Freiburg = The Greek Nafplio

In Freiburg's alley

My uncle already got married more than a year ago, but decided to celebrate this year. So quite spontaneously I flew to Germany together with my boyfriend.  What a weekend driven in an emotional rollercoaster. Flying to Frankfurt, we took the ICE directly to Freiburg, where we were picked up by my uncle and surprisingly my mum, which I hadn’t seen since I left. J

Prost

Friday passed so fast spending time with my two little cousins and cycling along the Dreisam (River) to the city center. Exploring DM (a German drugstore) with a Greek is an experience by itself. Too many items seemed surprisingly cheap and of very good quality in comparison with Greek products – no fense ^^.  Since a thunderstorm was announced for this night we shouldn’t have stayed too long, but we forgot time in a great traditional restaurant accompanied by asparagus soup , fish with potatoes and cauliflower, Maultaschen (in the broadest sense ravioli filled with asparagus, carrots and a fresh mushroom cream) and for dessert Apfelstrudel with vanilla ice cream (very traditional dessert my of a dough similar to pastry dough). In absolute darkness with one tiny light on my bike with biked back to my uncle’s house about 8km from the center; without a single rain drop but a flat tire… well nice after dinner walk. 

The narrow stairs of "Münster"

Long live "Bratwurst"

Saturday was the actual wedding party. Before we headed to a boat, where everything started, we went again to the city center to climb the Münster (the hallmark of Freiburg) and to explore the weekly market with all its goods. Of course, we had to a get a German Bratwurst (type of sausage).

In the early afternoon we started with a boat tour on the river Rhine to get acquainted with all guests, about 80 people. Ok, this might sound silly and of course like most of you I have been on a boat which has to go through a floodgate. However, the boat was a little bigger and if there is not just one in the sluice then this process turns into quite an event and it makes you wonder what water is capable of.  The temperatures were supposed to drop drastically from Friday to Saturday, that’s why it was even nicer to actually still have some sun rays on the boat.  After the tour we had about 30 minutes to drive through one of the most beautiful areas I have seen so far in Germany: Vineyards, mountains and more mountains in the distance and green EVERYWHERE. The location for the party was just perfect. Regional wine together with high quality and delicious tasting food formed the culinary delight of the evening. 

DIVINE! <3

Several guests had developed very nice wedding games, e.g. balloons with vouchers, written on postcards by the guests, were tied to postcards which all of us let them free. Eventually the balloons come down at a total different location. Whoever finds them needs to send them back to the newlyweds and if the postcard really arrives, the guest who wrote down the voucher/service really has to do it. So far already 2 postcards arrived, found in Munich. I find this idea SOOOOO awesome!! The night ended early for us, because we were so tired from the whole day and travelling, but still what a great day!

Ok this panorama pic sucks, but just to give you an impression of the beautiful landscape :)

Love you very much, Mummy!

On Sunday morning a hike was part of the agenda. We met in some vineyards and just started walking with about 20 people. Afterwards we wanted to eat some lunch at a farm restaurant, which is only seasonally opened. The food was delicious, but the service probably the most awful one I have ever seen. After ordering the same food three times and two hours later I walked into the restaurant asking how it is possible that I still do not have even one single asparagus spear in my belly. It took another 30 minutes until I finally had my crepe filled with asparagus (yeah I love this veggie and it has right now peak season in Germany). Enjoying another few hours with my family before heading back to the train station and then to Frankfurt airport, made the weekend complete and more fabulous.

I am very grateful to have had the chance to be part of this particular weekend, thank you to the people who made it possible! It meant so much to me!!!

#Fun facts of today#

1.       Lufthansa has a new airbus (number I forget) but the seats are almost 1/3 flatter and you have more leg space.

2.       Staff from DB (Deutsche Bahn) is apparently a lot friendlier to foreigners than to Germans. Giorgos asked in which train carriage we had to sit and the ticket collector was so friendly and let us travel first class. Next time I am fur sure American when I travel with DB.