Week 44 - Christmas Preparations

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!!  

Making the pudding, measuring out the dried fruits and spices.  

Delicious!! 

Week 43 - Christmas Markets

The Germans are famous for their Christmas Markets. They are a place to hang out and socialise, to eat and drink, to shop for Christmas themed decorations, and buy food to take home for celebrating Christmas.

This was our first night going into the markets. We went in on the train, and went to the market at Heinrich Heine Allee and the one in the Altstadt - so pretty, so festive, so delicious.

So much fun!!

Week 42 - Weekend in London

My little sister lives in London, and is pregnant with her first baby.  Jie Jie and I thought we should go over for a weekend and help her get her baby things sorted.

I enjoyed seeing all the Christmas decorations in the stores and around. This was in John Lewis, where we spent a small fortune on baby blankets and preparatory equipment!!

Week 41 - St Martins Parade

We participated in our first German tradition, the St Martins Day Parade.  The children made lanterns at school, and the lanterns are hung on sticks with a small light dangling inside the lantern.

The history is that a poor monk gave what he had to feed and clothe the poor. His feast day celebrates the annual harvest, and the children from each village parade around the village and then see a ceremony depicting the arrival of St Martin to the village.

After the parade the children visit all the stores in the village, sing a song (in German) and then they give them a very generous gift of candy, bread or clementines. We went home with more candy and chocolate than the kids could really carry.  It was a really fun night, despite the rain!

Week 40 - Spanish Mediterranean

Look at that beautiful view.  This is the sun deck next to the pool overlooking the Mediterranean... We opted for a quick 5 day escape to savour the last of the 2013 summer sun, and have the chance for a proper relax and wind down, without having to think about much ... leaving Shanghai, travelling Australia, moving to Düsseldorf, getting settled in our new home and accidentally getting a job, has meant that our last few months have been rather hectic.

Isn't it lovely?

Week 39 - Pumpkin Carving Party

Our lovely neighbour downstairs is a gorgeous American girl, and sharing the Halloween tradition, held a pumpkin carving party a few days ahead of Halloween.  Only requirement was to bring a pumpkin!!  Ours is the little one, but it looks pretty good I reckon!!

Love being an expat and joining in with cultural traditions from around the world!

Week 38 - It's getting colder...

The local pub in Kaiserswerth has put blankets on the chairs to wrap yourself in against the cold air.  Love it!!