Europe - Lili on the Loose

3 02, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 2 – Sick in Frankfurt

By Lili|February 3rd, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, airport, Apfelwein, Apple Wine, Dream of Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, Europe, fall, Fall Colors, fall leaves, Frankfurt, Frankfurt in a Day, Germany, Hamburger, hotel, Langen, sick|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Friday October 23, 2015 Egypt: Day 2 - Sick in Frankfurt I arrived in Frankfurt a little after 11 AM. Feeling very sick, my dream of wandering the city was slowly dying. I exited, and found myself in Z Terminal. I knew that the bag holding station was outside Terminal A. But more importantly I knew there was supposed to be an attached hotel at Terminal A. I figured instead of paying to leave my bags at the bag check,

28 12, 2015

Museum Monday: Discobolus

By Lili|December 28th, 2015|Categories: History, Museums, Travel|Tags: 2011, ancient greek, Christmas in Germany 2011, Discobolus, discus thrower, Europe, Frankfurt, Germany, Liebieghaus, Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus, statue|0 Comments

This statue is from the Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus collection in Frankfurt, Germany. This is only the top half of the statue, the other is nude and preparing to throw the discus. I loved the bright red background of this part of the museum. A marble discobolus Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.

26 12, 2015

Souvenir Saturday: Lebkuchen Ornament

By Lili|December 26th, 2015|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2011, Christmas Gift, Christmas in Germany 2011, Christmas Market, cookie ornament, Cristkindlmarket, Europe, Frankfurt, German Christmas Market, Germany, gift, Gingerbread, Lebkuchen, Munich, Weinahtsmarkt|0 Comments

A gingerbread stall at a Frankfurt Christmas Market Lebkuchen is the German version of gingerbread. It is a delicious spiced bread/cookie. Around the many German Christmas Markets you'll find decorated versions in various shapes, but the most common is in the shape of a heart. This ornament appears to actually be a sugar cookie, decorated in the form of a Lebkuchen heart and then lacquered. My sister got it for me as a Christmas gift from the Munich Christmas Market. Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

21 12, 2015

Travel Missteps: It was Santa!

By Lili|December 21st, 2015|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2011, Christmas in Germany 2011, Denver, Europe, flight, flight attendant, Germany, santa, USA|0 Comments

Occasionally you witness someone else’s Travel Missteps and Mistakes. On a flight from Denver to Germany right before Christmas I saw this big drunk German guy in a cowboy hat walk onto the plane late for boarding. He had a bunch of loose items, mostly what looked like various Walmart/Target toys for children. Since he was late most of the overhead space was taken, so he would just jam a toy here and there as he found space while walking towards the back of the plane. Apparently he had also put some toys in the space for the fire extinguisher

12 12, 2015

Souvenir Saturday: Mugs from Munich’s Medieval Christmas Market

By Lili|December 12th, 2015|Categories: Drinks, Geek, Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2011, Christmas, Christmas in Germany 2011, Christmas Market, deposit, ein Pfand, Europe, Feuerzangebowle, Germany, Glühwein, Holy Grail, Indiana Jones, Indiana Jones and the Last Cursade, Mead, Medieval, Medieval Market, Middle Ages, Mittelaltermarkt, Movie, mug, mugs, Munich Adventsspektakel, Odeonsplatz, Pfand, renaissance festival, rum, Warmer Met, wine, Wittelsbacherplatz|0 Comments

There are hundreds of Christmas Markets in Germany during the Christmas season. A of the unique one that I visited was in Munich, and it was a Medieval themed Christmas Market. Found in Wittelsbacherplatz, a short walk from Odeonsplatz it is called the "Adventsspektakel und Mittelaltermarkt" (Advent Celebration and Medieval Christmas Market). Since Christmas Markets in Munich date back to the Middle Ages, it is easy to get in the mood here, with the stalls decorated like a mini-renaissance festival. You'll see people in period dress and they play their roles well. You may also be treated to dancers or musicians for entertainment. The stalls

28 11, 2015

Souvenir Saturday: Ulbricht Night Watchman Nutcracker

By Lili|November 28th, 2015|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2011, Christmas, Christmas in Germany 2011, Christmas Market, Christmas Museum, decoration, Europe, Germany, Käthe Wohlfahrt, night watchman, Nutcracker, Rothenburg, rothenburg ob der tauber, Ulbricht|0 Comments

As I've written before, I really enjoyed the "Night Watchman" tour in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. On my last day in Rothenburg I stopped by the large Christmas store Käthe Wohlfahrt to get some souvenirs. This location is their head office, and actually spans multiple buildings and has its own Christmas Museum on site. One item that caught my eye was a wooden and leather mini Night Watchman Nutcracker made by Ulbricht. It stands a little less than 5 inches tall, but is beautifully crafted. He carries with him a traditional symbols of his job: the halberd and a lantern. I'm glad

23 11, 2015

Travel Missteps: Bag full of Mugs

By Lili|November 23rd, 2015|Categories: Buying Guide, Drinks, Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2011, Christmas, Christmas in Germany 2011, Christmas Market, Cristkindlmarket, deposit, ein Pfand, Europe, Feuerzangebowle, Frankfurt, Germany, Glühwein, Heise Schokolade, hot chocolate, Kinderpunsch, Mead, mit Schuss, mug, mugs, Munich, Pfand, rum, Warmer Met, Weinahtsmarkt, wine|0 Comments

People Making Merry at the Frankfurt Christmas Market Staying Warm at the Market with the Best Christmas Drinks Christmas Markets are the perfect place to meet and socialize. Many stalls will have places to sit, or standing tables to gather around. But the trick to stay warm for this winter pastime? Drinking hot beverages! Here are the traditional drinks you may find: Glühwein is the most popular of the holiday drinks. It is made with mulled wine, usually red wine, but you might see versions that are made with white, rosè, or fruit wines. It is mixed and heated

19 11, 2015

Egypt Trip Cost & Budget Analysis

By Lili|November 19th, 2015|Categories: Travel, Travel Budget|Tags: 2015, Accommodation, activities, Africa, airfare, analysis, baksheesh, breakdown, budget, Cairo, cost, Denver, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Explorer, Egyptian Sidekick, Europe, food, Frankfurt, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Germany, hotel, Lufthansa, meals, Middle East, Munich, North America, optional activities, shopping, spending, Super Shuttle, taxi, tour, travel insurance, Travel Insured International, USA, Visa|0 Comments

This is my budget breakdown of my trip to Egypt (with a layover in Frankfurt, Germany). I knew going into this trip that it was going to be on the expensive side. I had budgeted $6262.41 in expenses for this trip. Here is how I actually spent that budget: Airfare: $972.26 I had watched airfare obsessively for about 2 months before I saw the airfare drop significantly through Lufthansa. I was able to get a 1 stop through Frankfurt on the way to Egypt, including a 12 hour layover in Frankfurt. And then on the way home I'd have 2 quick stops in

14 11, 2015

The History of the Christmas Nutcracker

By Lili|November 14th, 2015|Categories: Buying Guide, History, Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2011, Alexandre Dumas, Austria, buying guide, Christmas, Christmas in Germany 2011, Christmas Market, decoration, E.T.A Hoffman, Europe, Fuchtner, Germany, guide, history, Nutcracker, Salzburg, Steinbach, The Nutcracker, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, Ulbricht|0 Comments

Nutcrackers at a German Christmas Market. Nutcrackers in some form have been around since ancient times. However, they were much different in design and from from what we consider the Christmas Nutcracker. Those didn’t appear until the mid 1700's when many Germany mines had shut down and the workers had to figure out other sources of income. They turned to the abundant forests and their woodworking skills to craft dolls, toys, Christmas Pyramids, angels, and nutcrackers. The first nutcrackers were made to look like authority figures such as kings or soldiers. These “nut cracking” officials symbolized the

28 09, 2015

Travel Missteps: Wrong Exit

By Lili|September 28th, 2015|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2005, All in the family Italy 2005/2006, Europe, Italy, Rome, Sistine Chapel, swiss guard, tour guide exit, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vatican City, Vatican Museum, wrong|0 Comments

The Sistine Chapel - known for Michelangelo’s beautiful ceiling and the grand finale of most Vatican Museum tours. After craning my neck trying to take it all in, it was time to leave...except I went through the wrong exit. There are two ways to exit the Sistine Chapel. The main exit is to the left of the room as you enter. I’m told that this has a long walk back. The other exit is for licensed group tours only, and lets you out close to the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica saving you a long hike back and skipping an