Ending 2025 & beginning the new year in France!

After passing the Massif Central covered in thick fog, a little snow, and -3C degrees… we arrived at the Basque Country at the Atlantic coast 🌊 

+14C degrees, blue sky and sunshine 🌞 we found a little paradise in winter.

Love those days after Christmas, the last ones in the old year… it doesn’t matter which day or time of the day it is. Finally, time to relax.

We had stunning weather. We enjoyed a glass (or two, or three) of wine, walks at the beach and admired the brave people surfing and swimming in the Atlantic 🥶

Not easy to find open restaurants for dinner, but we managed. It was delicious.

Enjoying shopping and eating the basque delicatessen.

Meeting home in the south of France: Ever had a “Black Forest” crepe? Oh, it was delicious!

The cars are loaded with delicious goodies, time to drive towards the Ariege for New Year’s Eve 🙂

Starting the new year like we ended the old one: slow, sleeping in, delicious food & drinks in great company, crisp air, reading a book, enjoying the fire in the oven…

Have a joyful start to the new year! 🎆🍾🥂

We had a great start and are now on our way home! We decided to go home without stopover. 1200km 💪🏻

Bonne Annee! 😗

This year’s last blog is going to be a different one (compared to the last years). I don’t really want to repeat the cool people who passed away or how the German (automotive) industry is crashing. And everyone can read about Trump on a daily basis – no need to give him another stage. Not to mention the useless and unnecessary wars. 

This last blog is about the country I was born in, the country I’m currently living in – Germany. 

2026 is about hope. Hoping to bring this country in the right direction again. 2026 might become a year of decisions. Who knows! We will see. 

Germany may not be a big country, but a great one. Germany is famous for world-class engineering, rich cultural heritage. Germany remains the largest economy in the European Union and is a global leader in sustainability, boasting the world’s highest recycling rate. 

Germany is the birthplace of the modern automobile and home to prestigious brands known for precision and quality. Brands like Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Porsche are made in Germany. Speaking of which, the German Autobahn is famous for stretches with no general speed limit, attracting driving enthusiasts worldwide.

Inventions: Many everyday technologies originated here, including the printing press, the MP3 format, X-rays, and the Christmas tree 🎄 

Germany is famous for its beer, home to over 1,500 breweries (plus the Turley Brew) and 5,000 brands. The 500-year-old Beer Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) ensures quality by restricting ingredients to water, hops, barley, and yeast.

Bread & Sausages: Germany produces more than 3,000 types of bread and over 1,200 types of sausage (Wurst), including the popular Currywurst.

The Oktoberfest is held in Munich. It is the world’s largest beer festival, drawing nearly 7 million visitors annually 🍻

The country features diverse scenery ranging from the northern coasts to the southern Alps. There are over 20,000 castles, Neuschwanstein Castle 🏰 being the most famous, allegedly serving as the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The Berlin Wall & Brandenburg Gate are symbols of the Cold War and German reunification located in the capital. The Black Forest (Schwarzwald), renowned for its dense evergreens, cuckoo clocks, and Black Forest gateau 🎂

And how about the Christmas Markets which are famous worldwide for their festive atmosphere, traditional crafts, and mulled wine (Glühwein). 

Germany is known as the “Land of Poets and Thinkers”(Das Land der Dichter und Denker) and Classical Music: birthplace of legendary composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Wagner. We also know Philosophy & Science: home to influential figures like Albert Einstein, Immanuel Kant, and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Germany is not so bad in soccer either: A powerhouse in sports, with a national team that has won four World Cups and three European Championships. 

But what is happening? Did we loose our pioneering mood? Our appetite thriving for the best? Thriving for anything? Our willingness to make decisions? Most of our politicians are old and their ideas, if there are any, are old and dusty, too! Managers don’t decide anymore or too late…

Germany, it’s time to wake up! I still believe we have everything it needs to bring the country up to speed again: great people, great minds, great ideas, great spirit, we got heroes, and we got the European Union. 

What we don’t need is FIFA handing over peace prices (WTF). We don’t need this kind of living in crazy times in which everything is linked and connected: despite the wars in Ukraine and Gaza being local, the whole world is affected. The Russians falling over Ukraine, increasing the price for bread in Africa and at the same time the price for petrol in India is at its lowest?! Because Israel is attacking Gaza, anti-semitic attacks in Germany are increasing and the New York Columbia university has to pray for continues financing. The Chinese are stopping chip deliveries because of trouble in The Netherlands and that’s why the German OEMs like BMW, VW and Mercedes production lines are stopped. I mean, can the world 🌎 become more complex? More nuts? More fuxxed up? 

Yes it can! Hello AI! Artificial intelligence started putting our world picture upside down. And it’s getting more powerful. 

And guess what: all those problems are man made. Man made! The good news: if it was created by us humans we should be able to stop it! It needs some good decisions! It’s worth it. It’s about all or nothing. 

Being hopeful and wishing for world peace, less power hungry politicians, wishing for people focusing reaching a clear goal to make the world a better place! 💫

We need courage, bravery, guts, and a lot of energy for 2026! 

Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve – wishing you and me and us a lot of optimism for the new year! 

2026, here we come! 🎆 

Dad’s 75th birthday party was fun & my Black Forest gateau a success (special thanks to hubby for his engineering cake transport solution & smooth drive). 

Last work day in 2025 is completed (thanks for the home office allowance).

The days have busy schedules but are fun, christmassy & beautiful: spending time with the nieces, baking cookies, hot chocolates, building chocolate houses, meeting aunt & uncle for a glass of wine, enjoying mums home cooked dinners, enjoying an evening in the theater, mulled wine & favorite Christmas movies wrapped in a blanket on the sofa and last groceries before the stores shutting down for a couple of days. 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go 💫

Are you excited for Christmas? Yes! Wine, food, good discussions… & repeat 🙂

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone! 

December is beautiful, especially with all the (German) Christmas traditions. 

Writing and sending Christmas cards to the world (yes, by post the good old fashioned way). 

Adventskalender. Another beautiful German tradition. I got a beautiful one from hubby this year. 24 doors with little surprises until Christmas. I’m already excited for tomorrow’s door. 

Christmas markets. Oh, they are so magical. The lights. The smells. The food. The drinks. And a flying Santa Clause. Excellent for meeting friends and be able to invite them for a drink: finally electronic payment is possible —> Germany goes cashless, wohoooo.

Celebrated St. Nicolaus Day on December 6.

December means also the end of a very challenging work year! Time to focus and celebrate achievements. And let me tell you, there’s plenty! Home baked cake included. The team deserved it 🫶

Feuerzangenbowle 🔥 is a traditional alcoholic drink for which a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set on fire and drips into mulled wine. It’s sooooo good 🥰 A tradition we do with the neighbors in the garden on one of the December weekends.

I love living in December in Germany.

2 weeks to go until Christmas! Time to ask the question: which Christmas type are you or run in your family? 

The tipsy grandma?

While the rest of the family is still tasting the sauce, she is already on her third glass of eggnog. “A sip for the heart,” she says with shining eyes – and suddenly belts out all three verses of “Es ist ein Ross entsprungen”. Loud and passionate. Nobody minds because Grandma creates the warmth that really makes Christmas. With her it just becomes more comfortable, somehow magical. And when Grandma sinks exhausted into her armchair at the end, everyone knows: Christmas without her? Not possible!

The stressed one-woman show?

She’s been working through shopping lists for days, running from the market to the shops and back. On Christmas Eve, she juggles roasts, side dishes, and her family’s lofty expectations (or is it just her own?). While the children ask when there will finally be food, she fights against the goose – and her nerves. In the end it tastes heavenly. As always. But next year, she vows weakly, there will be only potato salad and sausages. Who believes that…

The relaxed yoga mouse?

“I breathe in love, breathe out stress,” she murmurs as chaos rages around her. Instead of hectic there is meditation, instead of drama there is only deep breaths. The scent of Ayurvedic cardamom cookies wafts through the house as she shifts from tree to warrior pose. Christmas can come – calm, peaceful and completely relaxed. When the others struggle to build the electric railway, she smiles mildly. Because if you’re in Zen inside, you don’t need a switch – the energy flows anyway.

The gift nerd?

He sorted the wish lists back in October – according to priority, budget and color scheme. No tape is crooked, every package is a small work of art. He watches closely as he unpacks and flinches when someone crumples the paper. The mother-in-law asks for the receipt to exchange something? How can she! The mood is over, the glitter in the gift nerd’s eyes goes out, he sits in the corner all evening with a grave expression.

Last minute Santa Claus?

On the 24th at 2 p.m. we quickly go to the drugstore – deodorant, shower gel, scented candle, another photo gift (if the line isn’t too long). Everyone is happy about that, right? At home, everything is quickly wrapped in newspaper (“Sustainable!”) and secured with packing tape. He is proud to have accomplished everything and sits back on the sofa contentedly. He only overlooks one small detail: the price tags are still attached. It doesn’t matter – the gesture counts.

Couch potato?

Christmas market? Way too cold. Ice skating? Far too dangerous. The Christmas shopping has long been done – all online, with express shipping and discount code. Time for your favorite activity: sofa, snacks, streaming. “Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella” is running for the twelfth time, followed by the complete “Harry Potter” series. After all, tradition is tradition. Chips ready, blanket on, cell phone on flight mode – the sacred peace and quiet must not be disturbed under any circumstances.

The unwavering connoisseur?

From mid-November she wears a Christmas sweater and glitter nail polish. Cookie tins are stacked up in the kitchen and the postman has to try them every day – whether he wants to or not. What began with a simple Secret Santa door has already reached Olympic proportions: this year with real snow in front of the door and a hand-tied mini Advent wreath. “Last Christmas” in an endless loop, flickering fairy lights and the smell of cinnamon that almost bites your nose. Last year was more tinsel? Certainly not with her.

The workaholic on forced vacation?

Finally free – theoretically. He practically checks in the morning his mailbox between pine needles and fairy lights. “Just giving you a quick overview,” he mumbles, a little embarrassed. The laptop is ready to hand next to the raclette in case “something urgent comes in”. While others are drinking punch, he is already planning the next quarter and calls it relaxation. Walks in the snow? Meet family? Nice, but inefficient. For him, the only thing that counts is what is clearly scheduled, controlled and budgeted.

So, which type are you?

I think I have a combination of all types in the family… oh dear! The more, the merrier. Lol. Enjoy the peace & quiet. 2 weeks to go 😅

And just like that, this year’s Christmas season has been kicked off. 

Our weekend was very Irish ☘️

We enjoyed listening to “The Dublin Legends” followed by our tradition with friends: Irish breakfast & finding the most beautiful Christmas tree. 

Sunday morning, preparing Irish Breakfast.

Hubby making soda bread from scratch.

Celebrating the 1st of Advent.

Time to find the most beautiful Christmas tree.

They all look beautiful… difficult choice to make…

No snow but a lot of rain…

Time to warm up with a cup of Glühwein.

And the Irish days continue… Monday nights are great for a little Christmas market stroll (ladies only) and a Guiness in the Irish Pub with Shanghai friends – another beautiful tradition ☘️

Those “Irish days” weren’t planned as such, but needly fitted.

Arrived on short note. The car loaded with goodies. Santa’s helper didn’t stay long. Every day we came back from work we were wowed: 

First day: home made cookies 💫 

💯 compliments from the lucky people who got to try them already 🥰

First Christmas gift 🎁 is ready.

Second day: The most beautiful Christmas decoration 💫

💯 compliments from the neighbors.

Each window is decorated differently. So very creative & beautiful! Such a talent.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas 🎄

Wondering who the helper was?

We treated her for a beautiful Swabian dinner in a gondola.

A very first visit of the Christmas market 💫

Ludwigsburg is definitely one of my favorite Christmas markets.

T ⭐️ H ⭐️ A ⭐️ N ⭐️ K you, mum! 😘

Thank you for coming and turning the house into a festive Christmas spirit! It all looks amazing!

Back to work. A business trip to Romania. A car accident. Raclette & fog. A little snow. Freezing temperatures (it’s getting to the direction of Glühwein). My least liked month of the year. So…. We focused on the nice things: meeting friends. Lightning up rooms with candles, organizing December, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Enjoying home-cooked winter-style dinners. A glass or two red wine included. Netflix series (Christmas movies are best in November 😁). The fire is on, keeping us cosy. We are wrapped in blankets…

Our garden is also ready for winter. Picking last red & green tomatoes, hubby producing ketchup with it. 

Last time for this year cutting the grass. 

We are ready for December! 💫

…back in cold, grey, rainy & foggy (sometimes sunny) Germany. Forecast: low temperatures, maybe even snow. 

Italy, we miss you already. Your wine was so good. And the sky so blue. And the sun shining every day. And the locals so friendly. 

That’s why we made a little “trip” last night. Getting the bus to the next village to dine in the favorite steak house. Primitivo included (why do you think we’d go by bus… 😉🍷).

It was delicious. We had a great Italian night out.

Our mind is still in beautiful warm Italy. Not ready for all the Christmas craziness yet. Still time.

Driving along the coast to Palermo, the capital city of Sicily. Time to surprise hubby with a sightseeing tour in a different style. 

Changing cars: Mini Cooper was parked and… we were discovering Palermo in traditional Fiat500 cinquecentos from 1976.

No seat belts. No roof. Not even doors – only in Italy. 16 horse power. And: it’s not true that cinquecentos can park anywhere. 

All we needed: a valid driver license, experience in driving with a stick and closed shoes. Easy for us.

Ready. Steady. Go! 🏁

We had a blast and the coolest tour guides. We “just” followed them and hubby copied their Italian driving style. Good that we had time to adopt that style already. 

Communication between the 2 Fiats via walkie talkies. And that made it feel even more like travelling through time. 

Perfect weather, feeling the Dolce Vita and cruising through Palermo’s iconic landmarks in a green Cinquecento.. passing by Falcone-Borsellino murals, Piazza Marina, Cathedrals,  Massimo Theater… and so much more. 

There’s places, where even cinquecentos cannot pass thru, so we walked. Wow! Beautiful! 

Quattro Canti (Piazza Vigliena): “Quattro Canti” translates to “four corners“, each decorated with statues representing the four seasons.

Parking the cars and visiting Ballaro Market, the traditional market in Palermo selling fresh produce, Sicilian street food, souvenirs… wow! It’s loud, when the vendors are shouting to attract the customers, and the area is characterized by string cultural integration.

Let’s talk about the mafia. Sicily is infamous for being the origin place of the Italian Mafia. Following Sicily’s official inclusion into Italy in the 19th century, the Sicilian Mafia developed as the government failed to maintain citizen control. The Mafia soon became notorious for its extreme violence and involvement in illicit activities, triggering an active anti-mafia movement in response.

While the Sicilian mafia is in decline, street art seems to be on the up.

A beach stop. Including local delicious biscuits. 

Not only we had fun cruising around in the beautiful Fiats. People loved seeing them and would take pictures and give a thumbs up, we felt like celebrities! Lol. 

This was a lot of fun and made us smile. A perfect day to end our Italian Roadtrip. And hubby got complimented as “the best Fiat cinquecento driver on this tour”. Salvo might even consider letting hubby drive this mint Fiat with basket seats. 

Salvo has in total 10 Fiat Cinquecentos, and one looks nicer than the next. Here are some of the other beauty’s:

Unfortunately, it’s time to leave Sicily. Next stop: Palermo’s port for the ferry to Genova. >20 hours on the sea sounds longer than it was. 

Well, we soaked up the sun, got our vitamin C & D storage filled up. iPhone photo storage is also full. We slept a lot, chilled, moved, swam, chilled, read, painted…. So many fantastic memories, and definitely a trip to remember. It was divine!

Ready to go back home, not so ready for work on Monday. Lol. 

A last bit of Italy. Today we had a goal: going home. The air got crisp and fresh. We travelled towards fall, the summer seems now definitely ending.

We had the most wonderful 4 weeks in Bella Italia. Venice – Tuscany – Puglia – Sicily – each stop very different, and we loved them all. Amore 🫶