The Girl's Day Out!

.....and by girl's day, I mean me, singular.

Upon hearing the news that my hubby was going to his business' Christmas Party solo, my wildcat instincts emerged. "Huh?"
I had already picked out, in my mind, what I was going to wear, in the split second he announced a Christmas Party. Try it boys, see how fast your "better half" comes up with a get-up with an event you purpose. Faster than Jack Flash, I assure, whoever he may be. It's difficult for men to understand, but the ladies can share in my disappointment when John gave the thumbs down to my daydream.

It seems nobody is getting married anymore, and for the company to say "sure, bring the wifies, but not the live ins," would be so politically incorrect they would have to call up one of the Clintons to clarify exactly what they meant in managable terms. So wives or husbands get left home while their SAP spouses dance along with jazz bands, dabble in great food, and mingle with..... the same people they see everyday. hmmmmm.


I decided that I was going to be an American Tourist today, and do my best not to blend in. I arranged this at the onset by pulling on my track pants, and white tennis shoes, both items are trademarks of Americans, my husband assures me. I have done my best to dress a little better since I've been here, but today I was going with my Californian instincts and brought the camera to boot. There was no mistaking, there was a foreigner at the Heidelberg Christmas Market today (I should have worn a sign, but there was no need).

This first picture is of a carousel and a giant Santa Clause. Though the presentation of it was quite impressive, it didn't make me want to sing "Jolly 'Ol Saint Nicolas", it made me want to move on a little faster.


If you picture the Christmas Market as the house, or the main attraction. The muscians along the street were, more or less, the nic nacs. They brought a little more "flavor" or "color" to the scene. I saw two 12ish year old boys playing the sax, and a man that really should not have been playing that thing with strings he was playing, much less singing. Oh well that is, no doubt, what they were saying about me, when Gertie (my guitar) and I did the same thing a few weeks ago.

You know how on virtually every shelf in Wal-Mart you can find stockings, or something like it (besides where the cans of tomato soup go) during Christmas time? Well, not so, in Germany. I have been hunting down a pair of stockings for almost a month, and today I found them!!!! Not at the store you see in the picture, however. This store is a "must" if you ever come visit. It's a year round Christmas store, with loads of surprises at every turn.

I had another item on my "American things to do" list, and that was, you guessed it, visit Starbucks. My hubby can't stand the place, and I've been coping, because really, once you have tasted real Italian coffee, your hands are firmly on the plow.
However, today I had a craving, the kind that has taken your mind off of tasks in the past week, so I went. You can imagine my surprise when I found other Americans there (.....kidding, of course). One interesting thing, you might never find in the States is a chandelier hanging from the Starbuck's ceiling. I also got to have my first conversation (using the term loosely) in German with a complete stranger. YEAH!!!



Christmas Markets are a lot of fun, even by yourself. I didn't really buy anything from the actual booths, but they are everywhere, ready to serve holiday cheer. It was great, just to sit in Starbuck's and read a little, take a million pictures and soak in the season. Blessings to you and yours!