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Rietkerk Family Website
Rietkerks in Germany
2 adults +4 kids +1 dog =Our Crazy Life
OUR LITTLE VILLAGE
The picture above is the village of Lupburg, our home away from home while in Bavaria. Our house is on the right, below the onion dome church . The people are friendly, helpful and best of all, love to keep things "in order."
Fire makes it better
We recently stumbled upon a delicacy of the German Christmas Markets...the fire bowl drink (feuerzangenbowle). A friend mentioned the stand on the other side of the Danube River in Regensberg so the family made its way wandering through the cobblestone streets in search of the elusive concoction. When we stumbled upon a long line of eager patrons waiting patiently for their drinks we knew we found something special. The drink comes served in a special cup that allows the sugar cube to rest on the side while the liquor is poured generously on top of the sugar and drink. Then, the magic comes when the server takes a small blowtorch and lights the drink on fire. We were duly impressed. So much so, that on subsequent trips, we made a beeline for the stand, passing up any imitations along the way. We thought this was a Regensberg specialty but are happy to report that Munich hosts a Fire Bowl Square right near the Old Town with several stands dedicated to the drink, and includes a 20 foot tower of copper with fire flaming out from the center. All we can say is "bring it on!"
Click below for a short video...
Fire on my drink
Christmas Markets
Village Square, Esslingen |
Pausing for a quick pic between sips of gluhwein |
Starting just after American Thanksgiving, German villages and large cities play host to Christkindlmarkts...the traditional seasonal markets featuring handcrafted goods, fresh baked goods and live music. We were able to visit several of the top markets this year: Dresden--the oldest market in Germany; Stuttgart--the largest market in Germany; Esslingen--a medieval market featuring pirates, wenches and lots of street performers; Nuremberg--voted "the best" market; and Regensberg--a collection of 4 markets in one city. Each has their specialty but all have one draw in common: gluhwein, a hot mulled wine served in commemorative market coffee mugs. You pay a deposit for the cup allowing visitors to choose which cups they want to collect. (most cost between 2-3 euro) A spin on the gluhwein drink is "feuerzangenbowle" literally translated "fire tongs punch". This drink is mulled wine with a sugar cube doused in alcohol and then lit on fire. Not only is it tasty on a cold winter's night but adding the flame on top makes it irresistible.
One of the pretty booths at Christmas Market |
Street performer, Esslingen |
It rolls
In October, Tim and I went north to pick up the newest addition to the Rietkerk family: a Volvo sedan. The Army ships one vehicle with the family when you move overseas. We donated the trusty gold Honda Accord and shipped the Honda minivan. For the past 3 months, the van has been great. It's taken us as far north as Denmark and south to the Czech Republic. With more than 115,000 miles on the 2006 model, we thought now would be a good time to purchase another vehicle. Being in the land of "no speed limit", every soldier's dream is a super fast car. Most choose the BMW 300 or 500 series in black. In fact, there are so many of these models on military bases, it's hard to believe they are something special in the States. Tim and I were first taken with the BMW, but after careful research (and the 50th anniversary special Volvo was offering) we decided to purchase the Volvo S-80, a 4 door sedan, in the classic dark blue Volvo color.
When you purchase a Volvo, you can have it delivered to the dealer OR you can opt to take factory delivery up in Sweden, which is what we did during the last weekend in October 2011. The deal goes like this: if you elect to pick up at the dealership, you will pay a $600 delivery fee. If you go to the factory, Volvo pays for your trip up north and then you drive it back home. Tim was able to get leave approved for the trip to Sweden and on Monday, Oct 31 we boarded a train in Parsberg (a 5 minute drive from our house) to Kiel, via Regensberg and Frankfurt. The train travel took 8 hours but was thoroughly enjoyable. No distractions to our reading selections, we stopped at the Starbucks in Frankfurt for a little snack and then enjoyed a picnic lunch with bottles of wine on the train.
Once we arrived in Kiel, it was a 10 minute walk to the Stena Line ferry where we checked in, received room keys and hit the buffet.
The ferry left port at 7:30pm and traveled across the Baltic Sea overnight. We arrived in Gothenburg Sweden at 9am and left our luggage in our cabin, which we would return in the evening. We were warmly greeted by our Volvo driver who whisked us away to the factory, about 15 minutes from the dock. Once at the factory, we were the first to check in and our car was rolled out in the delivery waiting area. We were like first time parents, oohing and ahhing over the shiny new toy. Our Volvo rep Leif took us on a tour of the bells and whistles of the car and then let us take over and take it on a spin on the test track. Lest you get too excited, the track is about 1/4 mile long and limited to low speeds. We'd have to wait to test the power in the engine until after lunch.
At 11:30, we enjoyed lunch in the restaurant which featured a traditional Swedish meal: meatballs, potatoes, gravy and lingonberries. Better than IKEA! Then, it was time for our factory tour. Sorry, no pictures allowed but it reminded me of the Disney movie Wall-E or the ride "Cars" at Epcot: lots of robots doing very detailed work. When we did see humans, they were surprisingly young; I don't think we spotted anyone over the age of 50 on the floor and most looked like young adults. Impressive tour though. They kept emphasizing that every Volvo is created with specific customer specifications. Every vehicle is pre-ordered and built to match the end user's desires.
We left the factory at 3:30 and drove around the city enjoying the sound system and bluetooth capabilities. Once on board the ferry again, we made our way back to the buffet. After a restful night's sleep, we disembarked with the car and headed south to Lupburg. We made it home in 8 hours and thoroughly enjoyed driving the car on the autobahn. Tim got the car up to 110 mph, a thrilling prospect after many years at speeds half that. We are going to enjoy traveling to new places in this car.
When you purchase a Volvo, you can have it delivered to the dealer OR you can opt to take factory delivery up in Sweden, which is what we did during the last weekend in October 2011. The deal goes like this: if you elect to pick up at the dealership, you will pay a $600 delivery fee. If you go to the factory, Volvo pays for your trip up north and then you drive it back home. Tim was able to get leave approved for the trip to Sweden and on Monday, Oct 31 we boarded a train in Parsberg (a 5 minute drive from our house) to Kiel, via Regensberg and Frankfurt. The train travel took 8 hours but was thoroughly enjoyable. No distractions to our reading selections, we stopped at the Starbucks in Frankfurt for a little snack and then enjoyed a picnic lunch with bottles of wine on the train.
Once we arrived in Kiel, it was a 10 minute walk to the Stena Line ferry where we checked in, received room keys and hit the buffet.
The ferry left port at 7:30pm and traveled across the Baltic Sea overnight. We arrived in Gothenburg Sweden at 9am and left our luggage in our cabin, which we would return in the evening. We were warmly greeted by our Volvo driver who whisked us away to the factory, about 15 minutes from the dock. Once at the factory, we were the first to check in and our car was rolled out in the delivery waiting area. We were like first time parents, oohing and ahhing over the shiny new toy. Our Volvo rep Leif took us on a tour of the bells and whistles of the car and then let us take over and take it on a spin on the test track. Lest you get too excited, the track is about 1/4 mile long and limited to low speeds. We'd have to wait to test the power in the engine until after lunch.
At 11:30, we enjoyed lunch in the restaurant which featured a traditional Swedish meal: meatballs, potatoes, gravy and lingonberries. Better than IKEA! Then, it was time for our factory tour. Sorry, no pictures allowed but it reminded me of the Disney movie Wall-E or the ride "Cars" at Epcot: lots of robots doing very detailed work. When we did see humans, they were surprisingly young; I don't think we spotted anyone over the age of 50 on the floor and most looked like young adults. Impressive tour though. They kept emphasizing that every Volvo is created with specific customer specifications. Every vehicle is pre-ordered and built to match the end user's desires.
We left the factory at 3:30 and drove around the city enjoying the sound system and bluetooth capabilities. Once on board the ferry again, we made our way back to the buffet. After a restful night's sleep, we disembarked with the car and headed south to Lupburg. We made it home in 8 hours and thoroughly enjoyed driving the car on the autobahn. Tim got the car up to 110 mph, a thrilling prospect after many years at speeds half that. We are going to enjoy traveling to new places in this car.
Wanderweg
Tim deciphers the map to figure out where to go next...icons show us the types of trails they have: important sites, beautiful scenery, or restaurants along the way! |
A favorite pastime of the Germans is walking. I had heard about the volksmarches that many villages host during the summer but I was surprised at the sheer number of people who enjoy walking as sport. Many carry trekking poles to give them a boost in heart rate. However, I've noticed quite a few who simply drag the poles behind them as they walk leisurely on one of the many trails around Bavaria.
Occasionally, I meet up with some Army friends to take part in this pastime. More often, I take Lady for a walk around my neighborhood. We have enjoyed watching the changing scenery, as summer moves into fall.
Katie, LeAnna and MonaLisa take a break during the walk |
Pigeons roost in See |
My traveling companion on most days...LADY |
Which way do we go? |
Climbing on top of hay balls in a field...surprisingly squishy |
I know, I know So off to school I go..
Will-6th grade; Lilly-2nd grade |
Parents and students wait in anticipation of the ribbon cutting ceremony opening Hohenfels Elmentary School for a new year of learning |
We'll get it right next year; apparently, first day of school photos are conducted on the rock with the castle in the background. Silly newcomers! |
Will and his 6th grade buddy, Reese |
The neighborhood gang waiting for the bus (no high schoolers...they got to sleep in for one more day) |
The kids leave the house at 7:10am and head for the bus stop, a short 1 block walk from the front door. The bus that picked them up on the first day was a ratty affair...seats were torn and windows had been etched by disgruntled kids from years gone by. But, they load the same they have for eons: little kids get on first and sit in front (by the driver=SAFETY from big kids) and then middle schoolers get on and try to score a seat as close to the back without infecting the high schools and finally...the scary high school kids get on...ear buds conveniently tucked into their ears to block out the noise of bothersome little kids who want to high five each one as they walk down the aisle.
I greeted the kids with rice krispie treats following the second day of school. I thought i'd pretty much outdone myself and told them, "Hey! I made you a surprise!" And Will looks at me and says with a roll of his eyes, "I'll bet it's rice krispie treats." I guess I'm as predictable as starting school in Fall.
Taking a peak behind the curtain
The Postma Family in the backyard of the Winter Palace, St Petersburg, Russia August 11 St Petersburg, Russia |
Catherine the Great's Winter Palace |
Kristen and Tim in the "backyard" of the Winter Palace |
Bill ensures his headphones are working properly |
There's a chapel inside the Winter Palace |
Instead of living in the Winter Palace, Catherine had this little addition added and spent the remainder of her life living "simply" |
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