Visitor in the Capital

One of our most frequent visitors who seems to make it nearly everywhere we've ever lived came for a whirlwind day-long visit to Astana. Properly, we showed her the sights and vowed to reunite next year in our warmer and less land-locked onward post.

In the Baiterek

Our next post? It's only 7,210 kilometres from Astana!

Photo Essay: Out with the old in with the new

It was a dazzling finish to 2012 and a bright start to 

2013. Take a look!

Christmas in Aachen 

with my parents and Uli's parents (unpictured) -- forgive me! I was too excited to think about taking pictures. Some memories include the Aachen Christmas market, a great trip to Hoensbruck castle, buying mustard outside of Monschau, delicious food and cozy atmosphere by the candle-lit tree, and my family all around. It was a wonderful, wonderful holiday.

After Christmas on the Rhein

in Rheinfels Castle with my husband. Three days of luxury in a spa hotel complete with a full-body massage (from Uli for Christmas), sauna, and gourmet dinners. It felt good to get outside and hike along the Rhein and to really get away from it all. It felt like the right way to reflect on all the year has brought us --  our joy in new jobs and new friends and also difficult health battles for those we cherish and heart-breaking times for my best childhood friend who passed away in 2012. 

After Christmas Swiss Style

in and around Zurich. We visited Uli's friends from university living in the area and found good company for games, hiking in the snowy mountains and monastery in Einsiedeln,and culinary adventures of cheese fondue, raclette, and Swiss chocolate. We survived the drunken anarchy of the streets of Zurich to see the fireworks show and stayed up all night on NYE playing a new German board game, Village. We adventured in the city and marveled at the streets, stained glass windows by Chagal, Giocometti, and Polke (the latter my favorite), and the price of living in Zurich (making Astana look like a bargain!). I even saw Swiss cows (sans bells, unfortunately).

King for a Day 

because I found the plastic king in the three-kings bread (a Swiss tradition similar to the bread "rosca del reyes" in Mexico). I do feel like a king with so much abundance and so many blessings. It is not a bad way to start 2013, not a bad way at all.

Summertime

...and the livin' is easy...the fish are jumpin'...and the cotton is high...

Bright blue skies, the shining sun, and a few lazy moments in between travels and visits have made the season come alive.

A few summer highlights (as I've been a remiss blogger in the last year):

• Travel fiasco and overnight near the baggage claim in the Colorado Springs airport.
• Pinochle, Wyoming motorcycle rides, silly niece and nephews, long chats with old friends and relatives, quality time with Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister-in-Law, aunts, uncles, Grandma, and Skip, the wonderdog, too.
• Spur-of-the-moment visits to old Baltimore friends and PowerGrid with newer DC friends.
• Swiss cows with bells, spectacular views of Lucerne, new friends, and Swiss cheese.
• Elegant weddings, wanderings, hanging out with in-laws, German cake-time, butterbrot and champagne.
• Climbing the Eiffel Tower, strolling the Seine, visiting sites and taking in the smells and tastes of Paris.

Summertime sure is sweet...

Lucerne

Swiss Cow with Bell

The Eiffel Tower

An American in Paris

Where ya been?

Well... the answer is convoluted as always, but here is the short of it.

In Florida (sounds like a tropical paradise, and it certainly is a tropical paradise in comparison to the Baltics in the winter) for an all-American family vacation with the Big Mouse and a stylin' side trip to South Beach and even out to Key West. We can now say we've been to the very Westernmost tip of the nation.



In Germany for New Year's with family and some gourmet dining (see previous post for a full run-down and degustation).

In Missoula, Montana for a month of work with some wonderful elementary school teachers visiting from the Korean National University of Education. Mountainous scenery, fulfilling work with some energetic colleagues and partners-in-crime, tasty microbreweries. Who could ask for a better winter respite only 600 miles from home in Wyoming?

From Winter Missoula Jan 2011

In Estonia once again where the temperatures have not risen above freezing since my arrival 10 days ago. It's frigid, but there are piles of snow everywhere and the sun has not disappointed with ice crystals hanging in the air and sparkles glinting everywhere. (Pictures taken last weekend while skiing in Otepää, the winter capital of Estonia.

From Winter Estonia February 2011

From Winter Estonia February 2011

From Winter Estonia February 2011

Frohes Neues Jahr aus Deutschland

This year we truly rang in the New Year in great style -- with wonderful company, a delicious gourmet menu, and a beautiful setting. Joining family in Remscheid, we were decadent and celebratory as we enjoyed a slow (and gluttonous) nine course meal at a restaurant and hotel in the area, Villa Paulus.



Some highlights:


Course 1: (Unpictured) Gänsleberparfait im karamellisierten Kürbiskernmantel
Gooseliver parfait in a carmelized pumpkin crust



Course 2: Hummer Créme Brulée (with Pina Colada Creme)
Lobster Créme Brulée



Course 3:
Kaninchen-Gewürztraminer Pastete mit Haselnusskrokant und Mangosalsa
Rabbit pate with Gewurztraminer jello pieces, hazelnut crunch, and mango salsa



Course 4: Zitronen-Kartoffelsüppchen mit gebratener Jacobsmuschel
Lemon-Potato soup with fried scallop



Serious amount of silverware -- thank goodness I have seen Pretty Woman and know to start from the outside!



Course 5: Rote Ravioli gefüllt mit Nuss-Ricotta in fritierter Raukebutter mit gerösteten Maccadamian nüssen
Red ravioli filled with nuts and ricotta with butter-fried ruccola with roasted Maccadamian



Course 6: Paradeiser-Salbei Sorbet
Tomato Sage Sorbet



Course 7: Filet vom Red Snapper an Pernodschaum mit Rote Beete Risotto



Course 8: Geschmortes und gebratenes vom Lamm mit Maronen-Lila Herzoginenkartoffel
Braised and roasted lamb with chestnut-purple duchess potato



Course 9: Hausgemachtes Nusseckchen mit Salzbutter-Karamelleis
Homemade nut corners with salted butter caramel icecream (tasted just like Werther's candies)



Accolades to the chef (left) and owners (above)


With such a start for 2011, I can say that the New Year looks very promising!



Frohes Neues Jahr 2011!

Feuerzangenbowle in my living room!

Last weekend I hosted a gathering at my home involving lots of flaming alcohol. Feuerzangenbowle is a German student tradition involving a movie about university student pranks and a flaming bowl of alcohol. The drink is made by laying a cone of sugar over the top of a pot filled with spiced red wine. A very highly concentrated bottle of rum is then ladled over the top of the sugar and lit on fire. The dripping caramelized sugar that ensues sweetens the drink while burning. The whole event is a visual delight and warmed both my apartment and the lovely spirits of those that were here to witness it. Perhaps it is not the most Estonian of ways to begin the holidays, but I think that the international bunch (Estonian-American-German-Russian-British) enjoying the event and the drinks would agree that it was a festive way to begin the holiday season.