We began our morning with coffee and breads. I’m so thankful that we are able to do our travels, and extremely grateful that Jan and Greg are willing to house us … and, yes, feed us. For us, though, Thanksgiving will be on Saturday since the Germany gang doesn’t get today off.
We discussed all our tasks for meal preparation. I am making carrot ginger soup and glazed carrots (yes, I know they are both using carrots but they will have different things to sway them in different directions). Dan is doing bread, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes. Greg is doing the turkey, cranberry relish, red cabbage, gravy, and I’m guessing he will also choose the wine. Jan is doing mashed potatoes and making sure we all get things done! (She’s the list keeper for this and I’m glad she’s put that together. It’s a lot of things to keep track of.) Some things are already prepared, some are in process, and some will get done tomorrow or Saturday morning.
After a while Dan suggested we go back to Mannheim since we really didn’t see much of it so while Greg got ready to take what turned out to be a long bike ride Jan, Dan, and I went to catch a street car. The number 5 goes to Mannheim. Um … sort of. It worked the first time we took it. This time it took the longest route possible, it seems. But we did finally get there, and I got to nap a bit (I still am not sleeping well … last night I was up between about 2 and 4 and then again from 5 to 6).
Arriving in Mannheim right near the water tower we went right there and checked out the Christmas market there. We bought our flammenkuchen (terrifically healthy stuff! HAH!) and then had glühwein We wandered by all the stands but, honestly, I wasn’t really interested in all the stuff people sell, and I wondered if people really buy some of the things … but what do I know?! (Don’t answer. Heh.)
After that it was back to the street car and deliberately read the destinations and, sure enough, we were choosing the number 5 to go back to Heidelberg. But … well … wait! At one stop the number changed to a different one and suddenly it veered incorrectly and we weren’t going to get home! So we had to get out and walk to another spot and grab a street car that would actually get us home. I guess I will never understand them … but Greg, when we arrived home, suggested we should have taken the train which would have been faster. Go figure!
Once we got home I decided to make the glazed carrots. The more we make ahead of time the better, I do believe. So after that and after a bit of glühwein we decoded we’d take everyone out to dinner (who wants to make dinner when preparing dinner for another day … RIGHT?!).
Dinner was at an Italian restaurant called Salerno’s, just down the street. And we all ate a lot and it was great fun.
Home meant a bit of cremont and some that incredibly expensive fruit & nut Alsacian treat that I foolishly bought. Okay … maybe not so foolishly since we all really like it! We are thinking it might be baerewecke. Sure fits the description!
Tomorrow is a big cooking day. I’m really hoping I sleep better tonight, but I’m not counting on it, considering the huge meal we ate at Salerno’s!
Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the not so United States. Enjoy your day!