Skip to main content

Next European Adventure

I recently got a hankering to visit the Alsace region of France.  When I say this, more often than not, I get puzzled looks.  Here's a little map assistance...


This is the area of France, and really all of Europe, that is best described as "Fairytale Villages".  It has gone back and forth between France and Germany over the years, so it has influences from both countries.  It also includes Strasbourg which is a Christmas market legend, so why not do another Christmas Market tour?  

I will fly to Paris and spend a couple of days there.  I've been to Paris, but that was 22 years ago, so I want to do some things I missed the first go around, or things I want to see again.  The must see places on my list are Musee d'Orsay (my favorite museum, so it gets a re-visit for sure), Sainte-Chapell, Galeries Lafayette, and see the Champs-Elysees all decked out for Christmas.  I did not love Paris the first go around, but I have found a cute little boutique hotel that is in the 1st District and right in the hub of everything, so I'm getting excited to give it another try.

I'll then travel to Strasbourg.  The next stop will be Colmar, and around Colmar are adorable villages which are a must visit for me (one of which was the basis for Disney's Beauty and the Beast village).  Luckily during the Christmas holidays, they have a bus that you can take from village to village, where normally you would have to rent a car.

After Colmar, I will go to Basel, Switzerland.  I haven't been to Switzerland, so that will be a new country I check off on this trip.  I have read that Basel has a great Christmas market, and what I'm hoping is amazing chocolate!

Finally I will make my way to Germany because I fly out of Frankfurt.  I'm flying out of Frankfurt because (1) the flight was a little cheaper than flying back out of Paris, and WAY cheaper than flying out of Zurich, and (2) I prefer to make a horseshoe track and see new sights rather than completely backtracking to Paris.  I hope to make a stop in Freiburg, Germany along the way, and then go to the Frankfurt market (the largest Christmas market) the evening before I fly back home.

I have booked my plane ticket, 5 hotels (!!!), but now I need to get on booking train tickets, and any activity tickets that need advanced purchase.  

I thought I had everything I could possibly need for the trip, but wouldn't you know, Switzerland has it's own unique electrical plugs.  Those are ordered and on the way to me.  I decided last year I could wear the same thing daily and nobody would know because all you can see in pictures is my parka and scarf, so I also nabbed a new scarf.  

As always, you can follow along on my instagram (and don't forget to check the instagram stories) while I'm gone:  @legallyblondekf

And once I get home, I will post trip updates.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Swiss Oatmeal {Copy Cat Recipe}

I'm obsessed with Swiss Oatmeal.  I particularly love   Corner Bakery's Swiss Oatmeal.  If you are not familiar with Swiss Oatmeal, it is a cold oatmeal cereal with fruit and nuts. I've had a similar recipe for years, but it was only similar.  It wasn't close enough for my liking.  So I finally set out into the land of Pinterest to find a recipe that was a good Copy Cat.  I found a few, combined them and came up with what I think is a very close Copy Cat Recipe of Corner Bakery's Swiss Oatmeal. Here's what I do (note, this recipe is really just pictures, because I don't really have measurements for these things.  The photos aren't great, but it's easier if I show you what I do)... Here's the Phase 1 ingredients...   Milk Honey Yogurt (I use a vanilla greek yogurt) Oats (old fashioned, not quick...you probably could do steel cut too)    I've simplified this to where you only need a bowl and a spoon for Phase 1 becau
3 comments
Read more

Europe 2023 {Day 9 ~ Munich & Bavarian Alps}

 On Tuesday, December 20th I grabbed breakfast at the hotel and then walked about 15 minutes to where I met my tour for the day.  On my first visit to Munich, I only had time for one "day trip" outside of the city and I chose to go to Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, but I always knew I wanted to venture down to the Bavarian Alps and see some castles on my next visit.  I had booked the premium tour and it was so fancy.  There was a snack bar and they even served beer and wine on the way home after the last stop of the day.  First stop was at Linderhof Castle. This was a "small" castle of King Ludwig's that was a partial mini-replica of Versailles.  It was a snowy walk to the castle... Interior photos were not allowed, but you can see some pics of the interior HERE Like Versailles, there are fountains and sculptures surrounding Linderhof, but they cover the statues with wood huts to protect them from the winter elements. After visiting Linderhof, we made a (to
Post a Comment
Read more

It's all about the dress...

I mean I guess it's really all about getting married, but come on, you always anticipate the dress right?  Well holy moly folks!  Today a big secret was released to the press.  No, we still don't know which dress or tiara Kate will be wearing, but we heard for the first time that Princess Diana had a back-up dress!  Here are some of the pictures and sketches... Real dress on Left~ Back-up on the Right Here are the sketches of the back-up dress And you know what?  I like the back-up dress better than the one she wore!  I know, I know.  I'm going to get blasted for saying that, but I'll just confess it right now... My name is Kara and I've never thought Princess Diana's dress was all that and a bag of chips.  Nope.  Not my favorite Royal Wedding Dress by any stretch of the imagination.  What is my favorite?  Probably the one that Sarah Ferguson wore when she married Andrew... It had beautiful beading and stitching throughout.  Also on the train it had an &quo
4 comments
Read more