Merry Christmas!
or
Happy Hanukkah!
or
Happy Kwaanza!
or
Happy Festivus?!?
Oh geez, Happy/Merry whatever I guess!!
One never knows what to say on one of these blogs, when the reader could be celebrating anything (or nothing) really! :-) Anyway, we're having a nice quiet Christmas morning here in Belgium, me organizing photos and writing blogs and virtual Christmas cards, and Carl working on his papers (of course). We may head over to a friend's place later, but otherwise we plan on a quiet day at home.
Last night we got back from Aachen, Germany so here's a little "trip report" from there:
Aachen is a very pretty city of about 250,000 people in extreme western Germany, right at the border of both Belgium and the Netherlands. It's best known for being the home to Charlemagne, as well as the crowning place of most of the kings and queens of the Holy Roman empire from the 900's to the 1500's. The Aachen Cathedral, parts of it dating from about 800 AD, is the biggest attraction, and I've included some photos of the outside and inside here. The large gold box in one of the photos is the shrine of Charlemagne, and is said to contain his remains. Charlemagne's throne, where the coronations took place, is unfortunately not on display to the public. Pictures never really do it justice, but particularly the inside of the cathedral was beautiful.
Our main reason for visiting Aachen when we did was the huge Christmas market they hold there every year. The 23rd was the last night for it, so we were happy to make it there in time to enjoy it for a few hours before it closed. It was a lot like the one in Brussels, but a little bigger and obviously with a German flair. After wandering around the market and the medieval center for a while we had a yummy German dinner followed by a visit to an Irish pub. It's become a bit of a joke between us that somehow, no matter where we go, we always seem to end up in an Irish pub! :-) Anyway, Aachen is a lovely city, and we look forward to going back again soon!
5 comments:
Merry Christmas! Thanks for the e-card. Jen, I think you could make some money on this photography skill of yours... Love, Angela
Hi Jen & Carl - Merry Christmas to you! It's been quite a while since I read your blog - love reading about your travels and experiences. I certainly am going to appreciate the next $4.00 burrito I order! We look forward to visiting during Spring break. Chuck is working on our itinerary. Hope you have a fabulous time (how can you not?) in Rome celebrating the new year. We'll be staying close to home and ringing in the new year with our neighbors, Sam & Josie. We'll be thinking of you. Take care.
Great pictures! There is an Irish Pub right behind our apartment, so we'll keep it in mind for your visit - lol!
Have an amazing time in Rome! Happy New Year!
yes, what IS it with you guys and Irish Pubs?? ;) Thanks for sharing, and I hope all is great with you guys. Miss you!!
--Sis
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