Germany - Lili on the Loose

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

21 09, 2015

Museum Monday: Fayum Portrait of a Young Woman

By Lili|September 21st, 2015|Categories: History, Museums, Travel|Tags: 2011, ancient egypt, Christmas in Germany 2011, Europe, Fayum portrait, Frankfurt, Germany, Liebieghaus, Mummy, Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus|0 Comments

The Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus in Frankfurt, Germany doesn't just have statues, it also has a few beautiful Fayum Portraits. These portraits were often painted during life on wood, and were placed over the mummy upon death. Portrait of a young woman Read more about Fayum Portraits here. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.

15 06, 2015

Museum Monday: Athena

By Lili|June 15th, 2015|Categories: History, Museums, Travel|Tags: 2011, ancient greek, Athena, Christmas in Germany 2011, Europe, Frankfurt, Germany, goddess, Liebieghaus, Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus, statue|0 Comments

Today's feature comes from Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus in Frankfurt, Germany. It is a statue of Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom. I was struck by the detail the folds of her dress and her helmet. This ancient greek statue would have been painted. Athena goddess of wisdom and war. Close up on the detail of her helmet. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.

26 03, 2015

Egypt Trip Itinerary

By Lili|March 26th, 2015|Categories: Itinerary, Travel, Upcoming Travel|Tags: 2015, Abu Simbel, Abu Sir, activities, Africa, Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Cruise, Dahshur, Dashur, Denver, Dream of Egypt, Edfu, Egypt, Egypt Explorer, Europe, Frankfurt, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Germany, Giza, itinerary, Kom Ombo, Luxor, Memphis, Middle East, Munich, museum, Nile, North America, Pyramids, Saqqara, Sharm, Sharm el Sheikh, Temple, tour, USA, Wadi Natrum|0 Comments

Within the next few months I will be embarking on my dream trip of a lifetime - EGYPT! I've been wanting to do this trip forever and actually had the money saved up to go in 2011, but the revolution put a kink in my plans. I was skittish, not wanting to go during that trouble period. But I realize now, things will never be stable...at least not for another decade or so. And so I must take a leap of faith, stop waiting, and just go! So for the last few months I've been planning this trip. Below is