Tomorrow is the first day of Advent and for the first time in a lot of years I have an advent Calender. Charmaine purchased me a "sexy advent Calender" which has some lovely ladies in swimwear on the front. I am yet to find out if there is a surprise behind every box (Pun intended).
For some reason Christmas here feels a lot more real. In Australia I enjoyed the Christmas time only in so much as it was a time for a few days off to spend with my family and drink and eat too much. I really didn't get into the whole "Christmas spirit" and Char and I never bothered with a Christmas tree or lights or anything like that.
Here however, things are different and I think it is because it conforms to the image of Christmas that we see in every film we see or story we read. Even though its often 30 degrees in Australia we still persist in a Santa in thick coat with fur trimming and a lot of us still eat a cooked lunch. Its nice, but there is something about it all that feels a bit phoney and borrowed (I guess because it is) to me.
In Köln the Christmas markets have started. Char and I went on the weekend and wandered around all the cute wooden huts selling all sorts of yummy foods from Reibekuchen (kinda like potato cakes made from grated potato), crepes, fruit dipped in Chocolate, grilled meats of every variety, Glühwein (mulled wine), hot apple juice. There were also heaps of different hand made gift stalls with things made from wood, glass, felt, leather etc. We will have to go back a few more times to sample all the tasty delights that are on offer.
Tonight Char and I have been invited to our first dinner at someones house. Raphael is in the Opera studio with me and doesn't speak much English which means that when we hang out we speak only German - which is great (although at times, tiring) for me. Tonight will be a great test for Char to see how much she can understand and respond in German without looking at me for help to much.
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