The Silence of Christmas

Today I share a blogpost again that I already posted a couple times. Last year, Elephant's Child commented that I can repost this each and every year. I am following her advice.

Since Mary and Joseph have faces, I'm sharing this to Nicole's Friday Face Off

In Germany, our “big day” is not Christmas Day (and we even have two of them!) but Christmas Eve – Heilig Abend (Holy Eve) as it is called. It usually starts out hectic, often with the last big shopping because all of the stores and supermarkets will be closed for the following two days. But around 2:00 pm the shops (including the grocery stores) close and by 3:00 pm at the latest a magical silence covers the entire country like a beautiful veil. The ideal December 24th brings snow in the afternoon and turns the world into a winter wonderland by the time the first church bells start to ring.

Oh, the sound of church bells – how much do I miss this! They ring every day (at 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning, at noon and again at 6:00 pm), but on Christmas Eve all the bells are ringing, from the smallest, highest pitch to the biggest one with the deepest, loudest sound. It’s a concert of bells that resounds through the silence, calling for mass. Christmas services start in the later afternoon, the first ones mainly for smaller children, showing nativity plays and involving the kids. Later in the evening follow the more “grown-up” services with meaningful sermons and the old German Christmas carols sung by the congregation. Everybody knows these songs and since the churches are always packed on Christmas Eve it is a strong and joyful singing.

 

After church it’s back home – and waiting for Christkind (Christ Child). Yes – it often is not Santa coming through the chimney (there are not that many houses with a fireplace anyway) but Christkind. When I was a child I always envisioned Christkind with golden curly hair and a flowing white dress, an angelic smile on its face. It would place the presents in “die gute Stube” (“the good room” = living room) and magically disappear, unseen by anyone. The children are called in and they stand in awe looking at the Christmas tree – that was brought in and decorated only the day before (or even in the morning) and very often carries real candles on its branches. I have always loved the real candles, it smells differently and the whole atmosphere is – yes, magical. After singing a few Christmas carols everybody opens their presents accompanied by Christmas music on the radio.

 

And if you’re still awake or missed the afternoon/evening service you can go to midnight mass – always my favorite Christmas service. A huge tree is lit (some with real candles – we live dangerously in Germany!), the atmosphere is festive and peaceful – it is our “Silent Night, Holy Night”.

May the magic of Christmas touch your heart, wherever you are.

Christmas Market in Tübingen

 

Advent, those four weeks before Christmas, are a very special time in Germany. In many cities and towns, Christmas markets open their booths, many of them being a part of the place for several weeks. 

I remember the third Advent-weekend in December back in Tübingen, Germany, where I spent more than twenty years of my life. It's a medieval university town with its typical old buildings that look like they're straight out of a fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers. Narrow lanes wind among medieval timber-framed houses and cars are not allowed within the city center. It's a huge pedestrian zone that makes wandering the old alleys so peaceful.

This is the setting for one of the most beautiful traditions of the town: the Christmas Market. It's nothing like its big siblings in Nürnberg, Stuttgart or München and so many other cities. First, it only takes place from Friday to Sunday and not weeks and weeks and weeks. Second, it's not commercial. There are tons of local artists who sell their work, school classes who raise funds for their annual end-of-the-year trip, small local environmental groups who fight for preservation, neighborhoods who try to raise awareness and money for people with disabilities - the list could go on and on.

So that's the eye-candy. The next is the food - just one word: delicious. The food is mainly local specialities, the best time to eat "Bubaspitzle mit Sauerkraut" (a thin rolled kind of potato pasta with sauerkraut and sometimes bacon), one of my fondest memories in the food department. There was a guy with a complicated portable special oven who made Swiss Raclette that was to die for. Of course there was Glühwein (mulled wine), very welcome in the cold. None of the food or the drink was allowed in any kind of plastic or paper container, everything had to be re-usable! Most of the plates were eatable - envision big sturdy waffles for apple strudel! No trash! You bought a beautiful mug with the words "Tübinger Weihnachtsmarkt" written on it and this could be refilled at any booth that offered Glühwein or juice punch. I still have a few of these mugs, pictured below, and they are this week’s ticket to Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s T Tuesday.

Throughout the market you could listen to music. Children were singing, little choirs stood at the fountain in the market square, someone played the violin, another one the bagpipe, and again another one the flute. There was a cantata concert in the main church. There were jugglers and clowns. It was a very festive atmosphere. 

And of course there was “Paupersingen”. The Paupersingen (paupers singing) is a tradition that originated in the Middle Ages. "pauper" is a Latin word and means poor, and in this case it refers to poor students of Latin who paid part of their school fee by singing during church services and at funerals. During Advent they wandered through the narrow lanes of the town, wearing their black scholar cloaks and singing in front of every house, hoping for some donations.

Today it's the children choirs who start out at different parts of Tübingen and slowly, with several stops in between, walk to the market square, all the way singing the old Christmas carols. They all meet at the huge Christmas tree where all of them together sing for another half hour or so. The donations today go to some charity of their choice. (I apologize for the very unfocused photo.)

We felt like community, we were community. People spending three days in the cold in order to help someone else. To serve others. To share stories. To entertain children and their stressed parents. To bring smiles on the cold faces, red cheeks from the mulled wine.

That third weekend in December was spent in the streets among those medieval buildings, no matter whether the sun was shining, it was raining or snowing. It was freezing cold - always. But everyone was there. Community.

(This is the slightly edited version of a post that I first wrote for Vision and Verb in 2010 or 2011.)

Snowed In

 

"Snowed in" is the topic this week at Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date.

At the end of last week, the sky dumped an enourmous amount of snow on Bavaria, the most southern state in Germany. There was so much snow, that all the trains were cancelled. This was bad news for Kaefer, who was in Venice at that time and had booked the night train back to Germany which had to pass Munich which was completely closed down. So she stayed another night in Venice (not the worst place to get stuck) and then was finally able to get home on trains passing through Switzerland. It took her 18 hours to finally arrive at her appartment.

This reminded me of the snowy winters we used to have when I still lived in Germany. Our home was the area between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alb and that meant very cold in the winter and often tons of snow. I wasn't particularly fond of driving in the snow, but when you live in one of the last houses at the end of a street up a steep hill which wasn't on the priority list for snow clearing and you had to leave at 6 o'clock in the morning in order to go to work, then you don't really have a choice. Snow was still better than black ice and this way I became a rather experienced driver in snow. I also didn't like snow shoveling - but I did love the beauty of snow.

Therefore, today I want to show you some photos of our winters in Germany from more than 20 years ago. I apologize for an overload of pictures, but am hoping that you will like them.

Walking in the woods provided a lot of photo opportunities.

No one was going to sit on this bench...

Snow on grasses is just fascinating.

Today I don't have a dinner to share with you. Instead, I baked a German Nusszopf (hazelnut braid) a couple days ago. It's from my trusted Dr. Oetker baking recipe book that my students gifted to me several years ago.

It's an easy recipe - the only "challenge" is to braid the dough with the filling and then transfer it to the baking sheet. This is what is looks like before it goes into the oven...

... and this is what it looks like after being done baking (no, my silicone baking mat did not change color in such a dramatic way, only the light had changed).

As soon as it had cooled down, we cut a slice and tasted it - oh delicious!

Let's Hop on a Train

 

This week Rain's optional prompt for her Thursday Art and Dinner Date is "trains".

How I miss trains! In Germany it is so easy to take the train and get to other places, whether they are close by or far away. They are a joy to ride since you don't have to pay attention to traffic; instead you can read a book, listen to music, sleep or look out of the window and, if you feel like it, wave to the people in cars being stuck in a traffic jam while you zip along.

When we were in München (Munich) last year in May we rode the trains almost every day. München has an excellent public transportation system of busses, trams, subway, S-Bahn that connects to towns and villages within the vicinity of the city and, of course, the Regionalbahn (connection to other towns and cities further away) and the rapid ICE (Intercity Express).

If you land at the airport of the Bavarian capital, the S-Bahn is the fastest way to get to downtown München (Marienplatz). It's affordable, clean and fast.

I wish we had something like this from here to San Francisco and Oakland Airports. The only thing we have is the "train to nowhere" that doesn't even get you into San Francisco (you can get to Larkspur from where you walk for 15 minutes to get to the ferry terminal from where you take the ferry to San Francisco; the whole trip takes 2 to 3 times as long as driving in a car via 101 and the Golden Gate Bridge).

The S-Bahn is red - here you can see it standing in a station on the way to Ammersee. 

Another very fast way of transportation is the subway, just as clean as the S-Bahn. They often share the same stations.

The ICE is the "jewel in the crown" - a very fast train that connects the main big cities with each other. When we went from München to Würzburg for the Bartz Family renunion we took the ICE. It's very comfortable, quiet and, of course, very fast - they can reach a speed of 300 km/h. In test runs the first ICE even reached 406.9 km/h. I'm a big fan of the ICE, however, they are more expensive and, like all the other trains currently in Germany, not always on time. But if you have the "Deutsche Bahn" app, you get all the information you need - the exact time of the delay, your alternatives should you need one, which platform the train leaves/arrives, what and where your connection is etc. It is really convenient, but not perfect.

When we returned to München from Würzburg we took the Regionalzug which is much slower since it stops at more places. But it's also less expensive and often has great offers. It doesn't always have a direct connection to the place you want to go to and you might have to change trains in between, but it's still a great way to travel. Here you can see the Geek and I on the upper deck of the Regionalzug (yes, they often have two decks). This is also for Nicole's Friday Face Off.

I wish we had an efficient railroad system across the United States. It would be so lovely if I could just hop on a train to visit my close friend Jo in Portland, OR. But instead I either have to drive and spend the night somewhere on the road or, even worse, I have to take the plane.

Before I finish this, I want to introduce you to a very special train that helds big importance for Germany's newer history. In early fall of 1989, many people of the DDR (German Democratic Republic or East Germany), especially younger ones, went to Prague and sought asylum in the West German embassy there. DDR citizens usually were not allowed to travel to any Western countries (it was extremely difficult), but they could travel to Eastern European countries like Czechoslovakia (as it was still called at that time), Hungary or Romania. At the end of September there were more than 2,500 people in the embassy (can you imagine that?). Then foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, after many diplomatic talks and visits, went to the embassy and on the evening of September 30th he stepped out on the balcony and told the German people of the DDR that they can leave for West Germany. This moment still makes me cry, even after 34 years. For those of you who are interested in it, you can see it here (it's only 42 seconds). However, there was a hitch to it - the train with the DDR citizens on board had to go through the area of the DDR. This train was called "Zug in die Freiheit" (train to freedom) and there is a very good movie about it, a mix of documentary and scenes re-enacted by actors. I have seen this movie many times and I can highly recommend it. Here it is available with English subtitles.

40 days later, on November 9th, 1989 the Berlin Wall fell.

Finally - dinner! A couple months ago I "discovered" Korean beefless Bulgogi at Trader Joe's after another customer had recommended it. Both the Geek and I like it - we use it as a meatless substitute for beef in our meals. It is delicious. I use it in Asian dishes that I prepare in my wok as well as in pasta dishes. Recently I made it with "veggie" radiatori (also from TJ's) and fresh broccoli and carrots from the farmers market.

Family Reunion in Würzburg

 

Here we are at our last weekend in Germany. During the weeks before our trip, we had planned a family reunion with the Geek's parents and siblings and their families. It was quite an endeavor since this was a long weekend and the start of school holidays in some of the German states (especially Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg). But we had finally succeeded in booking rooms as well as train tickets, and on Friday afternoon we met in Würzburg, two train hours to the North from München, but still in Bavaria in a region called Franken. This part of Bavaria is well known for its excellent wine that is bottled in uniquely shaped bottles called Bocksbeutel. The wine, by the way, is excellent.

We had booked rooms in a youth hostel that used to be a women's prison. It was right on the river Main and about 20 minutes to walk to the city center. The bells of the church right next to the hostel woke us every morning with its very loud ringing - no need to set an alarm.

Würzburg is a very old city (first mentioned in 704) that was heavily bombed in World War II and consequently reconstructed afterwards. One of the most famous churches in Würzburg is St.-Kilians-Dom (cathedral) right in the center of the city.

The Residenz (residence), with its very famous interior staircase is in walking distance to the city center. The principal architect was Balthasar Neuman, who developed a refined brand of Baroque architecture. The Residenz was built in the 18th century and since 1981 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition, it has a beautiful formal garden and - you guessed it - a beer garden (after all, we're still in Bavaria).

In order to get to the city center we had to cross the beautiful Alte Mainbrücke (Old Main Bridge) which is a landmark of Würzburg. It is for pedestrians and bicycles only, no cars or motorcycles are allowed.

This is the oldest bridge in Würzburg and for a long time, it was the only way to cross the Main. Started in 1476, it continued a tradition in the 18th century by adding stone figures along the length of the bridge, like Charles Bridge in Prague and St. Angelo Bridge in Rome. The statues represent several saints.

They make a great silhouette against a dramatic sky.

From the Alte Mainbrücke you have a good view of the Festung Marienberg (Marienberg Fortress) high above the city. It is the other important landmark of Würzburg. 

I couldn't find exact dates when the fortress was started, but it seems that originally a church and monanstery was already at this location in the 8th century. Today, the oldest remaining parts are from the early 11th century. During the centuries, the fortress was reconstructed several times and most of the current structures were originally built in the Renaissance and Baroque styles. It was severely damaged in World War II and rebuilding it fully lasted until 1990.

On Saturday morning we decided to hike up to it. It was a steep climb with many stairs and steps.

Still more stairs... I was walking with my mother-in-law and she just repeated over and over "I hate stairs, I hate stairs". However, we had to laugh about that.

After all this climbing we were rewarded with a fantastic view over Würzburg.

The fortress is huge and I found lots to photograph.

I was specifically taken with all the beautiful old doors and gates.

Since all of us still were very cautious, we avoided eating inside and instead visited beer gardens of which Würzburg has many (remember - it's Bavaria). The local beer was delicious - of course I had my beloved Weißbier. This is my ticket for T Tuesday, so kindly hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard.

After one of those beer garden visits we decided to take a family picture, taken by the Geek's older brother's girlfriend. Here we are - parents, siblings, in-laws, cousins, pet.

Laid Back at the Edge of the Black Forest

 

Schwabentor

Last week I mentioned that we went to Freiburg after we had left Colmar. Freiburg - or its full name, Freiburg im Breisgau - lies in the furthest Southwest corner of Germany surrounded by wine country, just a stone's throw from France and Switzerland. It is the fourth largest city of Baden-Württemberg with a population of about 230,000. It has an old and famous university and has a very cosmopolitan atmosphere. Despite its size it has a very laid back feel. It is also a very green city, aiming for sustainability since the early 80s. The surrounding area is characterized by beautiful nature and, of course, its immediate closeness to the Black Forest.

The pictures in this post are from both our trip in May and earlier visits.

The Freiburg Minster (Freiburger Münster) is the city's landmark. The building was started around 1200 in the romanesque style, but then continued in Gothic style. In 1827, it became the seat of the newly erected Catholic Archdiocese of Freiburg and thus a cathedral. It is surrounded by the Münsterplatz where you can buy fresh produce at the farmers market.

Inside, the minster lacks all the overpowering pomp that so many Catholic churches have. It is simple and mostly inornate. The beautiful windows are true eye candy.

I love these door handles which were slightly different on the outside and the inside.

Much of the minster and the city itself was destroyed in the bombing raids of November 1944, but there was one part that survived: the tower.

With a height of 116 meters, it is the only Gothic church tower in Germany that was completed in the Middle Ages (1330) and has lasted until the present. The tower is nearly square at the base, octagonal and tapered above the star gallery at its centre, and above that is the spire with its ornate pinnacle. Its open lattice structure was the first in Gothic architecture. You can climb the tower from where you have a wonderful view over Freiburg and beyond. 

Freiburg's Old Town was completey destroyed during World War II, but has been beautifully restored in the minutest details. Konviktstraße (Konviktstreet - photo below) is regarded as the jewel of Old Town restoration.

You can't tell that these buildings are not the original ones.

 

Look at the red sandstone and the wonderful details.

You can see ornate decorations everywhere if you just look - on grates, lampposts, and of course there are also gorgeous signs.

I first thought that this is Saint Francis of Assisi and loved that the pigeons so fittingly rest on the statue, but I learned that this is a statue of Berthold Schwarz, a Franciscan monk and alchemist of the late 14th century, who is credited with the invention of gunpowder by 15th- through 19th-century European literature.

But the most charming part of Freiburg is the Bächle, little brooks that run through the city's streets for 16 kilometers. The were supposed to provide water to livestock in the Middle Ages. Today, they're a big attraction for kids and adults alike. You can bring little boats or buy them and let them run in the water. There are even races going on, and I think one of them is with rubber ducks. Legend has it that every single person who accidentally stumbles into a Bächle (which is not hard to do, so keep your eyes open!) has to marry a Freiburger.

Last week I wrote that Freiburg has a special meaning for me. Well, first of all, I simply love this city, its cosmopolitan flair, its mediterranean feel, its "multikulti" (multicultural) and its weather - it's said to have the best weather in Germany. In less than an hour you are in France, it takes slightly longer to Switzerland. The Black Forrest is right there with all its possibilities of hiking, biking, climbing and skiing. Schauinsland, a mountain that you can reach via cable car, offers the most stunning views as far as the eye reaches. It's a wonderful wine region called Kaiserstuhl. There are hundreds of kilometers of bike paths in and around Freiburg.

Even the ground looks interesting!

And why does it have such a special meaning for me?

This is the place where I want to live if we ever decide to move back to Germany.

In the evening of our short stay we went to a restaurant where we could sit outside and enjoy a delicious meal. Kaefer had an Aperol Spritz, which is very popular in Germany these days. The Geek and I had a beer and a Bellini. These are already three drinks for Elizabeth and Bleubeard's T Tuesday.

The next morning we had breakfast in a street café right next to the minster. It was a glorious morning with sunshine and pleasant temperatures - only later in the day when we were on our way to Switzerland did the sky darken and send some rain.

We had a typical breakfast with freshly baked rolls, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt and fresh fruit. Plus coffee, of course - more drinks for Elizabeth and Bleubeard!

To those of you who are still with me, thank you.

Last Saturday would have been my Mom's 101st birthday. She passed away 15 years ago. This photo is from 1983 - we were joking with each other and kidding around as we so often did. I miss her so much.