christmas markets, ice skating and SNOW SNOW SNOW

It is Christmas Eve and 7:00 p.m. Only 5 hours until Christmas Day!

Yesterday I got back from Amsterdam. Anywhere you go at this time of year is lit up with Christmas lights and Christmas markets are everywhere! 

 Amsterdam.

The Christmas markets begin on December 1st and go until December 26th. For most of this month it has either been snowing or there has been snow on the ground. During the christmas markets they have this event called a Krampos laufen. A Krampos Laugen is where about 30 people dressed all in fur with creepy masks walk around with whips and whip you. They are meant to take away the bad spirits. When I left and was on my way to the event I was not scared. Not a bit. The first moment I saw one and heard the bells (which are attached on their backs and jingle when they jump up and down... not a cheerfull happy jingle either) that's when I got scared. But i didn't get whipped, although my friend standing next to me did. (close one)

KRAMPOS!

More recently, we all attended a dinner called the Ferneding dinner and it is in memory of a past salzburger who has past. They say he enjoyed the fancy things and so every year now, we all get a chance to experience an exquisite dinner. We started off with bread and butter. With mineral water and white wine. Then moved onto a little tiny appetizer that looked so cute and it was very good. Then onto a nice cream soup. From there we moved onto the main course and here comes the red wine. After was DESSERT! Very good. It was a very fun experience.

Fernading Dinner

(that would be dessert on our plates =] )

Dressed up for the dinner!

(roomate Jamie and I)

Moving on, every month two friends and I go into old town and buy pretzels. These are not any ordinary pretzels though. These are donut pretzels. So far I have purchased a pretzel with sugar (basic), a pretzel with peanut paste inside and covered with chocolate, a pizza pretzel and a mozart pretzel (like the mozart balls) They are the greatest pretzels and... theyre huge!

nom nom nom...

The last school trip we took was to Paris, France! We saw alot of places and many many cathedrals and museums... woah. overload. But a great experience! Besides the school trips, I have traveled to Prague, Slovenia, Vienna and now Amsterdam.

This trip has been absolutely amazing so far and I've still got Part 2 to begin.

Here are some random pictures from my adventures so far...

Slovenian style "hot chocolate" They take it literally, and I'm a fan.

Slovenia travel group after our tour of the ice caves. They were amazing.



group photo at one of the palaces. and behind us is just the backyard!

Notre Dame Cathedral. We even got to attend mass there. ( France school tour)

the eiffel tower!

picture from spiritual retreat that I planned : )

Oktoberfest. the REAL one! so many people. and so many people in dirndles and leederhosen.

Salzburg in the winter.

Thanks everyone for reading! Merry Christmas eve! : )