Hazy Shade of Winter

Buergbrennen - photo by Charel Bidoli (Wort.lu)

I hate to whine. I really do. But, being a Texan, I am used to the sun, and this winter has really been a long, grey, drawn-out ordeal. I do know I tend to be a bit sensitive to seasonal affective disorder (otherwise known as the Winter Blues), so I have definitely been popping those vitamins D pills, but I don't think I have ever felt so sun deprived!  I am told that this winter has been a bit unusual. Given that the weather EVERYWHERE has been "unusual," what is really "usual"? It can be a bit surreal watching the news here and seeing the U.S. be battered time and time again by some "unusual" hurricane, snow storm, etc. It seems we could all use a break from this onslaught of winter. Besides, I could have sworn I saw Phil declare an early end to winter this year!

Okay, so maybe Phil has no known influence on European winters. In fact, I doubt many Europeans even know about Punxutawney Phil, and would find it rather odd that we wake up on February 2nd in eager anticipation as to whether or not this notable rodent will see his shadow. That being said, Luxembourg has its own odd celebrations for the end of winter. Probably the best known event here in Luxembourg would have to be the Buergbrennen. Although I have not had the chance to attend one of the local celebrations, it is by far the one that is most disturbing to Americans, only because for those of us brought up in the South, cross burnings mean something VERY different than what it symbolizes here. Buergbrennen is a long celebrated tradition in Luxembourg. Villages throughout the country put great use to their dried up Christmas trees by fashioning them into a cross and setting them on fire. This is generally preceded by a church service and a torchlit parade through the city. The bonfire itself represents the "burning" of winter and the beginning of longer days and shorter nights.

Stréimännchen

Unfortunately, we haven't been able to make it to the Buergbrennen these last couple of years. This year, however, the boys and I did manage to make it to a smaller celebration in Remich (a small wine town near the German border) called Stréimännchen. Similar in concept, and generally held on Ash Wednesday, locals create a large straw man (think scarecrow from "Wizard of Oz," only 10 feet tall and holding an empty bottle of Cremant) and parade him through the narrow streets of the small border town, accompanied by the typical, boisterous "oompah" bands. Once they reach the Moselle River, which separates Luxembourg from Germany, the music becomes more solemn and the parade transitions into a funeral procession. The straw man's journey ends at the mid point of the bridge where he is lit on fire and tossed into the Moselle river, again, symbolizing the end of winter, the end of carnival, and the beginning of lent. I have to admit - the boys thought this ritual was a bit on the creepy side, not to mention a bit un-environmental given the burning "trash" tossed into the river, but I love that Luxembourg has these unique and often "quirky" events. 

Speaking of quirky celebrations, I happen to be writing this post on "Bretzelsonndeg." Similar to Valentine's Day, Bretzelsonndeg is just another day and another opportunity for men to express their love or interest in a girl by presenting them with, what else... a pretzel. In fact, the larger the pretzel, the more the implied, um, affection :) If the feeling is mutual, the boy will likely receive a chocolate egg from the girl of his affections on Easter Sunday. The exception to both of these events is leap year when roles are reversed. The straw "man" is a straw "woman," and women have the honor of presenting pretzels to their sweethearts (a la Saddie Hawkins).

Anyway, it does seem that Luxembourgers have enough rituals around the riddance of winter that I am not alone in my quest for sunnier days and spring flowers. Spring break is quickly approaching and we will definitely be heading towards warmer temperatures and sunny beaches. In the meantime, it seems we are expecting another 1-3 inches of snow in the next couple of days. Guess I won't be putting that snow shovel up just yet...

Let it snow...a little

The last few weeks have honestly been quite a blur. As much as I love the holidays, sometimes they just suck you in and spit you out into January. December seems to have been a haze of hectic shopping, stubborn illnesses, missed French classes and a rather uncomfortable house pet (our golden retriever had surgery). That was before we even left to the States for the holidays. Yes, our house has been quite busy these last few weeks, so it is a welcomed relief to have things slow down a bit as they seem to in January.

We actually had our first snow in December. In fact, there was one week where we had a decent few inches and the kids were (sort of) let home early. Apparently fears of large amounts of snow and difficult driving situations from a couple of years ago are still quite prevalent around the boys' school. This picture was actually taken that day. Though we didn't quite receive the anticipated snowfall (it seemed to have magically stopped as soon as word hit Facebook that parents were free to pick up their children early from school), it was quite lovely and helped to get everyone into the holiday spirit. This week, we returned to a similar picture, though no snow days for the young. Instead, just messy roads, crazy traffic, and lots of shoveling and salt tossing. In Luxembourg, you are responsible for clearing your sidewalks so that the walkways are safe for pedestrians. As fate would have it, it seems to ALWAYS snow on a work day. I shouldn't complain. The shoveling is great exercise and I could certainly use the opportunity to work off the calories I took on back in the States, but here is the bold truth. I hate snow. Really, I hate the stuff. It's cold. It's slippery. It turns to black muck and makes the streets a mess. It requires salt to dissolve, which means we deal with salt marks on our clothes, our cars, our floors, etc. Maybe it's because I am from Texas and didn't even see snow for the first time until I was 18, but 20+ years later, I've grown to hate the stuff. It's fine when I am on vacation, skiing maybe, hanging out in a hotel or resort where someone else can deal with the resulting headaches and mess. However, when I have to shovel and clean up after it, it quickly loses its appeal. Even my kids are past the snowman age (though I am sure they would be game for sledding) and would prefer to stay indoors than mess with the stuff. Yes, it makes everything look pretty, and that first snow fall is just magical. I do love the way it seems to hush everything and everyone, as if everyone is taking a large breathe and letting out a collective sigh. And I love to watch the snow fall  - I just prefer to watch it from my window. But I have to admit that I much prefer the snowfalls where it snows about an inch, the sun comes out and melts it a few hours later, and, even better, it happens on a weekend when we can just sit back and enjoy its beauty. Unfortunately, this week's snowfall started on Tuesday and the temperatures are low enough that it will certainly stick around for awhile. The forecast also predicts more on the way this weekend. But, I guess that will be okay. Perhaps a weekend of hot chocolate, movies and PJs are in order. Just don't expect me to shovel.

Giving Thanks

It's been almost a week and a half since we celebrated Thanksgiving here in Lux. It is somewhat of a strange holiday to celebrate here given that it is solely an American holiday and not a recognized event in Europe. Our kids still go to school like any normal day, which can seem quite disorienting when you have friends across the pond talking up the travel, the food, the football, etc., leaving you celebrating somewhat vicariously through the web or on Facebook. The parade is taped or watched in the evening, same with football, and the meal is generally postponed until the weekend.

This year we chose to celebrate Thanksgiving while most were charging the stores in search of Black Friday deals. With the boys in school, I could spend the day timing the meal and preparing the house for our guests. We invited several of Joe's work colleagues - the ones who are single with no kids - and  a couple of friends from Australia/New Zealand that we have had the pleasure of getting to know these last few months. The evening was lovely and everyone indulged in a true Southern meal - deep fried Cajun turkey, cornbread stuffing, cranberry relish, sweet potato casserole, etc. Although cooking is really not "my thing," I do enjoy cooking for friends and having the opportunity to bring folks together who might not otherwise have had an option to celebrate. Holidays, I have learned, can often be a somewhat lonely time of year when you are separated from your family, so friends are a wonderful alternative to closing that gap. You are quickly reminded that they become your family away from home in so many ways.

Now that the flurry of cooking is done and we are marching are way towards Christmas, I finally have the time and inclination to sit back and really consider what all I am truly thankful for. Actually, I have been tossing around these thoughts for awhile now (inspired by several of my friends who posted their "thankful thoughts" by day on Facebook throughout November), but I haven't quite had the motivation to just sit down and write. However, catching a nasty cold has slowed me down a bit today, so, despite the sneezing and coughing, I can be thankful that my body is letting me know to give life a rest. So, here goes my list.

I am truly grateful for:

• My friends. Near and far, new and old, they are my lifeline to sanity and keep me grounded to what is really important in life. So many of my friends have had a tough time this year, whether it was a scary medical diagnosis, a death in the family, or natural disaster. They have weathered the storms and have shown such dignity and strength that I can't help but be in awe of their perseverance. They truly inspire me.
• My family. While my friends help ground me, my family gives me the stability and strength to spread my wings and try things I might not otherwise try and travel to places I might not otherwise venture to. They provide me with a place where, no matter what, I can depend on their unconditional support and love.
• My health. Okay - I'll be honest here - I will always wish to be thinner, taller, younger, etc. (don't we all?) And though I know I can always improve my diet, my exercise, and my stress levels, I will always strive to live life to the fullest and make memories along the way. As I reach the age where friends are being diagnosed with life threatening illnesses or losing friends and relatives to old age or chronic health problems, I become more aware of the need to prioritize myself so that I can continue to enjoy life and be the best mom/wife/friend I can be. I really can't complain if the saddest day of my year was last week when I had to finally break down and order reading glasses. I know - break out the violins. Somehow, I have always linked this to getting old and for some odd reason it struck me like a rude slap in the face. Perhaps I will get over it when the glasses come in and I can finally read a damn restaurant menu in "romantic lighting." *sigh*
• God. I know this is always a tricky topic. I am not an overly religious person on the surface, and I am not an avid church goer. I am, however, moved beyond words when God makes his presence known to me with life's littlest details. He has definitely carried me through the worst moments of my life, and I firmly believe that He holds my hand on a daily basis when life just seems to throw me curve balls, one after another. While my friends and family give me strength, God gives me direction and guidance. 

I could probably go on, but this short little list sums things up pretty well for me. I truly feel blessed that I have so much to be thankful for. In many ways, this move to a new country, a new culture, a new life, has enabled me to see everything in such a new perspective. I often get the question "What is the biggest difference between living in the US and living in Europe?" My answer usually is - life moves slower here. I often felt like I was on a treadmill in the States - constantly rushed and pressured to reach "super mom" status by over-committing and over-working. I still feel that way at times here (old habits die hard), but you do learn to appreciate what you have and worry less about what you don't. Tonight, I am reminded to take life a little slower - watch a Christmas movie with the boys, fix some homemade soup, enjoy a cup of tea, and be thankful for those friends who know how to cheer you up when you are out of sorts or down with a cold... even if they have to let you know via Facebook :)

Proud to be an American...

Okay, it has been WAY too long since I have written a post. I really have no decent excuse except that life has been WAY too busy. Thankfully, life is beginning to slow down a bit and our badly needed fall break last week has re-energized me. What better time to get back to writing than sitting in front of the TV and watching CNN as the votes begin to trickle in back in the States. After being in Lux for a year, I feel like I have assimilated pretty well to the more laid-back life in Europe. Despite living in a country where English is not one of the official languages, it is exceedingly easy to spend the majority of your time among other Americans or other English speaking residents. Thanks to the Internet, keeping up with what is going on back in the US is just a simple click away.

Last week the kids and I travelled to Budapest, Hungary. The weather was not the best. Honestly, it really wasn't particularly great anywhere in Europe. It rained most of the time, but thankfully it didn't dampen our moods or our experience. The city itself was lovely and definitely merits another trip during the summer, or at least a time when hopefully my husband will be able to join us. We spent our days doing the typical tourist thing, taking long walks to see the sites, catching the "Hop On, Hop Off" bus to get the lay of the land, and enjoying the beautiful Danube River and the comfort-food Hungary is known for. Having done a little research ahead of our trip, I wanted to make sure the boys learned a bit about the history of this wonderfully historical city, including its very complicated and harrowing past. This country not only suffered from the horrifying rule of the Nazis and the loss of 600,000 Jewish lives, they continued to suffer for decades under they heavy hand of communism and the fear their leaders instilled in them. There was so much to see in Budapest, but the most moving highlights of the trip were our visits to the Synagogue and to the House of Terror. Both gave us a small glimpse of what life was like for folks who were stripped of their rights and their freedom. Such a humbling experience.

Beautiful Budapest - the Danube River

We kept very busy during the days, but we spent our nights leading up to Halloween re-watching the Harry Potter movies and pulling up Slingbox on our laptops to see how the Northeast was doing as Hurricane Sandy came ashore. It really was mesmerizing to see how quickly a relatively low-grade storm could wreck havoc on such a large section of the country in so short a time. My heart immediately went out to friends of mine here in Luxembourg who were anxious to hear word from their family and friends back in the States and learn what the status was of their cities and homes.

It's hard to remember what life was like pre-Internet or iPhone. I do remember being in LA when the Northridge earthquake hit. Joe and I had only been married for a few months and had gone to sleep just hours before the earthquake hit. Our little apartment in Studio City was usually well lit from the lights shining through the blinds from the Ventura Highway. When the earthquake hit, all of the lights in LA went out. I remember Joe and I literally hanging on to the sides of the bed, trying to keep from being flung onto the floor. We had had a few tremors for weeks leading up to the quake, but this one was unbelievably loud and harsh, throwing everything side to side. Once the quake ended, we bolted out of bed. In my case, I rolled over right on to our dresser which had fallen over. We scrambled to find clothes and shoes as the first after shock came. Not being from California, we had no idea what to do. As Texans, our first instinct was to find a closet or safe room, which, by the way, is only for tornadoes. For earthquakes, you get OUT of the building as quickly as possible. However, our instincts drove us to the kitchen to where the pantry was located. We were quickly stopped by the refrigerator that had managed to pull away from the wall and block the entry. We quickly moved the fridge, only to change our minds about the pantry when we discovered that all of our glass plates and cups had fallen out of the cupboards and were lying in shards all over the floor. I guess it was a good thing since this seemed to jolt us into realizing it would be best to get out of the apartment where it would likely be safer. We did make our way out to the parking lot and began making our quick phone calls to family back in Texas before they began to worry. It was only 5 or 6 in the morning back there, but we did let our parents know that we were okay. They had not heard about the earthquake yet, but thankfully we were able to get through. Only minutes later the phones lines were overloaded and no one could get a call in or out of LA, and all of the morning shows were showing early footage of the damage the quake had caused. We had no idea what was going on in LA since we had no access to a working TV, and smart phones were obviously not an option back then. We knew the quake had been large, but what little information we were able to get was from a battery-powered radio. However, even the radio stations seemed to be struggling to get information. From what I could tell last week, New Yorkers seemed to have a similar experience since even cell phone service was disrupted for many folks. It really is disorienting in this day and age when you have no connection to the "outside world". Needless to say, I am very thankful that I can keep tract of what is going on in the US from so far away.

Just before we left for our trip, I finished reading a book written by one of our older members at the Women's Club. A native Luxembourger, she was a young teenager when WWII disrupted her childhood. I met her last year when she came to one of our monthly meetings and mentioned that she had copies of her book with her if anyone was interested in purchasing one. They sold out before I had the chance to get one, but she did come to our first meeting this year. US Ambassador Mandell came to speak to our group and she had come to hear him speak. She happened to bring some of her books and I was quick to buy one this time. I easily read her book within a couple of days and was really touched by her story of living through the Nazi occupation in Luxembourg. The most moving part of her book was her recount of Liberation Day, when the American soldiers came marching into her small village near the Luxembourg-Germany border. Her stories of how excited the people of her little village were to see those tall, young soldiers chasing the Nazis across the border back into Germany gave me such a personal perspective of how Europeans and Luxembourgers from that generation viewed our country and our military.

You can travel to just about any small town in Luxembourg, France, or Belgium and it is not unusual to run across an tank or monument remembering and honoring the soldiers of the Allied Forces who risked their lives to save Europe from Hitler's army. They may have seen American soldiers as being loud and brash, but they also saw the loyalty and pride those men had in their country and their determination to fight for the right for freedom. I find it fascinating that Europeans in general are very interested in what happens in the US. I have been asked many times this week about the election - whether I planned to vote, what Americans were thinking about the candidates, and if local Americans planned to celebrate once the winner is announced. I actually found the last question quite funny since politics can easily divide many Americans. So, the thought of a "celebration" party here in Luxembourg would most definitely have to run along party lines. Whatever the outcome, I am thankful that even here in this teeny tiny country, far away from my Texan roots, I can exercise my right to vote and have my voice heard. Hopefully folks back home feel the same way today as they head out to the polls and struggle to stay patient in those long lines. My vote means that much more to me today after having learned yet one more perspective of  how hard our ancestors fought for that right, not only for Americans, but for many folks around the world. After all, we live in a global world now and our influence is often just a click away.

Back to School...

I feel like these past few weeks have just been a whirlwind of activity!  I finally feel like I have the opportunity to just sit down, and breathe! The boys have actually been back to school for about 2 1/2 weeks now, but the days have flown by. The local students will start back to school this week and Luxembourg will finally feel back to normal again. It is really amazing how quiet life gets here in August when so many of the Europeans are on vacation. Luxembourg is still filled with tourists, but life in general seems to slow down to a snail's pace!

J is off on his 9th grade camping trip. It is a bit jarring that these overnight trips fall so early in the school year, but at least this allows the kids to reconnect and kick off the new school year with a little fun. The kids will be camping in Northern Luxembourg - 2 days in a tent and 2 days in a youth hostel. The teams of students will do lots of outdoor activities and are responsible for carrying their own necessities and food. I have heard such a wide variety of opinions from moms with 10th graders this year on how the trip went for their kiddos last year. Honestly, I have to admit, I can't help but be a tiny bit nervous. The stories are quite funny now that time has passed, but I am sure those parents weren't laughing a year ago, especially those of the kiddos who got lost on a 30 km hike! I took some of their advice and made sure he had a compass and good socks - apparently blisters were the largest complaint - as well as some warm clothes and sleeping bag since the nights are already getting quite chilly. Hopefully has has a great time and will share some stories with me when he returns. I know I will be lucky if I get more than the trip was "fine," but I can always hope!

Volunteer work has kicked off with a vengeance. I am on the board for both the American Women's Club and the PTO at school, so I have been busy with planning meetings and rounding up room parents. I know some folks think I am crazy to do so much, but I honestly enjoy having a busy calendar and places to be. I often miss work, not because I long to do finance again, but because I loved the challenge and the opportunity to talk to other adults on a regular basis. Therefore, since my transition to the stay-at-home mom role, I have thrown myself into volunteer work. I have had a great time meeting folks who have just moved here to Luxembourg. It is quite funny to feel like an "expert" now, even though inside I know that I am still quite new to this whole ex-pat thing. I am still dealing with new experiences and challenges a year later, but at least I can now see how far I have come just listening to folks going through what I did a year ago. This year's personal challenges include re-newing passports (I started working on the boys this morning), getting an international drivers license (yep, I am a little late doing that, but c'est la vie...), getting further with my French, and figuring out our travel plans for the next year. Somewhere in there I need to get back to the gym, but at least I feel like we are eating healthier these days!

The wine festivals have also started - or, I should say, are in full swing now. Joe and I have been to a couple of them in the last two weeks with friends of ours. This weekend's was near Wolferdange and included several small towns. We spent most of our time in one small village, walking from winery to winery for tastings. It is really quite surreal to walk into someone's backyard and be welcomed like old relatives! We spent most of the evening in one cave, trying no less than 8 varieties. Needless to say, we have quite a bit of wine from there heading our way in a few short weeks. You only hope you like the wine as much then as you did when you were tasting it after several hours at a wine festival! We also spent time at the winery of the reining wine queen. It was adorable to see her parents wearing t-shirts with her picture on them and the mom wearing a tiara! I just love this time of year!

Well, time to head off for errands before the rest of my day escapes me. I am still in the routine of buying groceries about every other day since otherwise so much food goes to waste. Since J is out for the week, I can actually cook whatever I like since the others are not quite so picky. I still don't care for cooking, but at least when I do I like to know everyone is going to eat! Such is the life of a mom with teenagers...

There's no place like home...

Unlike many expats, we sold our house, packed up all of our belongings and made the full-fledged moved to Europe. This may not sound unusual, but when the average expat goes abroad for maybe 3-5 years, most do not sever their connection to their home country. Many friends of ours have either their home back in the US/home country, or perhaps a vacation home that they just weren't quite ready or willing (or able, given the economy) to let go. In our case, when we head back to the States, a visit requires lodging with family or friends. This summer we headed to the West Coast - San Diego - to visit my in-laws. Yes, I do get along very well with my in-laws and, yes, it is a wonderful place to visit and hang out for awhile. However, staying with family or friends isn't the same as being in your own space, so there still lingers that edgy feeling that you are a vistor. It's not a bad thing, necessarily, but it does tend to make you feel a little "disengaged." Home slowly starts meaning where your family is, which for us is now Luxembourg.

Our visit to the US started later than most folks. It seemed that as soon as that final school bell rang, folks were on their way "home." I have friends from several countries now, and that word means something different for everyone - a lake home in the Southeast, a vacation home back in Scandinavia, a condo in the South, or perhaps a parents' home somewhere/anywhere. In any case, the definition varies person to person, but everyone was nonetheless anxious to get back! Since Joe could not take much time off this summer, we decided that just the kids and I would head back for a few weeks or so, and that we would take a family vacation somewhere in Europe once we got back. Furthermore, since we had been away from Virginia for a couple of years, my oldest son was eager to visit his friends who would also be starting high school this year. As a birthday present for my son, I agreed to tack on a quick trip to the end of our CA stay. In all honesty, the moms of these friends are close friends of mine as well, so I couldn't resist the opportunity to catch up with them as well. I wanted to make sure we would be able to celebrate Joe's birthday with him, so I scheduled our trip for the day after his big day. We celebrated with a wonderful lobster dinner (his favorite) and quickly packed for the long trip - 2 hours by car to Brussels, 8 hour flight to D.C., 4 hour layover, and a 5 hour flight to the West Coast. Our day started at 5:00 a.m. and ended in San Diego at 8:00 p.m. that same night. We were exhausted, but happy to be "home."

La Jolla, CA

My in-laws have a small house in what is absolutely the best location I can imagine - a two block walk from Pacific Beach, about 4-5 blocks south of La Jolla. By waiting until mid-July for our visit, I was hopeful that we would have a better chance of favorable weather since San Diego can often be cool and cloudy during the summer months. We lucked out. San Diego had been cloudy with days of marine layer... until the day we arrived. It seems we usually bring Lux rain with us, but finally we were greeted with sunny skies. The IL's have a small rental house in the back where Joe and I generally stay, while the kids stay in the front house in the guest room. We kept the same arrangements, which was wonderful for me. I had a place to escape to in the evenings to catch the Olympic highlights and regroup/plan for the next day.

We spent the time as most tourists do - lots of trips to the beach, SeaWorld, Balboa Park, etc. Each day was busy and the kids were loving it. My only frustration - the huge time difference from Luxembourg. Trying to catch a few minutes on the phone with Joe was a constant challenge since catching him before bedtime meant calling some time before 2:00 p.m., often when were heading to the beach or a show at SeaWorld. We missed him a ton, which always reminded me, at least, that we weren't really home. We also spent a lot of time making the multiple, necessary trips to Target, Kohl's, Nordstrom's, CVS, etc. for school clothes, OTC meds, and other random items that are difficult to find or are expensive here in Europe. Not to mention our frequent eating-out ventures in order to feed our long-denied fast food addiction - visits to Chick-fil-a, In-N-Out Burger, Rubio's, Kono's, and (my favorite) Panera. No, it was not the time to worry about diets - that is for when the kids head back to school. But, after a couple of days of the fast food/burger thing, Panera became my preferred choice - as was my morning jaunt to Starbuck's with the oldest son.

Balboa Park

Soon enough we were boarding our flight east to Richmond. It really is amazing to see how much two years can change adolescent boys! All of them, including my own, now tower over me. Okay - maybe a couple of them are "towering" while the others more or less "teeter," but being that I am only 5'4", it doesn't take much). The sound of changing voices could also be quite interesting. The moms were absolutely wonderful hostesses, planning swim parties and outings so that the boys could chat, hang and do whatever it is boys this age do - including the not-surprising choice of video game time. Although Richmond hadn't changed much since our move a couple of years ago, enough time has elapsed that the city no longer has the feeling of "home." I do get homesick once in awhile when I think of how many years we spent in Richmond and how both of our boys essentially grew up there, but those memories are now embedded in the hundreds of pictures that I vow to get off my computer's hard drive some day.

After a long weekend in Richmond, we headed back to Lux. Another long travel day - 2 hour drive to D.C., 2 hour wait for the plane, 8 hour flight back to Brussels, and 2 hour drive to Lux. At least going east you are flying through the night, but since by this point I had no idea what time zone we were in, I spent the majority of the time catching up on the in-flight movies. The next two days were a flurry of sleep deprivation and packing for our week trip to Italy.

Suffice it to say, it has finally settled in that home is Luxembourg and that our trips back to the US will be "vacation" rather than the expat version of "going home." I guess it comes with the territory when you make the decision to move here for an "indefinite" period of time. We will head back again at Christmas time - this time to Colorado where my brother-in-law and his girlfriend will host. As for next summer, we may head south to Texas, or the kids may head to camp. Either way, home will be Lux and we will still spend the bulk of our time here as a family. Someday I hope that we can maybe have a spot to call "home" back in the US, but by the time we settle in here and start looking beyond our rented home in Lux, our spot may be somewhere else here in Europe. We spent a week in Tuscany (next blog post) that is truly one family's "love of the heart." I hope someday to find the same, wherever that may be!

Alsace Lorraine - The "Route de Vin" of France

Route de Vin, Alsace

Before the boys and I headed back to the States for a few weeks, we decided to celebrate Joe's birthday by taking an extended weekend trip. His birthday was the day before we were scheduled to leave, so we took the trip the prior weekend so that we could spend some quality time together as a family before putting several thousand miles between us!

Alsace, France is the northeast region of the country that is bordered by Germany. The terrain is mostly rolling green hills dotted with quaint little medieval-dated villages surrounded by vineyards, with the occasional castle lingering on a distant hill. Most folks visit the region on their way to Strasbourg, which holds one of the most popular Christmas markets each winter. I booked a cute, boutique hotel in Strasbourg called Cour Du Corbeau. It is currently listed as the #1 hotel by reviews for the area on Tripadvisor.com. Being the Tripadvisor junkie that I am, I found a great deal  - a room that would hold all 4 of us, including our golden retriever. Despite a slight error on my part on the booking (though the room I booked states that it will hold up to 4 adults - in our case, 2 adults and 2 teenaged boys - I was careful to mention the dog, but failed to make note of the kids :-/ ), the check-in process was terrific. The staff was genuinely friendly and very accommodating, settling us in the top floor family suite overlooking their courtyard. The rooms had obviously been recently remodeled and the bathroom was one of the largest I have seen here in Europe. Our only inconvenience was the fact that we had to walk a couple of blocks to the nearest park to walk Shelby, but otherwise, we couldn't have asked for more.

We spent the first night checking out the city of Strasbourg. The city is situated on the Ill River, which flows into the Rhine along the German border. Its Gothic Cathedral, with its famous astronomical clock, can be seen from the distant highway that runs north/south through the region. The church was never completed to the original design - the south tower was never built. As such, the church's asymmetrical design has become the landmark for the city. During our visit, the summer light show was going on. In the evening, you could visit the exterior of the cathedral and watch the facade come to life in an array of colors, while themed music played in the plaza.

Colmar, France

The next couple of days of our trip we spent traveling down to Colmar, the southern most point of the Route de Vin, and making our way back north towards Strasbourg. Colmar is a romantic village full of half-timbered houses and winding, cobblestone streets lined with regional cafes and shops. The city boasts its famous born engineer, Frederic Bartholdi, best known for his design of the Statue of Liberty. In fact, there is a smaller version of the Lady of Liberty just on the border of the city as you come into Colmar from the main highway. We enjoyed walking through the streets, having lunch at your typical French cafe, and checking out the parks and churches - our standard day trip in Europe.

After Colmar, we made our way through the winding Route de Vin, dotted with many more quaint medieval towns, each with its own character and personality. Standard to all were the prevailing stork-themed souvenir shops. Several of the towns sport tall towers dotted with stork nests - for some, the nests perch precariously on the roofs of the city church. In one such village, Kaysersberg, the local nest was occupied with 2-3 storks during our visit. You could also see them hanging out in the fields throughout the Alsace area. Though it was so tempting to stop and visit each town, only a few could be visited on a day trip. Kaysersberg made our list since it also boasted its local glass artisans and their wares. Each of our boys went home with a glass-blown animal (snail and turtle) filled with beautiful threads and drops of colors. Joe and I also managed to leave with a case of local wine, so no complaints on our part! The weather held out, though the clouds were always threatening rain. We did miss out on visiting the area castle (Haut-Koenigsbourg), but, as we always say, we left something for our next visit! The day we visited the Route de Vin also happened to be Bastille Day, known as National Day to the French. We capped the day with a terrific show of fireworks held at the park just a few blocks from our hotel. The show was fantastic and not lacking much from those of Luxembourg's National Day!

Most expensive car - the Bugatti VEYRON at $2.5 million!

Our final day in Alsace the weather finally gave in to rain. Luckily, we had saved the museums for our final jaunt. We headed back south to Mulhouse to the Cite de l'Automobile and Cite du Train museums. Both were quite excellent and the boys had a great time checking out the showrooms and learning a little about the history of transportation, from the European perspective. I know this may seem a bit strange, but having grown up in the US, I always assumed that Henry Ford developed the first automobile; however, that is far from the truth. Though he may have been the one credited for mass production, the early history of the automobile is deeply entrenched in Europe. Just check out Wikipedia and you will see that Karl Benz is actually credited for being the first to produce automobiles in 1888 in Germany and in France by Emile Roger. The Cite de l'Automobile is a highlight to these early achievements. The museum is essentially the personal collection of cars from the Schlumpf brothers. The brothers made their fortune in the textile industry. In 1957, the brothers bought the HKD textile factory, a former wool mill in Mulhouse. Fritz Schlumpf began secretly purchasing a large number of classic cars (over 200) and in 1966 began work on the museum in the purchased wool mill in order to showcase his impressive collection of Bugattis, Mercedes and Rolls Royces. You can read more about the history of the museum on their website, www.citedelautomobile.com, but needless to say, the collection is quite impressive! Many of the cars date from the late 1800's and early 1900's, but include models throughout the decades. The train museum is also worth a visit if you have a train enthusiast in your family. The museum boasts locomotives, freight cars and passenger cars throughout the history of rail transportation, including the Paris Metro system and the more recent TGV lines. Both museums were easily seen in one day, which rounded out our visit to the area with museums that actually engaged our sons beyond the cursory nod at a relic painting or statue :)

We returned to Luxembourg on a Monday, celebrated Joe's birthday on a Tuesday, and then boarded the plane heading west to the States on Wednesday. Needless to say, I am playing a little catch-up on my posts, but wanted to make sure I posted a little something on this wonderful area of France. Though I may not be too keen on the local cuisine (lots of pork, sausages and potatoes - typical German fare), I love the area. One that note, I also have to admit that our favorite meal was from a Thai restaurant just around the corner from our hotel. Needles to say, Strasbourg will definitely be on my list of places to visit for Christmas!