2010 Snapshot

Taken tonight as the sun set on 2010 in the Canary Islands! 

2010 was an incredible year: Our first nephew Max was born and is as cute as can be, engagement and pregnancies were announced, weddings were attended, our family is healthy, we sold Justin's bachelor pad, there were job promotions, the Blackhawks won the Stanley cup, an amazing group of friends supported us and the opportunity to see 12 countries and 40+ cities presented itself. I'd say 2010 goes down as one of my favorite years. Here's to a fanatic year and looking ahead to what's in store in 2011! Prost! 

Taken in Spain, our first stop on this crazy adventure

With my momma in Paris (our second trip there together!)

One of my favorite pictures from our time abroad

Justin at the flower farms in Nussloch. I will really miss these!!

Trouble in Munich... At Oktoberfest with Caitlin!

Trouble moved east to Prauge in front of the Lennon wall

San Sebastian. Best beaches!

Ashley, Kelly, Colleen and I in front of a Salzburg bar we were not welcomed in! 

J and E in Switzerland picking out our retirement home!

One of my favorite pics from the engagment photo shoot I made Glenn and Juli partake in

J and Grahm in front of their grandmother's old condo in Darmstadt. Can you believe she moved over with the whole family to help out for five years? Amazing!

Part of the Stein fam in Paris. Celebrating my dad's 60th and my parents anniversary! 

Thank you to everyone who read my blog over the past six months! Happy New Year!!

Christmas in a Snow Globe

Mmmmmm fondue on Christmas! 

On our first trip to Davos a couple of months back, we knew returning ASAP was a must, ideally in the winter. Lucky for us, we were able to finagle our way in for a Christmas get away in this real life winter wonderland. Our room resembled a wooden ski chalet and when we looked out the window, it was as though we were staying in a snow globe.

These awesome sleds are Davos sleds! 

Davos, where on our first trip we hiked in the green mountains, transformed into every winter enthusiast's playground. Downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing and skating on Europe's largest outdoor rink (it was massive and SO cool!!) is all top notch.

Captured on Justin's cell phone. Magical mountains when the sun is out!

Instead of taking the train down from the slopes, some people prefer to ski home!

We filled our days with cold-weather activities followed by nights with massive amounts of cheese in the form of fondue and raclette- you gotta keep warm up there!

I loved the mouse at our hotel- Sheraton Davos Waldhuus

Though we missed being surrounded by family and friends during the holiday, this was one Christmas we will not soon forget.

London Town

J and I had telephone booth photo sessions, this is one of the only pics that turned out, and I'm not even IN the booth :-(

When we finally touched down in London last weekend after a cancelled flight, we were about 12 hours behind schedule. This was the first city where I was panicked that we wouldn't have time to see everything, and unfortunately we didn't make it through our entire to-do list. London has SO much to see and do that 48 hours just simply wasn't enough. Despite the time shortage, I still really enjoyed one of my all time favorite cities.

Apparently some really famous band from London changed Rock 'n Roll, and I guess Apple thought they deserved this giant billboard... 

Day one consisted of more walking than I thought I was physically able. And at first I was really disappointed because I didn't take my own advice and check my camera battery. After venturing to the Tower of London, about seven Tube stops from our hotel, the very first picture I took I was informed that my battery was about to die. Because of this, I had to be very selective on the photos after I thought to myself I was going to go camera crazy this weekend. What a shame. Anyway, I still managed to get a few good pictures.

The Sunflower Seed exhibit at Tate Modern 

After the Tower of London we walked far - very far! On the way to our next stop we randomly hit several markets, one of which was a chocolate fair. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! We eventually made our way to the Tate Modern, which I still think is one of the coolest museums I've been to (my mom and I visited there back when I studied abroad). It might not be one of the most "important" but it's just cool. Plus it's free, as are most of London's museums, which makes this ultra expensive city and little more forgiving. On display at the Tate was Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds. What is a Sunflower Seed exhibit you ask? Well, it's only 100,000 hand painted porcelain sunflower seeds laid out for people to gawk at. This ultra labor intensive exhibit employed 1,600 of Weiwei's local citizens.

J and E outside of Oxo, an awesome restaurant with a killer view 

After the Tate we headed over to see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey- where Prince William and Kate Middelton will marry, and the giant Ferris wheel known as the London Eye. With all of this sight seeing, we built up an appetite and met one of Justin's friends at an awesome restaurant, Oxo. Oxo has a breathtaking view of the city and I highly recommend going there at sunset.

Following a leisurely late afternoon snack was shopping on the famous Oxford Street where the Christmas lights made shopping that much more enjoyable. Saturday night was spent visiting with Justin's friend and his girlfriend and enjoying the fun London nightlife.

Oxford St. Christmas lights and Christmas crowd 

After our late night Saturday, we woke on Sunday and headed to the Spitalfields Market to browse some of the local designers work. Spitafields is in a cool area of London with lots of shops and restaurants. Justin demanded more culture after shopping, so we headed over to the British Museum. This incredible museum has the Rosetta Stone and ancient artifacts from the Parthenon. It also has amazing Oriental art and so so so much more. You could really spend days in the British Museum.

An ancient Oriental artifact. I loved all the colors!

After the British Museum we darted over to the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square, which is directly in front of the museum. Our final museum stop on the trip! Since we were getting a little museumed out, we only saw a select number of paintings, included the famous Van Gogh's Sunflowers. Apparently our trip had a sunflower theme! Like the British Museum, you could really spend a great deal of time here. Since it was late on a Sunday by the time we reached the museum, we stayed for a quick second before doing some final shopping on Regent Street.

Van Gogh's Sunflowers

We were so exhausted by our travels and sight seeing, that Sunday night we opted to stay in our hotel, the JW Marriott Grosvoner, again instead of traveling to the "burbs" for one last visit with Justin's friend. We really could not walk another step, our feet were finished. So we had a nice dinner at Rocket. Rocket is located near awesome shopping and tons of other great restaurants. It was a great way to end an excellent trip. 

J and E exhausted at Rocket 

The two things on my list that we missed were seeing Buckingham Palace and watching the changing of the guard as well as Harrod's, the most fabulous department store in the world. A trip back to London cannot be scheduled soon enough! 

Winter in Nussloch

The Nussloch Forest in the snow

Last week brought the first substantial snowfall we've had in Nussloch. It was quite picturesque and I took a trip up to the woods to take some pictures of the newly fallen fluff. Glad I got some photos while I could, the snow is already completely melted!

Nussloch city limits 

With a last minute and then cancelled trip back to the States, we were left without any plans over the weekend. Luckily the famous Christmas markets had just opened up, so a weekend full of Christmas cheer was in order. We hit a total of four markets, unintentionally, since each town has their own.

The main Gluhwein stand at the Heidelberg Christmas Market 

The markets are so much fun and are sure to get you the holiday spirit. There, everyone drinks Gluhwein, a hot, spiced wine. It is very tasty and somehow warms you up and keeps you going!

The Gluhwein maker sampling his own stock 

The markets are filled with booths containing holiday gift options such as candles and various wooden objects, of course sausage stands galore, sweet treats like German gingerbread and giant chocolate covered marshmallows, and some markets even have outdoor ice skating rinks. But I'm pretty sure everyone goes for the wine!

The markets are so pretty, especially light up at night 

Travel Lessons Learned

The library in our hotel in Elciego

Today marks the first day of our last month in Germany. While that makes us sad, we are also excited to return home! Looking back, it is hard to believe how much ground we have covered in Western Europe and how many amazing experiences we have had. Through it all, we like to think we have become quite the savvy travelers, capable of even sharing a few tips for your next vacation:

1. When in Rome
Yes, it's cliche, but when you are experiencing other cultures, what better way to learn than to jump right in. For instance, Justin once ordered the local "speciality" in Strasborgh, France, and the veal showed up with a jaw and TEETH. It was awful, but at least it made for a good story! Just ask yourself, what's the worst that can happen?... Be adventurous!

2. Read the fine print
When buying train tickets to Paris, we opted for a slightly lower price on the French Railway vs. the higher German Railway. Turns out to obtain the French tickets, you must do so IN France. Sure, we saved on the tickets, but we were forced to drive two hours across the border to pick them up. Sometimes it pays to spend a bit more and definitely pay attention to details!

3. Pack appropriately then divide by two
I'm the queen of over packing and I haven't seemed to master this yet, though I am getting better! My advice is to lay everything out and then be honest with yourself about what you will actually wear. 10 outfits and five pairs of shoes for a weekender might be a bit excessive. Plus, hauling it all is a pain! There is something to be said for traveling lightly...

4. Do research before getting there
How bummed would you be if you went to Rome and missed the Trevi Fountain? It can happen so easily! Spend some time researching your destination and jot down what you want to see. Chances are you'll discover places you love not on your list just by chance, but having must sees will curb post trip regret.

5. Don't eat at the first restaurant you see
Or buy gifts at the first store, park in the first garage, etc. There is usually a better deal around the corner. And if not, at least you can feel good about your decision!

6. Trains are not always the cheapest option
Renting a car or flying are sometimes the more economical option. The European Railways are not as cheap as they once were. Also, airlines such as Ryan Air may appear cheap, but the airports tend to be way outside the city and checking luggage can be astronomical (and rumor has it the on board bathrooms aren't free!). Do research before deciding on a mode of transportation and take time spent and costs into account.

7. Buy museum passes/tours ahead of time
Lines are such a bummer when you are anxious to see a sight. While doing research, see if tickets are available online. Oftentimes they are, and you can skip the line leaving more time to explore.
Also, many museums will offer discounts during off-peak hours. Research these and you can save $$!

8. Double check your camera and phone batteries/equipment
When my friend came to visit, she packed her camera and charger, but forgot the battery at home! It was an expensive and irritating mishap for her. Double check electronics before heading to the airport.

9. Go somewhere new
If you've been to Paris four times, why not venture to Monaco? Trying something new usually does not disappoint. There are so many amazing cities out there, it would take lifetimes to see them all. Might as well start now! You can always combine your old favorite with something new.

10. Don't eat in squares
This has become a theme for Justin and me. We avoid restaurants in famous city squares. Though the views might be nice, and certainly stay if that's what you are looking for, these restaurants are usually expensive and lower quality. Try walking a few blocks away. Also avoid empty restaurants and places where someone tries to hand you a menu outside. Those places tend to disappoint.

11. Talk to locals , avoid "strangers"
Ask the waiter at lunch where his favorite dinner spot is, or where he gets his gelato. Hotel personnel will usually steer in a direction where they get a kick-back, so they aren't the best source. Waiters, bar tenders, and friendly locals at the table next to you tend to be good people to get tips from. Friendly people on the street who come up to you are typically trying to scam tourists in or out of something. It is usually best to avoid these people all together.

Happy and safe travels to all!

Bumpin' Berlin

Being completely honest, German cities started to blend together to me. Of course the country is beautiful, rich with history, be it good or horrific, and German beer is spot on, but I felt the places I'd visited really started to feel like the last. I was in search of the kind of "cool" that I love about cities like Chicago and New York. The second we pulled into Berlin I knew I had found what I was looking for.

Dome on the German Reichstag

Berlin has more museums than one could visit in a month, great restaurants with international cuisine, unique boutiques and the art scene lends itself for creative inspiration. We traveled to Berlin with Justin's brother and sister-in-law along with their friend Peter, who resides in Berlin and was an excellent tour guide. With so much to see and so little time, we had a lot of ground to cover.

The crew enjoying Gluhwein

The first and more innovative thing we did was visit the Government Building. I know, sounds hardly "innovative," but Berlin is once again the capitol city of Germany and with the city's dark past, focus is on creating a more open government. The Bundestag Reichstag building now has an enormous glass dome on top of the Parliament room that resembles scenes out of the Jetsons's. While strolling up a ramp to the top of the dome, a walking tour explains all of Berlin's structures and their history and has an amazing panoramic view of the city. It is a hands on experience and was a great place to start our tour of Berlin.

I was a bit surprised to learn that Berlin is a cultural heaven. It has sixty-something museums with something for everyone. Being there for a short weekend, we could only visit four, and even that was pushing it. We purchased a three day pass and that allows visits almost every museum at a very reasonable price. We went to the awesome Neues Museum, Pergamon Museum, which is the most visited museum in German and has an ancient Temple and Gate from Turkey literally inside the museum, the Guggenheim which is small but still quite nice and the famous Neue National Gallery designed Mies van der Rohe.

Justin in front of  Brandenburger Gate

Of course no trip to Berlin would be complete without a look at Checkpoint Charlie and a glimpse of the remaining Berlin Wall. It is hard to imagine what life was like with that wall. There are still spots in the city that have the old communist feel, but for the most part, Berlin has been completely transformed into a bustling, fun city. One advantage to being such a new hot spot is low prices. Berlin is very affordable compared to Munich and Frankfurt. 

Berlin also has a huge Holocaust memorial and museum. Located in the heart of the city, it is an interesting design of concrete blocks spanning an entire city block. I can't say I quite understand the design, but it is very impactful.

Cute as a button! I wanted to take this cow home with me!

If you are coming to Germany, I would definitely recommend including Berlin on your itinerary. A few days here would be adequate to explore the amazing city. There really is something for everyone, and plenty to see. 

All of our Berlin photos are here.