500 Years of Yuletide Traditions

It's Christmas time in Germany and no place on the planet are celebrating as joyfully as in Munich, especially in Christkindlmarkt. The central square of Marienplatz is the most enchanting. Shopping at brightly lighted huts owned by local merchants has been tradition since the 14th century.

After dropping off our things off at the Cacoon Hotel, we hit the cobblestone streets for Gluehwein (hot mulled wine), Lebkuchen (ginger bread), handicraft figurines that still delight and homemade garments like socks, hats and mittens.

My camera clicker wouldn't stay quiet. Every couple seconds the nativity scenes and kiosk faces became more and more decorative and festive. From one market to another we glided along with a sea of shoppers from around the world.

Munich is the Bavarian Capital of the world and restaurant servers dress in Lederhosen (leather shorts), suspenders, royal blue ties on the men and skirts called Trachtenrock and green woolen hats called Lechtaler Hut for the women. We dined at a Hacker-Pschorr Brewery last night, founded back in 1417. I ripped into a plate of cooked radish, potato macaroni and veal bathing in mushroom sauce. Yum.

Following dinner I cabbed it back to the hotel so I could meet up with my younger cousin Ingo. My Mutti (mother) grew up in these parts and her family still live here so, with a small window of time, Ingo and I shared a conversation on the last 5 years of our lives. Ingo's married, has a family and still works for IBM! My little cousin is all grown up! By midnight serious jet-lag set in and I had to retire with the rest of my traveling posse.