Y3W31 - Christmas Traditions

For the last couple years, we have visited Cologne on the 23rd of December to pick up some last minute items and enjoy the energy which comes with throngs of people bustling through the markets. Thankfully, Ellyn had taken care of business in the present department and we were able to relax and enjoy the day.

A less popular historical site in Cologne to visit that can't be found in typical tour books, is the GeheimStaatPolizei (GESTAPO) Museum. It is generally dedicated to historical events associated with Nazi movement during the 1930's and the atrocities committed before and during the Second World War. The basement level which functioned as a Gestapo prison and interrogation center has been preserved and restored. Kind of a morbid Christmas activity, but visitors come when they come.

Our Christmas Eve's here in Germany have consisted of an afternoon church service (something that is not typical of Mormon Churches in the U.S.), a dinner featuring a Roasted Goose, and an evening program put on by the kids. They did a brilliant job keeping it together, on track, not straying off on odd tangents and ended it with a wonderful message. It was cute to see them go off to different rooms from time to time to rehearse.

Christmas day followed usual protocol... presents, brunch, pajamas all day, etc.

The following day with Ryan and family on their way to Bavaria, we took a short drive to Koblenz where I spent a semester studying while getting my MBA. The kids had fun playing near the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) where the Mosel and Rhein come together and I enjoyed trying to get some natural photos of the girls with my new telephoto lens.