A couple years ago, B and I were considering a vacation abroad and decided upon Germany as a fun destination. I immediately ran out to the bookstore, bought several guidebooks, and started planning with gusto. A few days into my planning adventures, we realized that a trip abroad was going to be too much of a stretch, and I stopped my plans.
Then last December, Germany popped back into my brain, this time because of its Christmas markets. Christmas markets in Germany are a big deal--just about every town has one, and some attract millions of visitors a year (which is pretty impressive when you consider that they run for less than a month). The markets are all outdoors and feature traditional German food, like pretzels and sausage and gingerbread and mulled cider, and traditional German Christmas goods, like nutcrackers and ornaments and other crafts. I decided that I wanted to see a Christmas market, but was thwarted by our passport situation--we had sent ours for renewal and they hadn't yet arrived (plus we had just returned from a rather extravagant trip to Europe).
My Germany efforts have been thwarted--twice now!--and I have started planning a third German adventure (in my mind, anyway), for a long weekend (and by long weekend, I mean 5 nights, which will encompass a weekend) this December. I want to go to Munich and see a few Christmas markets and maybe take a day trip down to Neuschwanstein. Because it will be December in Germany (aka the land of cold and dark), I won't be tempted to extend this vacation as I usually am (for reference, see upcoming 20-day extravaganza this September).
B is on board with my plan, as long as I can find discounted airfare. I've been looking but it's too early to get a real deal; I will have to push down my over-eager personality and hold off for a few months.
Now the only task is to find the funds for this trip somewhere in the budget. Now where is my magic wand...
