Trip to the Temple
Last week we were asked to drive our little blue Opel to Schwarzenberg to make a trade for a newer model (same exact car - color and everything - but a new model). The church rotates the fleet of cars assigned to the mission and it was our car's turn to be rotated for a newer model. Schwarzenberg (3 1/2 hours from Berlin) is just an hour drive from the Freiberg Temple, so we decided to spend the night in the temple apartments so that we could go to the temple the next day. We attended the 2 morning sessions. It is always a spiritual uplift to be at the temple and renew covenants there.
After our temple sessions we went for lunch to a delightful restaurant - Schwanenschloesschen.
The restaurant is situated on the picturesque pond that greets you as you come into the little city of Freiberg.
The food was delicious! Authentic German food - the best we have had since coming to Germany. I ordered the Sauerbraten (German pot roast) which was served with rotkohl and potatoes and Hal had a wonderful chicken dish which was served with noodles and carrots.
We drove home on some of the less traveled back roads and passed through the little village of Frankenstein - so of course we had to stop for some pictures!
Thanksgiving
On Thanksgiving day, we went to the mission home to join with the office elders, assistants, Pres. and Sister Kosak and the senior couples working in the mission office.
The food was a very traditional, American Thanksgiving menu - complete with green bean casserole and pumpkin and pecan pies. Everything was delicious and of course we ate way too much!
Weihnachten - Christmas in Germany
Christmas is truly Germany's biggest holiday with decorations, Christmas concerts and Christmas markets which open November 25th. During the Christmas season, most every city and town has a Weihnachtsmarkt ( Christmas market) and Berlin has over 60 such markets. We went with our friend Susan to the Potsdamer Platz market last Friday evening. Smells from a variety of foods fill the air - there are booths for crepes, waffles, glazed fruit, grilled sausages, roasted nuts, candies, German pastries etc. etc. There are also many little booths with German handcrafted items, toys, scarves and many other gifts. With the Christmas lights and decorations, these outdoor markets have an almost magical feeling and appeal.
That same evening, we visited the lobby of the Ritz Carlton to see the gingerbread creations there. The display behind us is of a mountain and the village below.
The big attraction was the gingerbread re-creation of the Berliner Dom Cathedral. The photo doesn't do it justice - it truly is a work of art. The small photo above on the right shows the real life cathedral.
The LEGO displays and beautiful lights at the Sony Center across the street from Potsdamer Platz
It is amazing to see all that can be made out of LEGOS!
Weihnachtsmarkt at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Platz
One afternoon on our way home from grocery shopping we passed through the Christmas Market just up the street from our apartment.
We love the German Christmas pyramid decorations!
