Baby It's Cold Outside!

Winter is Definitely Still Here!

So far, we have enjoyed a relatively mild winter. It hovered near freezing since November, that is until about two weeks ago.

At the very end of January, right when we thought we might be lucky enough to have the bitter cold bypass Münster, the cold hit us like a brick.

We have been riding our bikes to school, the gym, the office, and the grocery store with temperatures around 6 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 Celsius). Apparently, this is the normal temperature for winter.

The lovely lake we ran around during the Autumn froze hard enough that people dusted off their ice skates, sleds and other toys and hit the ice.

The day we went to play on the ice, it was frozen to about 10 inches thick. Here is a picture that shows a deep crack in the ice to give you an idea of how thick it is.

We don't have any ice skates, so we had to settle with just walking around on the ice and people watching. It was just as well because there was plenty to look at.

The lake is pretty long and somewhat narrow. We started out just walking across the narrow expanse first. After adjusting scarves and coats, of course. It was so cold.

As we walked along we kept seeing interesting bubbles in the ice. Maybe this is trite for a lot of you, but I grew up in Houston where it is not uncommon to not really even need a coat or jacket for going to your Christmas or New Year parties

I told Pr that I thought the bubbles in the picture below looked like an old fashioned tug boat. He did not agree and let me know in a way that reminded me again that he is becoming a teenager.

I could only think of the Charlie Brown Christmas Movie when I saw the figure eight.

We saw several people on bikes.

Without a sled, I suppose pushing your baby in the stroller while ice skating is the next best thing.

This is one of the two pedal cars we saw on the ice. You can just see the person sitting inside while another person is catching a ride on the back.

Eisrettungsstation means Ice Rescue Station. We didn't see any broken ice, but there were several stories in the news about people or animals falling through when the freezing weather first hit. People had been on the lake for about two weeks, but the locals warned us not to go out "until the fire department says that they can't guarantee anyone's safety." Then it is okay.

Some enterprising people set up a Bratwurst and Glüwein booth just outside a restaurant and business was hopping! 

Pa was thrilled to be able to jump on the ice.

While we were walking we kept hearing this spooky sound that reminded me of sounds you would hear in an aquarium. I assume it was the sound of ice as it shifted and people walked on it. We enjoyed our little frozen lake outing, but I will be so happy when warmer weather arrives. I think the next week is supposed to be around freezing again. That is practically balmy compared to the last few weeks.

Weihnachtsmärkte and St. Nikolaus

During the night of September 5 a special person comes to all the children of Germany.

His name is St. Nikolaus. In the U.S., Santa and St. Nicholas are one in the same, but here in Deutschland they are separate entities. Children put out their shoes or boots the night of the 5th. If they have been good children, they will find treats and small presents brought by St. Nikolaus. If they have not behaved and were not helpful they will find a switch. Bad children may even receive a visit from Krampus, who saves the very worst children for the main course at Christmas dinner. Don't you love these Germans?


Weihnachtsmarkt


Of course if St. Nikolaus came, it also means the Weihnachtsmärkte are in full swing! Russell has been in China all week at a conference presenting two papers, so I was on my own. What better excuse is there for swinging through the Weihnachtsmärkte. Münster is a little famous for their many Christmas markets. There are seven or eight small and medium sized markets here and they are all packed full of people. Have you ever been to Times Square at Christmas time? It is that crowded, at least after about 4 PM.

We went soon after the boys came home from school, so we were able to avoid the worst of the crowds.

Hot food and drink are common commodities around the markets. Many booths sell different versions of a popular drink called Glüwein. It is similar to mulled wine, but not as sweet. Many booths sell this drink in several versions - with alcohol as well as without. It is called Kinderpunch when it is alcohol free. Most drinks cost between 1.50 euro to 3 euros. You can also buy hot chocolate (heiße Kakao) and a few other hot drinks, most with alcohol. The drinks come in a ceramic mug that you must pay a deposit for. There is an official mug each year that many people opt to keep. This year, the official mug was teal green and the people were not pleased. Paton had his heiße Kakao in a mug from a previous year.

The day was pretty cold, so we headed right over to a drink stand Russell and I had already tried another day. It was one of the more popular stands because of it's good prices.

On our way through the various markets we visited that day we were amazed to see the variety of food and things you could buy. Want to buy a pelt of fur? No problem. Want some cured meat? Got it.

How about some toasted and seasoned almonds (Mandeln)? Mit Zimt (cinnamon)?

 Maybe some roasted chestnuts are more to your liking.

Of course, there are plenty of toys to keep your attention.

A few Christmas decorations could be just what you are looking for.

Come on, you know you would love to take this piglet home.

Just as we were about to leave, we noticed a booth selling hot drinks and donuts!

I think one of my favorite purchases was this incense burning Santa. The incense is hidden inside

We had so much fun roaming the various markets and practicing our German.