Munich at night

After our tour, we went out and walked the streets of Munich at night. It was SO crowded that you could hardly move. It was quite an adventure trying to stay together and not get lost. One of the fun things we stumbled upon was a creche exhibit. I took a picture of my favorite---look closely---it's the boyscouts!

Germany 2009 Day 5---Benediktbeuren

Lael and Jackie bought a fresh bouquet of Christmas greens!


By mid morning it was very crowded and there was no place to park. Swiss Days, anyone?

The live nativity---the shepherds are roasting hot dogs for their lunch!




Today we were picked up very early at our hotel by John, a 60-ish ex-pat American guide who took us to a non-tourist Christmas market out in the country. We drove for about 1 1/2 hours and came to a small village that reminded me alot of Midway and Swiss Days. Most of the booths were set up local clubs or groups. There was a wonderful live nativity, complete with all the animals! There were lots of homemade jams and candy, socks, scarfs and mittens. There were ornaments and decorations and different foods to eat. The local boy scouts had one of the most popular booths, selling pizza cooked in small wood ovens. We found an incredible bakery booth and everyone indulged in a yummy dessert. I had a plum tart that was so good! After we had had our fill of the market, we went and toured the local monastery. Then he took us to a lovely restaurant located on Lake Kochelsee where we had a leisurely lunch overlooking the lake. It was a wonderful day!

Germany 2009 Day 4---GARMISH

Outside Simon's shop

Wrapping up a nativity


This is how alot of the Bavarian homes are decorated on the outside, usually the pictures are a Biblical story.

Today we took the train to Garmish to visit the wood carver, Simon. He started carving when he was three! He does the most beautiful nativity scenes with a million different pieces and all sorts of other things! We met him at his Christmas market booth and then he drove us over the border into Austria to his main shop. We had so much fun there! When we were done, he took us back to Garmish and we had lunch and then discovered another fantastic clothing store!!!
I couldn't resist and bought another wool jacket! This one is navy blue also with dark green applique. It's really cute with jeans!

Pfistermuhler and our crazy waiter!

Tonight we went to a lovely German restaurant called Pfistermuhler (what a mouthful!). It was very festively decorated for Christmas and Jackie said the food was fantastic and different every night depending upon the chef's whim for that day. The food was in indeed scrumptious but what was memorable was our teasing, crazy waiter who spoke English! (A great bonus for us!!!)

Germany 2009---Day 3 and the German Jacket

We spent today in Munich again with much of our emphasis on German clothing. I have a passion for German clothing---it is so well made and so well styled and so...so...so... German!!! I have loved this type of clothing since I was a teenager and a very stylish young German woman lived in our ward. She would come to church in the most fantastic suits and dresses! I just loved to look at them and of course, back then you couldn't find anything like them unless you went to Germany! Well, about ten years after I was married, my German missionary husband and I stumbled upon Utah Woolen Mills. They carry German clothing! I was thrilled!!! So, every year for the next few years, my sweet husband would get me a German made suit for Christmas! I loved them and still have them all in my upstairs cedar closet. Well, here I was in Germany again, and of course, they just happened to have lots and lots of beautiful woolen jackets and skirts, etc... My wonderful friends indulged me and we went to several stores looking. I fell in love with a brown jacket with green applique but wouldn't you know it we found a size 4, 6 and two 10s---but NO 8! So, I did the next best thing and found another jacket that was similar but grey. I love it, too!

The Hedgehog and the Nutcracker

Here are pictures of my cute little hedgehog that I nestle in my Christmas tree branches and my little Santa Claus. Aren't they so cute?

Germany 2009---Day two!

Lael and I at the Nurnberg train station. Lael and Jackie were pros when it came to getting us on the right train!

The main street of Nurnberg with the booths on the right and lots of shoppers!


Dogs are everywhere and go everywhere---into stores and restaurants!

Today we took the train to Nurnberg, the city famous for the trying of WWII criminals. It was a charming city, smaller than Munich with a great Christmas market. These markets are all different types of vendors set up in booths in the city square. You will find all sorts of tree ornaments, Nutcrackers, toys, candy, all different kinds of wursts (sausages), mulled wine (the most popular of all the booths!), and hand made items to name a few. One big decoration for the local people is tiny figures made out of dried prunes!!! Honestly! They make all different sorts of people in various occupations. Judging from the number of booths we saw selling these "treasures" they must be quite a desirable item. (I thought they were a little strange myself!) Another thing we noticed is that the German people love hedgehogs. They have lots of little stuffed ones in window displays and as ornaments. I bought one for my Christmas tree. We went to two "Kathie Wolfhart" stores---wonderful stores dedicated just to Christmas decorations. There I fell in love with a small Nutcracker Santa and hoped that I would find another nutcracker just as cute for my friend.

Germany 2009---My first purchase!

Our very first night in Germany, we went into a store looking for Nutcrackers. (A friend asked me to buy one for her and this became a quest--- trying to find just the perfect one.) While I didn't find a nutcracker, what I did find that night was this amazing Nativity! I collect Nativities and loved this one for its simple lines and sweet feeling. I haven't seen anything quite like it! It has become one of my favorites!!!

DECEMBER 2009!!!

The Munich Christmas tree in the main square, the Marienplatz.
The famous "Glockenspiele" clock tower dancing figures. Every day at 11:00 a.m. the clock bells ring and the figures begin to dance around. There are even Knights on horses!

Some of the cute store windows!




My cohorts in shopping crime: Jackie Coleman, Lael Ruffner, Natalie Burr and me just after finishing dinner. Do we look sleep deprived or what?

December 1st, I left on a BIG adventure! I went to Munich, Germany with three friends to go to the Christmas markets! It was amazing! After arriving in Munich and checking into our hotel, we did what any woman would do!!! We went out to the main plaza, the Marienplatz, and went shopping! Surprisingly, even though it was sunny, it was very cold. That night, I wore wool pants, a wool sweater, a fleece jacket, my parka, Ugg boots, down mittens and ear muffs! We went to dinner at the Spatenhaus restaurant and I had wienerschnittzel and apfel strudel---delicious!