Six Days!

My friend Laura found the coolest thing online today. I know some of you may have seen the 3D tour of Erfurt online--this is even better. A 3D tour of the Erfurter Weinachtsmarkt. http://www.3d-top-event.com/weihnachtsmarkt-erfurt/# Simply click on the picture and your lovely tour will begin. This is where I live :) And since I will be leaving for good ol' Wisconsin on the 20th, and when I return the Weinachtsmarkt will be gone, I am determined to get my fill this week. So, my plan is to go every day. I can't wait!

Christmas Time is Here

Christmas time is here, we'll be drawing near. Oh that we, could always see, such spirit through the year. (from A Charlie Brown Christmas)

Christmas time is indeed here in Germany. I have already posted a few pics from the Weinachtsmarkt here in Erfurt, which is amazing. Here are some more pictures from the Weihnachtsmarkt on Domplatz.

I had heard a couple of rumors that Weimar's Weihnachtsmarkt was better than Erfurts. Less comercialized, more classic. As the bipartisan (heh) observer I am, I only thought it fair to give the Weimar Weihnachtsmarkt a chance so I went to Weimar today with a couple of friends to snoop around. End result: Erfurt's Weihnachtsmarkt kicked Weimar's Weihnachtsmarkts butt. Easily. But it was still fun, and worth the trip (whenever you get to pose like Goethe, it is a good day).

Laura, Evelyn and I passing time in the Erfurt Hauptbahnhof

We've arrived! At first glance, it is obvious that Weimar has a lot of catching up to do. Where is the Ferris Wheel?

Ok, one point for Weimar...Erfurt does not have a sweet manual carousel (Cord, Laura, and Evelyn)

Cord and Evelyn posing as Goethe and Schiller, respectively.

Goethe is a pretty big deal in Weimar.

Evelyn and I warming up in a cafe. We had Kartoffelwaldpilze Suppe (potato and forest mushroom soup) which was fairly lecker (delicious) although I think my mom could have made something better :)

Germany loves these things. Anyone know what they are called?

Laura, Cord, and Evelyn at an entrance to part of the Weinachtsmarkt in Weimar. A close-up of Laura's face pretty much says, "Ugh, I can't believe I am being made to take all these American tourist pictures." Well Laura, that's what happens when you travel with American tourists :)

So although Weimar's Weihnachtsmarkt was nice, it paled in comparison to Erfurts. Which is not surprising because Erfurt is pretty much the best. But even though Erfurt is beautiful and full of wonderful things at Christmas time, nothing compares to being home for Christmas. And that is where I will be in eight days! Bis dann!

A month later...

I seem to have let another month pass by without a new update on my blog. I think this is a good thing because it means that I am too busy to update...which means I am getting the most out of my experience here in Germany. Classes are still going well, although I think I am going to take less classes next semester so I can focus more on my own research which is kind of being put to the rear burner at this point. A new activity that I have added to my life is my Fremde werden Freunde family--Strangers become Friends. My family, the Böhms', are wonderful. Ines, Mathais, and Paul, 12, have taken me in as another member of their family. We've gone out for dinner and they had me over to their home on the First Sunday in Advent (a very family oriented day in Germany) for cookies and coffee. We also went to the Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt together. It's been great getting to know them and I'm looking forward to spending more time with them.

The Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt--another source of distraction for me. The "Christmas Market" opened the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and has been creating a Christmas spirit throughout Erfurt. The Weihnachtsmarkt in Erfurt is predominantly located at Domplatz, but also is at Fischmarkt, Anger, and there is a medieval version at the Wenigenmarkt (small market). The market at Domplatz has a huge ferris wheel, which I went on with a group of ESPP friends as well as with the Böhms. The markets is filled with traditional German crafts, as well as carnival style games and rides...and of course, lecker (delicious) food. The gebrannte Mandeln (roasted almonds) and Glühwein (mulled wine) are my favorites. The Weihnachtsmarkt serves as a perfect distraction from school work and you can often find ESPP students hanging out there in the evenings. Here are a few pictures from the Weihnachtsmarkt:

View from on top of the ferris wheel--my camera does not do it justice.

Me, Laura, and Sebastian on the ferris wheel with the Dom behind us.

This is a pictures of me and my friend Laura at the opening night of an Irish pub, The Dubliner, in Erfurt.

That's all for now...13 days until I am home for a few weeks!