Here are the photos from our last trip to Germany - December 14 - 24

Berlin
Berliner Dom (Our favorite site in Berlin)
There was a choir practicing for Christmas while we were there. The sound of their voices echoing in the church was hauntingly beautiful.
There is a crypt under the church, housing caskets of Prussian royalty. There are over 80 coffins there, the most recent entombment being from the early 1900's, the oldest being from the 1400's.

Heidelberg and Speyer

Heidelberg was the first place we visited, right after we got off of the plane. Here is a Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) in Heidelberg, with Schloss (Castle) Heidelberg behind it. Also a drunk looking Santa.



Next, we stopped in Speyer. Der Speyerer Dom, outside and inside:


After Speyer, we stopped at das Hambacher Schloss for lunch.

It was a little bit of a hike to get up there, but the view over the frozen vineyards was beautiful.
Pirmasens and Lemberg
We stayed in Pirmasens and Lemberg for 3 nights, visiting family.

When we went hiking in Lemberg, we stumbled upon this little tree that somebody had decorated. How cute!

Pirmasens:


300-year-old family bible full of genealogical information. Being able to touch this made me feel like I had broken into a museum, and my cousin said it made him feel like he was in The DaVinci Code.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber:

Rothenburg o.d. Tauber is a very gorgeous medieval town, but very touristy. It was the most picturesque place we visited but also by far the coldest place, as shown by this bottle of Coke that was frozen INSIDE a building. Brrrr.




Käsespätzle mit Röstzwiebeln (Cheesey egg noodles with fried onions):


Rothenburg o.d. Tauber is also home to the Kriminal Museum - a museum of medieval crime and punishment.This is a shame mask that gossipy women would have to wear as punishment.


Sauerbraten and Kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings):

Berlin


This mural painted in 1484 was uncovered while St. Marienkirche was being renovated, it spans the wall behind it as well, showing Skeletons leading people of all different classes to Death, it's called Totentanz (Dance of Death).







This church was mostly destroyed by bombs in WWII. They left it as it was and built a memorial church next to it. You can see at the top that most of the roof is gone.


These were taken at the Pergamon Museum:
Hahaha



A very pretty Berlin subway station:

And here are two that we took at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport:

First, is a woman dressed as a Christmas tree who was singing Dutch Christmas carols.


And then this sculpture inside the terminal.