Our European Christmas

dezembro 2018 - junho 2024

What a special trip this is to celebrate Vern’s 50th Birthday. Leia mais

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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 16 de dez. de 2018
- ⛅ 0 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974719, 7.07243150°58’29” N 7°4’21” E
1
Dia 7
More photos of the christmas market
16 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C
Viajante Geez that looks like they are having a sneaky smoke in the woods. 8-).
16/12/2018Responder
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 17 de dez. de 2018
- ⛅ 6 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974537, 7.0725550°58’28” N 7°4’21” E
Dia 8
Cologne
17 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Our first day in Cologne was a quiet one. Boys were a bit worn out so they spent some time with Vern going to the park and having some lunch at a local Italian restaurant. Whilst louise and I went into town to go to the bank, yes we needed more money, and did a little shopping.

We did go past the famous Cologne Christmas markets out the front of the Dom and had the most amazing chocolate coated strawberries. There was also some amazing nougat. We are planning a evening at those markets later in the week.

Tomorrow is Vern’s birthday, and we have a dinner out planned but he is not sure what he wants to do during the day.

Also there is a photo showing some little hessian bags on a sting on the kids bedroom wall. This is an advent calendar for the kids that Katrin made. What a fantastic idea.Leia mais
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Viajante Nice work team. Look great. Chocolate covered anything is good Lou.
17/12/2018Responder
Viajante Happy Birthday Vern, Make it a memorable European birthday to remember, Love Mike & Helen
17/12/2018Responder
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 18 de dez. de 2018, 11:59
- ⛅ 6 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974739, 7.07228550°58’29” N 7°4’20” E
Dia 9
Vern's 50th Birthday Begins!
18 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Happy Birthday Vern! You made it!

What a beautiful morning it is today with the sun shining. We had a great German breakfast and Philipp and Katrin set up a fantastic birthday table for Vern. After singing happy birthday and blowing out the candles on the “beer cake” Vern opened a gift from Philipp and Katrin. It was a beautiful book with a page for each of Vern’s trips to Germany beginning in 1973. Katrin has sourced some great old photos to create a beautiful book with awesome memories. A tear or two may have been shed. So thoughtful and beautiful.

This afternoon we are off to a different Christmas market for more Gluhwein and food before a special dinner at a Brauhaus that Philipp has booked with the rest of the family.Leia mais
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Viajante Happy happy birthday Uncle Vern! How special to be spending your 50th with your family in Germany!! Drink up!! Xx
18/12/2018Responder
Viajante Wow, what a fantastic birthday present that book is. Have a ripper day Vern and enjoy the food and experience tonight at dinner
18/12/2018Responder
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 18 de dez. de 2018, 20:59
- ☁️ 5 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974686, 7.07232150°58’29” N 7°4’20” E
Dia 9
Vern's 50th Birthday Dinner
18 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
This afternoon Vern got a surprise when Silke (another cousin) turned up to celebrate his birthday. Karla the joined us and we headed out to a Christmas market. We had some more great Gluhwein followed by some Austrian cheese and bratwurst. Such a pretty market with beautiful stalls and a great atmosphere.

Sonja and frank and their kids then joined us before we walked to the Brauhaus for dinner. It was a traditional Brauhaus that had brewed beer for many many years and the food was awesome. I had a fantastic goulash whilst Vern and Philipp had pork knuckle which was a huge piece of meat on a bone.

Such a fantastic night full of so much fun and laughter! A big thank you to Philipp for organising it all. As I sit writing this back at home Philipp is pouring the Schnapps and they seem settled in for a long evening.

A totally awesome birthday with the German relatives. You couldn’t ask for more.Leia mais
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Viajante Bottoms up !
18/12/2018Responder
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 18 de dez. de 2018, 22:51
- ☁️ 4 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974648, 7.07230950°58’29” N 7°4’20” E
Dia 9
More Christmas Market Photos
18 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 19 de dez. de 2018, 21:44
- ⛅ 7 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974755, 7.07239350°58’29” N 7°4’21” E
Dia 10
Ski Fitting
19 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Today we did a little local shopping and a trip to the park after a sleep in. Silke (Vern’s cousin) then arrived and stayed to chat for a few hours. It was a great opportunity for Vern to get some information on other members of the family and to spend some quality time with Silke who is such a wonderfully cheerful person and such fun to have around.

In the late afternoon we all went for our ski fitting! Oh what fun. Lochie was so excited and just beamed from ear to ear. Kids thought walking around in ski boots was very funny but lochie was thrilled that his ski boots were brand new straight out of the box. They even had boots big enough for Vern’s enormous feet. We took the helmets and stocks home and we go back on the 27th to collect the boots and skis.

The weather has really warmed up today and we briefly hit double digits. It’s even forecast to be 14 degrees on the weekend. Compared to the 2 degrees we have had, 14 is balmy!

Tomorrow we are off to Bonn which was the capital of west Germany prior to the reunification. Some really historically interesting things to see there.Leia mais
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Viajante A sleep in and getting ready for skiing. Sounds like a great day to me.
19/12/2018Responder
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 20 de dez. de 2018, 19:59
- 🌧 8 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974636, 7.07248450°58’29” N 7°4’21” E
Dia 11
Bonn
20 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ 🌧 8 °C
What a totally awesome day we had today in Bonn. Bonn was the capital of west Germany prior to the reunification. We stayed at the Haribo factory outlet shop, and boy did the kids go nuts on lollies. They have been warned that consumption will be monitored. Such fun though.

We then went into the old town centre and it was just beautiful. Just by chance we had lunch in the Pizza Hut, which was the same one I had lunch in with mum and felicity in 1992 when I visited her.

The Christmas markets in Bonn were the best we have been to so far. Beautiful gifts and stalls with wonderful food and carols playing. I totally over indulged in the chocolate coated strawberries. They were amazing! The best I have had so far.

We then took a ride on the City Sky Liner which takes you up in the air then rotates so you get an awesome view of the city and the Rhine. It was really good.

Our final stop before heading home on the autobahn was the History of Germany Museum from 1945 onwards. So much recent history and the museum was fantastic. We didn’t get to spend as much time as we would have liked due to having three children in tow, but they were pretty good and asked lots of questions.

Tonight we are having Currywurst for dinner which is Vern’s favourite. Kids love it too.

We are eating our way around Germany, yet again!Leia mais
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Viajante Guys, looks like you are having so much fun!! And I also recall the best Choc coated strawberries are definitely in Europe!! Bonn looks like a pretty place. Xx
20/12/2018Responder
Viajante Bonn looks fantastic. Tell Will he is too big for that ride. 8-)
20/12/2018Responder
Katrina Parker You think!
20/12/2018Responder
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 20 de dez. de 2018, 22:40
- 🌧 7 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974625, 7.07237350°58’29” N 7°4’21” E
Dia 11
More photos from Bonn
20 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ 🌧 7 °C
Viajante Love the view from the top!
20/12/2018Responder
Katrina Parker Oh and not so cold today. We hit double digits. I think it got to 11 degrees. No need for gloves and beanies.
20/12/2018Responder
Viajante If it spins, I might have to mind the bags. Lol.
20/12/2018Responder
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 21 de dez. de 2018, 19:12
- 🌬 11 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974712, 7.07228450°58’29” N 7°4’20” E
Dia 12
Shopping and lunch on the Rhine
21 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ 🌬 11 °C
Today louise stayed home and we took Jonathan with us to the city. We started with some shopping at H & M and I got some more soft shell jackets for the boys for only $25 each! We purchased a few more items that we needed for our week of skiing cause we will not have any washing facilities. That requires a weeks worth of underwear for everybody. Also you can buy ice skates in the department store here for just €50.

Lunch was at a beautiful Italian restaurant by the Rhine River complete with outdoor heaters and beautiful red blankets to keep us toasty warm.

Kids played outside a bit then we had afternoon cake at my favourite cafe next to the Dom. The cheesecake was as awesome as I remember it. Then we spent a bit of time at the Christmas market next to the Dom. This Christmas market is world famous and I can see why. The lights are just magical. The photos don’t do it justice.

Our final stop was a luggage shop for another suitcase. As samsonite is made in Europe, they are a fair but cheaper here and we need that extra case for the shopping and snow boots!

Tomorrow we hope to get the Christmas tree if it doesn’t rain.Leia mais
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Katrina Parker Our European Christmas
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- 21 de dez. de 2018, 19:32
- 🌬 11 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- Alemanha Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Dellbrück 50.974667, 7.07212250°58’29” N 7°4’20” E
2
Dia 12
Dom Christmas Market
21 de dezembro de 2018, Alemanha ⋅ 🌬 11 °C
Viajante That looks so pretty!! Gorgeous.
22/12/2018Responder
Katrina Parker Yeah it was. Photos don’t do it justice.
22/12/2018Responder
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