No Reservations: Bavaria (except for the goose stomach)

So, Passport Smiles was in Bavaria for the holidays, feeling a little like Anthony Bourdain (minus the biting humor, ingenious commentary and camera crew), because all she did was adventurously eat, feast and wine and dine. As Victoria explained, her parents motto is (summed up of course), "as long as you have good food and drink, everything else in life will fall into place." I say I'd like to live by that motto.



And, because of the cute Bavarian family she stayed with, Passport Smiles has quite a few foods added to the "Things I have now tasted" list:
1) Duck
2) Goose (haha...duck duck goose)
3) Weisswurst
4) Kraut salat
5) Schweinsbraten
6)Helles
7)Weißbier
8) Knödel Potato Dumplings
9) Spätzle
10)Mazapan
Christmas, Frohe Weihnachten!



I loved the their floral arrangements, especially the added touch of cotton, because it looks like snow!

And I loved these candle doohickyies *don't know the German name* from East Germany:

And the Nativity Scenes. Her grandfather built this house:


...and the Bavarian Christmas songs




In Tegernsee (my favorite)





New Year's Eve, Silvester

New Year's Resolution: Perhaps Learn German.

This picture (above) might be inappropriate, but I found it funny. And it's quite appropriate for all the "Cheers" and "Prost" that I gave that week.

Good luck for New Year's: 4 Leaf Clovers and Mazapan piggies

What I wore



Fireworks in the streets sounded like WWIII


Kudos to the boy who brought the Boom Boom into the streets. I forgive you for getting All American Rejects stuck in my head for the next 3 days.

Stuff I bought:
Hmmm...Wald honig for my tea


This lavender thingy from the Market stand above, which is now hanging in the bathroom and not on my ear.


Sweet mustard because I love this meal:

Whilst searching for a Tshirt souvenir for my Papa in Munich, I bought this hoodie, later to find out that the Hofbräuhaus is a landmark/tourist trap for Americans and is only famous because Americans like it. "Oh, great" I responded dryly.

And then I bought the H and M dress for only 9 euros, when I almost bought it full price a week before. BOOYAH.

Miscellaneous Favorites:
My Dream Bike, spotted, Munich, near the Cathedral :

Bar in Regensburg:

Running Sushi: the Sushi was mediocre/decent, but the concept was too fun. I loved watching sushi stroll by while conversation and words evaporated into the air. Also, the words "running sushi" couldn't help to bring to mine images of sushi with little cute legs running as fast as the could. Plus, great night with Goonie boy.

Yeah, Anna, if you think the Hello Kitty socks were a surprise, brace yourself for this one. On New Year's Day, Passport Smiles (me) and friends curled up on the couch and watched this one for a cheesiest-movie-you-can-find recovery session. I half way, distractingly watched this movie a few years ago and was not impressed to say the least, and I recall telling my roommate that she was stupid for liking this movie. This time around, I was much more attentive and found myself wrapped up in the movie, tears in my eyes, grinning from ear-to-ear and loving it. Who knows? Maybe it was just the perfect moment to watch it since it was Christmas time and New Years, but I found it to be a gem.