Munich airport tour

While still in Munich over the Christmas holiday we went on a tour of the Munich airport. I don't know if other airports do this too, I've never heard of it, but I think it's such a good idea. I'm sure it was very interesting, it sure sounded like it from all the information and figures our tour guide gave, just a pity it was in German... He spoke way too fast for me to understand much but it was still fun to go on an hour bus tour all around the airport which is quite big. We were hoping for some more behind the scenes action like going up in the control tower or something like that. You know, to really see how everything works. But that could obviously be too dangerous and was not part of the tour. The bus did however take us through areas where the public is not allowed.

Ready to leave with the bus!

If you book a tour for a large group you can ask to have it in English, otherwise only German. I was surprised to see how full it was. Our bus was completely full. And there was another group waiting for the next tour when we got back.

Market at the Munich airport.

Ice rink at the airport. (Not part of the tour!)

Last days of 2009

I've been a bit lazy with the blogging lately. It's taken a bit of effort getting back into work mode after such a lovely holiday. But here are the last days of last year!

I had my birthday on the 29th. My 30th birthday! We went for dinner at an Afghan restaurant in Munich which was really great. The food was delicious and it was interesting to experience something different. The restaurant is called Nigin, close to Marienplatz but you kind of have to know about it or you won't find it. Or if you do you might not go in. But do go. It's not a big restaurant and when we arrived we were the only people there for a while. It was a Tuesday night and a little off the main tourist street so I thought that's why. But it soon filled up completely. Go look for this one if you're in Munich!

Try the aubergine and the pumpkin starters!

How did this teapot make it into an Afghan restaurant? Could they tell we're from Africa?

New Years eve we spent at home in Munich. It was just too cold and we've done enough walking around town. We made sushi and then watched the fireworks from the balcony at midnight. Quite a display!

I wish you all a fantastic 2010. And a special thought to the teachers in South Africa who went back to school today to start the new school year.

Neuschwanstein

After Christmas, while still in Germany, we drove to the castle of King Ludwig II, called Neuschwanstein, in southwest Bavaria, Germany. Both Andre and I have been there before but it's still a beautiful castle every time you see it. This castle was also the inspiration for the Disney Castle.

We walked the approximately 20 minutes up hill to the castle but you can go in a horse-drawn carriage if you feel lazy. Andre and Jürgen did a bit of extra walking to the Marienbrücke where you will get the best view of the castle for taking photographs. The way to this bridge is normally closed during winter time, but you can walk there at your own risk if you're adventurous.

Opposite from Neuschwanstein is King Ludwig's parent's castle:

Worth a visit if you're in the area!

Our second first anniversary

On 30 August 2008 Andre and I got married. Then we got married again on 3rd January 2009! I would do it again it was so much fun but Andre says NO. He says the big one on the 3rd was too stressful for him.

On 30 August we had a very small ceremony, so small that only our parents and my sister knew about it. We decided not to tell anyone because we already had our "big day" planned for the 3rd of January and we didn't want to spoil the excitement of that day. We didn't want our family and friends to think, "They're married already so it's not such a big thing." It was not easy to keep it a secret. But we knew if we told one family member we'd have to tell all of them and the same with our friends. Otherwise it wouldn't have been fair.

So we still had our big day with flowers, wedding dress, cake and all on the 3rd of January and that makes today our second first anniversary!

Here's a video of wedding dance. We had lots of fun learning the dance and others at a dance school a few months before our wedding.


Our wedding dance from Anneliese Mostert on Vimeo.

Mom's Christmas Eve cooking

My mom cooked us an amazing dinner for Christmas Eve.

Here's what she made:

Duck. I love duck. If there's duck on a menu, I don't have to read any further.

And this delicious pork roll.

And then there was this:

This is called Servietten Knödel or serviette dumplings in English, because it literally gets wrapped in a serviette, or rather a dishtowel if the Knödel is too big. I don't know if this recipe is exactly the same as the one my mom used, but it will give you an idea of what goes in this. I know my mom added some fresh parsley and you can spice it up anyway you like. Then it gets wrapped up, tied up and boiled in a pot of water. I liked it!

Of course there were vegetables on our plates too.

And then the dessert:

Roly Poly. It is my husband's favourite. A favourite of his family. And since he couldn't spend Christmas with his family my mom surprised him by getting the original family recipe from his mom and making it for Christmas. He was going to have seconds with the food, but then he saw what we made for dessert and decided he is going straight for dessert instead!

Served with custard. The prefect ending!

Munich

We've been enjoying the Christmas-time visit in Münich. I especially enjoy the shopping here, for some reason more than in Switzerland. And there are so many sales on now!

Anyway, I went jeans shopping again because I now decided that actually I do need a pair of skinny jeans to wear with my boots for winter. I'm enjoying wearing my boots here in the cold, it was not that big a thing in Cape Town.

We've also been trying on ski goggles/ glasses but haven't bought yet. I'm still deciding if I like skiing or not...

We had a lunch at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, just to remind ourselves that we don't have to hurry back there again. It's been three years and we must have forgotten why we prefer the Augustiner Brau. Hofbrauhaus is something to experience if you come to Munich but you don't have to go there twice.

Besides the shopping, we just enjoyed walking around the Christmas market in front of the Rathaus on Marienplatz. Beautiful.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2009 from Anneliese Mostert on Vimeo.



Or watch on vimeo by clicking here.