From Europe to Africa in America - A Sisters' Expedition

[Flossbolna]

I am still in the process of settling in in Nuremberg and sorting through my stuff. But I have some pictures I want to share with you and hope to keep you entertained that way!

As you know, Liesa (All7ofUs), her DH and her three youngest children were spending two days in Nuremberg last week. Katharina and I met them one afternoon for a guided tour of the casemates of the Nuremberg castle and of an underground water supply system - it was an underground tour. Liesa's family had picked that tour and I found it really fascinating as it showed me a side of Nuremberg I did not know!! After the tour we went to my parents' house for dinner and afterwards Liesa, Katharina and I got to spend an ladies' evening! It was a wonderful visit with lovely people!

Katharina and I even got some gifts from the Central Asian country where Lieasa's family lived and worked for the last 10 years:

Some really nice felt shoes! They are lovely soft and warm and I am looking forward to wearing them at home this winter when I have cold feet!

Can anyone guess what the white thing is??? The blue thing is a small chocolate bar.

My parents also got a gift and it is the most amazing thing. It is part of a hand-woven piece of material which was used to hold a yurt together. It is one hundred years old and was made my Liesa's friend's grandmother (or great-grandmother?).

My mother found the perfect place for it on this little shelf in their living room.

This present was very special for my parents. One of the stories on how they knew that they liked each other when they first met was about that they had the same favourite book as childrens. It is by an author called Fritz Mühlenweg who was on expeditions to central asia in the early 20th century. There appears to have been an English translation in the 1950s called "Big Tiger and Christian. Their Adventures in Mongolia". It is about a Chinese boy and a German boy who travel from Beijing to Mongolia. And they regularly sleep in yurts. MY parents absolutely loved their present!

This is the three ladies on my sofa at the end of the evening:

And the next DISer will be in Nuremberg at the end of September lovealldisney and I are in the process of planning a meet when she and her DH travel through Germany. And it looks like they will meet Katharina in Berlin as well!

Katharina and I stayed on for the weekend (Katharina's DH came to Nuremberg then as well) and on Saturday we went hiking with our father in the area around Nuremberg, which is called Franconia. Supposedly it is so special, that there even is an town in the White Mountains in New Hampshire that was named Franconia because of its similarity to the area where we went for our hike!

Here are some impressions - as you can see it is high season for mushrooms at the moment!

Ok, I hope Katharina won't be mad at me for posting the last picture! I just wanted to show the size of the meal! Actually, I had the same... And we were able to take most of it with us afterwards. It is a dish called Schäufele - it is a rosted pork shoulder. Very delicious!!

 

[jedijill]

I've been lurking on your report for awhile now and just wanted to pop in and say guten tag! I love your reviews and stories from Germany. I was lucky enough to be stationed in Mannheim from 1998-2000 and I fell in love with Germany! I would love to come back and visit more now that I'm not a poor soldier!

Tchuss!

Jill in CO (forgive my VERY rusy German!)

 

[Flossbolna]

I've been lurking on your report for awhile now and just wanted to pop in and say guten tag! I love your reviews and stories from Germany. I was lucky enough to be stationed in Mannheim from 1998-2000 and I fell in love with Germany! I would love to come back and visit more now that I'm not a poor soldier!

Tchuss!

Jill in CO (forgive my VERY rusy German!)

Hallo and I am really glad that you stopped lurking! It is always wonderful to hear from my readers! And especially when people tell me that they fell in love with Germany!

You really ought to come for a visit, it would be a great opportunity to polish up your German!

 

[glennbo123]

Thanks for posting some more pictures from your meet with Liesa and of your hike. The area looks very beautiful. And that roasted pork shoulder....mmmmm.

 

[Flossbolna]

Thanks for posting some more pictures from your meet with Liesa and of your hike. The area looks very beautiful. And that roasted pork shoulder....mmmmm.

You get to meet Liesa tomorrow! I am so excited to hear all about the DC DISmeet! Have a wonderful day tomorrow!

The beergarden where we had lunch belonged to the local restaurant/pub/guest house which also operates the local butcher. A very common combination here! So this was really fresh and from some local pigs.

 

[MRYPPNS]

I actually live about 2 hours from Franconia New Hampshire. It's a very beautiful place. I often take first time vistors there.

 

[Flossbolna]

I actually live about 2 hours from Franconia New Hampshire. It's a very beautiful place. I often take first time vistors there.

Thanks for these beautiful pictures! I was there in September 2008, a three weeks trip to New York and then driving through New England. It was a wonderful trip with my BF at that time. We stayed three nights in North Conway just before the leaf season fully started. And to be honest, the White Mountains are way more spectacular than Franconia, Germany!

This is my favourite picture from Franconia Notch:

 

[eandesmom]

Can anyone guess what the white thing is??? The blue thing is a small chocolate bar.

ok this sounds horrible to say, but it IS Liesa....so my guess is....
camel dung



I have no idea.

My parents also got a gift and it is the most amazing thing. It is part of a hand-woven piece of material which was used to hold a yurt together. It is one hundred years old and was made my Liesa's friend's grandmother (or great-grandmother?).

My mother found the perfect place for it on this little shelf in their living room.

This present was very special for my parents. One of the stories on how they knew that they liked each other when they first met was about that they had the same favourite book as childrens. It is by an author called Fritz Mühlenweg who was on expeditions to central asia in the early 20th century. There appears to have been an English translation in the 1950s called "Big Tiger and Christian. Their Adventures in Mongolia". It is about a Chinese boy and a German boy who travel from Beijing to Mongolia. And they regularly sleep in yurts. MY parents absolutely loved their present!

oh my gosh it's beautiful, and perfect!

This is the three ladies on my sofa at the end of the evening:

Great picture!!!!!!!!! One of these days when we make it over to see my brother, we have to meet!

those toadstools are something else! Right out of a fairy tale. I love the beer directional signage.

 

[manntra]

Glad to have you back and hope you are getting settled in
Must tell you that I made ADR's at both Flying Fish AND California Grill!!! They round out nicely with the rest that I have
What a wonderful meet with Liesa I love the gifts she brought along....the one for your parents goes perfectly with the backstory of how they met. Not sure of the items above the chocolate bars....

Tracy

 

[All7OfUs]

Good guess, Cynthia, but NOT dung- although that would have been a total crack up!!

I LOVED our Meet! You two are such lovely ladies, and your parents are amazing people with gracious hospitality and a wealth of great conversation! It was a wonderful evening that I wished had lasted far longer.



Magdalene- I love hunting for mushrooms! A lot of people go for treks to gather them in the Pacific Northwest- of course, every year there is someone who mis-IDs and ends up with a liver transplant too. I just love to look at them. So pretty!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[nodnol]

I am still in the process of settling in in Nuremberg and sorting through my stuff. But I have some pictures I want to share with you and hope to keep you entertained that way!

What a nice surprise on a Sunday morning!

Katharina and I even got some gifts from the Central Asian country where Lieasa's family lived and worked for the last 10 years:

Some really nice felt shoes! They are lovely soft and warm and I am looking forward to wearing them at home this winter when I have cold feet!

Can anyone guess what the white thing is??? The blue thing is a small chocolate bar.

Liesa, tank you very much again! It got really cold this week, so I thin the shoes will be needed very soon!

And let me all tell you that only our Dad was bold enough to try some of the white stuff - it is edible!

 

[All7OfUs]

What a nice surprise on a Sunday morning!



Liesa, tank you very much again! It got really cold this week, so I thin the shoes will be needed very soon!

And let me all tell you that only our Dad was bold enough to try some of the white stuff - it is edible!

He is a brave, brave soul.

You are very welcome! Those slippers are VERY toasty, and should help you stay warm this winter!

 

[Lady Lallie]

It's edible? I really really want to know what it is now!!

Great pictures of your hike. I love the red mushrooms, I've only seen those depicted in cartoons. They are so cute!

 

[reelmom]

When I saw the red mushrooms, I immediately thought of the cartoon, The Smurfs. Beautiful pictures.

 

[tiggrbaby]

When I saw the red mushrooms, I immediately thought of the cartoon, The Smurfs. Beautiful pictures.

Me, too! I didn't know they reaally existed!

 

[eandesmom]

given that he ate it, I am relived to hear it's not camel dung.

 

[Flossbolna]

ok this sounds horrible to say, but it IS Liesa....so my guess is....
camel dung

Good guess, Cynthia, but NOT dung- although that would have been a total crack up!!

And let me all tell you that only our Dad was bold enough to try some of the white stuff - it is edible!

He is a brave, brave soul.

It's edible? I really really want to know what it is now!!

given that he ate it, I am relived to hear it's not camel dung.

Cynthia - we very much think alike!! I think my first guess was a stone and then I said that is obviously isn't camel dung!!

Since we have established now that it is edible - actually I nibbled some of it as well by now - I can tell you that it is some type of cheese. I think Liesa said that it is dried curd and a favourite snack in the Central Asian country where Liesa lived. It tastes a bit sour. Actually it tastes a bit like a type of fresh cheese we have here in Germany called Quark, but Quark is still soft, not dried. Very ethnic food!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

What a wonderful visit!! Those slippers look so cozy, and the piece for your parents is just beautiful.

As for the white stuff, I would never have guessed that was cheese! You guys are brave for trying it!

When I saw the red mushrooms, I immediately thought of the cartoon, The Smurfs. Beautiful pictures.

Me too! I had no idea they really existed! They are kinda cute.

 

[Flossbolna]

Great picture!!!!!!!!! One of these days when we make it over to see my brother, we have to meet!

Oh yes, that would be great fun! I am sure you would love Germany, especially the south - lots of small breweries!

those toadstools are something else! Right out of a fairy tale. I love the beer directional signage.

I love it when the forest starts to "bloom" in the fall. We also had some lovely raspberries which Katharina picked.

Glad to have you back and hope you are getting settled in
Must tell you that I made ADR's at both Flying Fish AND California Grill!!! They round out nicely with the rest that I have
What a wonderful meet with Liesa I love the gifts she brought along....the one for your parents goes perfectly with the backstory of how they met. Not sure of the items above the chocolate bars....

Tracy

Thanks! I am sure you will love both your ADRs, what other places are you goint to eat at and where are you staying?

I LOVED our Meet! You two are such lovely ladies, and your parents are amazing people with gracious hospitality and a wealth of great conversation! It was a wonderful evening that I wished had lasted far longer.

Thanks! I wish it had lasted longer as well...

Magdalene- I love hunting for mushrooms! A lot of people go for treks to gather them in the Pacific Northwest- of course, every year there is someone who mis-IDs and ends up with a liver transplant too. I just love to look at them. So pretty!

Thanks for sharing!

People do that here as well, but we were really happy enough to hunt them just to see them Katharina is especially good at that (she always found 3/4 of all the easter eggs...). Here a lot of towns actually arrange for volunteers with a very good knowledge about mushrooms to give public consultations, so you can take your find to them and they will tell you which ones you can eat.

Great pictures of your hike. I love the red mushrooms, I've only seen those depicted in cartoons. They are so cute!

The red mushroom with the white dots is called "fly mushroom" in German, in English it supposedly is called fly agaric (according to Wikipedia). It looks so festive, but it is poisonous! You normally don't see them that much here either, so I was really excited when we spotted them!

When I saw the red mushrooms, I immediately thought of the cartoon, The Smurfs. Beautiful pictures.

Me, too! I didn't know they reaally existed!

They do look very cartoonish! I grew up in the countryside and I think as kids we were always told that this is a poisonous mushroom because maybe kids are really attracted by the colour and want to eat it?

 

[Flossbolna]

What a wonderful visit!! Those slippers look so cozy, and the piece for your parents is just beautiful.

As for the white stuff, I would never have guessed that was cheese! You guys are brave for trying it!



Me too! I had no idea they really existed! They are kinda cute.

You ninja-posted there!! It was a great visit! I hope you will enjoy your meet with Liesa as much as I did! I think it is quite funny what a small world the DIS is - out of the three DISers I have met so far in real life (you, Liesa and RachelTori - not counting Katharina), two are having a meet set up as well! I really hope that you and I will have another meet at some point which will hopefully last a bit longer than the last one!