Gingerbread House *2*

*Continued from previous post*

8. Put the candy onto the house using the royal icing like glue, use licorice for the roofing tiles. 

9. Take lots of pictures

10. Let sit for a few days

11. Eat off all the candy and then feed the gingerbread to the ducks

Our gingerbread Chateau!

Gingerbread House

One of the many projects that we had in mind for the Christmas Holidays was the making of a Gingerbread house. When Daddy asked for Ashlynn and I to make templates for the different parts, I suggested we make a Gingerbread Chateau! Here's our step by step guide on making a Gingerbread house:

1. Make the gingerbread dough and using the templates cut out all of the different parts. If you fail, re-roll the dough and start again.

2. Put the gingerbread in the oven and let it bake.

3. Make some royal icing.

4. Once the gingerbread is dry, stick the bits together with the royal icing. Make sure the sides are dry before attempting the roof.

5. Get Daddy to help you with making windows and applying them to the window holes.

6. Attach the roof.

7. Buy a LOT of candy.

*To be continued...*

Strange Sign....

I can definitely say that I was surprised when I saw this sign in the bathroom on the ICE train going back to Holland. I wonder if this is what it's meant to say, or if something got lost in translation....

The Ferris Wheel

Although a couple of markets had ice skating rinks, this one was the only one with a Ferris Wheel. From down below it looked like it was going extremely fast and so we couldn't leave without having gone on it. It was a good length ride, not too short and the view from the top was very beautiful. 

View from the top of the market down below

Looming out of the fog are the towers of the nearby Cathedral

Ashlynn and Daddy

Cologne Markets

The next day we took a very long train ride into Cologne, where there were more and better Christmas Markets. Although there were bigger gaps between them, we walked all around the city of Cologne to see them. At one of the stalls, Mommy bought a ring and a bracelet made out of bent spoons. 

Colourful bangles

Trees lit up with beautiful lights

Things to stick in your hair

Hanging glass

More Camera fun....

Playing around with the camera was fun. Daddy taught me some cool tricks that helped with these photos below:

This ice skating rink was in reality filled with people skating, but the slow shutter speed meant that only the ones standing still appeared.

Markets at Night

I have to say, the markets were much more beautiful at night because of the decorative lights. Although we didn't buy anything that first day, we'd managed to get through all of the 6 markets before 7 o'clock that night. When I say we didn't buy anything, that means anything solid. That is, not including food. Which we bought quite a lot of....

Christmas lights over a river

Eating fresh herb spaetzle. Love Ashlynn's face! <3

Mommy and Daddy got gluhwein and they also got eggnog - which for some reason the Germans put alcohol in it which means that Ashlynn and I couldn't have it.