I really can’t believe how long I have waited to post on my blog! Somehow, things got busy. I will take time to write a little more in the near future, but I want to just share some photos from the last few weeks for now.

The last time I posted, I documented St. Martin’s Day (the 11th of November). That night was cold and misty – like most days in Munich this month. However, I was lucky enough to head to the mountains a couple of hours outside the city with some friends, where we found sunshine and (relative) warmth on November 21!

We spent a gorgeous day visiting Schloss Hohenschwangau and Schloss Neuschwanstein.

Schloss Hohenschwangau

A view out the window of Hohenschwangau. Photos aren’t allowed of the interior, but they “can’t copyright the view.”

Travel buddies Annabelle, Simon, Roxana, Julius (and me)

Me posing on Marienbrücke with Schloss Neuschwanstein in the background

 

The last weekend in November, my Candler colleague who is studying in Göttingen, Germany – Brandon Maxwell – came to visit me in Munich. We visited Christmas markets, saw sights in the city, went to see Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson show, “Immortal,” and also celebrated “USA Evening” in the Collegium Oecumenicum. We were lucky to experience a Föhn (a warm wind from the south) that cleared the air, bringing sunshine and warm temperatures.

Christmas goods in Viktualienmarkt

We climbed to the tower of St. Peter’s Church to see this beautiful view

Inside Theatinerkirche at Odeonsplatz

Brandon and me waiting for Cirque du Soleil to begin

Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures from our Länderabend. I was too busy running around, getting things ready. For the Southern-culture themed USA Evening at the Collegium, our committee did a lot of baking ahead of time (pumpkin, apple, and peach pies, brownies, chocolate chip cookies), as well as crafting a Sweet Tea Bourbon cocktail. We decorated with candles, autumn leaves, and nuts; served oven-fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread; and did our best to represent the best (and a little of the worst) of Southern American culture. It was a fun evening, and we ended with teaching some “traditional” American dances (read: Cha-Cha Slide, Cupid Shuffle, The Wobble, The Electric Slide).

The Munich Christmas Markets officially opened on Monday, November 26. They are spread all across the city – aisles of wooden huts shining with lights and Christmas goodies within. Warm Glühwein, Würst, french fries, and sweets are for sale, along with decorations, ornaments, home goods, candles, jewelry, and wooden nativities.

Entering some of the markets

Life-sized, hand carved nativity

I must mention here that a dear friend from the Collegium Oecumenicum, fellow American and theology student, and partner in crime here in Munich for the last few months, Annabelle, returned back to the USA this week. We spent her last evening here hopping around to as many Christmas Markets as we could. I will/already do miss Annabelle!

This past weekend I was a regular Hausfrau! I did some more European-style baking with a scale (in grams rather than cups, tablespoons, etc.) Brownies are a hit with my floor-mates. I also did lots of crafting, or “basteln,” cutting paper snowflakes for our kitchen and binding an Advent Wreath with live greenery. Oh, and started knitting a scarf. Domestic me.

Making brownies

Snowflakes!

The warm weather and sunshine were replace by temps in the 20s (F) and snow – so “Schneeflocken” were an appropriate craft for this weekend.

One of the four Advent wreathes I crafted this weekend

 

We have definitely seen a shift into the Winter season, just as Advent has begun. There is plenty in Munich to put me in the Christmas spirit! “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”