Oktoberfest

Before we left the US we knew Oktoberfest was something we had to do before we left Germany. It's a must. Obviously.

Looks like he agrees. Who wouldn't?

Before we even got into the 10K-person tent, which happened before 8:00am, it was decided that Oktoberfest is something everyone needs to see. Once.

You've never seen so much rule and order in your life. Not to mention sanitary conditions. Truly unbelievable!

Nine of us made our way to the Hofbrauhaus Tent on a very early, very rainy opening weekend morning. After sprinting through the tent, with pushing involved, to get a table, we waited. We waited for food. We waited for beer. We waited for anything to happen. Finally, at the crack of 12:00, the mayor tapped the first keg and the 177th Munich Oktoberfest was alive. American music, with the occasional German traditional song, filled the air, as did the loud singing from instantly over-beveraged folks hailing from anywhere but Deutschland. Inevitably, things got a big crazy. Our neighboring table was particularly excitable. Chicken bones were thrown, glasses were broken. It was a long day in the Hofbrau tent, and the pretzels proved to be a nice distraction. As was the people-watching.

We made the most of our outrageous Oktoberfest Day. We held on nearly twelve hours. When 8:00pm rolled around, we were satisfied, tired, and about as sad to say good bye as we were to say hello to our pillows.

Our long day was an absolute success. Lots of great photos, lots of great memories...and I'll hold onto them tightly because it's safe to say once in a lifetime is enough for me.

 

Oh, Hofbrauhaus, you trouble maker.

Back in Action

Any rational person that has ever stepped foot into a classroom can quickly appreciate the efforts of teachers. Through the chaos, it is clear that the planning, management, planning, and patience required to make sure the ship runs smoothly are enough to keep a teacher...well, swamped. As much as the work keeps us busy, the kids keep us happy. So, even though at the end of the day my shoulders are at my ears, I love coming back for more.

Becoming a part of Seedlings stands alone as the best choice I've made since our German journey began. I've seen our darling little school grow from eight students on opening day to having a waiting list two years out in just a year and a half. Our little learners have learned and improved their English, they understand early literacy concepts, and they know how to get on with others. They are caring, happy, and as cute as can be. They make all the efforts worth the effort, and they are the reason teachers are teachers.

Now that Seedlings is mine, I love it even more. I love handling admissions, leading tours, and greeting our new families. I even love the weekend emails and phone calls that come with the job. But mostly, I love love love the kiddos.

I'm sad to report that my blog became completely neglected once school started this year and Seedlings is 100% to blame. I've missed sharing with you the endless comedy that comes with living in a foreign country, and though I'm behind in sharing our adventures, I'm back and ready to write! And trust me, the comedy hasn't slowed down a bit. Thanks for asking about my blog, and as always, thanks for reading.

Oktoberfest is just as outrageous as one would expect. As aweseome as it was, once in a lifetime is more than enough.

The same can't be said for London. Once, twice, ten visits is never enough. We were happy to be back for a friend's wedding in September.

A visit to Copenhagen with my step-mom, Julie, was a highlight of 2011.

A trip to Koln, Germany in October with lots of sightseeing and shopping was a great last Euro trip of the year.

The Hamburg Christmas Markets never disappoint! The gluhwein flowed strong this year.

All German cities, big and small, boast darling Christmas Markets. Exploring markets by train outside of Hamburg was a great way to spend a freezing, rainy Sunday in December...

...with great friends and hot drinks.

Reg attended his first HSV soccer match. Good things HSV doesn't have to win for us to have fun.

Serving as the Activities Chairwoman was fun, busy, exciting, and BUSY. I got the chance to explore parts of Hamburg that I may not have taken the time to check out otherwise and have met and worked closely with inspirational women from all over the world. Together we planned heaps of events for our club, including a tour of a WWII bunker, three french cooking courses, a concert at the US Consulate, a Thanksgiving potluck, and a Christmas cookie exchange at the private residence of the US Consul General. We've had a great run. This year, I'm stepping down as Event Planner and will be serving as Vice President along with close friends Kate, Mary, Huong, and Tina. Look out, Hamburg!

While all these things have created some unforgettable memories, here's what who has taken up most of my time in 2011...

Lucky me. :)

Beaune

Just past Dijon on the Burgundy path sits the delectable and tiny town of Beaune. Beaune is Dijon on an even smaller and even quieter scale, leaving us no choice but to slow down and take time with our strolling and sampling feasting.

 

Here we had to-die-for-Dijon chicken...

See?

With this view to boot!

Though most go to Beaune to sample wine, the city's medieval hospital is an undeniable highlight of the short trip. 

Up close the painted tiles don't look like much, but together they form one heck of a show-stopping roof.

No private rooms in this 'ole place

Seeing this gives me a new appreciation for modern-day medicine...

...especially because it appears as if Absinthe was used for medical treatment in former times. Then again, depending on who you ask it may still be used.

And then it was time for dessert...

No, not the barrels...the wine, silly. 

March aux Vins charges 10 euro for unsupervised (and by unsupervised I mean unlimited) wine sampling. All wines are, of course, regional. Trucking through the caves on our own was a whole new experience for me, and we certainly made the most of it.

Wines on offer were displayed in stations and visitors are able to move from station as slowly or as quickly as they like. Only a handful of others were visiting when we were so we had the run of the place.

When fully satisfied with our dessert we made our way back to the train station to spend our last evening in darling Dijon. We didn't go back empty-handed, though. Souvenir tasting glasses, mustard jars, a handcrafted ceramic vase, and more mustard weighed us down. No complaints here--this day is one I don't ever want to forget. Is there any way all of my mustard can help with that?

Dijon

Oh, France. You gorgeous, gorgeous country. Not only do you boast the culture capital of the world in the north and the ritzy glam of Monaco in the south, you offer tourists traveling between the two a plethora of charming cities named from food. You are too delish kind.

Certainly, Paris is fabulous. Not many who have visited will disagree. And a LOT of people visit Paris--so many that most of the Parisian highlights are as congested as a first-year teacher during flu season.  I wouldn't trade my trip to Paris (well, maybe to get my stolen iPhone back), but the crowds cause some stress. In the end, none of us returned to Hamburg feeling anything but relaxed, with many thanks to the laid-back charm of the city of Dijon.

Dijon lies at the beginning of eastern France's Burgundy Wine Region. Not only does it boast life-changing Burgundies and a world-renowned wine school at it's university, it is famous for mustard. Though dijon mustard is no longer produced in the city and most dijon mustard seeds are imported from Canada, Dijon's selection of mustards stands alone. And, as luck would have it, the symbol of darling Dijon is the owl. I'm sure you can imagine my shriek when I recognized this fun fact.

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To see all the must-see sights in Dijon, all we had to do was follow the owl path...

Follow that cute owl around town: check.

Owls were the star of the show in our too-good-to-be-true apartment, too. We booked it just two days before we arrived and were, of course, skeptical. To our surprise the apartment was the most charming of any we have stayed at. Not only did it have everything we needed any more, our lovely landlady didn't even request a deposit OR the rate in full. "Don't go to the ATM to get cash now! Enjoy yourselves and just leave the rest of the fee in the drawer with the keys when you go." Whaaaat? No. This can't be.

Ha! Hard to find a welcome better than that.

For every owl we saw, there were 100 jars of Dijon mustard. And nearly just as many flavor varieties.

Cassis-flavored Dijon mustard

Dijon with tarragon

Classic in a tube!

We came home with much, much more mustard than I have ever carried--or thought about carrying--in my life. My personal favorite is seed mustard that has herbs de provence streaming through it, and both bottles were gone in one week. We've had many dinner parties since we arrived home, and I'm wondering if our friends are using us for our Dijon. Honestly, I wouldn't blame them.



While owls, wine, and mustard make Dijon unique from all other cities I've visited, it's scenery deserves the same recognition.

Owl Street

Strolling (you don't walk the darling Dijon streets, you stroll them) through Dijon inevitably leaves you feeling peaceful and satisfied. Here, you feel like you've found the quintessential small European town: cafes, window flowers boxes, and cobblestone. Lucky for us, Dijon threw in owls, wine, and mustard for good measure (/for our pleasure).