Goodbye 2015 & Hello 2016

Much of what 2015 brought along was neither planned nor wanted and I can't help thinking how different things were supposed to be. 
Funny I remember how nervous mom was upon introducing her man to us and how I couldn't help rolling my eyes when she discarded our plans because they wanted to do something on their own. Things happened quickly, but it turned out this family was the best that could have happened. 
After ages of avoiding situations, it was good to come home, laugh, spend time together and care for one another. We even started to celebrate Christmas again. Nothing major, but something we were all looking foward to. 
Then, a moment turned lives into different directions and unlike in the previous years, the fireplace was cold this winter. What remains are treasured memories, like the Christmas walk up the Magdalensberg two years ago - never to be repeated, no matter what. And the knowledge that you never know which "Goodbye" will be the final one.

Is there a point in making New Years' resolutions then? I'm not sure. I fulfilled some things on my 2015 list, some were postponed for *some day later*, others simply don't matter anymore. 

- I certainly hope to finish my studies by summer, or by fall at the latest
- Switzerland will have to wait
- I absolutely fell in love with flying and will certainly want to take off again
- as for crafting: so many ideas, so little time
- and as for Mr. Right: it seems I finally figured out who is going to take me dancing

Here's to a happy 2016, let's hope this one will be good to us.

Homemade Christmas

Apart from opera, a little sightseeing and lots of talking, the holidays made me realize how unused I am to look into other people's apartment when looking out of the window...

How good homemade hazelnut biscuits can be :)

And how even a palm tree in a pot can be decorated with wooden hearts.

How Christmas doesn't ave to be all-white at all, whether it is a photo-collage on a subway train station, blooming trees at the roadside, or just a pair of extraordinary stockings.

 

And how big the Rhine actually is

How far away from home you may end up, trying to swim against the tide

And how good it is to head home again. 
I'm not sure whether I like taking off my shoes in a public place, being body-scanned and touched all over by some stranger, but I guess it must be good for some reason.

Another free close-up airport tour

Airport lights and an almost full moon

Runway ahead

Cleared to take off

One last glance of Frankfurt airport from above

Spiderwebs in the dark

Almost home - silhouette of lake Bled in the night

~ the end ~

Christmas in D-Dorf

Various impressions of Christmas in Düsseldorf. 

A huge Ferris wheel by the Rhine

A funny twisted church steeple

Fluffy clouds that make everything seem so unlike Christmas (apart from people running around without scarfs and gloves, and a brave one with a T-shirt only).

Düsseldorf panorama with the Rheinturm and one of the many bridges

And a glimpse to the fancy houses acoss the big river, with sheep grazing in front of skyscrapers

Rhine promenade and facades of old town

The story that will never come true, even though the shopping madness may give a different impression

Beautiful dishes

An army of nutcrackers

A plush jungle in one of the store windows. The toys are not only beautifully arranged, but also brought to life which creates quite a lively scene. The prices aren't bad either.

The shortest escalator you may find

Just one magic word for any chocolate/cake lover: Heinemann. The interior is just as sweet as the store windows, and has anything that makes your glands release endorphines uncontrollably.
Must-try: the best cherry-cake I've ever had. 

A glimpse of the Königsallee, a luxury shopping street in the city center.

Magic sunset on the way to another evening at the opera, and a rather shabby Duisburg train station.

Today's menu: Mozart's Magic Flute in a rather modern interpretation, originally produced by the Komische Oper Berlin. I didn't quite understand what to expect when my sister talked about singing combined with film animation, but it turned out to be a pretty much awesome performance by the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and definitely worth a visit.

A post-opera stroll through the Christmas market, this time without evacuation due to a (false) bomb scare

Stairway to heaven

A little contribution to the gallery of Christmas projects & happenings at Lotta liebt blau.

~ to be continued ~