February 5, 2013

The Green Wave

That first Sunday in Germany i felt like i was living in a dream. Castles and Christmas markets highlighting my itinerary, i had never felt so happy in my life. i hope this chapter will take you through a wonderful journey i experienced as it is really one worth living (even if it is by reading).

{Ludwigsburg, a city where the government promises all traffic lights to be green – if everyone drives at 50km/h. This awesome ‘phenomenon’ is called ‘The Green Wave’}

My second day at Germany started off fresh with a pleasant journey in our quaint smelling new das auto to Ludwigsburg Residenzschloss, one of the country’s largest Baroque palaces. Before anything else, i must warn you that there are no heaters in this historical building so please layer up unless you are with a man whom you can steal body heat from.

With every step i took deeper into the chambers, i got more fascinated by the walls encrusted gold and loving angels flying above the ceilings of Ludwig’s enchanted palace. You can be sure that neither the blank gray skies nor the bitter cold outside could freeze the warm hearts of true romanticists who marvelled the castle that cold afternoon.

I tucked in cosily at the back of the castle is a fairytale path to Rapunzel’s tower, lined with naked trees decorating pale skies with millions of skinny, undernourished branches that thirst for warmth of the golden sun. Throwing my head backwards, i walked in a straight line forward with my eyes closed down the melancholy road; picturing big ol’ Leo running around the garden as a little boy with his smiling grandmother on one hand, as he painted me his childhood memory in that garden, word by word . . .

{Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair, let me climb your golden stairs}

When my footsteps started to sway off the linear track, i opened my eyes to see pretty winter flowers’ blooming bravely in the cold; visible to those who love to seek tiny details through a world tinted rose. Just right before a left turn to the tower lay a sparse bed of white flowers smiling happily from the ground and i wondered where they gathered so much strong will to live, despite the unbelievable cold. Even the trees with big fat trunks must hibernate throughout the cold dull winter. Even the strong muscle man who took his German Shepard for a walk looked like he was secretly wearing a blanket underneath!

A few minutes later, i waited at a Christmas tree for Ralf who lives nearby Ludwigsburg city, to take us to the Weihnachtsmarkt or Christmas market; which was every reason of my very existence at that point of time. There are many Christmas markets around Europe but Germany is where they originated from.

To ensure that i get the very best from my first Christmas market experience, we figure it’s wisest to get a local friend to tell us exactly which stall to go to for the best wurst or egg liqueur because truth is, there are so many stalls, but there is only so much your stomach can contain. The Chinese part of me was urging to waste no time and only target the best!

A walk through the Christmas market is exactly like a journey through the land of elves and pixies – i can find no differences really. You will see in the next couple of pictures below wooden huts lit up with fairy lights, traditional decorations sparkling everywhere, nutcrackers filling the air with a faint scent of Santa’s workshop . . . all in an ocean of gifts and warm delicacies.

In no time we found ourselves gathered in front of a busy Glühwein stall; fighting ever so silent and peacefully with the crowds who slowly gave in and made space for our warm food and drinks. The smoky sausages are truly a taste of Germany while the Sauerkraut completes and balances the meal with just the right amount of zingy sourness.

{Rote mit Senf – a bite into this juicy sausage which ends peek shyly from its crispy baguette gives a burst of flavors that trickles in your mouth right down to your tummy}

{i thought i could never loved Sauerkraut but i learned that i was wronged. correction: i never loved Malaysian Sauerkraut. my first spoonful of Schupfnudeln mit Sauerkraut i took with absolute scepticism proved me wrong inside out or upside down; whichever you wanna call it; and rest assured i could finish bowls and bowls of this yummy stuff at any given day}

{Glühwein aka ‘glowing wine’, a warm spiced wine – MUST-HAVE during a Christmas market visit. who can deny that hot alcohol is the most ideal thing in the world especially in chilly weather?}

{Coffee locomotive engine, i would like to call it}

{A night of carols and candlelights at Ludwigsburger Weihnachtsmarkt – with a Lucky Star biscuit hanging around my neck}

Like i mentioned earlier, it is better to have a local take you around in order to discover the known secrets of the magical markets. Ralf brought us to a cozy little wooden hut of a restaurant hidden at the end of the Weihnachtsmarkt, specially for what they call the ‘Christmas Dream‘ . . .

{Promise me you will try Baumstriezel if you ever visit this place. Apparently they are so good they ran out of them to their last crumb when we arrived!}

{Christmas Dream, hot chocolate with rum. Try or die. You gotta choose}

{Apfelpunsch – after much contemplation, i’ve decided that this is personally my favorite drink in Germany}

{A silent night drive along the hilly roads of Esslingen, dotted with bedazzling lights and sparkles ♡ }