Christmas Market Day 3....

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Christmas Market Day 3....

It’s St Nickolas eve

It’s 8 am and the covers have just been pulled off of me, good thing I was in my toasty PJ’s. Kirsten says get up Tinker Bell, we have a full schedule today. I roll out of bed clinging to any warmth within reach. Kirsten smiles and says You know what today is? Before I can even think of an answer, she squeals it’s St Nicolaus Day eve! Ok, for all you NON-Germans, this is a big day, mark your calendar for next year.

Again, as I float from my room pulled to the kitchen by the aroma of German coffee all the way to another awesome German breakfast. Everyone is sitting around the table very excited if not more than yesterday. Yes, it’s hard to believe but every morning we are all getting more and more excited with Christmas coming.

Today we will be visiting Fulda, this is where Omi is from and she met Bill aka “Footy”. She is telling Lori and Sam all about Fulda and her childhood. I’ve heard most of the stories but it’s always very enjoyable to hear them again. Just like Christmas stories, they never get old.

The windows are frosted again, however, this time I’m prepared, I have my gloves. We’re all loaded and off we go. Fulda is very close to our apartment, why Kirsten took the long way I don’t know. She says Sam wanted to see the countryside, I believe she wanted to check out how the Mercedes handled in the curves, good thing I took out the additional insurance.

Our first stop is the Wassekuppe, this is the highest point in the Fulda area. Lot’s gliders and hang gliders in the area. This is where Bill spent many days in the Army monitoring the Soviet Union across the border. Sam knows all about this area, it’s called the Fulda Gap and if the Soviets were every going to invade Western German this was the entry point. Hmmmm, I’m glad they didn’t come over though the Gap.

We walk around and Omi is telling us about the times when Bea, Kirsten and Mandy played on the fields and where the army barracks were. Once we get to the top of the hill Kirsten pull out a little bottle and say, “I brought Opa with us”. She pours his ashes on the ground and we all have a quiet moment thinking of him.

We miss you Opa, Daddy, Billy, Footy....

As we walk back to the car, we’re all wiping our eyes.

Once back in the car and pulling away from the Wassekuppe, Kirsten asks under breath let’s see what these wheels can do. Hang on, this run down the other side of the mountain is curvy, there isn’t a straight stretch anywhere. Yes, it was the Cannon Ball Run all the way into Fulda. We pull into the Jagerhof restaurant, Sam slides in beside us, jumps out of his car and pumps his fists in the air yelling “THAT WAS AWESOME”. Me, I’m crawling toward the restaurant looking for a beer.

Kirsten and Omi leave us in the restaurant. Why you ask, well whenever Kirsten and these Hancock girls come to Germany, they have to stock up on cooking items that can’t be purchased at home.

I’m thinking AMAZON, just saying.

Lori, Sam and I sit around having a beer and an appetizer. I show Lori my translate app and she downloads it. It’s so cool you take a picture and it translate it; yep pretty cool.

Kirsten and Omi return and we have a great lunch, thank you Omi.

Ok, for today we begin by visiting Fulda’s Christmas Market. Omi is going to meet up with one of many of her Best Friends and have cake and coffee while Kirsten continues giving us a tour to Fulda the Cathedrals, Rathaus, where Omi lived as a kid and on and on.

Around 4:30pm, we hook up with Omi and continue visiting the Christmas Market.

I have to say Fulda has the best Christmas Market, why you ask? You know that Christmas Pyramid thing you put on your table and light the candles and it twirls around?

Well, Fulda has the HUGEST one I’ve ever seen. This is one that you walk inside get a Gluewine, it has tables and you can go upstairs and look over the Christmas market. While the top twirls around.

It’s AWESOME.

This year they have an ice slide, Lori and I rush over and check it out. We were disappointed... it was carnival ride. Bummer, I was really hoping to race Lori down the ice. Oh well, maybe on another trip.

We fill ourselves with bratwursts and Gluewine all the while checking out the Christmas booths and watching people.

Around 9pm, we pile back into the car and head home. This time Kirsten takes the Autobahn and were home and in bed before 10pm.

St Nicolaus is coming don’t forget to leave your shoes out.......

Good night

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