January and February

January we had a few weekends where we just stayed around Munich and relaxed. We went on our usual Sunday walk along the Isar river and found an area of the river they diverted and closed off. This area was frozen solid and so was packed with people with sleds, hockey sticks, ice skates, and curling (that thing where they slide heavy stones across the ice). It was quite the thing to do on days like this. It was fun to stand on the ice. We went back to this place during my parents visit a week or two later and it wasn't solid anymore.

One weekend we bought Chris some snow boots and went hiking in the alps at Tegernsee. We had gone to Tegernsee last year during our test and interview visit to Munich. It was where the MPQ retreat was taken place in the castle, but it was across the lake. This time we went for a hike up the mountain to this restaurant/small hotel at the top. It was a great hike with a gorgeous view. There was a lot of snow but mostly ice along the path up. We had to go off the path just for traction. We wondered how here and there people would be going straight up it while we are sliding around, scared to slip and slide all the way back down the mountain. Found out at the top when we saw someone strap on their ice picks on the bottom of their shoes. Very handy! We got to the top and just was at awe with the view of the alps. Had hot chocolate and a very Bavarian lunch and went sliding down the mountain (trying not to at least). It was a great day and we ended it by sitting at the lake side taking it all in.

My parents, Craig and Nancy, came to visit. It was wonderful to see them and show Munich and be tour guide as well as tourist. The first weekend they were here we went to Andechs Monastery. Chris and I happened upon this great place one weekend in the past. It was a good hike and some culture at the top along with a brewery. Here we are eating our slab of meat and pretzels with a half liter of beer while next to us, a man in his ledderhosen and beer gut drinks a 1 1/2 liter beer stein and goes back for another half liter. That night we went to our favorite Indian restaurant. It was a great day celebrating my birthday.

Sunday we went to Innsbruck, Austria. It has been on our list to go to for awhile. On the way we stopped to go to the Swarvoski Chrystal Worlds. It was quite an interesting experience. Different than what we expected but it was fascinating too. Its art displays were a little out there, but interesting. Not sure I'd go again, but was good to see once. Innsbruck was beautiful. The alps are just amazing and I can't get over how huge they look. It was a long day of walking around and seeing the city.

During the week my parents went site seeing in Munich while Chris and I worked. I got off work and wandered with them in the afternoons. Friday we took off for Vienna, Austria. We took a bus tour of the city on the Saturday. We walked and walked and walked some more. We took a tour of the Opera House which was beautiful and amazing. They even took you to the backstage area. It was great. We went into one church that allowed us to go up to the top dome and see the paintings on the ceiling up close and personal. It was quite an experience to see the detail work and art talent put into the churches even when it is only seen from far away. Vienna was great for its culture. It was wonderful to tour around with my parents.

Chris's parents, Hazel and Derek, came the end of February. We went to Neuschwanstein and saw the castle during winter with two feet of snow. Munich has been getting a lot of snow the week before they got here. It was about a foot deep in Munich. The most we have had this year. The castle was very pretty and a fun day out. We went to the Deutsch Museum that Sunday. They then went off to England to visit family there. The following Saturday, Hazel and Derek came back from England for one more day with us. We went shopping and celebrated Hazel's birthday. They left Sunday. The weather changed drastically that week and that last day Munich was sunny and warm, just to confuse Hazel and Derek on what weather Munich actually has.

On Tuesday, February 24th, Munich celebrated Fasching, or Carnival, or Mardi Gra (which language do you want to prefer?). It is a big thing here. All month of February the stores sold costumes and carnival themed decoration. We saw a lot of clowns, princesses, fairies, pirates, etc. It was was like Halloween but not scary. I had a half day with the kids and we had a party and the kids came dressed up in a costume. They left at noon. It was a fun day. Downtown was supposed to be quite crazy. They had a band playing and some booths set up on Saturday for it. We didn't attend though. This picture was the Saturday before. Here and there you see people dressed up in silly outfits with bright colors.

It was wonderful to see both sets of parents and show them our life here.
It was quite two very fun months here. March is going to be a quieter one, I think...

One last picture of a very happy kitty.