2025 April: I was Granted a Reprieve!

Yes, it’s about time! As I shared in last month’s newsletter, we left cold California for cold Germany. I believe this is the longest I’ve lived without sun and warmth! But Lutz provided a reprieve from the cold…

But before I share my adventure, let’s wrap up last month’s adventures. We were so happy to share the end of Fastnacht with Doris, her son Thomas, his wife Pia, and their two amazing children, Isabelle and Yannick.

Fastnacht begins at 5:30 a.m. with a Wohlauf (wake-up) Parade. Families march through the streets in white nightgowns with lanterns, ringing bells and whistles blowing, and a town crier singing.

The big parade in Wolfach was a great success for most participants. One of the fun events is a march by the men through the town in desquises with huge noses. This is only for men, and the fun of it is that women try to sneak in and participate. Click on IMG_0522 to see if you can find Lutz, Thomas, and Yannick.

If they are caught, they have a very chilling consequence. My dear friend Julie and several other ladies were feeling adventurous this day. Click on IMG_0524 to see if you can spot her! The consequence for being caught is being dipped in the town’s cold fountain. Needless to say, Julie was spotted and dunked!

This wonderful tradition is held yearly and preserves traditions that are fun for all. My favorite is the march of the costumes, especially this unique Wolfach costume on a float with pretzels for all! Click here IMG_3811 to get a peek of the parade and costumes.

We shared dinner at the Hecht between freezing days and cold nights with our dear friends Georg and Freya. A meal never goes wrong at the right place with the best people.

I even got new glasses! They are bifocal and turn to dark lenses in the sun. It took me a year and a half to get my eyes regulated to these new cataract lenses, but I still have my days and will survive! I no longer have to carry four pairs of glasses in my purse—hmm, maybe it’s time for a new purse!

Speaking of shopping, we have a major market every few months: food, clothes, kitchen stuff, and purses!

But I think this coat will do the trick. Ok, yes, you’re right, Lutz. I don’t need it.

With all the winter excitement over, my heart was still heavy. This cold and clouds had done me in. I needed a reprieve fast before I curled up in bed and hibernated until May. So, off we went to Teneriffe, Spain, for a week in the sun.

You can see our hotel from the plane at the island’s tip on the sea and Teide, the volcano.

We landed just in time for a beautiful sunset with complimentary champagne.

The view from our room was amazing, and there was SUN!

The Barcole Royal Level Hotel was super. We had full pension/Royal Level, and at the far corner near the beach, there was a private heated pool, dining facilities, and a club just for the Royal Level (#33,#34,#36).

The meals were superb! And plenty of fresh seafood.

The desserts were extraordinary, and some of them were gluten-free! I even had gluten-free bread.

To keep up with the delicious food and maintain our health, we made sure we swam our mile.

Used the gym!

And walked.

In addition, we decided to join the water aerobics class one day. This was a big mistake. The pool was not heated and was so cold that I’m sure I dropped two pounds just jumping to stay warm. Please, back to our heated pool.

We also made time to rest, read, and enjoy the sun!

The hotel had something for everyone and super activities for children and families. They even had a lake for kayaking. This hotel is located on a preserve and has a small museum with a film that details the building and preservation of this place. In addition, there are walking trails for hikers.

We had planned to rent a car and tour the island, but all my tour books said to be careful. The roads to Teide and some areas are dangerous and very narrow. They suggested a small van tour, so we signed up and visited some must-see tourist locations. First stop: ‎⁨Tenerife⁩, ⁨Garachico⁩, ⁨Santa Cruz de Tenerife⁩, ⁨Spain⁩. This is a beautiful town on the edge of the sea. The volcano that erupted in 1706 created these swimming pools on calm days. When it erupted, people here had to dive into the ocean and swim to the small island for safety. Many could not swim and drowned. To read more, click here.

Of course, we had to drive by and see the Dragon Tree, the oldest tree on the island, in the city of Icod de los Venos. They say it is about eight hundred years old. Check out the history of this city and the tree here. There are several more pictures of this tree on the site, which is in the city botanical gardens.

Further down the road, we had a royal meal at a very old establishment, La Ortava Hotel.

It was a wealthy citizen’s home in the past and is now a converted hotel and restaurant. So beautiful! We were served a typical meal of the Islands and homemade wine!

The pea soup with pork was amazing.

The next stop was up the hills to the top of the mountain, to a small town with forty residents, Masca. It was so high, and the cold wind was blowing. You can see the twisting road that we drove on. If you want to know more about this little village, click here.

The next stop was Teide National Park. I felt like I was on the moon! It was quite cold and windy. This thing is massive. There is a lift that takes you to the top, but we did not go on it. Both Lutz and I prefer solid ground.

We were at the volcano’s base, and it was enough to get the feel. It is a UNESCO site and the largest volcano in the world from bottom to top. I believe them. I’ve seen some in Hawaii, but this was huge. Here is some more information about this cool place if you’re interested.

I can’t believe we packed it all in in just seven days. We even had live entertainment—one night, acrobats.

Another night a music group paid tribute to soul music (which was so great)!

And to top off our last night, we saw Tina Turner Review!

The week went fast, but it was a reprieve from this cold, damp Germany. I’m so glad we went! I think I am going to make it to May…I hope. It was sad to leave (yes, I’m crying), but we had things to do and preparations for our next adventure.

We arrived home just in time to see the sheep moving from our side of the Kinzig to the other. I love this view. The shepherd is leading them along the main road to access the river. Traffic must stop and enjoy!

Lutz hopped right to work making our balcony ready for the sun when it does decide to show up. Our friend Michael created a new gas tank cover for our patio (Lutz helped a bit)!

It looked so nice and stylish that we had to test it out that evening with a fire, blankets, jackets, and a toast.

Two of my favorite people, Erich and Gaby, came to visit the following weekend. I love it when they come; we have such a great time. During this visit, we went to the Dortheenhhütte. I live within walking distance from here but have never done the tour or visited the museum. This was a demonstration in glass blowing. He started with this little piece of glass and then…

BAM! And ended up with this amazing vase.

I thought I’d give it a try..

One thing is for sure: they have Christmas every day! I can’t believe my husband hasn’t taken me there before. And all this in Wolfach!

One of the most special days since I returned from my reprieve was when I received an invitation to Lilly’s for lunch. She is from China, and I’m telling you this is authentic, folks—vegetables I’ve never seen before or had the opportunity to taste. Shuki, my dear friend from Hong Kong, was there, and to top it off, I got to meet Lilly’s husband, Andi, and her daughter, Victoria. I love my international friends and plan a potluck buffet with a world of flavors next month.

Each dish had its unique, savory flavor, and it was just out of this world. This salad was to die for.

Even a typical dessert from her area of China. So glad she is up the hill from me. I’m planning a cooking day with this lady for sure!

Well, that’s it for this month’s post. We are well, alive, and kicking. This next month is our planning month, and who knows what we will be up to. Stay tuned! Until next month, enjoy the recipe and the resource below.

Fave Recipe: Blueberry Scones

I promised a revised version of the cottage cheese bagels, but I can’t bring myself to use my cooking supplies for another failure. So, instead, I made Blueberry scones while I thought long and hard about how to approach the bagel recipe!

Fave Resource: The ABC’s About The ABCDE Food Codes!

I go to Aldi and Edeka for a few groceries. These typical stores in Germany and several other countries use a coding system to rate the nutritional value of their foods. The ratings go from A, the best, to E, the most unhealthy. I have no idea why E products are for sale. Let’s find out why! Click here to learn more.