Best of 2013

Well, it's almost the end of 2013.  So I thought it would be appropriate to put together my own version of a "Best of" list for the year.  (Plus, I really didn't feel like working on the day that I put this together)

In no particular no order.  And as you'll see, some things made the list that not everyone would think was comment-worthy.  But here we go............. 

Favorite picture of us:  Taken on the terrace of the Il Sanpietro di Positano, in Positano, Italy

Best Market:  I can't really choose, but I'll say it's a tie between the Rialto Fish Market in Venice and the Saturday market in the Jordaan district in Amsterdam

Best cheese (like I said, maybe not important to everyone - but I'm kind of obsessed with cheese):  Without a doubt, the fresh pecorino that they make in Pienza, Italy.  I would weigh 300 pounds if I lived here

Most unique city that not many people (especially Americans) visit:  Lisbon.  Beautiful and gritty at the same time

Best wine tasting this year:  Montalcino, Italy.  Here is Camigliano Winery, which I'm sure Pat would buy if he could

 

 

Most picturesque city that you need to see before it's gone:  Venice, Italy.  All of my pictures were perfect

Best outdoor activity:  Umm, beer drinking, of course!

Most scenic spot for a cocktail:  Hard to choose, but I'm going with the top of the Ritz Carlton in Moscow, over looking Red Square

Best ballet/symphony/opera that I saw this year:  Again, in Moscow, at the Bolshoi Theatre.  Giselle

The place that I 'd like to explore more of, because I really thought it was cool:  Stockholm, Sweden

Best vacation, and the trip where Pat relaxed (so we need to repeat it):  Amalfi Coast/Positano, Italy 

My favorite place to escape Russia for the weekend:  Amsterdam.  I could live there, no problem

 

Best history lesson trip:  Berlin, Germany 

Best 1AM glass of wine in total daylight:  Mansarda restaurant in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 21st

Best White Night photos from St. Petersburg this year:  both were taken around 2:30 - 3:00 am

See you in 2014!

Merry Christmas!!!!

 

Wishing all of my friends and family a Merry Christmas!  This is our 4th Christmas "away".  It's hard to believe how quickly the time has gone by

 

 

 

 

To those of you that we will see over the next few weeks, I can't wait to see some friendly faces!   And to those of you that we will not see, I hope we'll see you soon in 2014 

 

 

 

I'm tired!

Are you glad the year is winding down & that the holiday's are almost here???

 

 

By the end of the year, I'm ready to take a break - from work, from Russia, from all of it.  I am SO looking forward to some time off, which will start this Friday.

We're heading to Rome for Christmas, starting on Friday the 20th.  It's something Pat & I have talked about doing for years, and we decided we just needed to DO IT!.  Then on the 26th, we'll fly to Detroit, drive to Erie for a few days, fly to FL for a few more days, then fly back to Russia.  When I put it that way, it doesn't sound very relaxing, does it? 

So on that note, we took our last trip of the year, excluding our Christmas trip.  Brussels.  Mostly for work, but we did stay an extra day on the weekend to enjoy the city. 

They had a really nice Christmas Market in the area near the Grand Place.  Who can resist a Belgian waffle?

Or some sausage and kraut?

But my favorite, all-time market booth???  The Foie Gras booth!  Are you kidding me???

It was nice enough to sit outside & enjoy my favorite beer (Leffe Blond)

A few more pictures from the Grand Place area. 

They also had a nativity scene, but it was the saddest thing I've ever seen and couldn't even take a picture.  So the Christmas tree will have to do.....

  

Munich at Christmas

Pat & I met in Munich this past weekend.  It was supposed to be a three day weekend trip, but turned into a 2 day trip due to "Xavier", the wind/snow/ice storm in Europe this past week.  So Pat didn't get in until Friday afternoon and we left Sunday morning.  Although I'm not complaining, because I know so many people were impacted by the storms in both Europe and the US. 

(Storm Xavier - why do feel the need to name every weather occurrence these days?)

But we were able to do a little touring around Munich, especially around the Old Town and the Christmas markets.  Europe, especially Eastern Europe, and MOST especially Germany & Austria have the best Christmas Markets.  Love them!  And it really helped get me in the mood for Christmas.  St. Petersburg is just starting to set up a few lights and trees, but it doesn't really feel like Christmas, if you know what I mean?

Here are the gate to the Old City.

The Old Town Hall was built between 1470-1480.  The tower is a little older, built in the 12th Century as part of the fortifications for the city.  The building and tower were damaged during WWII, but not destroyed, so repairs were made restoring them as close as possible to the original design.

Most of the market is centered around Marienplatz, which is the central square in the center of Munich.  The old and the new Town Hall of Munich is located in the square.  Here is a picture of it's tower, which holds "Glockenspiel", a 100 year old carillon (a bell/keyboard instrument found in many bell towers) that is over 100 years old. At 11 a.m., the square was packed as the Glockenspiel played and the figures in the middle of the picture moved (apparently reenacting historical Bavarian events).

The Marienplatz square

The square at night.  Does the tree twinkle on your computer?  (it does on mine)

These are the doors to Frauenkirche, or the Catholic Cathedral of our Blessed Lady.  It's enormous, and the pictures don't due it justice.  The church can hold up to 20,000 people.

  
Michaelskirche, or St. Michaels, a Jesuit church build in the late 1500's.  The green bronze statue near the door is of St. Michael slaying Satan.

This was interesting.  The church is named Bürgersaalkirche.  It's a small, very simple Jesuit church made up of a lower & upper church, as well as a museum honoring Father Rupert Mayer.  It was all in German, so I had to piece the story together between what I could see & what I could read later on the internet.  Father Mayer was beautified by Pope John Paul II in 1987 for his work & life during WW1 and WW2, and for directly challenging the Nazi's, which resulted in his exile and detention in Sachsenhausen concentration camp in 1939.

We also took a walk around Munich's food market, called Viktualienmarkt.  It operates 6 days/week, and was all decked out for the holidays.

A few final shots from our hotel bar.  We stayed at the Sofitel Bayerpost near the train station.  We like Sofitel's a lot, and we'd recommend this one.

The bar and glass hurricanes are going on my Pinterest page for future reference

Cheers, or I should say, Prost!!!