2 Michelin Stars

While in Nuremberg, I dined at the Essigbratlein.  This is a Michelin ** star restaurant.  It is also the oldest restaurant in the city.  The best part is the homemade chocolate after your meal:

Since it was just me, I had the pleasure of eating it all and did not have to share a bite.  How lucky am I?

The menu:

Since there is a good possibility you do not know German, I will translate.  The 1st course was beets with tomatoes and something else, the 2nd course was red trout over mashed potatoes and horseradish, the 3rd course was venison, and the last course was vanilla ice cream with raspberries flavored with rose, over chocolate cake.  I'm sure they describe it much better on the menu.  There were also a couple amuse bouches, one of which looked like a dandelion.  All of the food was wonderful and worth it.

The building:

Christine

Christine in Nuremberg

We'll start off a bit different today.  Best fountain ever:

Look closer:

Love it.

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Court Room 600

I'm a bit of a WWII enthusiast.  I love reading books on WWII.  I started with Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation and never looked back.  The allies bombed Nuremberg during the war.  Nuremberg is where the Nazi Parade Grounds were.  I didn't visit them however, due to time constraints.  Maybe another visit is in order.  One of the most fascinating aspects of Nuremberg is the Nuremberg Trails.  The trails were held here, because the court was not really all that damaged and there was a prison right by it.  You can enter and view Courtroom 600.  It is essentially the same (except now there is a crucifix in the front [blocked by the chandelier] and the lighting was different [no chandeliers]).  The allies did expand the room for the trails.  Here, 12 defendants were sentenced to die by hanging.  However, one man killed himself the night before with cyanide.  Another was tried in absence (by actually committed suicide in 1945.  If you visit the exhibition, you can actually watch one of the men being hanged (his head was covered by a black cloth).  I was rather surprised by this.  I thought the video would cut away, but it did not.

St Lawrence's Church

If you follow me, then you know I can't visit a city in Europe without checking out the architecture, which means finding churches.  I found some catholic churches for a change.  I believe they are catholic because it has the telltale signs:  a crucifix, holy water at the doors, and requested donations for upkeep.  That was when I knew it was catholic--donations, it was the first sign I noticed as I entered.  (I did give a donation-at the first one.)

Bombs hit St Sebaldus Church.  However, the people rebuilt it after the war.  I think the two steeples survived and a bit of the "bones" if you will.

St Sebaldus Church

Finally, I visited the Imperial Castle.  I had no idea that it existed prior to my arrival.  I went to it because I read that the best place to take a picture of the city was from the city wall.  The Imperial Castle is from the middle ages (1123-1190).  It is hard to phantom something existing that long.   A moot existed outside of this area.  There are also beautiful gardens surrounding the castle.  We did bomb this castle, however, the Germans restored it.

Sinwell Tower

View from the Castle grounds:

Nuremberg Skyline from Imperial Castle

Random note:  It must have been take a picture of a train day in Germany.  On my way to Nuremberg I saw 3 people taking pictures of the train, just randomly on the side of the tracks.  I didn't take any pictures of these people.  But I thought you should know.   

Christine 

Happy Father's Day

That's all.  Love, Christine

Christine in America

Surprise!  That's what happened to my parents when I visited the U.S. last week for a work conference.  I flew over early and landed at Dulles Airport, Virginia on Thursday, June 2, 2011.  Steve met me at the airport.  I always wanted someone to be waiting for me when I got off a plane.  Usually I fly for work and I just take a taxi home, so no one's ever there.  Or for ski trips, Michelle or Marcie pick me up, but wait outside.

My sister's and I decided not to tell my parents.  On Saturday, I drove up to Pittsburgh with Marcie.  My mom brought my favorite niece outside to say hello to Marcie and screamed--she was that excited.  Joe, the favorite brother in law, told my dad that Marcie needed his help with her stuff.  My dad came to the living room as I went into the front door.  He too, was shocked.  On Sunday, my lovely niece was baptized.  She cried a bit.  Her favorite part was the water over her head-go figure.  After the church service, we drove to Colleen's house for the party.  (Great food there.)

Then it was back to the DC area for the conference Monday-Thursday.  (Work is serious, we went until 9pm on Tuesday and 8pm on Wednesday.)  Thursday, June 9, 2011, I flew back to Germany.  Well, I tried.  There were thunderstorms at Dulles Airport, so the flight was delayed over 2 hours, until 12:30am.   I fell asleep almost as soon as I sat down.  I even skipped the dinner United served.  (And I never miss food/meals.)  We circled the airport at Frankfurt, Germany for a bit once we arrived here.  I missed my connection to Stuttgart.  Luftansa was nice enough to rebook me.  However, I somehow managed to leave the secure part of the airport, had to get a new ticket and then hit security all over again.  It's a short flight- 35 minutes and I did manage to make it to Stuttgart.  

Christine