Our trip to Munich's Christmas Markets

[Killearn Kitties]

At last!!! I have resized my photos and present them here for your enjoyment!

We arrived on Friday night and, to my amazement, got nose kissies from Filou! I did not expect this, as I had been led to believe that Filou was rather elusive. He may have a certain attitude, but he is still an adorable boy. Just look at these pictures.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p1b84e1967b339b343535a848ea72f100/f5ebba0c.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p2246e123c8633d12e4ab6086e7ad926e/f5ebba09.jpg

Tigris is as magnificent as his pictures suggest, but he is also a purring softie! We were not long through the door, when he jumped up beside us and rolled around! I had to go for dinner with a hairy trouser leg, because I had been patting Tigris so much. Unfortunately neither of us got a digital picture of this, because Barbara and Siegmar's camera just ran out of battery, and we had just bought a camera on the way to Munich and hadn't charged it yet.

Here are a few pictures of Tigris taken at a different time.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p11fca41134f999dcaf154a1b1d3e6f79/f5ebba11.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/pbe8f5285131d2174cf9bcfe23778ed21/f5ebba12.jpg

We didn't just sit in and take pictures of cats though. We didn't manage round all 30 of Munich's Christmas markets, but we did manage a couple. My favourite was an arts and crafts market, lots of jewelry, candles and ornaments. It had lovely lanterns above the stalls.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p3ff789a6eb69228d4bbe01dfa75747a2/f5ebba0b.jpg

A picture of the four of us enjoying a break

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p264311900694cff43e6bcaf6ff086fc4/f5ebba0e.jpg

Us again, outside the lovely place we had dinner.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/pc23f350b778aac25b3ecce7ccbe7bdda/f5ebba0f.jpg

I have to say, that Barbara and Siegmar are as wonderful as everyone says they are. They are great hosts and we had a lovely time.

I have included a link to the album if anyone wants to see the other pictures or slightly larger versions of these ones.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2134127187

[Edwina's Secretary]

About time! Looks so Christmasy!

[Lillycat]

really enjoyed the pictures......thanks for sharing them!

[AmberLee]

Awww ... wish I could have joined you! It looks like you all had a marvelous time.

[Barbara]

I won't have time to post my pics until tonight but I agree: we had a wonderful time.
Filou was more social than I would have expected. If you bring your face close to him he will be happy to carefully analyze whether your make-up is good quality:D He was happy with Karen's:D

Tigris recognized immediately that we had some international cat scritchie specialists here and showed his chin and his belly, purring and looking VERY happy.

Karen and Alec brought the best catnip ever. Looks like UK catnip can compete with Canadian ;) The catnip company has a gorgeous website with pics of happy customers: www.sparkipuss.com

The first evening we had dinner in a countryside pub. The next day we were going downtown Munich with sights (churches from gothic to rococo;) ) windowshopping (there is a department store where they have windows sponsored by Steiff, that famous stuffed animals company and they are full of little details like kitties playing on the roof, a goat kid and a rabbit being goofy at the window- it all moves and I love it every year;)

Finally it started to be a little darker and we approached the main Christmas market. Karen and Alec bought some wooden tree ornaments like a little angel made out of wood shavings. they also bought a feathered angel (I'm not sure whether that one was for Samantha, Jessica and Daisy;) ). Plus they bought some gingerbread variations.

We went to a second Christmas markets where they have more jewelry, ceramics. They bought a funny moskito out of copper thread with big green eyes who will have to scare away all the other moskitoes in their garden.

Then we had dinner at the Franziskaner- a very classical Bavarian place. We had roast goose with blue cabbage, potato dumpling and gravy- very much Bavarian Christmas.

We would never have gone downtown on a pre-Christmas saturday without guests- but it opened our eyes as well to see it all with a little tourist distance. Munich is really a very picturesque town, especially at this time of the year- and it was so much fun:D

[Logan]

I had no idea that you guys got together! How fun!!! Karen, your pictures are terrific, and I'm looking forward to seeing Barbara's too. :)

Logan

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

It sounds like a wonderful weekend! Nose kisses from Filou, my goodness! I can't wait for my turn to give Tigris skritchies and tummy rubs. :)

Barbara, you're right about not going downtown Munich without guests. I love when we have visitors and go downtown Chicago. We normally avoid Chicago - just too many people, too much traffic, etc. - but when visitors come, I love being a tourist with them and seeing what Chicago has to offer.

Looks like you had a wonderful time, and it's wonderful to now be able to put a face with Karen's name. :)

[Randi]

It's wonderful to see pictures from Munich again. :) You must feel honoured that Filou gave you headbumpies, and to think that Tigris literally sat on you - Ahhhh, what a treat! :) Did Tigris also play a tune for you? :D

Barbara and Siegmar are SO good finding the right places, so I know you enjoyed it, wish we'd been there too!!

The pictures are great and I recognize some of the places from your album. Karen I thought you were taller than that! LOL! ;)

Looking forward to your pictures Barbara!

[luvofallhorses]

great pictures:)

[lynnestankard]

Great pics Karen. Looks like you had a great time.

Gorgeous furry pics too!! :D :D

Lynne

[ramanth]

Great pictures! Looks like you all had a wonderful time. I am green with envy. :D

[Barbara]

Now as promised some pics:

Tigris was very curious when he saw there were gifts for him:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/pb5e5326ce6debe93424cbcd7d07494ed/f5e8377b.jpg

He really loved his catnip cushion:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p0937b5bfd53013b0cc7fa7931fc904d5/f5e837a5.jpg

Karen got a friend by feeding him Gimpet vitamin paste:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p3cb88a331438062d153e0ef852c72317/f5e837d3.jpg

And another friend…

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/pcaae91f50e8f57215582a759eb18d85c/f5e837fb.jpg

And the moskito made Filou curious enough to step on Alec’s shoulder:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid150/p54f00de682c8de37bec051b89145b785/f5e83825.jpg

[Randi]

Awww, I can't believe that Filou jumped on Alec's shoulder! What a welcome you two got! :D The pictures of Karen are SO silmilar to the ones of Sara feeding Filou and Tigris.

I bet you got some of that Gimpet paste to take back to Samantha, Daisy and Jessica - I can't wait to see their reaction!

Great pictures Barbara!!

[jenluckenbach]

WOW! What a great get together! :D Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[lynnestankard]

Gimpet paste?????

Great pics Barbara - looks like new friendships were made and bonded!!

Lynne

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Originally posted by lynnestankard
Gimpet paste?????



Same question: what is THAT???

Thanks for all the great picture!! Looks like you had a wonderful time together!!

[Barbara]

Gimpet paste is a German multivitamin paste for cats.

F+T are simply crazy about it. Luna and Lily also love it. In summer we brought some to the US- some kitties liked it, some couldn't care less.;)

[Randi]

Originally posted by lynnestankard
Gimpet paste?????
Gimpet vitamin paste. It comes in a tube - I think you can only get it in Germany. Most cats are crazy about it. :)

I'm sure Barbara has a picture of it. ;)

Edit: I found a picture, you can see it amongst these pressies for Fister. :) It's the tall one.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid81/pedf28362df635a4af4390f659a3039f9/faf57ad4.jpg

[Killearn Kitties]

Your photos are great, Barbara! I totally forgot that you had managed to get one of Filou on Alec's sholder. That was amazing. :D The mosquito suffered no damage on the way home and is looking forward to seeing the floral display in his tub next summer.

We were very fortunate to have both Filou and Tigris play us a tune, not a duet though, they both performed solo. ;)

Samantha rather enjoyed her first taste of the vitamin paste. Daisy and Jessica were a little more reserved. They had a good sniff, but decided to do some further research before committing themselves to a taste. :D

[Vio&Juni]

It looks like you had a great time! I hope to go to the Christmas market next year too.
Great pictures - Tigris can be a real softie, and Filou on Alec's shoulder! wow!
Btw, you can find Gimpet in Moldova too :) I was pleasantly surprised to see it. Juni looooooves it, Pichu couldn't care less.


Originally posted by Barbara
...Then we had dinner at the Franziskaner- a very classical Bavarian place. We had roast goose with blue cabbage, potato dumpling and gravy- very much Bavarian Christmas.


Yumy! I think I had the same when I went there last time. I am crazy after Bavarian food. I put about three kilos in two weeks while I was there last time!