Christmas 2009: Absinthe
Absinthe, and hold the wormwood
Absinthe: You know you wanna… Actually, it’s a very pretty green colour and tastes of aniseed. It really doesn’t taste that strong, although, after a couple, you do notice the effects. It is however quite safe as it no longer contains wormwood, which is the stuff that lead to, oh, blindness, madness, and, er, an untimely death.
The pictures in this collection are, basically, all the ones I took over the Christmas period, all bunged together.
The pictures in this collection are, basically, all the ones I took over the Christmas period, all bunged together.
Christmas 2009: Dinner at Eight
Oliver, Marlene, Paul, Barbara, and me taking the pic...
The first set of pictures is from a Christmas dinner that I went on. First stop, where I got the green stuff, was the Christmas Tollwood Festival at the ‘Wiesen (same place as where the Oktoberfest is held). One thing you do begin to realise is that they are Christmas crazy in this part of the world; it’s everywhere! You just can’t get away from it, and believe me, I tried! It was cold and snowing, but the company was very pleasant indeed and a fun night was had by all.
Christmas 2009: Will you still love me when I'm 60?
Diane and Rob
Of course we do!!
It was a sad tale of drunkenness… but we had a great evening and celebrated Rob's 60th, sorry, 50th, as appropriate ;-)
It was a sad tale of drunkenness… but we had a great evening and celebrated Rob's 60th, sorry, 50th, as appropriate ;-)
Christmas 2009: Lunch at the Augustiner
Vilma and me
Then, there are some pics of a lunch at the Augustiner Brewery, once again with very pleasant company, some excellent food, and a bier, or two.
Well, it was Christmas!
Well, it was Christmas!
Christmas 2009: Back in the UK
Lauren and Jonny
Back in the UK for Christmas, to see friends and family. I had decided that for my girls' boyfriends, there was only one Christmas present that would be appreciated unconditionally: BEER!
So, for Hannah's boyfriend, Chris, I had delivered a case of Augustiner Helles; for Jonny, Lauren's boyfriend, a case of mixed beers from around the world. Of course, I wasn't about to leave myself out of the equation, I had a case of Aventinus delivered to my home in the UK. Chris, and his twin brother Andy, helped demolish that over the next week. Aventinus is an 8% dark beer with an unmistakeable taste, and is very moreish. Lecker, as they say over here.
The picture here is from a trip to IKEA... I know, I live life on the edge, don't I? It was nice and gave me an opportunity to spend sometime with family, something you only appreciate as you get to a certain age.
So, for Hannah's boyfriend, Chris, I had delivered a case of Augustiner Helles; for Jonny, Lauren's boyfriend, a case of mixed beers from around the world. Of course, I wasn't about to leave myself out of the equation, I had a case of Aventinus delivered to my home in the UK. Chris, and his twin brother Andy, helped demolish that over the next week. Aventinus is an 8% dark beer with an unmistakeable taste, and is very moreish. Lecker, as they say over here.
The picture here is from a trip to IKEA... I know, I live life on the edge, don't I? It was nice and gave me an opportunity to spend sometime with family, something you only appreciate as you get to a certain age.
Christmas 2009: Blue Moon
Finally, New Year’s Eve back in München under a Blue Moon.
In case you didn’t know, according to Markipedia, a Blue Moon is when you get, essentially, an extra Full Moon in the same calendar month. Usually, there a twelve full moons in a year, one per month, but, occasionally, because of a difference between solar and lunar cycles, once every two or three years you get two full moons in a month: a Blue Moon.
In case you didn’t know, according to Markipedia, a Blue Moon is when you get, essentially, an extra Full Moon in the same calendar month. Usually, there a twelve full moons in a year, one per month, but, occasionally, because of a difference between solar and lunar cycles, once every two or three years you get two full moons in a month: a Blue Moon.
Christmas 2009: Drunkenness and Fireworks
New Year’s Eve in Munich basically consists of lots and lots of very drunken people, letting off explosives in the middle of crowds of people. Honestly. I was amazed by it. They drink their bottles of booze, stick a huge, military-grade rocket in it, light it, and see where it grows. In Marienplatz, the bloody things were flying around the square sideways. Some of the fireworks are, I am quite sure, basically, bombs. I mean, I have seen KISS live and that was nothing compared to New Year’s Eve here. All the things you see on the TV ads in the UK, that you shouldn’t do with fireworks, they do that here. It’s a real education, I can tell you.
I got back to my apartment and was just about to go to bed and I noticed people gathering in the street right outside, in the middle of the road, and they just started setting fireworks off randomly, boxes and boxes of them. It was like Armageddon came to town. Then, just as soon as it had all started, when all the booze had been drunk and the fireworks had all been set off, everyone just went back indoors again. New Years Day looked like Judgement Day had been and gone. Everywhere was just littered with the remains of explosive devices and wine bottles. Ah, I love the smell of cordite in the morning.
I got back to my apartment and was just about to go to bed and I noticed people gathering in the street right outside, in the middle of the road, and they just started setting fireworks off randomly, boxes and boxes of them. It was like Armageddon came to town. Then, just as soon as it had all started, when all the booze had been drunk and the fireworks had all been set off, everyone just went back indoors again. New Years Day looked like Judgement Day had been and gone. Everywhere was just littered with the remains of explosive devices and wine bottles. Ah, I love the smell of cordite in the morning.