January 19, 2016

Speyer Technikmuseum

January 19, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

The week between Christmas and New Years turned out to be a busy one for us. We went to Switzerland and then we one of my sorority sisters and her husband visit us for a couple of days. They were on a European vacation that started in Turin, Italy and ended in Amsterdam. Quite a trip for only a week! We wanted to show them a little bit of Germany, and we were lucky to find the Christmas market in Speyer was still open. Coming home, they noticed the giant Lufthansa 747 at the Speyer Technikmuseum, and said they had to go (it's good to be friends with like minded people!). Despite living so close, Aaron and I had never been, so plans were made to visit the next day.

December 23, 2015

Christmas Market Round Up

December 23, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and most of the Christmas markets are either already closed or will be today or tomorrow. Some will stay open through the new year, but only a very small portion. Last year, Aaron and I spent our weekends in December hitting up some of the bigger, more famous Christmas markets in Germany - Munich, Cologne, and Heidelberg. This year, we switched tactics and tried to visit smaller, more local markets. It was nice to see the big ones last year, but I really think I like the smaller ones better. For one, there are fewer people in general (though not always), and they are usually much less overwhelming than the giant ones found in the bigger cities. But my favorite part, I got to see some new places that I probably would not have visited before, and a couple have been added to our, ''We need to come back here'' list.

December 15, 2015

Foods to Try at German Christmas Markets

December 15, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Half the fun of visiting the Christmas markets in Germany is trying the food. There are, of course, lots of traditional things to try that are found throughout Germany, but many markets also have local favorites that you can buy as well. Aaron and I each have a couple of favorites, and sometimes, when I don't feel like cooking dinner, will just run down to the market and get stuff there to eat. Now, it's not necessarily healthy, but it sure is tasty! If you're planning a trip to Germany this December and are planning on visiting the Christmas markets, here are some foods that you should definitely try. Depending on the market, you may find all of them, or just a few. In any case, I'm sure that you will find something warm and tasty to eat. Guten Appetit!

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 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.

July 29, 2015

Berg Rheinfells in Sankt Goar and Bacharach

July 29, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

We disembarked the Vater Rhein riverboat in Sankt Goar. First stop for this preggo lady was lunch. We walked past a restaurant when we noticed it was air conditioned (remember, it was about 106°F this day). I didn't even care what was on the menu. I would have probably eaten blutwurst (blood sausage) smothered in Limburger cheese if that's all they had (ok, probably not), but it was air conditioned. It would give us a chance to sit in cooler air and eat after sweltering on the boat, and before we began the trek up the mountain to Berg Rheinfels. For those that have been to Germany before, or even live here, you know what a rare and precious luxury air conditioning is. No one has it. But in my experience, the weather is never too hot for the Germans.