That's where the DH and I went over Thanksgiving weekend. Admittedly, we didn't really see any of New York or London except for JFK (definitely not exciting) and Heathrow (better than expected) airports, but the Frankfurt area was loads of fun despite extremely poor planning and knitting failures abound. For weeks, DH and I argued over what to do in Germany. A fellow member of the Lacy Knitters Guild lives an hour out of Frankfurt, so I contacted her about ideas for knitterly activities in Frankfurt. She brought up Martina's shop, a fantastic source for German sock yarn and lace knitting patterns, but it's an hour and a half outside of Frankfurt, and DH wasn't willing to commit so much of our two days to my knitting obsession. This went back and forth until finally on the way from SFO to JFK, I convinced him that we should book a car in Frankfurt from an internet connection during our layover. Oh right, during the flights I knit myself a scarf and hat out of Rowan Biggy Print (can we say 30 minute hat?) in preparation for the cold:
Once we got into Frankfurt and picked up the car (poor planning here resulted in discovering that DH's drivers license has been expired for a month, so I got to drive). After a bit of online consultation and purchasing some maps, we were off! The German countryside was gorgeous and quite green. The weather was unseasonably warm though dark, and I totally didn't need the hat and scarf I knit at the last minute for myself on the airplane ride over using Rowan Biggy Print and ginormous needles.
We saw sheep!!!!
And drove through many small towns that looked like this:
We finally made it to the town of Weinbach but could not for the life of us find the road the shop was supposed to be on. It wasn't on our city map either. After driving through lots of twisty and windy side streets, I convinced DH that we should ask for directions at the Shell gas station in Weinbach (very odd, since I am usually the one who is adamantly against asking for directions). Let me just say that this is where I first realized just how awesome Germany is. Take a look at the window. What's that inside?
Could that be a full revolving display of Regia sock yarn?!?! Why yes it is. In the GAS STATION people, for when you're on the go of course.
I was so excited, but I didn't buy any because we were headed to Martina's. It turned out that while the address was in Weinbach the actual location was in another town nearby, so we headed over. We made it to her shop which I discovered is run out of her house:
Unfortunately I only have a picture of the outside because she wasn't actually open. I assumed that she had a shop with normal business hours, but now I realize she is only open by appointment. So we went all that way for nothing but beautiful scenic views and a chance to see a gas station with sock yarn in it. What a knitting failure! I was really really sad.
The rest of the trip sadly didn't include much knitting. I got to see Lana which Alison has visited, but it was closed. Dan, husband of the LKG member who was out of town, took us for a wonderful drive around up and down the Rhein river on Saturday. It was beautiful, but most of my pictures look grey and blurry.
There were some metal art thingies in the town of Mainz where we met up:
Nutcrackers in time for Christmas:
We visited St. Stephan's Church in Mainz which has wonderful stained glass windows that were painted by Marc Chagall. It was stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures, but here are the postcard and booklet I got. It looks better in person, of course.
There were many churches and castles:
A picture of me and my darling Schmoopie with the Rhein behind us:
I didn't see any knitted lace, but many of the homes were decorated with non-knitted lace curtains like these:
We visited a butcher shop and had some blood sausage.
And then we visited a winery that Dan has been visiting for many years now. Herr Doufrain greeted us and gave us a tour of the winery. The cellar was built in the 11th century, but it has only been in his family since the 1500's (or was that 1600s). It was really cool to see the inside and feel the history behind it.
We drank wine and brought a few bottles home with us. Which meant checking luggage (I kept forgetting that pesky no liquid rule) and buying said luggage to lug back with us.
We realized the mustard would have killed us on the liquid rule anyway. Mmm.
After a long trip back, we finally made it home a bit wet. The weather here was much worse than in Germany, and we got drenched walking three long blocks from the train station to home with luggage in tow. We had a lot of fun, and I hope we go somewhere else crazy for Thanksgiving next year. The rain, long flights, jet lag -- totally worth it!
I said I was going to be traveling a lot before the end of the year, but it's all downhill from here. I have a weekend in LA (belated birthday present for DH) and a week in Philly for Xmas.
Great photos. Sounds like a fun trip. Philly at Christmas? You should check out the yarn shop on 9th and Pine, Sophie's yarn. It is a very cool shop in the Washington Square area. And walk by my old hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, oldest in the US. Founded by Ben Franklin.
Posted by: Sheila at November 27, 2006 4:52 PMWhat a great way to spend the holiday. You and your Schmoopie look very cute in the German landscape. And wow, yarn in a gas station????
Posted by: Wendie at November 27, 2006 5:29 PMWhich week are you spending in Philadelphia for Christmas? I will be there between the 29th and the 1st if you want to go yarn shopping, I could use a fellow enabler!
Looks like a wonderful trip! Sometimes things are best under planned.
Posted by: Shannon at November 27, 2006 6:09 PMI love the yarn in the gas station! Someday...someday maybe we'll be as lucky.
Posted by: Jodie at November 27, 2006 7:05 PMLove all the photos! Thank you for taking us along :).
Posted by: Isela at November 27, 2006 7:17 PMGosh! You ARE getting around these days :) I absolutely wd. not consider the try to look for that yarn store a failure - look what you saw on the way and learned! And wd. one ever find yarn in a gas station in the US? Germany is cool, I've seen the "delis" in Munchen - cold cuts galore, and the bakerys - yum! Thanks for the pics - I love them :)
Posted by: Terry at November 27, 2006 7:52 PMBrings back memories of my trip to Germany about 9 years ago... love the villages! I wasn't knitting then, so I wouldn't have noticed yarn in a gas station... how very cool!
Posted by: Jo at November 27, 2006 8:11 PMWow lady, you're never home! :) At least its to really cool places (every time I come to write a comment about your latest trip, a new one's already posted!)
Dig the dry-backpack straps :)
Posted by: aija at November 27, 2006 9:41 PMCookie, if you need a ride back from the train station or airport, send an e-mail my way before you go.
I'm close enough to pop over to the train station (luggage!!!! I know how heavy those liquids are having hand-carried beer to Ireland...) or the air port. What a sad image you paint on that lonely and damp walk home.
Posted by: freecia at November 27, 2006 11:14 PMhehe, german land. except your part of german land is a bit more pictueresque than berlin, seeing as how we don't really have any sheep or large looming castles. but yeah i think germany is a part of the yarn belt or something...it's ridiculous to go into a department store to see bins of yarn. and the weather here is tropical compared to the states...it's only been below freezing once in october.
Posted by: jo at November 28, 2006 12:30 AMYour trip sure makes me miss home a lot. Sniff. And how did you manage to knit on the plane? They didn't even want me to take my rosewood needles in my carryon!
Your trip sure makes me miss home a lot. Sniff. And how did you manage to knit on the plane? They didn't even want me to take my rosewood needles in my carryon!
That is the most awesome gas station in world. i have loved Germany since I lived there in high school and now I love it even more!
Posted by: Jen at November 28, 2006 5:17 AMHey! What a trip! Love your photos and cannot believe the yarn in the gas station. That's fantastic! I myself have been to Mainz, Koblenz, you name it, but it was eons ago. Also love the hair. How's that for the most disjointed comment EVER?
PS- Do I get those two posts for Yarnival!? Do I?
hahaha - how i envy the trips you go on! great photography skills - so sharp and crisp!
Posted by: eca at November 28, 2006 6:15 AMWhat a wonderful trip! I like your "Project Runway/Kara Janx" hat.
Posted by: Gina at November 28, 2006 7:02 AMWhat a cool trip! And how awesome is that about the Regia in the gas station? Wow!!!
Posted by: Lazuli at November 28, 2006 7:35 AMSounds like you had an interesting trip!!! The scenery looked wonderful though - all those castles! And yarn in a gas station!!!!
Posted by: stacey at November 28, 2006 7:42 AMwow, a quick trip to germany! what fun! i can't believe that they sold sock yarn in that gas station. that's so strange but ultimately very convenient!
Posted by: gleek at November 28, 2006 9:14 AMLooks like you had a wonderful time, everything looks so picturesque. Loving the hat and scarf, now that's what I call in-flight entertainment.
Posted by: Nikki at November 28, 2006 9:39 AMWhat a whirlwind trip! That is amazing, and it looks like such fun! I really want to go to Germany! Great picture of you and your husband! :) (and all of that wine!! ahhh)
Posted by: Lolly at November 28, 2006 10:25 AMNow that's my kind of gas station!
By the way I've now ruined another keyboard by my drooling over your pictures. Okay maybe not, but I really loved the sheep picture. And the castles!
Posted by: Rebekah at November 28, 2006 11:45 AMLovely photos and I love sock yarn in the petrol station!!!
Posted by: Mia
at November 28, 2006 1:04 PM
Hy Ladies,
please believe me, yarn in an gas-station is NOT normal here in germany! It's the first time for me, seeing something like this! And without a picture i couldn't believe it!
Thank you for the wonderful storie and the awesome pics!
Needless to say, I'm jealous. What an awesome trip. And yarn in a gas station? HELLO! I need to move!
Posted by: aj at November 28, 2006 2:05 PMWhat a trip! Thanks for the awesome photos. OMG! Yarn in a gas station! That's totally wild! I so would have bought some, but then I have no restraint.
Posted by: Carol at November 28, 2006 5:51 PMWhat a wonderful adventure! What do you mean you didn't buy yarn in the gas station?!
Posted by: Devorah at November 29, 2006 3:52 AMSounds like quite a whirlwind trip. Too bad the store was closed. =( I like the castles...
Posted by: Margit at November 29, 2006 1:19 PMLove the photos. Even without the yarn shop, it looks like you had a great time!
Posted by: Sandy at November 29, 2006 5:47 PMwow, Yarn in a gas station.
I now live in Germany for 30 yrs ( been born here ) and have never ever seen a gas station with yarn :)
Glad you did not stay in Frankfurt, it is soo ugly but the villages around are great!