt and I took a guided tour of our own town around Christmas for something to do during the holidays. It’s interesting to discover new spots and learn a bit of the history the stories behind the buildings. We have also taken a few guided tours during our weekend travels.
We liked this Nurnberg Tour and this Prague Tour

Photo Source: Wikipedia

-Hit a museum
Sunday’s are the perfect day to hit a museum as they are one of the few attractions that remain open. It*s important to note however, whether the museum offers descriptions in both German AND English when touring Germany and if an English description is note provided, find out of audio guides are available.
This past Sunday, I spent the morning at the Nürnberg Museum of Kommunikation and the Deutschebahn Railway Museum.

-In December, go to the Christmas Market.
-Go to one in every town you visit and go often during the month of December. Nürnberg may have one of the most famous Christmas Markets and one of the largest, but other cities have different things to offer. While you’re at it, get a mug of Glühwein. I went to the Nürnberg market at least 3 different times as well as the Bamberg market. I collected a few of the different glühwein mugs.

Photo Source: Hohohotels

-Take a day trip to a nearby town and spend the day walking around and enjoying the new scenery. Stop somewhere for lunch.
In Bavaria, it’s very easy and cheap to hop on the train to one of the surrounding cities. Most places keep their tourist offices open on Sunday’s so you can pick up a map and guide yourself through the main attractions or inquire about their daily tours. Either look-up a restaurant before you go (I like Tripadvisor.com) or wander through the streets. I like finding restaurants in Germany because the majority of them have their menu in the window or available for you to read before you decide to go in.
If you are looking for cities to hit up for a day trip, we like Nürnberg (where we reside), Bamberg (where Matt did his university exchange two years ago), and Regensburg.

-Research your next trip.
Not sure where to go? Why don't you start by researching everything to see and do in a number of cities that sound appealing to you. It's time consuming so it's best to do it bit by bit over time. I have a bookmark called Europe Travels and within that folder are 13 cities and their attractions I find fascinating. That's only the beginning. Then when it comes time to make the decision, you can narrow down the location based on what there is. Will you need a week or can it be done in a weekend? Does it still seem like somewhere you want to go?

-Go see a movie.
A movie? Yes a movie. Your city may have a small selection of films available in English. To find out if your city does and what the postings are, check the Lifestyle section of The Local, weekly!

-See all of the major sites.
Have you been remembering to actually take pictures in the city you reside in? Or have you been passing by the monuments each day as if they are old news. You'll wish you had those photos when you get home. And yes, I've been taking pictures of Nürnberg:

Fountain of Love

Schöner Brunnen Fountain


Lorenz Kirche

Clock Tower

It’s always a nice day on St. Patrick’s Day!

2012-03-30T17:48:00.000+02:00

…Okay, so this post is a LITTLE delayed. I blame it on the gorgeous weather we’ve been having and my desire to spend every warm minute that I am not working, sitting outside on our balcony or on a patio eating lunch. But it could not last forever and 2 weeks later, the rain has come, forcing me to spend my afternoon inside.

But back to St. Patrick’s Day. What is it about St. Patrick’s Day that brings the hot air into what has otherwise been a cold week? Seriously, the past 4 years have been strangely warm and I have the statistics to prove it. According to the National Climate Data and Information Archive, the following temperatures have been noted for March 17 in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario:
2011: 12.8°C
2010:16.3°C
2009:14.7°C

On March 14, just 3 days earlier, the following temperatures have been noted:
2011: 2.2°C
2010: 4.1°C
2009: 7.5°C

Nürnberg, Germany followed the same pattern in 2012. According to The Weather Channel, it was 7°C on March 14 and jumped up to 20°C on March 17.

Mother Nature must really dig the tradition of drinking green beer, celebrating the life of St. Patrick and really want us all to be outside, having a grand time while we do it! Well Mother Nature, I applaud your efforts and have been soaking up the sun every year.

In 2011, I was fortunate to have the day off, the whole month actually as I was unemployed at the time. I spent the week in Waterloo visiting my boyfriend and friends and spent St. Patrick’s Day at the Bomber with a true Irish girl. We even caught the end of some Irish dancing and got our picture taken with a leprechaun! It was the best St. Patrick’s Day I have ever had.


Irish Dancers at Bomber

Myself, the "Leprechaun", and my very own native Irish friend, Julie with her flag

I was looking forward to something exciting again this year. It was a Saturday so Matt and I both had the day off, we had warm weather, and we wore green shirts. We had everything we needed to have an excellent day. It was however, a bit of a disappointment. We sat outside on a patio for dinner which was a little premature because as soon as the sun went down, so did the heat. Fortunately, many of the restaurants in Nürnberg that offer outdoor seating also offer fleece blankets to wrap around your shoulders! The dinner was still enjoyable. Afterwards we made our way to O’Sheas’s Irish pub (one of the few Irish bars in Nürnberg). We got in, we found a spot to stand, and we each ordered a pint of Kilkenny. We were ready for the live band to start! By the time the band had started, O’Shea’s had become quite crowded. Too crowded. There was no one monitoring the number of people who came in or out, but mostly in; our standing room became invaded and we were constantly bumped by backpacks and Guinness hats; and at one point, there was a lady who expected to get back to her crew at the bar, forcing people to cram into what little space was left and Matt literally hugging the brick pillar in the middle of the room in order to create more space, where there wasn’t any. I was I had a picture of it but there was no place to set my beer or room to stand at an appropriate angle. By the time we finished our beer, there was no way to get another unless you were sitting directly at the bar or were the 6”5 guy beside us leaning OVER the people at the bar. We decided to leave and pick up some Guinness on the way home and listen to our own Celtic music. Unfortunately, the gas station was out of Guinness so we had to settle for shots of the Jameson Whiskey I had brought back from Ireland. It did however, do the trick.

Lessons Learned: The German’s don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, so if you’re in Nürnberg and looking to find one of the few Irish bars that does celebrate this holiday, you should probably arrive early enough in the day to get a table, or else risk the chance that past 8pm, you will have someone pushed up against all of your sides.

A week later, when the weather was still nice, Matt and I returned to O’Shea’s for lunch out on the patio and had the Guinness we should have had on March 17.

Delicious Guinness

10 Things I Miss from Canada

2012-03-11T15:35:00.001+01:00

Besides obviously missing my family and friends, there are a number of things (or luxuries) I have at home in Canada that I really miss having. They are:

1. A high quality, normal size hair straightener. The travel size straightener I have is barely good enough to straighten my bangs and if I do manage to get them straight with it, they curl right back up when I go to brush my teeth in the bathroom that lacks a fan and is still humid from my shower. The iron is heavy. I really didn’t want to waste the money on buying one to use over here when I have a perfectly good one at home.

2. The deodorant selection. Even in the drugstores, there is a very poor selection of deodorant in Germany. A whole wall of every possible type of Nivea and Fa deodorants plus a selection of anti-perspirant sprays. I took a chance and bought a bottle of Nivea. This particular one is designed to prevent deodorant stains on your white and black clothing. I think that’s all it does. That and make me feel paranoid that it’s not giving me a good enough armpit coverage. I finally ordered some from Amazon. It took 3 weeks to get here and came in a large two-pack, but it’s much better and hopefully will last the duration of the trip. Make-up in general is difficult if you have some preferred brands. Germany doesn’t have any of mine. I also ordered some mineral powder online.

3. Peanut Butter. The Edeka in Nürnberg has 3 different jars of peanut butter, crunchy, smooth, and a different brand that’s also smooth. I think it costs €3.30 for a small jar. It looks like peanut butter and it smells like peanut butter, but it doesn’t taste like the peanut butter at home. In fact, it tastes like half the peanuts were left out.

4. Longer or double check-out lanes at the grocery store. And by check-out lanes, I mean the area between where your items are scanned and the place where you bag them. It’s bad enough in Canada that most grocery stores are no longer bagging your food for you, but at least your given enough time to bag your food and get it in your cart. In Nürnberg, they don’t bag your groceries, there is definitely not even enough room for all of your groceries to fit on the counter and if you aren’t finished bagging by the time they give you your change, the next persons items are being sent flying into yours or being handed to them one by one. It actually stresses me out each time I check-out, no matter how much I try to organize the items on the belt according to what goes in which bag and whether or not it goes on the bottom. You have to be ready and have your bags open for when your items start flying down. If you can’t move fast enough, you should probably just throw everything back in your cart and bag it elsewhere.

5. ATM machines that allow you to deposit your money into them. There are very few ATM’s here that allow you to deposit money by sticking it into the machine. Matt says one of these ATM's exists in Bamberg but we are not taking an hour train just to deposit money outside of regular banking hours. The system is very old school. You go into the bank, fill out a form that has your bank account number and the amount you want to deposit, and then you stand in a line to reach the one teller that makes cash deposits, during regular 9-5 Monday-Friday bank hours of course.

6. My blackberry. I got so use to having a keyboard that I no longer no how to use T9 and have resorted to punching the number 1-4 times to get the letter I want or up to 6 times to get the number. It’s also very small and plastic and difficult to hold. It looks like a child’s toy. In fact, most children have nicer looking cell phones in their toy boxes then I am currently using. The answering machine system is also in German…I do not know how to check my voicemail messages. ...I don’t miss the bill though. I’ve spent €40 to date on this phone and that is likely to last me at least another month before I run out of time. I might only need to add €5 more to get me through until the end of May.

7. The ability to get milk for my coffee in a restaurant. Even if you ask for milk here, they give you a creamer. It curdles my stomach.

8. Tim Hortons. $1.45 for a large coffee…$1.10 for a muffin. There are two German coffee shops beside the u-bahn station near my work. They are both expensive. It costs €2.20 for a small hot chocolate or cappuccino and almost as much for a muffin. I think even the German Starbucks list the same numbers as I would see at home, except here, the price is in Euros, so it’s actually 1.4x the amount. Needless to say, I don’t make going to any of these places a habit.

9. 12 Hour Clocks. My alarm clock is in 24 hour time. I never know what time it is once it hits 17:00.

10. Regular sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bottles. At home, regular bottles are 355ml, in Germany, the majority are only 250ml. So, not only are all the bottles that much smaller, but with two people using them, it feels as though a bottle only lasts 3 weeks.

So, when I return to Canada, I will be sure to hit the Tim Hortons before I even leave the airport, either a half hot chocolate/half coffee or a coffee with milk if I so choose, I will pick a new blackberry as it will be time to renew my cell phone contract, I will straighten my bangs effectively and they will still look fine 12 hours later and I will eat SOMETHING with real peanut butter on it. It doesn't even matter what it is.

Standing In Two Countries At One Time

2012-03-10T14:38:00.000+01:00

Can one person really be in two places at one time? It’s every busy persons dream to be able to do so but in most cases, for example, being present at two events taking place at different locations, at one time, is just not possible. And no, commuting back and forth between two weddings like Katherine Heigl did in 27 Dresses is not the same. But the ability to be in exactly two places at one time, is not impossible, A Walk to Remember taught us that.

The weekend that Matt and I were in Füssen, Germany we used our Sunday to go hiking around the city. Hiking isn’t something I generally make a habit of doing, but as I said, it was a Sunday and the only things open on Sundays in Germany are restaurants, some museums, and gas stations.

We started off by hiking through the trail to get to the Lech Waterfall. It was worth the walk. The waterfall was very pretty, you could see the snowy mountains despite the fog, and it had ducks.


Lech Waterfall

Matt loves the ducks! And no, they were not falling down the waterfall

But it was when we followed the trail on the other side of the waterfall that we came across this sign:

Republic of Austria

So we decided to walk to Austria.

I was hoping for some sort of distinguished border, whether it be boarder control, a sign that said “you are now entering Austria” or even a line in the road. Sadly, there was nothing like that. In fact, we weren’t even sure if we wear near the border or not, we consulted our map and it indicated we should be near it if not on top of it but we had difficulty finding proof. Finally, we noticed a sign on the other side of the road facing the traffic driving towards us. I crossed the road the trudged through the snow bank to see what it said and this is what I saw:

Federal Republic of Germany

So if traffic is now entering the Federal Republic of Germany, then that must mean one side is Germany and the other side is Austria. Right? So I had Matt take a photo of me, where I am straddling either side of what I assumed to be the boarder.

*Hallo Tyler, ich bin in Deutschland und Österreich

I realize the picture would have been better if you could have seen the FRONT of the sign indicating the Federal Republic of Germany, however, the road was busy and I was already standing in the snow bank. My feet were getting wet and I was not about to make Matt walk any further through the snow just to get the sign. But I am telling you, I AM standing in both Austria and Germany at the SAME TIME. I am standing in two places at once.

*I am also dedicating this post to my friend Tyler. He told me when he reached the border of Denmark and Germany, he would take a picture of himself holding up a sign that said, Hallo Katie! So when I reached a border, I felt it necessary to do the same, unfortunately, I had no sign making materials.

Getting a haircut in a foreign country

2012-03-04T22:51:00.000+01:00

I have been dreading this haircut from the very moment I had my last haircut in Canada. My hairdresser told me I would at least need to get some sort of trim while I was away. Four months went by until it was starting to get bad. It had grown almost two inches and was knotted into some sort of rats nest every morning. I did the search online for hair dresser recommendations and found a recommendation from someone who also had long curly hair. According to this random, this hairdresser could cut, colour, and straighten curly hair very well. This is exactly what I needed. On top of that, the hair salon was just down the street from my work. I had put it off for another 5 weeks until I had finally had enough. I got up the courage and walked into the salon. The hairdresser was able to communicate with me in English, so I booked an appointment for the upcoming Saturday.

A number of people had posted on the Toytown English forum about wanting hair dresser recommendations and help translating various terms. A few of the replies contained the following unhelpful answer: “it’s just hair, if the hair dresser cuts it too short, it will just grow back”. While there is some truth to that statement, I am going to go ahead and assume those people don’t have curly hair. Because if they did, they would know that if you don’t cut it properly or cut it too short, you are going to end up with a gigantic puff around your face. Growing back the lost hair is a painful experience.

I have had a number of bad hair cutting experiences in the past and I do my best now to rule them out. This has mostly been achieved by only using one hair dresser, even if that means only getting my hair cut in Ottawa. Here’s what constitutes a bad experience, as experienced by yours truly over the years:
-a hair dresser who decides to try their new ELECTRIC hair thinning contraption on your hair and do it small layer by layer despite your disagreement at how much hair they are taking out. I was 12 and this experience still haunts me.
-a hair dresser who has new highlighting caps (when caps were the popular method) and doesn’t compensate for the fact they have not yet been stretched out, therefore allowing the cap to slip up and your highlights to turn out spotted on the top like some sort of cheetah.
-a hair dresser who literally whines the whole time about how thick your hair is, then proceeds to dry it with some sort of wire bristly brush causing an 80’s look, then begins to straighten it with the flat iron and complains it MUST be taking so long because the flat iron she is using is only an inch wide and the flat iron the other hair dressers have is 2 inches wide. Yes, blame your lack of skill on the tools.
These are all signs that your hair dresser has no idea how to cut or style long curly hair and you should probably just leave immediately before it gets any worse.

So the night before my appointment, I had Matt help me look up some German terms to help describe what I wanted as I wasn’t sure how much English she would be able to speak. I also downloaded a number of pictures onto my iPod to illustrate my descriptions. The more detail I could provide, the more likely I would be able to ward off any disasters.

Saturday came and I didn’t need my translated list. The hair dresser understood exactly what I wanted and would double check throughout the cut to confirm my specifications. She cut it, layered it, and highlighted it very similar to my own hair dresser and I was happy with the end result. So here is the rule when finding a new hair dresser, find a good recommendation from someone who has similar hair to you, have a good idea of what it is you want, and take plenty of pictures to illustrate the cut and colour you are looking to achieve.

Here is the final result:

This picture actually makes it look like there is a giant blonde chunk but it's just because it has all fallen over the brown low lights.

What's in YOUR Fairytale? Guess what's not in mine!

2012-02-28T21:48:00.000+01:00

This past weekend, Matt and I went to Füssen, Germany. There is quite a short list of attractions to see in Füssen, but the two that sit at the top of the list, make this spot a very popular tourist destination. They are the Neuschwanstein Castle and the Hohenschwangau Castle.

After the guide at the tourist office strongly recommended we do NOT go to the castles on a Sunday (the lines are much too long since all the stores are closed on Sunday’s in Germany) Matt and I hopped on the jam packed city bus, just down the road from the tourist office. This was the second best choice we could have made. Everyone else had boarded at the previous stop, the main station. When we arrived at the castle, we were the first off the bus and first in line for castle tickets. This meant we were able to join the next scheduled English tour that began within the next 30 minutes. By the time we left the cash, there was a line up behind us to the edge of the door…I am sure those at the end of the line missed the first scheduled tour.

We walked the 5 or 10 minutes up the hill to Hohenschwangau. We had about 15 minutes before the tour was scheduled to begin so we took the opportunity to walk around the castle and take a few photos, and that’s when we saw it… The legendary Neuschwanstein Castle, the one that looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale and is said to have “inspired Walt Disney to create the Magic Kingdom”. However, despite the large amount of fog engulfing the castle, we noticed there was something wrong with this view…


Can you see it?

But we will come back to this later.

On with the tour of Hohenschwangau! This castle was built in 1837 for King Maximilian II of Bavaria and was later taken over by his son King Ludwig II of Bavaria. As this castle is under 200 years old, it is not your stereotypical old stone castle with grey walls. The castle is gorgeous inside and out and contains brightly coloured walls, pillars, and pictures and original furniture. As photographs are not permitted inside the castle, I will not be spoiling the tour for you.

The outside of Hohenschwangau however, looks like this. Still pretty on Winter's harsh canvas.

Once the tour was finished, we had a few minutes to take some outside photos before embarking on the 40 minute walk up hill to Neuschwanstein. Oh ya, the buses up the hill don’t run in the winter, so you can either walk or wait for a horse drawn carriage to pull you up. At the 30 minute mark, you can stop to purchase some souvenirs, grab a small drink or snack and either unload from or load onto the horse drawn carriages depending on your direction as this is where they stop. During the last 10 minute stretch, after we rounded a large corner, we were finally presented with a full view of the western and northern walls of the castle. The problem also came into full view.

Can you see it now?

Yep, it’s covered in scaffolding. We were really disappointed. I was really disappointed after reading and hearing about how it REALLY looked like it belonged in a fairytale. I’m sorry, but none of my fairytale images have scaffolding in them. Two minutes later, we overheard a tour guide telling his group that the scaffolding had actually been there since 2001, but that the eastern and southern sides were free of this blockage. Well that’s a bit of good news, I thought. We eventually made it to the top and I got to see the bit of brick still showing.

I had to crop a bit off from the right because it contained a random AND scaffolding.

Neuschwanstein was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Building began in 1869, but as the king wanted this castle to be perfect, it was not even finished by the time of his death in 1886. Again, the castle was gorgeous. It had the original furniture including his wood carved bed which took 4 carpenters 4 years to complete and brightly coloured, walls, pictures, and pillars.

Here’s where the second disappointment came. It also contained a number of rooms that echoed, a very large group of tourists straining to here the guide, and 3 jackasses having their own little side conversation the entire time, making hearing the guide, almost impossible at times. I was ticked. I really wished my mom had been there to “pull a Cheryl” and tell them to shut up! If you know her, you know she would have said something and it would have gone either a little like this:

“Hey guys…” All of her speeches to people adding their own soundtrack start this way…

“The rest of us paid for this tour as well, but we can’t enjoy it over your carrying on, so shut up or I’ll come over there and help you to do it”

Or like this:

“Hey guys…could ya shut up for 30 minutes so the rest of us can hear the tour?”

The ladder is the general speech given to the movie chatterers and the first is generally reserved for the large drunk parties managing to scream over a musical concerts sound output. I’m not sure where castle tour fits into that.

However, I was too afraid to interrupt and draw the group’s attention to myself. So I tried to move a little closer. We were also a little disappointed that some of the people thought they were above the "no photos" rule. A large string of people had digital SLR cameras slung around their necks and hung down to their waist. They attempted to hide amongst the large group, aim their waists at some part of the room and click the little button. I have news for you, you aren’t being as conspicuous as you think you are, your expensive SLR camera may be better than mine, but it still makes a sound when the picture is being taken. Everyone can hear it.The security guard who has just been kind enough to yell a general "no photos, please!" was talking to you.

But despite being annoyed by the other tourist’s stupidity, the castles were definitely worth the trip. And now that I have come home and read more about the two castles, I have found an additional Neuschwanstein website, the one that mentions it’s covered in scaffolding, and the scaffolding is only scheduled to be there until the end of 2012. So future German tourists, you might get the full fairytale vision that I had been hoping for!

Czech Food Diary

2012-02-21T21:48:00.002+01:00

The idea for a food diary was inspired when one of my close friends from home asked me what the food was like in Germany. She wanted to know what the traditional dishes were, how they were served, etc. I did my best to describe the food, in terms of what it looked like or what it might be similar to in Canada to which she replied, “I need pictures!” I promised I would start photographing my food and put together a little diary to satisfy her craving. While I have started to do this for the German food, I have yet to sample all of the important dishes, so the German food diary has yet to be compiled. However, I went to Prague, Czech Republic this past weekend and as I only had 2 and a half days to sample ALL of the traditional dishes, I did my best to try plenty of different things. While I would like to say that I just loooove to try new food, it’s really not true. I know what I like and when it comes down to choosing something I know I will definitely like or something new that I am not overly sure about, time and time again, I’ll go with what I know. It’s the reason why my German food diary is so far behind. I am not the biggest pork fan, but I do love the German Weiner Schnitzel and I choose it every time we go out over the other pork dishes. I always try a bite of Matt’s pork dish but I am always happy that I ordered the Schnitzel instead. But when I only had two and a half days in Prague, I thought of my friend and how she would want photo evidence. So while the Weiner Schnitzel is a popular Czech dish, I opened my mind to new food and left the schnitzels for Germany. …oh and I also managed to snag a few photos of the dishes that I might have been willing to try as well, just for her pleasure, so she could get the full picture.

And so, without further adieu, here it is, a photo diary of all the Czech dishes I opened my mind to this past weekend, and a few of the others I might have if I could have spread it out over a week. I dedicate this post to Julia.

Pancake with ice cream, fruits, whipped cream, caramel, and nuts.

I am not sure how "Czech" this dish is, but it's what I had for breakfast the first morning. It's what was on the menu at the traditional Czech food restaurant. It's also actually a crepe, but the menu said pancake. The fruits are hidden underneath and consisted of: pineapple, grapefruit, and something else that was a bit sour. These are my least favourite fruits, but the ice cream was good!

Beef Goulash with bread dumplings.

The dumplings are not quite what I expected, but they were pretty delicious, and they did an excellent job of soaking up the beefy sauce. Unfortunately, I was really sick during my weekend in Prague, having picked up a stomach virus from the kids. The stomach pains I had during this meal were fairly awful and I really just wanted to lie down at the table. It's one thing to have to force down a bad meal, but it's really sad trying to force down something so delicious.

South Bohemian cream-of-potato soup with mushrooms.

The soup was delicious. This dish was recommended by our tour guide, something her mom use to make when she was a little girl and something she still makes at home today. I was feeling much better by this point, and I enjoyed every last drop.


Potato dumplings stuffed with smoked meat, cabbage, and bacon.

The potato dumplings are a lot heavier than the bread dumplings and I was only able to eat 3/4 of the meal. It also left me feeling very full and was the last Czech dish I was personally able to ingest.

Light Beer, enough said

Of course we can't forget that the Czech Republic brews some excellent beers and that they should be ordered with your meal.

On this brings me to two other dishes I didn't have personally but might have been interesting choices:

Roast beef with cream sauce and bread dumplings.

Somewhat similar to the Beef Goulash I had, this is a dish that Matt ordered. The bite I had was delicious.

Pork Knuckle with bread dumplings and sauer kraut.

Ya, that's a BIG PIECE OF PORK! I don't know the guy who ordered this, but he was part of our tour group and we all ended up sitting together for lunch afterwards, so I asked if I could photograph his meal. The outer shell all sort of came off in one big piece and he didn't think his stomach would be able to break it down, so he just ate the pork inside. He said it was good.

Overall, I ordered THREE THINGS that I wouldn't have normally ordered and really enjoyed them all.

Can everyone in Germany really speak English?

2012-02-09T19:14:00.001+01:00

So often, when people have asked me how much German I’m able to speak or how my German is coming along and I tell them it isn’t great, they utter the response “it’s okay, everyone in Germany speaks English anyways.”

What a relief that is for a foreigner, coming over to Germany with little speaking ability, hoping to get a job or even get by in daily life, to know that it will always be okay. To be clear, it’s not just travelers who have passed through Germany throughout European adventures, but the local Germans as well who tell me this. Well, I’m going to be real with you and the glass bubble you are living in is about to shatter. Not EVERYONE in Germany speaks English. Is it likely that the staff who works in the tourism industry (a.k.a. hotel and hostel staff, transit workers, and customer service reps in retail or food and beverage) can speak English or at least enough to communicate with you. However, if you are going to live here, you might want to keep that phrase book handy. I would like to illustrate this point by recapping the interactions I have had over the last 4 months with German shop owners and whether our interactions were successful.

Did they speak English?

The young girl who sold me a pair of boots earlier this week:
Yes. She had no difficultly answering my questions about a protector spray and how often to use it.

The bank teller that assisted me in opening my bank account:
No. She didn’t speak any English and Matt had to do all the talking for me.

The various baristas who work at Starbucks and other chain OR locally owned Coffee Shops:
Yes or to some degree. Starbucks employees generally switch to English as soon as they hear my attempt at speaking German and everyone else will switch to English if I’ve not understood the question but generally only a few simple work related phrases such as “something else?” or “for here or to go?”
Side note: “Zum Mitnehmen” which is the German term for “to go” is one that you should commit to memory. After failing to understand the question to many times, and then eventually just pointing at the door, I got Matt to write out the phrase for me. The next time I went to the coffee shop on my way home from work, I was excited to finally be able to tell the barista in German. I ended up butchering really badly and I think I said “zum Mitigehen”. While I remembered the first word, I didn’t pronounce it properly. The barista smiled and stood at the counter with me repeating it slowly and breaking it down until I got it.

The pharmacist at the Apothek who was filling the prescription I was asked to pick up:
Yes. She was easily able to explain how often each medication should be taken and how much.

The pharmacist who served me the next time I went into the same Apothek to pick up some throat lozenges:
No. Luckily they don’t require directions and with a bit of concentration, I was able to understand the price she was saying.

My employers and Matt’s co-workers:
Yes. They all speak English. In fact, Matt’s co-workers are English teachers and the mother of the family I work for is American.

Our landlord:

No, not a word of English. A teacher at Matt’s school found this apartment for us and brought us here when we first arrived in Nurnberg to do the introductions and ensure we understood the lease. From then on, Matt has been communicating with our landlord but with the speed she speaks at and dialect she speaks in, even Matt has difficulty understanding her sometimes.

The taxi driver in Berlin, the ticket checker on the train, all of the hostel check-in agents, and the customer service rep who sold me my monthly underground railway pass:
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All of the above Germans spoke enough English to assist me along my travels.

A lady who called me about my resume sometime in late October:
No. She didn’t speak any English and I know very little German, needless to say, the conversation was VERY AWKWARD. A few hours later, she sent me an e-mail in German which I used Google to translate. Basically, it said that most German employers need someone who can speak a good degree of German, that she didn’t think she could help me and then the whole thing ended with an exclamation point !

The people who work at the Post Office, selling stamps or helping you send a package:
To some degree. Things like “how many would you like” “sign here” or whatever the price is.

And my favourite encounters are those with the elderly Germans who approach me for directions or when I’m walking with the kids. They generally don’t speak any English and when I tell them that I don’t speak German (which I do say in German), continue to talk to me anyways, repeating their thoughts or questions as if all of a sudden, it will translate itself and I will be able to understand them. Juliet and I caught up with an older woman walking down the street and kept pace for a few minutes. During this time, the woman began talking and asking me the same question over and over. I felt as though she was commenting on the weather and asking if Juliet was my child but I really couldn’t tell and Juliet was too shy to translate. Luckily, we were walking up a hill; she eventually grew tired and stopped to stare at the castle we had been walking around. I sped up a little bit, pulling Juliet with me as I tried to create some distance. It was an awkwardness I didn’t care to repeat.

So don’t expect everyone you come across will be able to communicate with you. You should definitely take at least one beginner course and learn the basic phrases, numbers and pronunciation of letters and words so that you won’t be at a total loss if the person you are trying to communicate with doesn’t speak English. This is especially important if you want to live in some place other than Berlin or Munich, where the English speakers are fewer and far between.

New Years Resolutions

2012-02-06T22:05:00.000+01:00

February 6th, 2012. Is that too late to be making resolutions? The optimist’s always say “it’s never too late!” so I am going to stick with them. Besides, I had already decided on this resolution back in January but it has been recently reinforced in my mind. I am not one for making resolutions. I can never think of anything I need or want to do bad enough that I need to make it a resolution. However, I have finally found something that I feel needs to be changed and am determined to make that change.

2012 is going to be the year where I am going to:
Take more pictures along my travels, where Matt and/or myself, are the subjects, or at least part, of the picture.

As I look back at my pictures from Paris, Düsseldorf, Bamberg, Regensburg, and Munich (all taken over the last 4 months), there are maybe 5 good pictures of the two of us and the rest are of buildings, nature, and animals. They get a bit boring to look at after a while and really, if we’re not in at least a few of them as the physical proof, who is to say the pictures are even of our trip?! Not that I would go taking other people’s travel photos and claim I was there, but you get the idea. I want to look back at these photos and remember that we did this year abroad together. I want to watch overtime how long I let my hair grow before I get fed up and let someone who isn’t my normal hairdresser cut it. Finally, I want to remember the fun and “interesting” times we had along the way, not just what we saw, but the experiences we had getting there.

It will help you, the reader; understand the situation a little better as well. If there’s a picture to go along with the story, you too will see how amazing (or awful) it is, instead of imagining what it must have been like. It will make my blogs, that much better.

There are a number of reasons (excuses) I have for not doing this already and include the following:
1. I hate to bother the people walking by me and ask them if they would mind taking a photo. Not that I mind when other people ask me.
2. I am not great at taking self-portraits, at least the ones that include the scenery behind me. That scenery is the key.
3. I don’t like asking Matt to constantly stop, and pose for photos. Not that he complains. I apologize, and he smiles and says it’s okay, but when the fourth self-portrait or night landscape we’ve taken still hasn’t turned out to my liking, and I say “just one more” I know he just wants to move on, especially when it’s been particularly cold.
4. Germany’s humidity levels seem higher than those in Canada, causing my bangs to flip up in some weird unattractive manner and I don’t want a reminder of that.
5. I just, flat out, forget to take a picture.

However, I have purchased a small and inexpensive mini-tripod to help me out with this resolution and am determined you will see evidence of this, right in this very post!


Standing in front of a German restaurant called Der Nassauer Keller, known as the restaurant with the little door

There I am. Proof of my existence over here in Nürnberg, Germany. Proof that I have not cut my hair since 3 days before departing for my year abroad (4 and a half months ago).Proof that I am able to get along without my straightener, as you may or may not recall, I had to leave it at home (instead, I used a clothes iron and a pot holder). Finally, in case you were wondering, I am 5'5, that is indeed, a small door, and this photo took 3 attempts to get right.

Brrrr, it’s cold out there! There must be a Canadian in the atmosphere!

2012-02-04T00:02:00.000+01:00

How cold is it in Germany? There was a huge temperature drop and Thursday’s 9 am temperature was -19°C with the wind chill and not that much warmer at the peak of the day. I was told that Germany’s winters went as low as -10°C generally and had plenty of snow. I was looking forward to such a mild winter! Instead, my German winter has consisted of: hardly any snow..enough to just coat the grass..but even that only arrived the previous weekend, and freezing cold temperatures.

Being from Ottawa, Ontario, I am prepared for the temperature to reach -40° C with the wind chill….but that doesn’t mean I enjoy it.

The Germans keep saying things like “you must be use to this kind of weather in Canada”.

I enjoy listening to their perspectives on our weather. They’re implying this must be nothing for us or that we might even find this weather warm, in some cases. Well it is warm…when it has already reached the coldest temperature of the year and is then working its way back up to the warmer weather. Last year, my boyfriend and friends came to visit me in Ottawa during reading week of February. It was -30°C with the wind chill and they were only use to getting temperatures as low as -20°C on the cold days. “It’s freezing” they said. I told them it was much warmer than it had been the previous week, so this was an improvement!

However, it has only just reached this cold weather temperature and I am just as cold as everyone else is. I am not enjoying it!! I am just as excited to finally reach my destination and go inside to the heat. However, I am finding that once I am inside, that warm feeling only lasts for so long...

It seems as though the Germans do not have central heating. Every room has its own heater (or even two if it’s a larger room) that you can turn up or down as you please. Every room except our kitchen and hallway, that is. Someone must have forgotten to install a heater in our kitchen so instead we have a space heater and heat the space as needed. It’s cold in the morning and again when we get home from work. The hallway between our apartment and the one downstairs has no heater or heat coming to it at all. It felt as though I was putting my feet into shoes that had been left outside overnight. And, it feels as though the heat we have in our bedroom/living room only reaches so far…the dressing area around the corner is cold as well. Although that might also be because for the past 2 hours, the heater has been blowing cold air and has only just decided it will heat back up again. We have already turned the thermostat up to 26°C!!! We should be overheating. The bathroom does have a heater, but the Germans don’t use bathroom fans, so we have to open the window in the mornings. To top it all off, the elevator at the apartment where I work, would not leave the bottom floor today because it was just too cold. So much for German engineering, poor equipment can hardly keep up.

All of that combined, it’s turning out to be a cold one here in Nürnberg. How lucky for me to be here in Germany, when they are experiencing such abnormal weather.

Searching for Fun: Museum Edition

2012-01-30T18:30:00.000+01:00

The majority of cities you go to will have a museum that houses at least two (if not more) of the following: History and/or War, Science and Technology, Art, The life’s work of (insert name of composer, artist, or inventor), or maybe even Archeology or Space. This is great, if that’s YOUR thing. I however, have discovered that I really don’t enjoy spending hours walking around a museum, reading the many facts I read/learned about in High School or staring at paintings that are in all the books or all over the internet. To be honest, I wasn’t even really interested in them back in High School.

I have nothing against the Science and Technology Museums. They generally have interesting things to see and allow you to touch the items and be part of the scene. However, I don’t want to see the same thing over and over in each city. So as I research all of the cities I want to see, I find myself checking out the museum section of the tourism sight, looking for something fun and different. Unfortunately, the internet isn’t always pulling through for me. I Google phrases such as the: “Best Museums in Germany” or “Most Interesting Museums of Germany” and the top 5-10 results are for history and art museums. So, I find myself Googling each individual city I may want to visit and book marking those with interesting museums. I am sad to report that a number of sites, while boasting over 30 museums, having nothing I want to see.

So, what is it that I’m looking for? I haven’t completely ruled out history museums…just the ones about city history, war and fur trading, etc.

Here is a list of some of the museums that caught MY attention and they didn’t disappoint.

1. Chocolate Museum Cologne (Schokoladen Museum), in Cologne, Germany

Learn about the history of chocolate, cocoa farming, and how chocolate’s made. Learn about your favourite products and beauty supplies that contain cocoa and what the old fashion chocolate shops look like. And if you weren’t impressed with that, part of the tour includes touring the Lindt Chocolate Factory where you can get an up close look at how the Chocolate makers make those delicious Bunnies you get in your Easter baskets or those creamy Lindor balls you get for every occasion. The Lindt store is located on your way out and will be sure to satisfy the Chocolate craving
you developed throughout your visit.

2. German Sport and Olympic Museum (Deutsches Sport and Olympia Museum), in Cologne, Germany

Located right beside the Chocolate Museum, you can plan on making this your second stop. A close look at the actual items used in both the Winter and Summer Olympics through the years. These items include, the torches you might have seen in your community, the outfits, clubs, gloves, etc worn by winning or participating athletes, including Shaq O’Neal’s very large running shoe, patches of grass from the stadiums, tickets to the final Canada-U.S hockey game at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and the list goes on. When I visited, they were in the process of designing the interior of some new rooms…my guess is that it will be for the 2012 London Summer

Olympics.

3. National Leprechaun Museum in Dublin, Ireland

While this museum is both quite new and small, it’s the red headed tour guide that made the experience. Learn about Irish mythology and the story of the Leprechaun. Listen, as your tour guide tells you the tales of how he almost caught a leprechaun and feel what it’s like to be a leprechaun as you try to climb into the chairs that tower above your head.

4. Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland

If you like beer, this tour will not disappoint. Discover how Guinness beer is made and pour your own perfect pint of Guinness at the end of the tour. One beer included in the price of admission ticket.It doesn't stop there, head upstairs to the Gravity Bar where you can take in a 360 degree view of the city. Don't forget to hit-up the Guinness Store on your way out to pick up some Guinness merchandise.

And here is the list of Museums that I might possibly entertain, should I have time to explore the location:

1. The Nordic Museum of Daily Life in Stockholm, Sweden

2. The Museum of Bags and Purses in Amsterdam, Netherlands

3. The Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, Netherlands

4. Madame Tussauds- A collection of Wax Figures in Berlin, Germany

5. ModellPark Berlin- Brandenburg in Berlin, Germany

6. University Museum in Krakow, Poland

7. Budapest Memento Park (Statue Park): Gigantic Reminders of the Past in Budapest, Hungary

8. Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany

My ultimate goal is not to hit a museum in every city; they are just nice to visit on a rainy day or a Sunday, when nothing else is open anyways.If you find yourself looking for something similar to I am, I hope you have found this list useful! I would also love to hear about some of the fascinating European museums that others have hit, and where I can find it!

Children: Learning Their Language

2012-01-24T16:49:00.000+01:00

Have you ever watched the interaction between a parent and children under the age of 2?

On a number of occasions, I have been in the presence of young children and watched or listened as they babble away, as if they are having a conversation. In the early stages, their parents often respond with things like “oh really?” or “ya” to indicate to the child that they are listening. When the child reaches the next stage, they start to pick up actual words and put them into their conversations. When they use words such as “yes” or “no” I would find that it was generally very clear, but when they start learning more words, I found it difficult to understand. Actually, it still sounded like babbling to me, but then I would hear the parent respond with something like “Oh you’re hungry” or “Is this the toy you were looking for?” and the child would be satisfied. I would look on feeling both impressed and a bit guilty for being the only one who didn’t understand. I felt particularly bad when the child was speaking directly to ME and the parent would then “translate” the request, making it sound so simple.

I have finally learned that it’s like a whole other language and unless you have already learned that child’s particular language, you are not going to understand. Not the type you will learn in a book, but the kind you learn by immersing yourself into it, aka being that child’s parent or working with them every day. The youngest one I look after was at that stage when I first began working with them. She knew a few words, but I found it difficult to understand. I was told it’s important to talk to them at that age because that’s how to learn new words. It felt a bit strange, talking away to a child who wasn’t really responding. So I would just talk about what I was doing…”okay, let’s put on your sweater, now your shoes...first the left foot…and the now the right foot…” Slowly, she started to add new words by repeating something that her mom or I had just said. For instance, if I said, “would you like some pancakes?” She would respond with “ya” or “pancake”. When I’ve only said 5 words, it’s pretty easy to understand or guess at what she’s just said. Now, having previously heard her say these words, I understand when she says them to me again later because I am familiar with how it sounds when she says it. And now, she is at the stage where she tries to repeat the majority of the words I say. So in the few short months that I’ve known her, her vocabulary has grown and I am able to understand. So, here we are, I’ve finally learned the “language” and looking after young children isn’t so difficult after all.

Transporting a Canadian Style Christmas into Germany

2012-01-01T11:30:00.000+01:00

Matt and I stayed in Germany for Christmas and decided we would make our own Christmas Dinner.
We decided we would get a small chicken instead of a turkey and got all of the ingredients to make stuffing, broccoli salad and mashed potatoes. That was the easy part. Neither of us have ever cooked or prepared a chicken with legs and wings, stuffed one, or really ever watched the process so the end result could either be delicious or a huge disaster.

The Baking I Did

I wrote home for the directions to make the stuffing and broccoli salad and asked the family I’m working with how to go about preparing and cooking the chicken. I’ve watched them make it a few times and it didn’t seem overly complicated. I also acquired the directions on how to make chicken noodle soup with the leftover chicken and carcass. I finally received the measuring spoons and cups from home and made a variety of Christmas squares and cookies in advance.

Christmas Day was now finally here and how did everything pan out?

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

I got up and decided I would make a Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread that I found using StumbleUpon for breakfast. I read over the directions for the first time to discover that the dough has to be left to rise for at least an hour and its best done the night before and then left in the fridge over night. FAIL. I guess that’s why you should always read the directions in advance. The initial part 30-40 minutes and then had to sit…so we wouldn’t be having it for breakfast. We decided to have a morning snack instead with our coffee and we opened the presents we had gotten for each other and the ones that our family had shipped over from Canada.

Ernie the Chicken

By this time this was done, the dough had risen and was ready to be rolled out. Overall, It took approximately three hours so we ended up having it around 11:30 with mimosas. It was fantastic and worth the wait. It seems in Germany instead of giving bottles of wine, people give you bottles of Champagne instead (still a good alternative). Fortunately the three hour bread was the only thing that went wrong all day. That and the fact that the only things we bought at the grocery store were the ingredients to make the big dinner and breakfast. Our European mini fridge would not accommodate another thing. We had pasta the previous night for dinner and no appetizers for Christmas day or too many options for snacks...cookies, squares and some tangerines.

Our Christmas Table

We stuffed and seasoned Ernie the chicken and the rest off the afternoon was spent cutting up and peeling the

rest of the vegetables and skyping with our families. Everything was ready shortly after six. Ernie exited the oven looking pretty good; upside down and looking as if he might just run right out of the pan, but pretty damn good none the less. The meal was delicious and clean-up afterward wasn’t that difficult. I finished off the evening with my moms family displaying me on their TV screen through skype and having all 10 of them hold their Christmas presents up to the camera to show me their new possessions so I could feel as though I was actually there with them.

Overall, it was a successful first Christmas together and the Canadian traditions lived on!

Matt and I About to Enjoy Christmas Dinner

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2011-12-24T17:08:00.000+01:00

Christmas will be here tomorrow and I’ve been doing my best to get into the holiday spirit and celebrate in Germany.
Here’s What We’ve Done:
Step One: Set up little 10 Inch Christmas Tree that Matt’s parents sent us.
Step Two: Hang Christmas window decoration.
Step Three: Buy a poinsettia, baking pans and track down Canadian equivalent ingredients (this also included e-mailing home to get additional Christmas recipes and looking them up on the internet).
Step Four: Bake lot’s of delicious treats
Step Five: Go to the Nürnberg and Bamberg Christmas Markets
Step Six: Make a gigantic Christmas grocery shopping list
Step Seven: Figure out how to cook a Chicken
….By this time it was still 3-4 days before Christmas and I still forget that it’s even December.
Step Eight: Put wrapped Christmas presents around little tree and clean up apartment.
..It looks a little more festive in here now. But one thing is still missing. Besides the fact it’s just the two of us, the SNOW is missing! It looks like November outside. It was so mild yesterday, I didn’t need to wear mittens and was getting too warm in a fall leather jacket. We had snow once this month! It came, it covered the ground, it rained, it melted. To be fair, it sounds as though Canada isn’t having a white Christmas either, or maybe they are. I can’t keep track with all the “It Snowed! Looks like it will be a white Christmas after all!” followed by the “We got rain and it was washed away”
The Nürnberg weather forcast is calling for mixed Snow and Rain or Snow followed by Rain so it doesn’t sound very promising.

However, I must say the Christmas Markets have been helping. Over 150 carts selling Christmas Ornaments, Gingerbread Cookies and Glühwein! I’ve decided I am going to try and collect Christmas ornaments from every country I visit. So far, I haven’t been able to just pick one. From Ireland, I brought home two leprechaun’s, one holding a pot of gold and the other holding a pint of Guinness. From Germany, I bought a Nutcracker, a cuckoo clock, and a little German girl wearing a dirndl. I also bought a Santa on Skies which has nothing to do with Germany but I was walking past 1000’s of Christmas ornaments and couldn’t help it.

Glühwein: one cup is never enough!
You cannot go to a German Christmas Market without getting a cup of Glühwein (mulled red wine, served warm and in a mug). I paid the fond and kept the Nürnberg Christmas mug. I purchased a second cup in Bamberg solely for the mug with the detailed Bamberg Rathaus and I purchased a bottle to bring home and drink over the holidays!

Matt and I are planning to have a proper Christmas dinner. We bought everything to cook a small chicken, stuffing, broccoli salad, and mashed potatoes. Neither of us have cooked a chicken before, but the Christmas baking turned out so there is hope! Hopefully it won’t turn out like that scene from the movie The Santa Claus when Tim Allen’s turkey sets on fire.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas! If you are cooking your first Christmas Dinner as well, Good Luck!!!

FIRE!! HALT!!

2011-12-19T14:42:00.002+01:00

Are your appliances old? Do you own appliances that are half broken and should be replaced but still manage to do the trick so you plan on keeping them until they actually kick?
If you answered yes, and said appliance is a toaster that doesn’t automatically pop anymore or any other appliance that may cause accident, please do everyone a favour and get rid of them.

As you have likely already read, I am a nanny for a family here in Germany. I go into their home to look after the kids. This means, I have to get use to and figure out how all of their appliances work, what foods they like and how they like them prepared. This morning, I put a piece of bread in the toaster for one of the little girls and then continued washing up the dishes. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a light I hadn’t noticed before and looked over… FIRE! IN THE TOASTER!

“AHH” I yelled. I ran over and began blowing out the fairly large flame on the piece of toast. I pulled up the lever and once the fire was out, took the piece of bread and threw it out onto the metal part of the balcony. I did my best to waft the smoke out the door afraid it would set the fire alarm off. I went to get another piece of bread and noted to the mom that the toaster wasn’t automatically popping. They already NEW that but had forgotten to tell me. Luckily, the cupboards above the toaster are high enough that the flame had not reached them and no harm was done. I put a second piece of bread into the toaster and watched it as I began drying a few dishes. Watching a toaster is like watching paint dry.

It occurred to me while I was waiting for the second piece to toast that the mother had previously told me that German homes/apartments don’t have fire alarms….and that if you smell smoke, take that as your cue to get out! What is this, the stone age? What building wouldn’t be equipped with fire alarms? What if I had gone to the bathroom or decided to clean up the dining room while I was waiting instead of cleaning the dishes? This is not the first time this has happened to me. Two years ago, at my aunt’s house, I put a piece of bread in the toaster and went back into my room to finish getting ready. Not too long after, the fire alarm went off. It was very effective. It wasn’t just the standard beeping fire alarm. Not only did it beep, but it yelled FIRE!!! HALT!! On a continuous loop until my aunt shut off the breaker. No harm done to her home or toaster, but the toaster immediately went into the garbage after that.

When I got back home to my German apartment, I noted that our apartment did not have a fire alarm either. I am curious as to what the statistics are of deaths related to fires in the home or in a building. I am sure they are much higher than those in Canada or the United States.

The lesson learned here is to never leave your kitchen when there is a toaster involved and if the toaster looks like it’s from the 90’s, don’t let it out of your sight when the lever is down..especially if you live in Germany.

No better time for a morning jog than when you're wearing knee high leather boots, a leather jacket and pulling a carry-on wheelie suitcase

2011-12-01T14:55:00.000+01:00

Time: Approximately 9:08am
Location: Dublin Airport, about to board my Ryan Air flight back to Memmingen, Germany departing at 9:30am
when this happened:
Girl at the Gate: "You havent got your passport check done" "You can't board this plane without getting it done" "You have to go back to the check-in"
Me: "WHAT! I got pulled out of the check-in line by Airport staff and sent straight through security, she looked at my ticket!"
Girl at the Gate "It's not their responsibility" "You have to go back"
Me: "Am I going to be able to make this plane?"
Girl at the Gate: "I dont know, it's at least 10 minutes back just to security"

The story. It clearly states on my boarding pass that all persons that are not members of the EU must have their passport checked prior to entering security. This is literally having someone look at your passport for 30 seconds and putting a stamp on your boarding pass.
I had it done when I left Memmingen on Friday, along with an official checking and stamping my passport after going through Memmingen security, and again when I arrived in Dublin.
I was dropped off at the airport at least 2 hours before my flight departed. I stood in the line, only to reach the lady trying to assist people print their boarding passes. I had already done the check-in and printing online. I told her I already had mine, she LOOKED AT IT and despite it saying, requires passport check, says no this is everything you need, you can just step out of line here and go straight to security. You can get your gate number at security.
Through security, boarding pass looked at, bought a bottle of Jameson Whiskey, boarding pass looked at, made the 10 minute walk to my gate only to discover there were no good shops down there and I had lots of time so I actually made the 10 minute walk back to purchase a hoodie, boarding pass checked, and get a coffee and muffin from Starbucks.

Finally the flight is boarding. I did think, its really strange that no one has looked at my passport today. I mean, I kept trying to show people and no one wanted it. But I figured they would look at it before I got on the plane and I had so many friggin stamps on the way to Dublin that maybe that was enough. Nope. Here's where that fun little interaction occured.

So here I go, making my trek back to check-in. Thinking to myself, will I make this plane? This is ridiculous. Then it hit me... that the next flight may not have been for another few days and that I had to one, work the next day and two, was not about to be shelling out more money for a new ticket. Time Check: 9:11am. Shit. Start full out running, back towards security. I had on jeans and a 3/4 jacket, knee high leather boots, a leather jacket, a heavy purse, and a carry-on wheelie suitcase dragging behind me. Run, run, run. I should mention that I am no runner. I swim for work and exercise, but I never run, and the breathing is not nearly the same.Get to security and spot someone who isnt doing anything. My throat feels like its on fire but I manage to yell out and ask for help, "My flight is leaving in just over 10 minutes, I need a passport check and I now have a bottle of whiskey in my bag". He was very friendly and escorted me through the back door and I explained how I had been pulled out of line. "I dont know why they do this" he said. Clearly this has happened before. Within minutes, he had someone stamp my boarding pass and have the flight held. He escorted me back through security ignoring the beeping that my belt, coat and everything was now causing and I high tailed it back to the gate.
Time check: 9:25am
Girl at the Gate: "Oh, you made it"
...Bitch
Luckily, there were still a few people on the tarmac waiting to board the plane. Ready to jump on, but oh wait!! The other girl at the counter says, "excuse me, you have to put your purse in your luggage"
$"!#!!!
I didnt have to do this on the way there, and I threw my souvenirs in my bag not really leaving room. On top of trying to figure this out, I am dying of heat exhaustion and lack of hydration. Finally, one of the airport men stood in front of her blocking her view and told me to forget it and go. Thanks Sir!!!!
Finally on the plane, soaked in sweat, and throat on fire. It was an excellent plane ride home and drinks were not free.

Luckily, everything went well after that. I figured out the bus and all the trains to get home and was home by 6pm.

This post was really just a rant, although I think I really earned it.
The moral of the story, if your boarding pass says, passport check required, you better make sure you get it BEFORE you go through security and argue when you are told otherwise.

DUBLIN

2011-12-01T14:54:00.000+01:00

The streets and houses don't look too different than everything else, but only Ireland can get away with naming all of their bars, shops, and funeral homes after their family name and have it sound so great. Vaughn's, Murphy's, Fanigans, Whelan's are just a few places that line the streets.

Friday evening, we made a trip to the cinema. You may think...you can do that at home...but living in Germany, finding a decent movie playing in English is not an easy task. It's almost a novelty to be able to see a film. And I did get to see the sites at night, the christmas decorations and make 4 trips over the Ha' Penny Bridge in one evening trying to figure out the evening public transportation schedule.

Saturday was a successful day of sightseeing. Grafton Street, Photos with Leprechauns, Stephens Green, Trinity College, the Spire, Ha' Penny Bridge (again), O'Connell Bridge, major statues including Molly Malone, Leprechaun Museum, Guinness Storehouse, just to name a few. A certificate in hand to state that I poured a perfect pint of Guinness, although I'll be honest and tell you, apparently I didn't pour the top correctly.
Eggs, toast, and bacon rashers for breakfast, fish and chips for lunch, and a deep fried burger and chips for dinner. That is, a beef patty covered with deep dry batter and eaten with a fork. I was assured that this was just a coincidence to have it twice in one day and that the Irish don't eat like that everyday :)

A night out in Dublin with Julie and her friends where I saw firsthand, just how dressed up the Irish get, even just to go to the bar; fancy dresses, platform heals, and blown out/teased hair.

I came home having had my first ever Guinness, am a hoodie, some christmas decorations, and a bottle of 12 year old Jameson Whiskey richer, and owing the Dublin 6 cents for all the crossing I did over the Ha' Penny Bridge.

A Big THANKS to Julie for letting me stay in her home, introducing me to her family and friends, and taking time off work to show me around the city! Ive got two new passport stamps, lots of memories, pictures and souvenirs, and another country to add to my list. You are a great friend!

Guinness Mustache!

Getting to Dublin

2011-11-28T22:05:00.000+01:00

When Matt told me he was going to Munich for the weekend to visit some of his friends, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to visit my friend Julie in Ireland.
Excited to visit Julie and step foot into a new country loaded with sexy accents, I started researching my trip plan.
I figured I would just fly out of Nürnberg or at least, fly out of Nürnberg and into a city that flew to Dublin, but no such luck. It seemed that any of the airlines that flew out of Nürnberg would not connect up with others that would fly to Dublin, not unless I wanted to pay €800. So I researched the flights out of other cities and trains out of Nürnberg looking for the cheapest and most efficient way there.

Now as you already know, I grew up in the Ottawa Valley. Here's how we get places at home:
1) You drive
2) You take the train or the plane*
*When you take the plane or the train...someone will drive you in either their car or in one shuttle to said train station or airport. Even when the airport is a 2-4 hour drive.

Here's how you get to Dublin when you don't live with or near family, don't have a car, and can't just take one little shuttle to the airport:
Walk to underground subway, ride to main railway station, take 3 different regional trains(yes it was faster to take 3 than 1), take 1 bus, finally arrive at Airport......Fly to Dublin, take shuttle bus to Julie's work, ride home to Julie's house in the car.
Fortunately, I just had a purse and a small carry-on wheelie bag, so it was easy to make all the necessary transfers. It still blew my mind though.

Next to blow my mind:
Memmingen Airport in Munich.
You walk through the front door, check in on left, restaurant straight ahead, security on the right. I could see clearly out the windows on either end. After I went through security, I had to go to gate 5 of 7. One - three were downstairs, and the rest were upstairs. I mean literally up the stairs. No escalator. There was an elevator but I always find that escalator's are more common in airports. Anyways, up the stairs, grabbed a drink and bagel for the plane at the only other restaurant in the airport. Sat down and waited to board. I realized that the only people in the airport either worked there, or were flying to Dublin.
The flight boards and we walk back down a set of stairs on the opposite wall and out onto the tarmac.

Ryan Air:
Not assigned seats, sit anywhere, pay for in flight food and drinks and hear announcements every few minutes advertising their calender and scratch card sales, along with cigarettes and whatever else they sell.

Overall, it was an easy trip, I had row to myself on the plane, two new passport stamps, and a lot of learning about travelling. The ride back was not as easy, but that deserves it's own post.

Employed!! Katie the Nanny

2011-11-28T21:32:00.000+01:00

Its finally happened. After leaving home almost two months ago and job searching for a total of 6 weeks after my job searching orientation, I have finally found something!
Position: Nanny/House Help for two children of a German and English speaking family
Salary: €12/hour
When:Monday-Friday 7:45am-2-3 from now until January
Tuesday-Thursday 7:45am-2 or 2:30pm from January - May

I finally have something to fill my time, pay my bills, and fund all of my fun and travels.

I think the job is going to be pretty great. I've spent a number of years working with children, the difference being, those children were fed, dressed and brought to me and I was teaching them to swim. Now I'm the one getting them dressed, fed, and out the door. Luckily, I have some babysitting experience and a brother who is enough younger than I am to prepare me for changing diapers, dressing them up in coats and shoes, and spending hours sitting on the floor playing whatever. Although, that was a few years ago so when dressing the 16 month old this morning, I had to re-figure out, what arms go in when and try and not get her stuck with her dress half over her head. I'll admit, it got a little stuck...but she was fine.

I was a little nervous on the first day. What on earth do 16 month olds like to eat for breakfast, lunch, and snack? At least a four and a half year old will tell you exactly what they want and how they want it. Fortunately, the mother is not back at work yet and had planned a transition period of getting the children use to me. It kind of like job shadowing. I accompany her to take the children to school, and run errands, learning where everything is located. She tells me what she wants me to cook or prepare and I can get the housework done in the meantime while the children are at school. So plenty of time to see what they like to eat and how the like it prepared.

And in addition, I will now be taking the under ground train and a street car on a regular basis to get to their house so I have finally been forced to figure out the how these train things work. Matt did help to map out my route, but I had to go it alone. It was a successful journey and prepared me mentally for all of the trains and buses I would be taking on my upcoming trip.

Cooking and Baking in a New Country

2011-11-09T10:13:00.001+01:00

I love wandering down the aisles in the grocery stores here because each time I go, I discover something new. I was aware that when I moved to Germany, they wouldn’t have all the foods that we do at home, for example sliced bacon. For the most part, I have learned to accept this and am happy to find new alternatives. However, there are just a few things that I am failing to understand, and without proper internet (which is another story) I cannot look up various stories that may sell them.

The first item is bread crumbs. I figure this would be one of those things that are in every grocery store, one of those things that are always kept in stock, considering the popularity of schnitzel. I have yet to find pre-crushed bread crumbs. We have taken to leaving a few slices of bread out over night to let them dry out, breaking them up by hand, and then crushing them with a potato masher, which usually takes 3 different goes. But what happened to modern day conveniences? I just want some bread crumbs that are sold pre spiced because I just cannot get the right flavor, something is missing. Any suggestions on either the location of the bread crumbs or good schnitzel spices?

The second is measuring spoons and measuring cups. I have literally searched almost every store; Real, Euro store, grocery stores, a number of kitchen stores and none of them sell measuring spoons or 1/4 , 1/3, and 1/2 measuring cups. They do however all sell various flour sifters. I mentioned this to my mom and she had them in the mail the next day, unfortunately they haven’t arrived yet and it feels like it’s been a while. She reminded me I could have checked IKEA, but I had forgotten it was here. I guess I’ll find out if the German IKEA sells them if these ones never arrive. In the meantime, I have taken to buying muffin mixes. Not that I have anything against mixes, it’s just that, the last two I bought (Chocolate Chip and then Plain Chocolate…the only options) both tasted the same and lacked distinctive flavor. I did not find a cookie mix, at least not in Edeka. So I am anxiously waiting for these measuring tools to arrive. In the meantime with our limited internet, I tried to do a search of German recipes and instead was directed to other European recipes where they measure in spoons and cups as well.
HOW do the Germans bake? Clearly from the variety of flour sifters available, it’s popular but...HOW?

As I am only here for 7 more months, I guess I can do without the casserole and Pyrex dishes and the loaf pan. Our land lady mentioned that if there is anything else we want or need, she would reimburse us for the cost but I just can’t ask for them for just 7 months considering the cost. The German pans are all €10 and up and I realize this is because they’re better quality but I miss being able to buy baking pans in the dollar store.

And lastly, while this has not been 100% confirmed yet as I have only looked in one store, no Ziploc bags? Just bags and chip clips. Does that keep it fresh? Does it keep everything from spilling out? To be safe, I asked for some Ziploc bags for Christmas.

I think I will see if I can find a German cooking class in English and learn how they do things over here.

__________________________________________________

A week after writing this, we found sliced Bacon in the grocery store. Things are looking up!

The Coffee is Black and the Milk is Expensive

2011-11-07T23:30:00.005+01:00

I have noticed in Germany that you cannot just order a “Coffee with Milk”. A cup of coffee, when purchased in a porcelain cup is always served with a packet of sugar, an amazing Ginger cookie and sometimes a creamer on the side. Getting a little container of milk is not an option. I once tried to order a coffee with milk “Kaffee mit Milch” in Köln and while the lady repeated it back to me, a black coffee is what I got.
I have started to take a closer look at the menus when I want coffee now and have found that if you want milk, you have to order a café au lait or Milchkaffee. While I am not sure that café au lait is the same as a bit of milk, the real kicker is that it’s at least 30 cents more expensive!! I don’t even think you can buy little milkers that I could carry around in my purse, but that’s probably for the best as I’m sure letting milk sit in my purse would lead to bigger problems later in the day than spending 30 cents.

I by no means, mean to complain about Germany when I say I can’t get milk in a little container and they don’t have hot water in their bathroom sinks, I am just pointing out the differences. Canada provided me with a lot of little luxuries (except those ginger cookies) and I am just struggling to get use to some of these changes.

You may notice I keep mentioning these Ginger cookies. What are they? They’re little pieces of deliciousness that melt with the warmth of your coffee and make your day complete. I am completely enamored with them. The two brands I’ve come across are Lotus and Maitre and according to the package, you can buy them in the store!! I’ve checked my grocery store 5 times now and even the bigger Real, but no such luck yet. Perhaps when I have proper internet next week, I can actually look them up and find out where they are sold. But in the meantime, if you know where to find them, it would be helpful if you would comment.

And while I have sometimes just had to settle and drink the plain black coffee, I just prefer it with milk.