Travel

(photos) Happy Holidays from Germany

Me along Unter Den Linden

Happy Holidays from Germany!

I hope you got everything you wished for and that your holidays were very happy and fun.

I worked Christmas and the day after, but that didn’t stop me from going out to have a nice dinner and get some great photographs. It’s been a fun month, and I hope you enjoy seeing a bit of the seasonal celebrations from here in and around Berlin.

I have a complete set of my Christmas photographs up on My Flickr Christmas 2008 Photoset, so be sure to check them out. Otherwise, here’s a few highlights to wet your appetite:

Christmas Market
Christmas market near Potsdam.
Click the picture to find out more history about this location.

Nutcracker Profile
Nutcracker Profile

Santa and his Sleigh
Santa and his Sleigh

On to Potsdamer Platz’s Christmas Market, where the reflections were amazing, and I’m going to have to go take more pictures with the tripod:

Holiday Festival
The Entry with the Umbrella Roof

Trumpeting Angel
Trumpeting Angel

Reflections of Holiness
Reflections on High

Worlds within worlds....
Worlds within Worlds…

We’re not done yet… (Please excuse me as I’m now running away from the demented Santa and heading toward the Gendarmenmarket Handworker’s market….)

AHH! he's after me!

Angels we have Heard on High
Where Stilted Angels scare away Santa and sing to the crowds, and I get to try some

Baumkuchen
Baumkuchen

Literally, baumkuchen is “tree cake”. Basically, they put on layers of the batter on a spit and roast it over an open flame. As each layer cooks, it leaves “rings” in different colored layers. When it’s taken off, it’s then dipped in chocolate. Eventually, it’s cut and put out for us to eat. It tastes a bit like lemon sponge cake.
Otherwise, I guess that’s it from me – Other than wishing you all

Merry Christmas
a very Wonderful 2009!
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Thanksgiving in Germany

Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in Germany. This year, JTW is moving back to the states, but he decided to have a little get together and have a more traditional Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is one of those difficult concepts to try to explain to others who don’t celebrate it. My theory is that it’s all about the family and friends, spending time cooking together (laughing and joking) and then, having a feast of gluttony – and maybe watching the Macy’s Parade or football on TV.

As always, I made the turkey (this time it was just the night before) – and this year’s bird, despite being small by American standards – barely fit in the oven. It did, however, turn out beautifully.

Big Bird for Dinner

I took a taxi up with the bird and stuffing, and we headed off to the Christmas Markets. Then, we made all the sides, and the pies, and just had a great time.
All the pictures are up here, if you want to check them out. So, Happy Thanksgiving all, I hope yours was great!

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Rememberance Day / Armistice Day

I found out today that a good friend of mine is coming home from Iraq on Friday. Way to go JCCE. I’m so proud of you, my heart is almost ready to burst. I wish I could be there to give you a hug – although I’m sure your wife and family will be there with much joy.

Today is Rememberance Day, and I think that’s why it was of particular symbolism that this news came.

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For those of you that don’t know, The poppy worn on Remembrance Day is the red-corn poppy, which grows abundantly in Europe, including Flanders Fields.
‘In Flanders Fields’ is a poem, written by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae on May 3, 1915, and was written about the small red flowers growing on the battlefields of France amongst the death and blood from the men who died fighting for their country.

The poem and the poppy, have now become iconic symbols of both the World Wars, and now plastic versions are sold prior to Remembrance Day to remember those who died.

The poem:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row ..,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

– John McCrae

I hope that you’ll take a moment, stop, and remember all those who died en masse in the two World Wars and hope that we can learn to resolve our differences without War.

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Both photos here were from my trip to the Stansdorf Cemetery on November 1, the Day of the Dead. It warmed my heart to see that yes, even Here in Germany, the British government remembers their WW1 dead.

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