Day 15 - December 24 - Pat and Mike arrive

Christmas Eve is here, and we have had a busy day. Pat and Mike are having a well-needed nap, and Ron is also resting.

Pat and Mike's Lufthansa flight direct from Charlotte arrived a bit early, shortly after 8 AM. They made it through the airport and onto the S-8 train directly to Rosenheimer Platz, arriving at the hotel at just about 10:15. Ron predicted it almost to the minute, and we were waiting in the lounge to help with the luggage and take them to our room for our a short "rest and refresh" until their room was ready. Meanwhile, Ron and I went to a nearby ALDI to stock up on essentials, such as wine and Prosecco, as all stores will be closed the next couple days.

A little before noon we all hopped on the S-Bahn (the subway) and rode three stops to Karlsplatz (Stacchus), as we had to visit the Saturn store to replace the broken camera. It was the worst possible day of the year to be in that big electronics store - the lines at the cashiers were mind-boggling!

We settled on a small Olympus digital camera, and Ron stalwartly said he would stand in the horrible line and that I should go to meet Pat and Mike at the Augustiner Keller.  The Augustiner Brewery is one of the oldest in Germany, founded in 1328.

The first beer - a long-standing tradition

A snack of pommes frittes (French fries)

Beautiful building with giant candles in windows - Frauenkirche dome in rear

Rathaus with huge Christmas Tree

We walked another 45-minutes or so through the Christmas market. We went briefly into the Rathaus courtyard, and then continued onto Theatinerstrasse to head toward our lunch spot. Theatinerstrasse is one of the "up-market" shopping streets with many beautiful stores. The German window dressers are remarkable, and everything is showcased beautifully. We wandered very slowly admiring the displays, and Pat was enjoying seeing all of the latest fashions.

Gargoyle in Rathaus courtyard

We had some difficulty finding the restaurant in Salvatorplatz. The name on the reservation was Oscar Maria Brasserie, but the signs said Literaturhaus.  It is a historic building, and in years past was a meeting place for authors, booksellers, publishers and journalists. Unfortunately, the menu was quite limited - not what we had in mind (and not what I had read on-line). But, we made do with everyone having a light meal. With it being Christmas Eve there were not too many choices for restaurants open at that hour. Christmas Eve in Germany is much more celebrated than in the United States. It is the time when the families all come together for their Christmas meal and Father Christmas visits, giving out the presents.

We then walked to Odeonsplatz, a beautiful and famous square. Much of the architecture is Italian in style - in fact, the famous Feldherrenhalle (Hall of Generals) is almost an exact replica of a Loggia in Florence that we will see later on our journey. King Ludwig I loved Italian and Greek architecture.  The square is also surrounded by the Residenz (former home of the Wittelsbachs) and the Theatinerkirche (Church). Pat and I rubbed the nose of a small bronze statue of Bavarian lions. This is meant to bring good luck. There are four statues, and the story is that you can rub three noses, but if you rub the fourth it will cancel out your luck!

Lion statues in front of Residenz

Theatinerkirche - the bells were pealing for 20 minutes to announce Christmas

As we walked back along Diennerstrasse, we passed by one of our favorite places (meaning all four of us) - Dallmayrs. It is a luxury deli, caterer, and restaurant dating back to the 17th century. I believe it caters to all the glitterati of the city. It is fabulous to see the vast variety and how beautifully everything is displayed. We took our time looking at their beautiful window displays where they had various Christmas trees - one was decorated with coffee-related items, one with tea, one with caviar, one with chocolates, and one with cigars! So imaginative! Too bad it is so difficult to take photos through windows!

Caviar Christmas Tree at Dallmayrs

By this time we were all ready to get off our feet, and Pat and Mike needed a rest after a long overnight flight - Mike says the airplane seats get smaller all the time. So, we headed for the subway and a quick trip back to our hotel.

Heading for the S-Bahn

That evening we congregated in the Executive lounge on the fifth floor for snacks and cocktails. Another American couple  (from Pennsylvania) we had met earlier, had volunteered to have Pat or Mike as their guest, as each room is only allowed one guest free. (We had access to the lounge as a benefit of Hilton Gold status.) The lady grew up in Wilkes-Barre! The free beverages were flowing, and a German couple joined in our conversation. Ron said the talk got louder as more wine was poured.  The free drinks were cut off at 8 PM - and that broke up the party! By then we all needed a good sleep.