As a child, I loved paging through the family photo albums. Old black and white photos of family from years ago fascinated me. Imagine, my mother had braids! My father in a a baby carriage. But the one photo that drew me, more than any other, was the photo of my mother with a POLAR BEAR! The look on…
Author: karenanne
A Winter Walk in Germany by Michael Graber
Michael sent me a set of lovely photos that he took on a winter walk in Germany near his home in Planegg, Germany. (Planegg is a municipality in the district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the river Würm, 13 km west of Munich.) Germany may be cold… but it certainly is beautiful… (Please note- all photos…
What is a Zuckerhase? Learn More about these Nostalgic Easter Treats!
Every Easter, someone asks me if I remember the Rote Zuckerhase (Red Sugar Rabbit). The truth is, a Zuckerhase is new to me. I’m a child of chocolate bunnies. And I first saw one of these nostalgic treats in Berlin when I visited Germany at Easter. I did some digging since so many people have fond memories of them. There’s…
Lessons I Learned from My Oma… Now I’m Sharing them with You
What other Oma lessons did you learn?? We are coming up on my Oma’s birthday, and although she’s no longer with us, I will never forget all the life lessons she taught me. Now, don’t go thinking she sat me down in front of a chalk board and hammered this stuff into my brain. Oma was way more subtle…
Getting Around Berlin – 5 Reasons Why I love Berlin’s Transportation System
Getting around Berlin might seem a little daunting, but for my Exchange Student Daughter, Katy, navigating the U Bahn and Bus System is a breeze compared to what she grew up with in the Bay Area of Northern Calfornia. Katy is a veteran city bus rider, and used the BART to get around the Bay Area from an early age,…
Chicken Döner Recipe – Ersatz Döner You Can Make at Home
Let me start by saying that this Chicken Döner Recipe is not the same as visiting your favorite Döner stand in Germany at 1 am, when you are looking for delicious nourishment to get you through an evening of celebrating with friends. BUT! It’s a pretty darn good recipe, and it might just satisfy your cravings for those fabulous flavors.…
Interesting, Historic, Unusual and Cool Places to Stay in Germany
One thing I’ve learned in my travels, chain hotels can be somewhat impersonal. Yes, they have impeccable service, and it’s nice knowing what to expect…. but sometimes you want something that doesn’t look like everything else. I love staying somewhere a little fun or historical. A building with quirky staircases or odd shaped spaces. And if you want to stay…
Shopping for German School Supplies in Germany
My daughter, Katy, spent a Semester studying in Berlin. I’m delighted that she sent us a few posts about life as a California Girl in Germany. This week… shopping for German School supplies. Apparently, it’s not the same as it is here in California… All photos taken by Katy used with permission. There were many things I expected to be…
The Maschkera… Behind the German Fasching Masks
Cover photo- photo by F Delventhal courtesy flickr creative commons The Rhineland may be known for its Karneval / Fasching parades and celebrations, but go further south, to the Alpine area of Baden Württemberg, and you will find a different sort of Fasching Reveler. The Maschkera hide behind heavy carved wooden German Fasching Masks and parade through towns, making noise…
The Mainzelmännchen… Guud’n Aamd!
Cover image of Mainzelmännchen Michael Kramer, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Isn’t it nice how the little things can make you so happy? One distinctly German cartoon that brought me endless delight was the Mainzelmännchen! These little animated men on German TV would come on during the commercials in quick animated spots that just made us LAUGH. Over…