Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
The Taste of Home // Getting my German Groceries here in the USA!
I came back from my trip to Europe a little over two weeks ago, and realized I forgot to do one major thing: more shopping!
But I sure forgot to hit the grocery store to buy some Knorr and Maggi seasonings, and probably more Lebkuchen, Domino Steine, Marzipan Kartoffeln, and all the other German Christmas goodies. Thank goodness I can now find most of the things right here in the USA, and I can even go shopping at my local World Market! I found so much online, I sure have to plan a visit this weekend.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Things you won't find in Germany
Howdy there!
Ugh... It's such a dark and grey day over here today. I've changed from PJs to sweatpants & hoodie, and had a bunch of pancakes for breakfast. That's pretty much everything I've accomplished today so far. I feel bad.
While going through our pantry and fridge this morning, I've realized how many groceries over here are not available at all in Germany. Well, you will find them at the Commisary on military posts, but not in the German economy. It's mostly pretty crappy stuff you will be better off NOT eating.... nutrition wise... but anywho -
Corn Dog.
PB-J Sandwiches.
Anything "Pumpkin Spice"
Ranch.
Vodka Sauce
Check out my amazing sponsor:
Ugh... It's such a dark and grey day over here today. I've changed from PJs to sweatpants & hoodie, and had a bunch of pancakes for breakfast. That's pretty much everything I've accomplished today so far. I feel bad.
While going through our pantry and fridge this morning, I've realized how many groceries over here are not available at all in Germany. Well, you will find them at the Commisary on military posts, but not in the German economy. It's mostly pretty crappy stuff you will be better off NOT eating.... nutrition wise... but anywho -
Here is my shocking list:
Corn Dog.
Poor German kids might never know the deliciousness of the county fair's finest!
PB-J Sandwiches.
Don't get me wrong: There IS peanut butter in Germany. But it is expensive as heck. A jar this size would be around $15 I guess. Grape Jelly I have never seen in the German economy though.
Anything "Pumpkin Spice"
Any Germans reading my blog? If so, let us know if you actually CAN buy PS stuff now. While I was living over here, the only thing Pumpkin Spice was the occasional PSL at Starbucks. And not every city has a Starbucks.
Ranch.
This must be a total shocker for everyone! No. Ranch. In. Germany. Germans usually use (homemade) vinaigrette. You can find some kind of cocktail sauce, honey mustard, and ceaser dressing. But "Ranch" in terms of something you eat? Nope. Not even Ranch Doritos.
Vodka Sauce
This is hands down my favorite ready-made pasta sauce. And another item you can't find in Germany! We do have the Bertolli brand - I mean, hello? We are so much closer to Italy than you guys :oD! But no Vodka Sauce.
I could keep this list going. There is so much more stuff, like "Alfredo Sauce" that no one in Europe, heck, Italy has ever heard of. I will keep collecting stuff to make you guys another list!
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Wordless Wednesday LinkUp // Golden Cross
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
I ran a 5k showing my middle finger & Things non-runners say
Hello there!
I just finished a 5k run in my old hometown in Germany! I finished in 35 mins, which is my 2nd best time ever :)
I just finished a 5k run in my old hometown in Germany! I finished in 35 mins, which is my 2nd best time ever :)
The weather was bad... It was raining like crazy, and cold (around 60F). I felt great throughout the run though. Except the last 50 yards before the finish line. But I made it!
I was so freaking thirsty after I finished,
I was so freaking thirsty after I finished,
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Hiking Germany: Teufelsschlucht
"The "Teufelsschlucht" is a gorge like cleft in the rock, which was enigmatic for the lcoals. A normal gorge is formed by the erosion of a river, as a result the floor is continually going downwards, as the water flows downhill. But this gorge is different, as the floor on both ends is higher than in the centre. So the water would have flown in from both sides and vanished mysteriously. So the locals beliefed this gorge was not formed naturally but created by the devil. So it was named devils gorge. The sandstone in this area is called Luxemburger Sandstein and is from the Lower Jurassic or Lias. The calcreous sandstone was deposited some 190Ma ago at the northern coast of the Lias sea. The land mass to the north is called Ardennens Massif, and was the source of the sand. The area where those sandstones are found today is called Luxemburger Schweiz (Luxembourg Switzerland) and is about 330m asl. The sandstones are exceptionally thick in this area, because this once was the stuary of a river which brought huge amounts of sand with it an deposited them. Below the sandstone is a layer of marl from the Upper Triassic, locally called Keuper. This rock is water resistant and rather soft, and becomes a good lubricant (at least in geologic terms) if wet. The sandstone has cracks from the uplift, they are widened by erosion, and the weck basement lets huges chunks of rock slide slowly. This process was intensified at the end of the last ice age, some 10,000 yeras ago, when warm an humid climate and the melting water of the glaciers caused higher erosion. The result was the labyrinth of strange rocks caled Felsenmeer (sea of rocks). The gorge was formed by the separation of two chucks of rock for more than one meter and several subsequent rock falls."
via www.showcaves.com
Did you know you can find me on YouTube now as well? I'm just getting started. But I would be happy if you follow me on there as well! I made a little video of the hike. It's not super duper professional, but I hope you will enjoy it anyway. I'm still learning all this YouTube stuff.
It was a wonderful and exhausting hike. Since it was going up- and downhill all the time, it was a nice workout as well:
If you want to hike over here, in the beautiful USA - check out this article about
Top 50 Long Distance Hiking Trails In The USA!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Life Lately // Vacation Update
Hello there! I just wanted to let you all know I made it to Germany in one piece. It was a loooong trip though, including an 8 hour overlay in London. I was so happy when I finally arrived in Frankfurt! I left Little Rock at 6am. First pit stop in Chicago (I LOVE O'Hare Airport!), and then across the big pond, London-bound.
I was cheap when I was booking the flight. That's why I had the 8 hours overlay in London. It wouldn't have been all that bad, but almost every single shop and restaurant was closed. I was a little surprised about everything being closed, since Heathrow is such a huge airport! Even the "Heathrow Express", the train connecting the terminals, was closed for the night. So I had to find the Night Bus stop, and wait 30 minutes to get on a (doubledecker) bus to my departure terminal 5. All this after 2 flights and hours and hours of traveling. Sucks.
Luckily there was a "Marks & Spencer" open at terminal 5, so I stacked up on water, fruit, and vegetables for the night. So I was just sitting there, watching "2 Broke Girl$", eating, drinking, people watching, all night, waiting for the security check-in to open at 5:30am the next morning.
The 3rd and last flight was from London to Frankfurt. Guess who fell asleep even before the plane took off? Yep, this gurrl. I slept the whole flight, only woke up once, when the flight attendant was trying to hand me a croissant. But then I fell back asleep and woke up seconds before we touched down in good old Germany.
The first 3-4 days were like hell, jetlag wise. I was so super sleepy! Now it's been 10 days already, and slowly I'm getting used to the German time zone again.
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| My sister took this paparazzi snapshot of me. I just closed my eyes for 5 minutes. I promise. |
I was cheap when I was booking the flight. That's why I had the 8 hours overlay in London. It wouldn't have been all that bad, but almost every single shop and restaurant was closed. I was a little surprised about everything being closed, since Heathrow is such a huge airport! Even the "Heathrow Express", the train connecting the terminals, was closed for the night. So I had to find the Night Bus stop, and wait 30 minutes to get on a (doubledecker) bus to my departure terminal 5. All this after 2 flights and hours and hours of traveling. Sucks.
Luckily there was a "Marks & Spencer" open at terminal 5, so I stacked up on water, fruit, and vegetables for the night. So I was just sitting there, watching "2 Broke Girl$", eating, drinking, people watching, all night, waiting for the security check-in to open at 5:30am the next morning.
The 3rd and last flight was from London to Frankfurt. Guess who fell asleep even before the plane took off? Yep, this gurrl. I slept the whole flight, only woke up once, when the flight attendant was trying to hand me a croissant. But then I fell back asleep and woke up seconds before we touched down in good old Germany.
The first 3-4 days were like hell, jetlag wise. I was so super sleepy! Now it's been 10 days already, and slowly I'm getting used to the German time zone again.
Watch out for some more posts from my time in Germany!
And I have an awesome guest post coming up!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Huge Milestone: The Car Arrived
While we are still waiting for any news about when we will get our household goods, we have reached a huge milestone in the whole relocating-across-the-big-pond yesterday:
M was almost crying when he came home from work :) he missed his black baby! And you know what true love is? He let me drive the care in within the first 2 hours of it being here. THAT'S true love, indeed.
I can sum the rest of the day up with only a few words: carwash and cruisin'! We've had a blast, and to be honest it was one of the happiest moments we've had for a long time. The whole moving and especially the issues we are having with the company that is moving our household from Germany to the USA, are really a mood killer. And a money eater. Which causes money issues. You know how it is... Well, I will tell you more about that soon!
But: If you ever have to ship your car across an ocean, I can definitely suggest calling the people from CFR Rinkens. They, and especially our go to girl Connie, did an awesome job! Thanks again!
Check out my amazing sponsor:
Our car arrived!
M was almost crying when he came home from work :) he missed his black baby! And you know what true love is? He let me drive the care in within the first 2 hours of it being here. THAT'S true love, indeed.
I can sum the rest of the day up with only a few words: carwash and cruisin'! We've had a blast, and to be honest it was one of the happiest moments we've had for a long time. The whole moving and especially the issues we are having with the company that is moving our household from Germany to the USA, are really a mood killer. And a money eater. Which causes money issues. You know how it is... Well, I will tell you more about that soon!
But: If you ever have to ship your car across an ocean, I can definitely suggest calling the people from CFR Rinkens. They, and especially our go to girl Connie, did an awesome job! Thanks again!
Happy Tuesday!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Are you enjoying your weekend?
Happy Saturday!
I hope you guys are enjoying your weekends?
I am sitting at our new dining room table typing this. You can't even imagine how happy I am to finally have a place to sit down and do stuff. I found it at a yard sale group on Facebook for a greal deal! And they were so nice and even delivered it to our house this morning, since we don't have a truck.
The couch is fine, but after a while it is just messing up my back. Our household goods are scheduled to arrive in New York on 9th of April. Hopefully the whole customs process will go smooth. FYI: The car still didn't make it to us yet.... I am really mad.
Since I don't work, I have pretty "adventurous" days so far. I walk around El Dorado a lot - which is a real adventure already, because sidewalks either don't exist, or are death traps...
The city is lovely though! I already have a favorite coffee spot: PJ's!
Oh and I sure love the fact, that the Stadium is so close to our house! I go there a lot to run,/work out to loose some of my 40 extra pounds I feel I gained since quitting smoking 10 months ago. Also I have to train for my 5k run in Little Rock on Memorial Day weekend!!
It feels as if I'm in the worst shape ever... But I am fighting! And as soon as our stuff gets here, I will have all my Jillian Michaels DVDs, dum bells, and all the other workout stuff. Jillian makes it so much easier for me to get in shape...
I hope you are doing great!
Check out my amazing sponsor:
I hope you guys are enjoying your weekends?
I am sitting at our new dining room table typing this. You can't even imagine how happy I am to finally have a place to sit down and do stuff. I found it at a yard sale group on Facebook for a greal deal! And they were so nice and even delivered it to our house this morning, since we don't have a truck.
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| One of the chairs |
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| This is a picture of the dining room set (bad one - off Facebook) |
Since I don't work, I have pretty "adventurous" days so far. I walk around El Dorado a lot - which is a real adventure already, because sidewalks either don't exist, or are death traps...
The city is lovely though! I already have a favorite coffee spot: PJ's!
Oh and I sure love the fact, that the Stadium is so close to our house! I go there a lot to run,/work out to loose some of my 40 extra pounds I feel I gained since quitting smoking 10 months ago. Also I have to train for my 5k run in Little Rock on Memorial Day weekend!!
It feels as if I'm in the worst shape ever... But I am fighting! And as soon as our stuff gets here, I will have all my Jillian Michaels DVDs, dum bells, and all the other workout stuff. Jillian makes it so much easier for me to get in shape...
I hope you are doing great!
Have a lovely weekend!
Friday, March 7, 2014
Meanwhile in Germany....
Enjoying the sunshine and coffee :)
14 days left in Germany!
Happy Friday, chicas!
Monday, February 17, 2014
Moving: Check!
Just a quick update: today was moving day and everything went really smooth!
I caught a bad cold about 2 days ago, and was knocked out, so I'm happy I finished my part before the cold hit me, and the movers did a great job. It took a little longer than I expected, but at 4pm the little truck left and will be on its way to the sea port soon.
Thank you all for your support and prayers!
I'll hide in my little camp now and sleep... I'm really, really tired and exhausted.
Good night!
xoxo
Anni
Thursday, February 6, 2014
11 Days
Time flies by! The moving company will be here in 11 days to pick up our stuff. I just finished packing a box with stuff I will need right away as soon as I get to Arkansas, like towels, bedding, PJs... Just a few essentials.
Last night I have ordered the first few kitchen gadgets and they will be there tomorrow! I hope M won't break them before I get there!!
Because of the 220V/110V issue, I had to get basically EVERYTHING. On Black Friday M already bought a griddle, a coffee maker, and a small CrockPot. Last night I ordered a 6 quart CrockPot, an immersion blender, a hand mixer, a food processor, an epilator, and a brick for my Nintendo Wii. Oh and pillows. M is still kind of living like a camper in our new home, so to be on the safe side, I've ordered those, too. Type a. Sorry.
Someday this week I have to go into the basement :o/ sorting through and throwing stuff away will definitely not be fun down there!
So this was a little update from my side! I will be back tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
On The Road // Just write
The apartment in Fuerth is getting more and more empty... So this so called vacation is rather an escape.
I'm so sleepy right now. I had trouble falling asleep last night, and then the alarm went off at 7:30am. I keep trying to take a nap on the train, but since everyone around me is talking really loud, I can't. I've tried to read, but it's too loud for me to focus on my book. I'm about to open that can of Red Bull I have in my backpack. If I can't sleep, I'll try to be awake. Wide awake.
One of the reasons I didn't sleep last night was that I miss M and Coco like crazy right now. They left 2 weeks ago... We have been apart way longer before, but somehow this time the missing is worse. It might sound funny, but having Coco cat around made it easier for me to stay sane while M was in the states and I was in Germany. Now I'm all alone... Of course I still have my family and friends around here, but my own little family is miles and miles away. I can't wait to be on the plane soon!
Moving date is set to February 17th. After that I will have to take care of a few smaller things, and then I'm ready to go as well! Yay!
I hope you guys had an awesome weekend!
Friday, January 17, 2014
Relocating: Things I will definitely NOT miss about Germany (Pt. 1)
Howdy and happy Friday!
The weekend is finally here. Oh and if you guys don't know what to do: come on over and help me getting this house in order, so I won't have to be ashamed tomorrow while showing the people who want to move in around! The Realtor called in sick, so I will have to do it.... Ugh.
Today I want to share a few things about living in Germany I WILL DEFINITELY NOT MISS! Don't get me wrong, Germany is an awesome country to live in. But a few things in daily life just drive you crazy:
1. The "Einwegpfand"
If you want to buy soda in Germany, no matter if it is a bottle or a can, you have to pay 25 cent extra. Deposit. Yes, on every single item there is a 25 cent bottle deposit. Or container deposit.
You might think I'm cheap, but it is way too much money to just throw the bottles and cans away. If you want your money back, you will have to go to the grocery store, wait in a line of about 15 other people with huge trash bags full of empty bottles and cans, put every single bottle into a nasty, sticky, stinky machine, grab the receipt (which my sister ALWAYS forgets), and cash it in at the checkout.
2. The "GEZ"
The "GEZ" is a fee collection service, some bright human came up with in 1976. Every household in Germany using a Radio/TV/Computer/tbc. HAS TO pay €17,98 Euro (about $25) every month. On top of your cable TV or whatever service you are using. You pay them just because you can or could watch TV, even if you don't watch any TV at all. You HAVE to pay them. Seriously. If you don't, they will show up, just like the Mafia. They send you letters, ring your doorbell. They threaten you. They do everything in their power to make you pay. As far as I know you now have to pay for smartphones as well. Because you COULD use them to watch TV shows or listen to radio. Crazy shit right there. If you want to know more about this "criminal" German institution, check out this article on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEZ
3. The Very Grumpy People
When entering a store in Germany, some (or even most!) of the people working there give you the feeling you are not welcome at all. Like "Naw, go away, we don't want to sell anything. Oh and it's the time of the month so please just leave me alone. Me and my colleague want to talk about our weekend plans."
Did you watch "Pretty Woman"? Check out this video (at 0:30) minus the "Can I help you":
Those grumpy people can be found in many places though. Like Christmas markets. Or at grocery stores. Oh, and in cars, of course! I don't know what's wrong with them, but being nice and polite is definitely nothing most Germans are used to, especially the ones who never ever left Germany.
Anything my expat friends would like to add to this list?
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Relocating: The Car
Hello and happy Thursday!
Today marks another big step in the whole "relocating-across-the-big-pond" process:
The car got picked up!
There was no doubt we wanted to take the car to the US. M bought it brand new when he got out of the Army. It's a 2011 Ford Fusion, and we just love it. Plus it is US specs, so it would have been hard to sell it over here in Germany, since only Military personnel and/or civilians working for the US military over here would have been allowed to drive it.
After a whole lot of debating, researching, and pricing, we decided to go with CFR Rinkens. We had to go for a door-to-door car shipping service. So far I am very happy with them! Connie, our contact, is nice and quick. She replies to every e-mail right away.
The guy who picked up the car with this HUGE truck this morning was awesome, too! He called 1 hour before he got to Fürth, so I had enough time to get ready and meet him at the parking garage.
The best thing so far: Even though our Ford wouldn't start, the car was back running, stored in the truck, and ready to be shipped 30 only minutes later!!
Connie told us the car should arrive in El Dorado, AR, in no more than 45 days. Fingers crossed everything goes smooth and fast from now on as well!
Now the Ford should be on its way to Bremerhaven, and will be shipped to NYC as soon as possible. I think it's really exciting!
Check out my amazing sponsor:
Today marks another big step in the whole "relocating-across-the-big-pond" process:
The car got picked up!
There was no doubt we wanted to take the car to the US. M bought it brand new when he got out of the Army. It's a 2011 Ford Fusion, and we just love it. Plus it is US specs, so it would have been hard to sell it over here in Germany, since only Military personnel and/or civilians working for the US military over here would have been allowed to drive it.
After a whole lot of debating, researching, and pricing, we decided to go with CFR Rinkens. We had to go for a door-to-door car shipping service. So far I am very happy with them! Connie, our contact, is nice and quick. She replies to every e-mail right away.
The guy who picked up the car with this HUGE truck this morning was awesome, too! He called 1 hour before he got to Fürth, so I had enough time to get ready and meet him at the parking garage.
The best thing so far: Even though our Ford wouldn't start, the car was back running, stored in the truck, and ready to be shipped 30 only minutes later!!
Connie told us the car should arrive in El Dorado, AR, in no more than 45 days. Fingers crossed everything goes smooth and fast from now on as well!
Now the Ford should be on its way to Bremerhaven, and will be shipped to NYC as soon as possible. I think it's really exciting!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Relocation: The Pet Edition // Coco's Trip Across The Big Pond
The most heartbreaking part of the relocation so far was getting our beloved Coco cat to the USA. There is a lot to keep in mind when you are relocating your cat. In our case that meant from Germany to the USA. Here is a list of what we did:
(If you use links in this post, I may earn a commission. Full Disclosure)
Call the airline to make sure you can take the cat!
The minute I had M's flight data, I called Delta/KLM to arrange everything for Coco's flight. They have to confirm everything. Since the trip was Nuremberg -> Amsterdam -> Atlanta -> Little Rock, there were quite a few flights that needed confirmation. I would really suggest calling them as soon as you know the date of travel and flight number(s).
Usually they ask if you want to put your cat in the cargo section, or if it is allowed in the cabin. In our case there was no other way than taking her on the coach, and I was really happy about that. Knowing Coco would be in the cargo for more than 17 hours would have broken my heart.
What's the best pet carrier?
I did a whole lot of research on this one. Since I knew M had to take Coco on the plane, there weren't many options. We decided to get the "SturdiBag Large". It is airline approved and lighter than most other carriers. This is important as well since all airlines have a weight restriction for pets traveling in the cabin. The airlines will most likely weigh your cat in the carrier at the counter, so the lighter the pet carrier, the better.
I built up the "SturdiBag" as soon as it arrived in the mail, so Coco used it as her little hideaway. She loved it from day one! For safety reasons I put a padded changing mat on the bottom and her favorite fleece blanket on top of it. M told me later she didn't pee or poop during the whole flight though. But anyways - safety first!
M had to squeeze the bag to make it fit under the seat in front of him. Coco would have had enough room anyways, but the flight attendants on all 3 flights were so nice to let him put the carrier either on a seat next to him, or aisle. So Coco and M made it across the big pond in one piece, safe and sound.
Is the cat healthy enough?
Coco had her vet appointment about 4 weeks before the trip. She needed a checkup, 3 shots, and a passport. I never knew something like this even existed! But yes, my cat is now a proud passport holder of the EU! Coco was a true rock star at the vet practice. She wasn't even complaining when her mean mama decided to get her chipped as well. Just a little "shhhhhhhhhhhhhh" and that was it!
Well done!
A few more things to keep in mind:
You will have to take the cat out of the carrier while going through security check. A collar and leash came in handy in this situation. Another option would be asking for a seperate room while they check the carrier. Believe me, they will do it. No one wants a wild cat running around an airport!
You are not allowed to put the cat on any tranquilizers! If you do so, they might refuse to take the cat on board! What we were using to prepare Coco for the flight was "Dr Bach Rescue Remedy" - for pets. We put it in her water and on the morning of the flight mixed it up with some liquid cat candy.
And the most important thing: Stop feeding the cat 12 hours before takeoff! Otherwise it might vomit and choke, and we don't want that!!!
My blogging friend Juanita was by my (Facebook-)side all through the preparations and answered every question I had.
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| http://juanitatortilla.blogspot.com |
Her cats traveled a lot already, so I was happy to have her to calm me down.
Thank you, chickee!!!
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Finally an update!
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| You can tell we are about to move... Let the chaotic days begin! |
Hello my lovely readers and sorry for being MIA lately!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas time and a smooth start into 2014? I definitely did! M arrived on December 21st. We picked him up at the airport, and I can't even describe how happy I was to finally be with him again after 8 long long months!!! We've had a wonderful time, eating out, strolling Christmas markets, drinking Glühwein, cuddling up on the couch watching movies... I really needed that! I missed my man so so much!
Christmas was wonderful as well. My family came all the way to Bavaria and we had a great time together!
So this is actually the main reason for me not blogging for a couple of days. Yep, I'm sugarcoating it :oD. Weeks would be more correct in this case.
I'm making huge progress in the whole moving process though! The apartment is very empty - I keep selling stuff! Love it! The moving company will pick up all the goods we will take to the states mid February. I hope I will be out of here and handing over the keys by the end of February as well.
Monday night the Realtor will bring the first couple of people over who are interested in moving in. Fingers crossed they will take my kitchen furniture!!!
M's car will be shipped next week. Hallelujah! I still have to remove the trash bags full of stuff from the trunk, clean it inside and outside. But my brother in law promised to help me, so I am pretty much relaxed.
But the biggest news I am about to spill tomorrow! So make sure to stay tuned!
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Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
The Taste of Home // Getting my German Groceries here in the USA!
I came back from my trip to Europe a little over two weeks ago, and realized I forgot to do one major thing: more shopping!
But I sure forgot to hit the grocery store to buy some Knorr and Maggi seasonings, and probably more Lebkuchen, Domino Steine, Marzipan Kartoffeln, and all the other German Christmas goodies. Thank goodness I can now find most of the things right here in the USA, and I can even go shopping at my local World Market! I found so much online, I sure have to plan a visit this weekend.
Things you won't find in Germany
Howdy there!
Ugh... It's such a dark and grey day over here today. I've changed from PJs to sweatpants & hoodie, and had a bunch of pancakes for breakfast. That's pretty much everything I've accomplished today so far. I feel bad.
While going through our pantry and fridge this morning, I've realized how many groceries over here are not available at all in Germany. Well, you will find them at the Commisary on military posts, but not in the German economy. It's mostly pretty crappy stuff you will be better off NOT eating.... nutrition wise... but anywho -
Corn Dog.
PB-J Sandwiches.
Anything "Pumpkin Spice"
Ranch.
Vodka Sauce
Check out my amazing sponsor:
Ugh... It's such a dark and grey day over here today. I've changed from PJs to sweatpants & hoodie, and had a bunch of pancakes for breakfast. That's pretty much everything I've accomplished today so far. I feel bad.
While going through our pantry and fridge this morning, I've realized how many groceries over here are not available at all in Germany. Well, you will find them at the Commisary on military posts, but not in the German economy. It's mostly pretty crappy stuff you will be better off NOT eating.... nutrition wise... but anywho -
Here is my shocking list:
Corn Dog.
Poor German kids might never know the deliciousness of the county fair's finest!
PB-J Sandwiches.
Don't get me wrong: There IS peanut butter in Germany. But it is expensive as heck. A jar this size would be around $15 I guess. Grape Jelly I have never seen in the German economy though.
Anything "Pumpkin Spice"
Any Germans reading my blog? If so, let us know if you actually CAN buy PS stuff now. While I was living over here, the only thing Pumpkin Spice was the occasional PSL at Starbucks. And not every city has a Starbucks.
Ranch.
This must be a total shocker for everyone! No. Ranch. In. Germany. Germans usually use (homemade) vinaigrette. You can find some kind of cocktail sauce, honey mustard, and ceaser dressing. But "Ranch" in terms of something you eat? Nope. Not even Ranch Doritos.
Vodka Sauce
This is hands down my favorite ready-made pasta sauce. And another item you can't find in Germany! We do have the Bertolli brand - I mean, hello? We are so much closer to Italy than you guys :oD! But no Vodka Sauce.
I could keep this list going. There is so much more stuff, like "Alfredo Sauce" that no one in Europe, heck, Italy has ever heard of. I will keep collecting stuff to make you guys another list!
Wordless Wednesday LinkUp // Golden Cross
I ran a 5k showing my middle finger & Things non-runners say
Hello there!
I just finished a 5k run in my old hometown in Germany! I finished in 35 mins, which is my 2nd best time ever :)
I just finished a 5k run in my old hometown in Germany! I finished in 35 mins, which is my 2nd best time ever :)
The weather was bad... It was raining like crazy, and cold (around 60F). I felt great throughout the run though. Except the last 50 yards before the finish line. But I made it!
I was so freaking thirsty after I finished,
I was so freaking thirsty after I finished,
Hiking Germany: Teufelsschlucht
"The "Teufelsschlucht" is a gorge like cleft in the rock, which was enigmatic for the lcoals. A normal gorge is formed by the erosion of a river, as a result the floor is continually going downwards, as the water flows downhill. But this gorge is different, as the floor on both ends is higher than in the centre. So the water would have flown in from both sides and vanished mysteriously. So the locals beliefed this gorge was not formed naturally but created by the devil. So it was named devils gorge. The sandstone in this area is called Luxemburger Sandstein and is from the Lower Jurassic or Lias. The calcreous sandstone was deposited some 190Ma ago at the northern coast of the Lias sea. The land mass to the north is called Ardennens Massif, and was the source of the sand. The area where those sandstones are found today is called Luxemburger Schweiz (Luxembourg Switzerland) and is about 330m asl. The sandstones are exceptionally thick in this area, because this once was the stuary of a river which brought huge amounts of sand with it an deposited them. Below the sandstone is a layer of marl from the Upper Triassic, locally called Keuper. This rock is water resistant and rather soft, and becomes a good lubricant (at least in geologic terms) if wet. The sandstone has cracks from the uplift, they are widened by erosion, and the weck basement lets huges chunks of rock slide slowly. This process was intensified at the end of the last ice age, some 10,000 yeras ago, when warm an humid climate and the melting water of the glaciers caused higher erosion. The result was the labyrinth of strange rocks caled Felsenmeer (sea of rocks). The gorge was formed by the separation of two chucks of rock for more than one meter and several subsequent rock falls."
via www.showcaves.com
Did you know you can find me on YouTube now as well? I'm just getting started. But I would be happy if you follow me on there as well! I made a little video of the hike. It's not super duper professional, but I hope you will enjoy it anyway. I'm still learning all this YouTube stuff.
It was a wonderful and exhausting hike. Since it was going up- and downhill all the time, it was a nice workout as well:
If you want to hike over here, in the beautiful USA - check out this article about
Top 50 Long Distance Hiking Trails In The USA!
Life Lately // Vacation Update
Hello there! I just wanted to let you all know I made it to Germany in one piece. It was a loooong trip though, including an 8 hour overlay in London. I was so happy when I finally arrived in Frankfurt! I left Little Rock at 6am. First pit stop in Chicago (I LOVE O'Hare Airport!), and then across the big pond, London-bound.
I was cheap when I was booking the flight. That's why I had the 8 hours overlay in London. It wouldn't have been all that bad, but almost every single shop and restaurant was closed. I was a little surprised about everything being closed, since Heathrow is such a huge airport! Even the "Heathrow Express", the train connecting the terminals, was closed for the night. So I had to find the Night Bus stop, and wait 30 minutes to get on a (doubledecker) bus to my departure terminal 5. All this after 2 flights and hours and hours of traveling. Sucks.
Luckily there was a "Marks & Spencer" open at terminal 5, so I stacked up on water, fruit, and vegetables for the night. So I was just sitting there, watching "2 Broke Girl$", eating, drinking, people watching, all night, waiting for the security check-in to open at 5:30am the next morning.
The 3rd and last flight was from London to Frankfurt. Guess who fell asleep even before the plane took off? Yep, this gurrl. I slept the whole flight, only woke up once, when the flight attendant was trying to hand me a croissant. But then I fell back asleep and woke up seconds before we touched down in good old Germany.
The first 3-4 days were like hell, jetlag wise. I was so super sleepy! Now it's been 10 days already, and slowly I'm getting used to the German time zone again.
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| My sister took this paparazzi snapshot of me. I just closed my eyes for 5 minutes. I promise. |
I was cheap when I was booking the flight. That's why I had the 8 hours overlay in London. It wouldn't have been all that bad, but almost every single shop and restaurant was closed. I was a little surprised about everything being closed, since Heathrow is such a huge airport! Even the "Heathrow Express", the train connecting the terminals, was closed for the night. So I had to find the Night Bus stop, and wait 30 minutes to get on a (doubledecker) bus to my departure terminal 5. All this after 2 flights and hours and hours of traveling. Sucks.
Luckily there was a "Marks & Spencer" open at terminal 5, so I stacked up on water, fruit, and vegetables for the night. So I was just sitting there, watching "2 Broke Girl$", eating, drinking, people watching, all night, waiting for the security check-in to open at 5:30am the next morning.
The 3rd and last flight was from London to Frankfurt. Guess who fell asleep even before the plane took off? Yep, this gurrl. I slept the whole flight, only woke up once, when the flight attendant was trying to hand me a croissant. But then I fell back asleep and woke up seconds before we touched down in good old Germany.
The first 3-4 days were like hell, jetlag wise. I was so super sleepy! Now it's been 10 days already, and slowly I'm getting used to the German time zone again.
Watch out for some more posts from my time in Germany!
And I have an awesome guest post coming up!
Huge Milestone: The Car Arrived
While we are still waiting for any news about when we will get our household goods, we have reached a huge milestone in the whole relocating-across-the-big-pond yesterday:
M was almost crying when he came home from work :) he missed his black baby! And you know what true love is? He let me drive the care in within the first 2 hours of it being here. THAT'S true love, indeed.
I can sum the rest of the day up with only a few words: carwash and cruisin'! We've had a blast, and to be honest it was one of the happiest moments we've had for a long time. The whole moving and especially the issues we are having with the company that is moving our household from Germany to the USA, are really a mood killer. And a money eater. Which causes money issues. You know how it is... Well, I will tell you more about that soon!
But: If you ever have to ship your car across an ocean, I can definitely suggest calling the people from CFR Rinkens. They, and especially our go to girl Connie, did an awesome job! Thanks again!
Check out my amazing sponsor:
Our car arrived!
M was almost crying when he came home from work :) he missed his black baby! And you know what true love is? He let me drive the care in within the first 2 hours of it being here. THAT'S true love, indeed.
I can sum the rest of the day up with only a few words: carwash and cruisin'! We've had a blast, and to be honest it was one of the happiest moments we've had for a long time. The whole moving and especially the issues we are having with the company that is moving our household from Germany to the USA, are really a mood killer. And a money eater. Which causes money issues. You know how it is... Well, I will tell you more about that soon!
But: If you ever have to ship your car across an ocean, I can definitely suggest calling the people from CFR Rinkens. They, and especially our go to girl Connie, did an awesome job! Thanks again!
Happy Tuesday!
Are you enjoying your weekend?
Happy Saturday!
I hope you guys are enjoying your weekends?
I am sitting at our new dining room table typing this. You can't even imagine how happy I am to finally have a place to sit down and do stuff. I found it at a yard sale group on Facebook for a greal deal! And they were so nice and even delivered it to our house this morning, since we don't have a truck.
The couch is fine, but after a while it is just messing up my back. Our household goods are scheduled to arrive in New York on 9th of April. Hopefully the whole customs process will go smooth. FYI: The car still didn't make it to us yet.... I am really mad.
Since I don't work, I have pretty "adventurous" days so far. I walk around El Dorado a lot - which is a real adventure already, because sidewalks either don't exist, or are death traps...
The city is lovely though! I already have a favorite coffee spot: PJ's!
Oh and I sure love the fact, that the Stadium is so close to our house! I go there a lot to run,/work out to loose some of my 40 extra pounds I feel I gained since quitting smoking 10 months ago. Also I have to train for my 5k run in Little Rock on Memorial Day weekend!!
It feels as if I'm in the worst shape ever... But I am fighting! And as soon as our stuff gets here, I will have all my Jillian Michaels DVDs, dum bells, and all the other workout stuff. Jillian makes it so much easier for me to get in shape...
I hope you are doing great!
Check out my amazing sponsor:
I hope you guys are enjoying your weekends?
I am sitting at our new dining room table typing this. You can't even imagine how happy I am to finally have a place to sit down and do stuff. I found it at a yard sale group on Facebook for a greal deal! And they were so nice and even delivered it to our house this morning, since we don't have a truck.
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| One of the chairs |
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| This is a picture of the dining room set (bad one - off Facebook) |
Since I don't work, I have pretty "adventurous" days so far. I walk around El Dorado a lot - which is a real adventure already, because sidewalks either don't exist, or are death traps...
The city is lovely though! I already have a favorite coffee spot: PJ's!
Oh and I sure love the fact, that the Stadium is so close to our house! I go there a lot to run,/work out to loose some of my 40 extra pounds I feel I gained since quitting smoking 10 months ago. Also I have to train for my 5k run in Little Rock on Memorial Day weekend!!
It feels as if I'm in the worst shape ever... But I am fighting! And as soon as our stuff gets here, I will have all my Jillian Michaels DVDs, dum bells, and all the other workout stuff. Jillian makes it so much easier for me to get in shape...
I hope you are doing great!
Have a lovely weekend!
Meanwhile in Germany....
Enjoying the sunshine and coffee :)
14 days left in Germany!
Happy Friday, chicas!
Moving: Check!
Just a quick update: today was moving day and everything went really smooth!
I caught a bad cold about 2 days ago, and was knocked out, so I'm happy I finished my part before the cold hit me, and the movers did a great job. It took a little longer than I expected, but at 4pm the little truck left and will be on its way to the sea port soon.
Thank you all for your support and prayers!
I'll hide in my little camp now and sleep... I'm really, really tired and exhausted.
Good night!
xoxo
Anni
11 Days
Time flies by! The moving company will be here in 11 days to pick up our stuff. I just finished packing a box with stuff I will need right away as soon as I get to Arkansas, like towels, bedding, PJs... Just a few essentials.
Last night I have ordered the first few kitchen gadgets and they will be there tomorrow! I hope M won't break them before I get there!!
Because of the 220V/110V issue, I had to get basically EVERYTHING. On Black Friday M already bought a griddle, a coffee maker, and a small CrockPot. Last night I ordered a 6 quart CrockPot, an immersion blender, a hand mixer, a food processor, an epilator, and a brick for my Nintendo Wii. Oh and pillows. M is still kind of living like a camper in our new home, so to be on the safe side, I've ordered those, too. Type a. Sorry.
Someday this week I have to go into the basement :o/ sorting through and throwing stuff away will definitely not be fun down there!
So this was a little update from my side! I will be back tomorrow!
On The Road // Just write
The apartment in Fuerth is getting more and more empty... So this so called vacation is rather an escape.
I'm so sleepy right now. I had trouble falling asleep last night, and then the alarm went off at 7:30am. I keep trying to take a nap on the train, but since everyone around me is talking really loud, I can't. I've tried to read, but it's too loud for me to focus on my book. I'm about to open that can of Red Bull I have in my backpack. If I can't sleep, I'll try to be awake. Wide awake.
One of the reasons I didn't sleep last night was that I miss M and Coco like crazy right now. They left 2 weeks ago... We have been apart way longer before, but somehow this time the missing is worse. It might sound funny, but having Coco cat around made it easier for me to stay sane while M was in the states and I was in Germany. Now I'm all alone... Of course I still have my family and friends around here, but my own little family is miles and miles away. I can't wait to be on the plane soon!
Moving date is set to February 17th. After that I will have to take care of a few smaller things, and then I'm ready to go as well! Yay!
I hope you guys had an awesome weekend!
Relocating: Things I will definitely NOT miss about Germany (Pt. 1)
Howdy and happy Friday!
The weekend is finally here. Oh and if you guys don't know what to do: come on over and help me getting this house in order, so I won't have to be ashamed tomorrow while showing the people who want to move in around! The Realtor called in sick, so I will have to do it.... Ugh.
Today I want to share a few things about living in Germany I WILL DEFINITELY NOT MISS! Don't get me wrong, Germany is an awesome country to live in. But a few things in daily life just drive you crazy:
1. The "Einwegpfand"
If you want to buy soda in Germany, no matter if it is a bottle or a can, you have to pay 25 cent extra. Deposit. Yes, on every single item there is a 25 cent bottle deposit. Or container deposit.
You might think I'm cheap, but it is way too much money to just throw the bottles and cans away. If you want your money back, you will have to go to the grocery store, wait in a line of about 15 other people with huge trash bags full of empty bottles and cans, put every single bottle into a nasty, sticky, stinky machine, grab the receipt (which my sister ALWAYS forgets), and cash it in at the checkout.
2. The "GEZ"
The "GEZ" is a fee collection service, some bright human came up with in 1976. Every household in Germany using a Radio/TV/Computer/tbc. HAS TO pay €17,98 Euro (about $25) every month. On top of your cable TV or whatever service you are using. You pay them just because you can or could watch TV, even if you don't watch any TV at all. You HAVE to pay them. Seriously. If you don't, they will show up, just like the Mafia. They send you letters, ring your doorbell. They threaten you. They do everything in their power to make you pay. As far as I know you now have to pay for smartphones as well. Because you COULD use them to watch TV shows or listen to radio. Crazy shit right there. If you want to know more about this "criminal" German institution, check out this article on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEZ
3. The Very Grumpy People
When entering a store in Germany, some (or even most!) of the people working there give you the feeling you are not welcome at all. Like "Naw, go away, we don't want to sell anything. Oh and it's the time of the month so please just leave me alone. Me and my colleague want to talk about our weekend plans."
Did you watch "Pretty Woman"? Check out this video (at 0:30) minus the "Can I help you":
Those grumpy people can be found in many places though. Like Christmas markets. Or at grocery stores. Oh, and in cars, of course! I don't know what's wrong with them, but being nice and polite is definitely nothing most Germans are used to, especially the ones who never ever left Germany.
Anything my expat friends would like to add to this list?
Relocating: The Car
Hello and happy Thursday!
Today marks another big step in the whole "relocating-across-the-big-pond" process:
The car got picked up!
There was no doubt we wanted to take the car to the US. M bought it brand new when he got out of the Army. It's a 2011 Ford Fusion, and we just love it. Plus it is US specs, so it would have been hard to sell it over here in Germany, since only Military personnel and/or civilians working for the US military over here would have been allowed to drive it.
After a whole lot of debating, researching, and pricing, we decided to go with CFR Rinkens. We had to go for a door-to-door car shipping service. So far I am very happy with them! Connie, our contact, is nice and quick. She replies to every e-mail right away.
The guy who picked up the car with this HUGE truck this morning was awesome, too! He called 1 hour before he got to Fürth, so I had enough time to get ready and meet him at the parking garage.
The best thing so far: Even though our Ford wouldn't start, the car was back running, stored in the truck, and ready to be shipped 30 only minutes later!!
Connie told us the car should arrive in El Dorado, AR, in no more than 45 days. Fingers crossed everything goes smooth and fast from now on as well!
Now the Ford should be on its way to Bremerhaven, and will be shipped to NYC as soon as possible. I think it's really exciting!
Check out my amazing sponsor:
Today marks another big step in the whole "relocating-across-the-big-pond" process:
The car got picked up!
There was no doubt we wanted to take the car to the US. M bought it brand new when he got out of the Army. It's a 2011 Ford Fusion, and we just love it. Plus it is US specs, so it would have been hard to sell it over here in Germany, since only Military personnel and/or civilians working for the US military over here would have been allowed to drive it.
After a whole lot of debating, researching, and pricing, we decided to go with CFR Rinkens. We had to go for a door-to-door car shipping service. So far I am very happy with them! Connie, our contact, is nice and quick. She replies to every e-mail right away.
The guy who picked up the car with this HUGE truck this morning was awesome, too! He called 1 hour before he got to Fürth, so I had enough time to get ready and meet him at the parking garage.
The best thing so far: Even though our Ford wouldn't start, the car was back running, stored in the truck, and ready to be shipped 30 only minutes later!!
Connie told us the car should arrive in El Dorado, AR, in no more than 45 days. Fingers crossed everything goes smooth and fast from now on as well!
Now the Ford should be on its way to Bremerhaven, and will be shipped to NYC as soon as possible. I think it's really exciting!
Relocation: The Pet Edition // Coco's Trip Across The Big Pond
The most heartbreaking part of the relocation so far was getting our beloved Coco cat to the USA. There is a lot to keep in mind when you are relocating your cat. In our case that meant from Germany to the USA. Here is a list of what we did:
(If you use links in this post, I may earn a commission. Full Disclosure)
Call the airline to make sure you can take the cat!
The minute I had M's flight data, I called Delta/KLM to arrange everything for Coco's flight. They have to confirm everything. Since the trip was Nuremberg -> Amsterdam -> Atlanta -> Little Rock, there were quite a few flights that needed confirmation. I would really suggest calling them as soon as you know the date of travel and flight number(s).
Usually they ask if you want to put your cat in the cargo section, or if it is allowed in the cabin. In our case there was no other way than taking her on the coach, and I was really happy about that. Knowing Coco would be in the cargo for more than 17 hours would have broken my heart.
What's the best pet carrier?
I did a whole lot of research on this one. Since I knew M had to take Coco on the plane, there weren't many options. We decided to get the "SturdiBag Large". It is airline approved and lighter than most other carriers. This is important as well since all airlines have a weight restriction for pets traveling in the cabin. The airlines will most likely weigh your cat in the carrier at the counter, so the lighter the pet carrier, the better.
I built up the "SturdiBag" as soon as it arrived in the mail, so Coco used it as her little hideaway. She loved it from day one! For safety reasons I put a padded changing mat on the bottom and her favorite fleece blanket on top of it. M told me later she didn't pee or poop during the whole flight though. But anyways - safety first!
M had to squeeze the bag to make it fit under the seat in front of him. Coco would have had enough room anyways, but the flight attendants on all 3 flights were so nice to let him put the carrier either on a seat next to him, or aisle. So Coco and M made it across the big pond in one piece, safe and sound.
Is the cat healthy enough?
Coco had her vet appointment about 4 weeks before the trip. She needed a checkup, 3 shots, and a passport. I never knew something like this even existed! But yes, my cat is now a proud passport holder of the EU! Coco was a true rock star at the vet practice. She wasn't even complaining when her mean mama decided to get her chipped as well. Just a little "shhhhhhhhhhhhhh" and that was it!
Well done!
A few more things to keep in mind:
You will have to take the cat out of the carrier while going through security check. A collar and leash came in handy in this situation. Another option would be asking for a seperate room while they check the carrier. Believe me, they will do it. No one wants a wild cat running around an airport!
You are not allowed to put the cat on any tranquilizers! If you do so, they might refuse to take the cat on board! What we were using to prepare Coco for the flight was "Dr Bach Rescue Remedy" - for pets. We put it in her water and on the morning of the flight mixed it up with some liquid cat candy.
And the most important thing: Stop feeding the cat 12 hours before takeoff! Otherwise it might vomit and choke, and we don't want that!!!
My blogging friend Juanita was by my (Facebook-)side all through the preparations and answered every question I had.
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| http://juanitatortilla.blogspot.com |
Her cats traveled a lot already, so I was happy to have her to calm me down.
Thank you, chickee!!!
Finally an update!
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| You can tell we are about to move... Let the chaotic days begin! |
Hello my lovely readers and sorry for being MIA lately!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas time and a smooth start into 2014? I definitely did! M arrived on December 21st. We picked him up at the airport, and I can't even describe how happy I was to finally be with him again after 8 long long months!!! We've had a wonderful time, eating out, strolling Christmas markets, drinking Glühwein, cuddling up on the couch watching movies... I really needed that! I missed my man so so much!
Christmas was wonderful as well. My family came all the way to Bavaria and we had a great time together!
So this is actually the main reason for me not blogging for a couple of days. Yep, I'm sugarcoating it :oD. Weeks would be more correct in this case.
I'm making huge progress in the whole moving process though! The apartment is very empty - I keep selling stuff! Love it! The moving company will pick up all the goods we will take to the states mid February. I hope I will be out of here and handing over the keys by the end of February as well.
Monday night the Realtor will bring the first couple of people over who are interested in moving in. Fingers crossed they will take my kitchen furniture!!!
M's car will be shipped next week. Hallelujah! I still have to remove the trash bags full of stuff from the trunk, clean it inside and outside. But my brother in law promised to help me, so I am pretty much relaxed.
But the biggest news I am about to spill tomorrow! So make sure to stay tuned!
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