It's been far too long since I've made a post on this blog! If you haven't heard, I've been pretty busy recently with creating my photography business. About three weeks ago, I created a website, photo blog, and Facebook page, and things just took off from there! I've had three photoshoots so far in Madrid and I have seven this upcoming weekend. I've also booked two weddings so far! One in Spain and one in the US for 2015... I'm pretty excited about it all! If you haven't visited my website yet, you can check it out here: www.sheamcgrath.com :)
Photo blog: www.sheamcgrath.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sheamcgrathphotography
Even though all this photography doesn't leave me much time to write, I couldn't NOT write about this past weekend in Germany. My Godparents, Vera and Mark from Colorado, flew over to visit Vera's family in Butzbach. When they decided that they were going to come to Germany, we all knew that I had to spend time with them in Germany as well! This is something that we've been talking about for many years, and we finally made it happen! Our time together was more than we ever could have imaged...
I worked a half day on Thursday and left straight for the airport from Alcorcon. I had a smooth flight until after we landed and we crashed into a random staircase (at least that's what we think it was) as the plane was trying to park. The pilot slammed on the breaks and the sudden jolt and skidding frightened everyone a little, but everything was fine!
Vera and Mark greeted me at the Frankfurt airport and we drove about 45 minutes away to a town along the Rhine River. We had schnitzel and white wine for dinner... perfect for our first dinner together in Germany. Then we went back to the hotel room and had a little Valentine's celebration with presents, chocolate, and Averna. Vera and Mark gave me a digital camera so we took a few pictures. Then I figured out later that there is a setting on the camera that video records every picture you take. So we had fun watching that the next day :)
The next morning we ate a wonderful breakfast with brotchen, fruit, poppy seed cake, eggs, sausage... the list goes on and on. We sat next to the window that overlooked the Rhine and watched the sun rise as we ate our breakfast... another perfect moment.
We spent our Friday driving along the Rhine... stopping in a few towns to take pictures, take some dangerously narrow roads (I think Vera and I were feeling a little more adventurous that Mark...), and take in the beautiful scenery of the river, castles, and vineyards.
on the ferry crossing the Rhine
Valentine's Day :)
Before I get to our time in Butzbach, let me give you a little background info... Vera's uncle's wife is Birgit and Birgit's son is Thomas. Thomas' girlfriend is Moni and Moni's sister is Reinhilde.
...It's not that confusing, is it?
We arrived in Butzbach Friday afternoon. That night, I met Vera's family (Birgit, Thomas, Moni, Reinhilde, and one of Thomas' sons) and we went out to an incredible Italian restaurant. Thomas has known the owner of this restaurant for many years and every time they go, they never look at the menu but instead tell the owner to make whatever he feels like making. Now, I know I've said this many times... but I have NEVER eaten as much food as I did that night. The antipasta was a beautiful and colorful assortment of different foods - calimari, octopus, salmon, melon, salad, crab, etc. Then he brings out the pasta, little tortellini-type noodles stuffed with some sort of fancy mushroom and cheese. It was incredible... and I don't even like mushrooms! After the antipasta dish, the pasta, and a couple bread rolls with a white creamy sauce, I was stuffed. Then the owner comes back and asks if we want meat or fish for the main dish. I honestly thought he was joking. Then he brings out these large plates with different kinds of meat and fish, along with potatoes and vegetables. At this point, we had been sitting at this restaurant for about three hours. Then we were served lemon sorbet for dessert and grappa... to help digest... We were at this place from 7pm - 11pm. I've never had such a long dinner and I've never eaten so much in one sitting. I think I gained an extra 10 pounds from that meal, but I have no regrets.
Thomas & Birgit at dinner
Grappa...
On Saturday, we spent the day walking around Butzbach. We had some traditional German cake in the afternoon at a cafe called Cafe Pia (named after my best friend!) and that night we went to Birgit's house and played the German version of Rummy... SOME of us liked the German version and some of us didn't... I won't name names :) We also played"Heads Up", my new favorite app. For dinner, Birgit made the most wonderful linguini pasta with muscles.
(I guess you could say I was a little spoiled this weekend.)
In the Butzbach plaza
Our German cakes and coffee...
We visited some of Vera's beloved family at this beautiful cemetary
The next day, Vera, Mark, Birgit, and I went for a short drive to Muzenburg to see a castle and a cemetery. It was a fun little day trip!
Muzenburg castle
On my last night in Butzbach, Birgit prepared traditional bratwurst and weisswurst. I won't say how many I ate, but I may have set some sort of record. That night, Thomas had a choir rehearsal (he and Moni live in the apartment below Birgit) so we went downstairs to watch. Thomas is in a choir group with about 6 or 7 other men and they are performing traditional German songs for Carnival this coming weekend. Last Sunday night was their last rehearsal and we are SO glad we were able to watch! It made for such a fun last night in Germany.
Before I get to our time in Butzbach, let me give you a little background info... Vera's uncle's wife is Birgit and Birgit's son is Thomas. Thomas' girlfriend is Moni and Moni's sister is Reinhilde.
