I truly believe the holiday season is the happiest time of the year. In general people are just friendlier, more giving, more fun, and more excited about life! This could have something to do with the whole giving/getting spirit floating in the air or the coming of a new calendar year, but either way I thoroughly enjoy being a part of it! Charlie and I started our Christmas holidays by taking a train to Ottwiler, Germany to visit my dear friend Franziska and her parents. Her brother Florian and his girlfriend Nicki joined us, and we all spent the week, visiting, jogging, cooking, playing with Charlie and most of all, EATING!! 
Franzi’s family kindly adopted us as part of the family for Christmas for which I am grateful beyond words….Thank you Margot and Otman so very much for your generosity and care. It was a truly wonderful home away from home holiday experience! I went to my first German Christmas market (basically a street fair with trinkets and typical German Christmas food), made German cookies (Nussecken), had German baked apples, and my first German racklette, and just about every other German holiday tradition Franziska could think of. I feel part German already!!
On Christmas Eve the six of us went out to a buffet breakfast, spent the afternoon relaxing and wrapping presents and all got together again for a big family dinner. Afterward we opened presents, ate stolen bread, drank wine, and watched Charlie and Florian’s dog Mica “play” together. For Christmas Charlie received TWO new sweaters (one waterproof!) and a collapsible water dish for his endless travels. What a lucky guy!! I on the other hand received much cooler gifts, such as a gift card to the local thermal spa from Franzi’s folks! She got one too, and so for a day us girls spent our time floating around in aromatic hot pools and talking about what we wanted to do in the coming year….mainly travel….in case that surprises anyone ;)
Although it was too late for a white Christmas, a few days later we woke up to a pleasant blanket of snow on the ground. We amused ourselves all day by playing board games, reading and going for a snow run! Yey!! However, the next day when I caught my bus from Germany to Austria to hook up with my friend Miriam for the New Year, I was far less amused by the snow. Turns out snow tires are not a thing in Southern Germany and many people are….shall we say…”inexperienced” winter drivers…
AKA the roads were a mess. Semi-trucks had become randomly jackknifed across the autobahns from Saarbrucken to Munich, and my 8 hour bus trip became an 11 hour nightmare with poor Charlie stuffed all the while under my seat in his new knitted sweater. Poor guy….Luckily due to a long layover and another delay, I was able to catch my connecting Austrian train and safely arrive in Villach, Austria at 11:40pm…I had left Franzi’s house that morning at 5am….loooooong day for sure, but must admit, I do adore riding in the train, especially if I can have a seat with a table. Then my world is really set.
AKA the roads were a mess. Semi-trucks had become randomly jackknifed across the autobahns from Saarbrucken to Munich, and my 8 hour bus trip became an 11 hour nightmare with poor Charlie stuffed all the while under my seat in his new knitted sweater. Poor guy….Luckily due to a long layover and another delay, I was able to catch my connecting Austrian train and safely arrive in Villach, Austria at 11:40pm…I had left Franzi’s house that morning at 5am….loooooong day for sure, but must admit, I do adore riding in the train, especially if I can have a seat with a table. Then my world is really set.
As the train crossed the Austrian border, even in the dark I got a feel for just how beautiful the country really is. From the elevated train cars I was able to look over the embankment onto the city lights below. Each time we went through a town it looked as if the train was coasting over a sea of lit candles before pulling into a late night sleepy train station to allow a few straggling passengers on and off. Such loveliness.
After a good nights sleep and warm breakfast, some of Miriam’s hometown friends joined us for an ice skating adventure. We went to a nearby lake where a portion was cleared of snow and ice-skated until we were basically moving popsicles! Charlie was snug as a bug in my backpack and seemed to enjoy it very much! 
That night we fell asleep early because we knew the following day (New Years Eve) was to be exciting. Along with her family, Miriam and I (and Charlie) embarked on a three-hour snowshoe adventure. We were lucky enough to be in a part of the country where Austria, Italy, and Slovenia come together…and we snowshoed in all three!!! While on the Italian side we hiked into an abandoned WWII bunker nestled in the hillside and on the Slovenian side we were able to peek into the most adorable cabin I’ve ever seen. Although no one was there at the moment, we were told that in the summertime hikers are invited to enjoy hot gumbo soup and paella. I think I will be back for that….YUM!
After building up quite and appetite all morning we stopped on the way home IN ITALY for a pizza lunch (mind blowing I know). I can honestly say I’ve never had a pizza so good in my life…clearly. The whole thing was amazing, every last bite and not even a crumb for Charlie. Sorry bud….
Miriam and I stayed in on New Years Eve with her parents, playing board games, watching movies, chatting and at midnight watched the Venetian Waltz on TV while her parents re-enacted live it in the living room. The next day we were up early to catch a few hours of downhill skiing before loading the car and taking the looooooong drive all the way back to Groningen. 
What a nice holiday! Thank you Claudia and Siggy for having us!!
What a nice holiday! Thank you Claudia and Siggy for having us!!
Now finally, as you all know I am bit of a nut about New Years Resolutions and OF COURSE I have made a few I would like to share this year:
1) Write Masters Thesis
2) Take a bike trip in Europe
3) Go to Poland to visit Auschwitz
4) Get my spinning instructor certification
5) Run a half marathon in 3 different countries
6) Stop biting my nails
7) Meditate regularly
Silly I know, but I just can’t help myself! Did anyone else make any? Let me know!! I think that is all for now!! I hope you all received my Christmas cards in time and as always I am sending you all very happy “fresh start of the year” vibes!! Love and miss you all very much! Xoxo 
