Figment in Germany, Day1

[figmentfan2009]

We made it! We flew through Detroit and, while we sat in de-icing for an hour... we were only an hour late. There is one family that was in Amsterdam and they were looking for still (maybe today) and one family that won't catch up until Tuesday.

Germany is beautiful and cold. We got in to the hotel, showered and were on the streets of Hidelberg by 1. We walked up the pedestrian walkway to the Universidad Platz to the Christmas Market that has the carosel. It was cold, but not too windy. We invested in wool hat and glovies for DS and a pair of fingerless glove/mittens for me (it is PERFECT for taking pictures!!!). I've uploaded some pictures but will have to get them in a place where I can post them from.

DD was happy for her coat! She and I both have colds... which made the flight fantastic, but the cold air seems to clear out just about everything.

Dinner was killer (the food here is obscenly good... bratwurst in the christmas market... pastries... cookies... spiced mulled wine... ).

Today, we head out to the Hidelburg castle then the afternoon on our own. Intentions are to go to the Christmas market on our walk back from the castle, maybe take in a bit of ice skating on our way back, and, of course, tons of pictures.

Not sure when I will post again... having creative time with the internet... but will post when I can.

Happy Holidays!!!

 

[figmentfan2009]

Okay... if nothing else wonderful happens, today was worth the price of admission. To be able to stand atop the theater and see the view from there was priceless. Saw the biggest wine cask in the world (actually got to STAND on it...), learned about the romance of the castle, the toilets from the castle, the moat (UNDER the toilets... can you say "I will take squatty potties in a HEARTBEAT!!!)... and IT SNOWED most of the day. Flurries, but enough to make it really pretty.

We got to go with the kitchen maid on our half of the tour. The others went with the washer woman. It was neat to have her kind of go in and out of character with us... first talking as if it were the 1600s... then interjecting that you can find copies of the German books that the Catholics took from the castle on the internet if you do a little looking.

We opted to walk back to the hotel, down the steps, and down through the town. Stopped at every little nook and cranny Christmas market we passed... saw the skating rink (but we decided that it was small enough that it might be a better idea to not have gangly DS trying to not fall over everyone... ) so we got Gluewine (hot mulled wine) in cute little Heidelberg cups, lunch at the stalls and made our way back to the hotel... slowly......

Stopped at the old bridge and got our pictures taken in the monkey face.. The way Stephanie told the story... by putting your face in the monkey's face... you see things through the monkey's eyes... so you remember that life is about having fun... and by seeing yourself in the monkey's face... you remember that this is how the world sees you as well... THIS will be one of my favorite pictures... of all of us...

Stopped off at Der Shope and got gummy bears (some in a santa bear decoration, some in a santa clause decoration... and some beer flavored ones in a Heidelberg teeny tiny beer stein.

DS found an off the side street shop where he bought the thing he wanted most... a beer stein. It was awesome and less than half price on sale. It was amazing that he got exactly the right thing for less than he ever dreamed he would pay for it.

Stopped off at Woolworth (who knew you would find one of those in germany...) and bought extra warm socks and a black scarf. and now everone else is crashed out at the hotel.

Was less cold today than yesterday, so the walk was wonderful... and tonight... wine tasting and dinner.

I keep thinking about what they said before dinner last night... This is truely a fairy tale that we are getting to write for the first time... No one else has ever done the Adventures by Disney Chrismas Fairy Tale tour... and last night was page one... it was Once Upon a Time... and everything else we write, we write from there...

I've pretty much gotten to the place in my life where every day should be Once upon a time... and every day should be its own adventure....

 

[Diskidatheart]

So glad you made it to Germany safely and on time and are able to enjoy the full trip. I know you have been looking forward to this trip for a long, long time. It's a bummer about the individuals that are missing out on the beginning of the trip, but I'm sure the guides will try to make it up to them somehow. Enjoy the rest of your trip....I mean fairy tale..... and Merry Christmas!

 

[rkdahl]

Thanks for the wonderful updates! Hope the rest of your trip is as magical!

 

[sayhello]

Ah, it sounds wonderful so far! Truly enchanting!

Looking forward to more reports!

Oh, and "monkey face"????

And Woolworth's is big in England (Woolies), so I guess I can see it spreading to Germany, too...

Sayhello

 

[helenk]

Oh your trip sounds wonderful so far, have a great time.

 

[disneytraveler]

So glad to see you arrived there. Christmas in Germany must be magical indeed. I thought the tour was a dream come true in the summer time! Cant wait to read more!

Ah so thats the story with the monkey

 

[HappyGrumpy]

Wow cannot wait to see pics! How exciting to be on the first ABD for this adventure! Fantastic!

 

[disneytraveler]

Ah, it sounds wonderful so far! Truly enchanting!

Looking forward to more reports!

Oh, and "monkey face"????

And Woolworth's is big in England (Woolies), so I guess I can see it spreading to Germany, too...

Sayhello

Its the bridge monkey

 

[2GirlsMama]

Thank you for sharing your joy with us; it is absolutely contagious! I am so glad you are having a great time. I can't wait to read more.

Did you DD admit you were right about the coat??

 

[glassslipper2004]

I'm so glad you made it there safely and are enjoying the trip. It sounds lovely. And thanks for posting!

 

[aspen37]

I can't wait to read more! It sounds like a great trip so far.

 

[bopper]

Okay... if nothing else wonderful happens, so we got Gluewine (hot mulled wine) in cute little Heidelberg cups, lunch at the stalls and made our way back to the hotel...
....

Actually it is Glühwein...as in "Glow Wine" (I think if you drink too much you glow a little!)

 

[bonrea]

Pictures... Do we have pictures yet? I'm so excited to have this report but would love any pictures. Please... I'm booking in a few weeks.

 

[figmentfan2009]

Try This...

I'm not terribly great at this... but I think it will work... if not, I need to tinker with the flickr account

 

[Joan1]

Would love to hear more about the actual trip if would like to tell us about it

 

[bonrea]

Try This...

I'm not terribly great at this... but I think it will work... if not, I need to tinker with the flickr account

You are great at this! These look fantastic! Thank you very much.

 

[briano72]

sounds like an awesome trip