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December 7 - 16, 2008
Visiting Germany will seem like a lovely homecoming, even if it’s your first experience there.
Friendly, fun-loving people will greet us as family. Woodsy landscapes and gently sloped farmland will look familiar - even though hops is the dominant
crop, not corn.
Hops means beer, plenty of it, and excellent microbrews are produced in
unlikely places: airports to monasteries, rural villages to Munich’s cavernous
Hofbrauhaus (one of the few places where we’ll see lederhosen and
dirndls).
This excursion is about authenticity, heritage, regional specialties and family-owned
businesses - but not at the expense of ignoring technology and forward thinking. BMW and VW will
welcome us with interactive exhibits, amazing architecture, sleek restaurants - facilities that highlight
German technology and innovation.
I’m the author of Sidetracked in Wisconsin and the upcoming Hungry for Wisconsin, books that
celebrate our state’s uniqueness. Much of this distinctiveness is based on our German heritage.
Since 2002, I’ve written a weekly travel column that appears in daily newspapers throughout Wisconsin.
My observations about Bavaria, based on an incredible tour taken before Christmas 2007, was a
Midwest Travel Writers Association award winner.
Capturing the spirit of this part of Germany was easy - rich reminders of culture and handcrafted
quality are everywhere, and I look forward to experiencing more with you.
We will pair steins of handcrafted beer with exceptional
sausages of many varieties - some arriving in buns as long as a
half-meter - but also enjoy fantastic gourmet cuisine.
We will explore magical Christkindlmarkts. Non-shoppers have
other enticing options - museums, history tours, concerts in
stunning churches, mugs of warm Glüwein. We will be whisked
into the charm and camaraderie that defi ne Germany's holiday
season, enjoying sacred spaces, music and amazing architecture.
About 55 percent of Wisconsin residents trace their roots to a
German-speaking country, more than any other state. Please join
me on this adventure. 'Tis the year and the season to catch the
holiday spirit and reclaim a part of who we are.
— Mary
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