Happy Three Kings Day!!!

I hope the kings visited your homes last night!

My husband is Puerto Rican, where this is a big holiday for them!  I do think the kings brought him a small gift, but they gave it to me, because they did not see his shoebox with grass out ;)

While in Germany there were these beautiful windows I believe designed by children of the town, while portrayed the three kings!

Feliz dia de Reyes

Gingerbread Houses

A family tradition while growing up was my Mom would always have our friends over to make Gingerbread houses.  I have done it once at a Christmas Party with my High School friends, they still talk aobut it today.  I am excited for when our friends children are old enough to make them!

There was a very distinct smell that would hit you as soon as you walked into the Christmas Markets.  I am not sure if it was the Gluwein or the Gingerbread or the Marzipan, or all of the Deserts, it was probably a mixture of all!

Someone is very paitent to make these!!

The Gingerbread House at the Brenner's Park Hotel..they had little package of cookies nearby to take!

Gingerbread for sale!!

Now I read a lot of blogs...and am in love with this idea!! 

I want to have a Christmas tea, and make a lot of these!!

http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches-on-the-rim-of-your-mug/

Merry Christmas!!

Sweets and Treats --- Christkindlemarket -- Munich, Germany

Beautiful items at the Christmas Market...I loved this trip..and am so greatful that I was able to experience Christmas season in Germany...

Cookie Cutters

Springerle Cookie Molds

Now I wish I brought some...has anyone ever used them???

We bought the Cherry so good!!!

Fresh Fruit Stands were all over the market--I wish I had a kitchen to can!

Dragonfruit is below..the pink fruit, with the white pulp and little black seeds

Gingerbread

The pictures do not do the stands justice!  Truly a Christmas Wonderland!

Does size matter????

Well according to Americans it does...

I have been doing some research, and have read the bigger the tree, the more affluent you are. 

Now how many of us feel that the the Christmas tree is the center of our Christmas?

To be honest, I have not put up a Christmas tree this year, Mr. P and I are debating real or fake?  I am pro real, and he is pro fake.  Now our reasoning for each differ, and I am not sure what team will win!

I can only speak to mine, but I want that real tree, I want the smell--and not the bath and body works Christmas Tree scent that I usually spray, I want a low key Christmas, I do not want to un-package all of my Neiman Marcus Christmas ornaments, I want a tree that speaks to how I am feeling this year:  real and chubby!

My fake Christmas tree ornaments have a pink and green motif, which I love.  I love the tree, from the ornaments, to the satin ribbon, to the glass ornaments, to my Neiman Marcus day after Christmas ornament finds!  However, I am just not feeling it this year:

I am feeling that the homemade/real tree is more my speed this year, compared to some transitions I tried to make this year for our home:

fresh made bread vs. the typical store brought,
homemade organic heirloom tomatoes vs. canned crushed tomatoes
Growing flowers for your home and others vs. the Grocery store flower Arrangement.

Well I will post who wins, and it is really not a matter of winning per say.  It is more like who has the time and energy to pick out the real tree vs. let's get the tree out of the garage  and decorate.
Also, the entire house needs to be cleaned to get the tree in the location.

Below are some beautiful Christmas trees that I snapped during our trip to Germany:

BMW Welt Store Tree

Brenner's hotel Lobby in Baden-Baden, Germany

Outside trees in Baden-Baden, Germany

 

Icicle tree in Stroudsburg, France

Chriskindlemarket Tree, Munich, Germany--The biggest tree we saw at the biggest Christmas Market!

Now what type of tree is in your home this year??



The flight and our checking in!

I have to say the entire experience of flying over to Germany was great.  I was nervous, as I was not on such a long flight since High School.

Mr. P hooked us up and now we are both members of the US Airways Clubs.  I could not fully enjoy the experience of the club as I was nervous about the length of the flight, but it did make the three hours before the flight enjoyable.  I would like to just be able to go there one day and hang out, to bad you need a ticket.

The bathrooms were very clean, you could have free drinks and snacks! 
Very positive plus side, the atmosphere was nicer than a crowded terminal! 

I am excited for our next flight, or should I say, I am excited for the two hours before the flight, and when we reach our final destination.

On a Friday night we flew from Philadelphia to Munich...and the flight lasted about 7 and a half hours.

Our flight left at 6:30 PM, I read my book a little, watched Grownups..such a funny movie, I was so excited it was on the plane, I have been waiting for the availibily on Netflix, and now I do not need to wait anymore!

And than slept until we saw the lights of Belgium below.

And I listened to this singer:

Now this artist kind of reminded me of Celine Dion, Laura Pausini!
I felt very cultured listening to her music, as it was in Italian, and I am high considering purchasing her CD!

Now aren't these clouds so beautiful...they reminded me of snow!

The Munich airport, I have to say was so so CLEAN!!!  I loved it, very modern, a great way to welcome you to Germany, compared to the Frankfurt Airport, while we were leaving.
 
We landed to snow, which was so wonderful! 

And than went straight to the hotel to see about early check-in.  My dad was able to get right in, Mr. P and I had to wait for our room as they had upgraded us to a suite!

We stayed at the:  Hilton Munich City hotel


Rosenheimer Strasse 15 81667 Munich, Germany

I loved this hotel, I know I am weird, but I love hotels that have some part of a room that is not carpet.  There was a wood entrance way/closet/dressing area, where we could store all of our suitcases, for some reason, I always feel that this is much cleaner.
 
The one thing I did not realize, that in Europe, they use a long of twin beds, and that was what ours was.  Two twin beds pushed together, I loved this!  You each get your own down blanket, so no fighting or stealing!
 
We also got access to the Hilton Honors Lounge, thanks Mr. P.  Where we could get free drinks and food-which was really good) and surf the Internet; this saved us a lot of money, because we could relax here for free, it was like being home!  I was not planning on having access to the Internet while I was away.  But it was a great chance to catch up on everything, as I have been lost without my net book while it is being sent out to get fixed.
 

 
Day 1 Part 1 complete!!

Christkindlmarkts of Germany

Mr. P and I tagged along on my Dad's business trip to Germany, and WOW...what a trip! 

The main reason that I wanted to go to Germany in December was to see the Christmas Markets; especially the main Christmas Market in Munich, Germany called:  Christkindlmarkt.  Another great reason was I got to spend time with my Dad!

Mr. P's main reason I believe was to drive me around Germany in a BMW 5 series.

This year we have been very blessed to experience many different cultures and Germany was a unique culture of it's own, and a great trip to close out 2010. 


Through the remaining days of December, I am going to post about our experience in Germany on what we did, where we stayed, where we shopped, and of course the delicious food that we ate.

I did not forget about my blog readers, I have put together a little German gift for one lucky reader.  Getting an entry is easy, for every comment that you leave on any of the blog entries regarding Germany, you will have one entry.  For any new follower, you will get two entries, and for anyone that refers someone you will get 3 entries.

Now let the stories begin, below are some photos which I will explain in the upcoming days: