Christmas Is In The Air, And So Was I...

Christmas was in the air around Munich in the weeks leading up to the holiday. A festive snow fell the weekend before I left and the city was abuzz with Holiday decor.

The Mercedes building near my apartment displayed their Advent calendar with old-timer cars again...

Every day another curtain would be drawn to reveal a different model of old Mercedes car...

On the other side of the main building a Christmas tree was lit. Since I can see this building from the window of my room, this serves as my Christmas tree...

Of course downtown Munich sported a large Christmas tree on the Marienplatz surrounded by the stalls of the Christmas Market...

Christmas, it seems, was in the air...

But on a gray Monday morning I took the S-bahn out to the airport and boarded my plane to Atlanta.

We took off and soon we were above the gloomy clouds looking at a glorious day. The low clouds surrounded the Alps like white sea foam...

We soared past the north end of the Alps...

...then over France, the Atlantic, Newfoundland, and eventually the Eastern Seaboard of the US.

On the way I watched several nature documentaries and GI Joe (two thumbs down).

I arrived in Atlanta 10 hours later, went through customs without a hitch and a few hours later I was on my flight towards Utah.

From the Alps to the Appalachians...

The sun began to set right about the time we passed over the Mississippi...

Em eye es es eye es es eye pee pee eye...

The last bit of light went out over Denver...

And soon I was flying over the Salt Lake Valley and we landed.

I met Mom & Dad at the airport and then we went to find a place to eat.

We decided on Hires, some of the best burgers in Salt Lake, and when we went in I was surprised to see the entire family gathered in the party room to welcome me home!


Of course, in the excitement of the moment I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few taken later on...

(yes, Tom really did sing opera to Matt)

My six-year-old niece, Lily, provided a special song & dance number...

Good times...

I ordered the Mountain H (without sauce), a great burger, with a home-made vanilla coke, and cheese fries. It was an excellent first meal back in the States...

Mom thought so too...

The Christmas lights on the Winder lane were shining christmasly...

Grandma's house...

And brother Mike's...

After being awake for over 26 hours I slept well that night.

The next day was Tuesday and after sleeping in and babysitting my nephew, Caleb, for an hour, I went to Jordan Landing to spend a leisurely amount of time in Barnes & Nobles, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, and lunch at Panda Express. I didn't actually buy that much, but it was fun to just be in these big American stores again and look around. I refilled my drink at Panda several times just because I could.

That evening I had another surprise party, this time from some of my good friends from high school. They came over to my parent's house and we ate a bit of ham, I shared some of my German Christmas goodies and we had fun.

It's now Sunday and since arriving in Utah, I've kept very busy delivering egg nog and gift boxes for Winder Farms, eating at other sorely-missed establishments, hanging out with friends and family, watching movies (Avatar 3D!!!) and shopping for shoes.



Christmas is coming...