Wonderfully Wicked!

I got a little behind on the blog this week.  I just couldn't justify spending time with my nose in my computer when it was my parents last two days in town!


They left this morning at 5:30 a.m.  The plan was for me to drive them to the airport about an hour and a half away but with the red road conditions due to snow and ice, they decided to take a shuttle.  That was so nice of them!!   School was delayed two hours and seminary cancelled, so Travis got to sleep in.  Now he's gone too and the house is so quiet.....time to blog!

Travis enjoying a Krispy Kreme at Stanstead Airport

We really had a fun last week both here in Germany and in London.  On Tuesday we woke up at 3:00 a.m. to drive up the Frankfurt-Hahn airport to catch a Ryan Air flight to London (Stanstead). We arrived and took a shuttle bus to Victoria Station and from there it was a short walk to the hotel.  We stayed at the Best Western Victoria Place.  Nice enough, clean, very friendly staff and a short walk to the Apollo Theatre where Wicked is playing.


After dropping our backpacks at the hotel, we got on one of the hop on, hop off busses and off we went to explore London.
If you follow the blog, you know we were here in June for a few days and absolutely loved it!  It really is my favorite city in the world!!

Our hotel

We spent the day sightseeing, eating lunch at the original Hardrock Cafe, where they say it all began because Peter Townsend and Eric Clapton had a debate over who had the best guitar and wanted to hang it on the wall of this cafe in London. 
  

My mom and me in front of the Hard Rock

Waiting for our yummy burgers!

Getting on the London Eye

A typical Fish n Chips pub

After enjoying a cold but fun day on the bus tour, we went back to the hotel and got ready to go see Wicked.  I have been so anxious to see this for years!!   

Karissa and Travis waiting for Wicked to start!!

Eating warm meat pasties....sooooo good!

Karissa was really excited about it, too.  It was Travis' first time to see a theater production and he loved it.....we ALL did!   The gal who played Elpheba had an amazing voice that was so strong and powerful...it just gave me chills!

Outside wall of Tower of London

Mom and dad by the Tower Bridge

Wow!  A moment of sunshine!

The next day we took the underground to the Tower of London.  After two trips here, I would say this is one of my most favorite places in London.  So much history here!   We just watched Helen Mirren in the movie "Queen Elizabeth I" , and it was cool to see and recognize places we had just visited.

Peter the Beefeater gave a great tour.

Karissa and Travis at the Bloody Tower

We flew home that evening and after having our flight delayed an hour for weather, we arrived to three inches of snow!   I let dad drive us home that night because the roads seemed pretty nasty, but they actually improved the closer we got to home.

On Thanksgiving, I made a traditional dinner: turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, green beans, rolls and pumpkin pie.  This was no small feat in my Barbie sized easy bake German oven.  It has one rack and a 9x13 barely squeezes in...I'm not joking folks!  But now I know it CAN be done (but probably not for more than six!) 

the blackbirds enjoying apples for Thanksgiving.

We spent the day lazing around and eating....just a perfect day (except for a plumbing issue in the basement that is still in the process of being fixed.  The pump failed and so we have no water down there until Friday, including no washing machine..aaarrghh!)

Valkenburg Castle ruins

City street in Valkenburg

Friday we took a USO tour from Vogelweh up to the Netherlands.  There is a town there called Valkenburg that is famous for a series of caves that run under the town.  Every year they have a Christmas Market in the caves.  I know lots of people here that swear this is their favorite Christmas market. 


 It's about a 3 hour bus drive up there and the town is really cute.  They have the entrance to the cave all decorated up.  It was so cold that day, but as soon as we entered the cave, it seemed warm. ( It maintains a constant 53 degrees)

The Velvet cave is a labyrinth of passageways more than a thousand years old located under the Casle of Valkenburg.  They were used as an escape route enabling knights and their warriors to secretly vanish from the castle even when under siege and attack the enemy from the back.  During the German occupation and WWII, the cave served as shelter and hiding for the Jewish people, the locals, and American troops.  There is a a lot of hand carved images, murals, and inscriptions all over the cave and there's even a little chapel in there.   It was really interesting.

Artwork in the caves

Inside the caves

In front of the Porta Nigra oldest gate in Germany..3 A.D.

Finally this week, I wanted the family to see a real outdoor Christmas Market, so we took the train up to Trier. Trier is the oldest city in Germany.  There is actually record of a settlement here way before Christ's time. 


 It was so festive and we had a great time.  It did get extremely crowded and then I remembered why I try to avoid the weekend evenings at the Christmas Markets.  It's crazy!

A typically huge bunch of mistletoe....they grow big here!

Street Group playing for money

Singing Moose on top of a booth

Dampfnüdeln with cherry vanilla sauce

Karissa enjoying Dutch profiteroles with nutella

So that was about it for this week and it brought to a close my family's three week visit.  I will miss them SO much and I am so grateful they came over to help and support Travis and me while Mike is gone.  It really did make these three weeks fly by!     Starting tomorrow, we can say "next month, Mike gets home" and that is exciting.   


I was so sad to hear that some of our friends and family have had loved ones pass away over this Thanksgiving time.  Our hearts are breaking for you and you are in our thoughts and prayers.   I hope you find comfort in knowing that I believe with all my heart that you will be together again and that Heavenly Father has your loved ones wrapped in His loving arms.  I feel so blessed to have each of you be a part of my life.


love and miss you all,
-corri