November 27, 2015

10 Tips for Attending German Christmas Markets

November 27, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Christmas market season has officially started in Germany! The market in Mannheim opened on Wednesday, and many of them open tonight, and will stay open until Christmas. The main market in Mannheim is just down the street from our apartment. I can literally see the lights, hear the music, and smell the food from our apartment door. It's a massive effort in self control to not head down there for dinner, a waffle, or a Glühwein (or, in my case, the non-alcoholic, slightly less satisfying, version) every single night. In case you are planning a trip to a local market, or taking a vacation to Germany to explore them, we wanted to share some tips with you that we have picked up.

November 24, 2015

Packing for a Weekend Getaway

November 24, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

We are no stranger to the weekend getaway. Actually, it's our preferred method of travel. In 2015 alone, we have gone on 15+ trips that are 4 days long or less. For many of them, we either take a train or fly. We're able to do this because we find cheap tickets, but once you factor in baggage fees, the overall price can tend to creep up. We have been working to streamline (and by we, I mostly mean, me) our packing and find the best luggage pieces that work for the way we travel. And I think we have finally found it! On our last two trips, Aaron and I have been able to pack using one piece of luggage. Yes, one piece of luggage. I wouldn't believe it was possible had we not actually done it ourselves.

November 20, 2015

A Visit to Schloss Lichtenstein in Southwestern Germany

November 20, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

After visiting the Steiff Museum, we made our way to the small, quaint, town of Blaubeuren to spend the night in a hotel. The next morning, Aaron woke up early (he is a morning person....I am not) to take advantage of the ''golden hour'' and get some pictures of the town before breakfast. Speaking of which, the hotel we stayed at, the Hotel Ochsen, had one of the BEST breakfasts I have had, and dinner the night before in their restaurant was just as tasty! After a hearty breakfast, we set out to go see one of the most picturesque castles in Germany that kept popping up on my Pinterest - Schloss Lichtenstein. It's much smaller than many other castle, but it's precarious position, perched on a cliff overlooking the valley below, makes for a stunning pit stop.

November 17, 2015

Steiff Museum Visit

November 17, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

On an unusually warm November day, with some friends of ours, we set out to visit the Steiff Museum in Giengen, roughly an hour and a half east of Stuttgart. Steiff is a pretty much the inventor of the stuffed animal and the Teddy Bear, even though the name sake for the bears was Teddy Roosevelt. With a baby on the way, I thought it would be a sweet idea to get a Steiff teddy bear to take monthly pictures with as the acorn grows up, and as an ode to the fact that he/she will be born in Germany.

November 13, 2015

Krakow - A Photo Diary

November 13, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Over the course of our long weekend, we were able to explore a lot of Krakow, especially the old town. Our hotel gave us some really good recommendations of places to eat, and where to get the best Pierogi. And on our last morning there, we decided to do one of the free walking tours that are offered. We chose this company since they offer a lot of different tours, and at really convenient times. We also checked out a local flea market and many of the local shops. So, instead of writing a bunch of words about what we did, where we ate, and what we saw, I'm just going to post a bunch of pictures. Think of it as travel porn - cause Krakow is absolutely beautiful and one place I would definitely recommend visiting!

November 11, 2015

10 Christmas Markets to Visit in Germany This Year

November 11, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Christmas market season in Germany is upon us. It's one of my favorite German traditions and one that I am so so glad I get to experience for a second time. I love the smells of the German street food, the warmth of the Glühwein as it seeps through the small ceramic mug it's served in, warming you from the inside out, the sounds of people shopping at the stalls for ornaments, gifts, or smoking men, and the refreshing, crisp, winter air, even better if it's dotted with snow! Last year, I made a list of markets I wanted to visit, and fell woefully short of seeing them all. This year, being older and wiser, I have made a revised list of Christmas markets that I would like to visit.

November 04, 2015

8 Things to do in Krakow

November 04, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Krakow is amazing. Like, I want to go back now, amazing. The food is delicious, the beer is tasty (or so I'm told), the people are some of the friendliest we've met, and the town is positively oozing with old world charm. After a long weekend there, we realized that there is a lot more to this city than we expected, and really, you could spend a week with Krakow as your base exploring stuff nearby. Thanks to the abundance of tour companies operating there, you can do it all with minimal planning on your part, unless you enjoying figuring out the local systems (which, in reality, aren't all that hard). So, here is a list of 8 things to do in (and near) Krakow!