Regensburg

Although we are away from familiar surroundings this holiday season, our natural Heimweg ("yearning for home") has been mitigated by two factors. First, the Germans really do Christmas in a big way. Second, we have friendly relatives strategically placed within striking distance of Munich.

Both factors came into play with this weekend's visit to Regensburg, an historic city about 150km northeast of Munich. The Christmas market was in full swing throughout the well-preserved Altstadt, and we enjoyed the hospitality of our relations who live just outside of town.



Sadly, we missed the company of Dean's father's cousin Eberhard, who passed away in May of this year. He was a kind and thoughtful gentleman who always provided a warm welcome in Regensburg. But we were very happy to visit and reconnect with his wife Annemarie and their daughter Petra. They were both excited to meet the new member of the family.

Together, we visited the Christmas market, checked out the cathedral and strolled through the expansive Altstadt. We topped it all off with some of the all-time tastiest bratwurst, sauerkraut and weiss beer at the Historische Wurstküche. Strategically situated at the foot of the Old Stone Bridge (for many centuries the only reliable crossing of the Danube for hundreds of miles), this establishment has been in business for about a thousand years.

Location, location, location!