German White Asparagus Season and the mania that surrounds it can be a bit confusing for anyone who grew up in America. It’s a vegetable. Who gets excited about vegetables? I can still remember the first time I went to a restaurant during German White Asparagus season. There was concern because the Season was ending in just a few days.…
Author: karenanne
Deutsches Haus New Orleans – The Story of Germans in Louisiana
I love finding pockets of Germany in unexpected corners of the United States. A few years ago, while visiting New Orleans for the Jazz Fest, I stumbled across a booth run by women in Dirndl. What a surprise to learn that Germans had a significant impact on the city’s development and that Germans STILL have a strong presence in New…
Travel to Germany on a Budget- A Few Tips and Tricks
Germany is a modern European country that’s on all of our must-visit lists. Why? Not only will you find some of the world’s most fascinating cities, you can also enjoy a variety of landscapes from mountains and fairy tale forests to fields of purple heather and great winding rivers. It’s a land of traditional festivals, wonderful castles, and an ancient…
Oma’s Münsterländer Struwen Recipe for Good Friday
In the Münsterland, a Good Friday without Struwen is unimaginable. Thanks to my Tante Anne, I have Oma’s recipe for Münsterländer Struwen. These yeast dough pancakes satisfy hunger in a time of Fasting without appearing, as my aunt said, “üppig” (extravagant). Struwen are sweet, but not too sweet, topped with a sprinkle of sugar or cinnamon sugar, filled with raisins,…
Where to Buy Your Favorite Birkenstock Sandals
When I was growing up, I fell in love with Birkenstock sandals. Sadly, years ago, the ONLY way you could get them was to hop on a plane to Germany (or send someone over with money and your size). Today, everyone is wearing Birkenstocks! I see them all over the college campuses (my daughter wears them all over), a the…
Planning a Trip to Germany- Tips and Best Travel Books Germany
I’m a planner and a list maker. This means that before I take a trip anywhere, I do lots of research and organize my travel plans. Travel is expensive, believe me, so I don’t want to waste time when I get there, wondering… “what do I do now?” Now, don’t think I have every minute of my day and night…
A Visit to the Cologne Cathedral in Germany
I’ve visited the Cologne Cathedral in Germany many times and explored from the basement Treasury to the top of the Bell Tower. Still, my visit for the German National Tourist Board was the first time I’ve ever crawled around on the floor. Most people, me included, walk into the immense Dom and look UP. You can’t help it. This is…
German Easter Breakfast- The BEST German Breakfast of the Year
German weekend breakfasts have a reputation for being delightful, drawn-out meals with loads of delicious things on the table… Aufschnitt, Brötchen, soft-boiled eggs and fruit. But German EASTER Breakfast takes it up a notch. I’m not much of a morning person, but I was always happy to hop out of bed to enjoy this special meal with my family. Even…
Die Häschenschule A Day At Bunny School -by Albert Sixtus
If you are of a certain age, you probably had a storybook about a Rabbit School on your bookshelves as a child. In 1924, Albert Sixtus published a book about bunnies going to school called Die Häschenschule. 95 years later, this classic book is still charming children all over Germany. For Easter in 2019, the Esslinger Verlag (Esslinger Publishing company)…
Bikes in Münster Germany- Germany’s Best City for Cycling!
“Achtung! Vorsicht!” shouted my guide. Once again, I had wandered without thinking into the bike lane. I had only been in Münster for a few hours and hadn’t yet switched my brain over to bicycles on the sidewalk mode. And that could be hazardous. You see, there are over 500,000 bikes in Münster, Germany, and only 300,000 inhabitants. Bikes are…