It has been almost one year since we took our first trip to Germany. We have been super anxious in writing all about our ventures. However... since we went during the Christmas season

last

year, we felt it would be best to wait until

this

Christmas season to write about it.

Today, we will take you on a tour through the quaint, but lovely, town of Ramstein-Miesenbach - home to our hotel, the Ramsteiner-Hof.

I fell in love with this flower shop, especially the Christmas decorations.

Even after I greet the Germans with "Good Morning" in Deutchse ("Guten Morgen"), they respond with "Good Morning" in English. Most people can tell I'm an American and only speak English.

Two older men, one "very" happy (probably had some early morning cheer) said "Good Mooorning" to me while hanging on for dear life around his friend's neck. Then he started speaking German to me and I just stared blankly. He circled his hand downward in a curtsy motion and said, "That means 'Good morning, m' lady!" as he trailed off in a deep, hearty laughter.

I love this place.

It reminds me of the first scene from Beauty and the Beast.

Tents are set up throughout the city centers. I stopped by the one above and bought a tiny Christmas tree covered in white frost, red ribbons and red candles.

It is officially our first "live" Christmas tree, even if it is only one foot tall.

God has truly blessed JD and I with so many opportunities to travel together. I love finding ways to make our hotel rooms into a cozy home. This tree sitting in our windowsill was just one of those ways.

I turned the corner and crept upon a beautiful secret garden hidden between two buildings. I wanted so badly to hop that iron gate and just sit in the realm of pure magic it held (with a hot cup of tea, of course). The more I walked around, the more I realized how gardens like this are actually amongst most of the buildings.

I arrived back to the hotel with Christmas tree in hand and Frank, the mysterious-do-everything-around-here-guy, was standing outside smoking. I held up my tree proudly and said, "Look what I got! Our Christmas decoration for the hotel room!" He gave me a thumbs-up, smiled big and said, "That's very nice!" He tossed his cigarette butt and walked inside.

I ventured out behind the main hotel building to take photos of the cross and the gazebo. Frank came running up behind me with a flashlight. I thought I was in trouble but then he said in a thick German accent, "Look! Look! I'll take you inside!" The flashlight's batteries were dead but fortunately I had my iPhone's flashlight app so we could see inside the "dungeon" - also known as the 50-year-old underground cave where people stored potatoes. We could see the roots in the ceiling from the tree above us. It was truly amazing.