Weinachtsmarkt

Saturday clint, margy and I went to Koln ( cologne) to the weinachtsmarkt. Clints host family drove us to Koln and parked in a garage. We than went by foot towards the dom... which is a large gothis church... no i dont mean that it wore black and painted its fingernails I mean that thats the structure type it is... meaning gargouls and pointed towers. While we were walking I noticed a bridge... clings host family starts walking over this bridge that street trains also go down. I was freaking out because the bridge was over the Rhein river... and I am not one for hieghts and I really dont like bridges over water for that matter. Margy and Clint took this time to sheer me into utter fear... well it was more margy than clint. I was pressed up against the distant rails lookign at my feet the whole time keeping from looking down towards the water. Margy kept on going on that the worst that could happen is I fall off and hit a boat... I didnt really catch the rest of what she was saying but she was just trying to get me back for all the times I have gotten her. The worst thing that happend on that bridge though was when the street trains went by and the bridge would creek and rumble.. ohhh i was so scared. Finally we made it to the other side and I stood looking at the Dom for a good few minutes. You cant really grasp the beauty when your standing there because it almost looks fake, it was really beautiful and I couldent help but just stare at it the whole time. Clints dad than told me some facts about it and said that the workers go around the entire dom and fix everything that needs repaired and it takes 20 years to make it all the way around the dom, and than they have to start all over again. He said that its the only way they can keep it in such good shape. After viewing the Dom I went into the weinachtsmarkt where clints parents gave us some gluhwein.. which is a special brew they only make during christmas time and its heated up. I like wine but I dont think Im cut out for it being warm. we finished the wine and than it was time to go shopping for presents. Margy and Clint had there familis to shop for.. while I had to make a list before I went there of all the people I have to buy for or else I will forget. Now I cant tell you the presents I got everyone but I can tell you that looks are decieving. Some of the most expensive presents were actually the smallest, and the biggest presents were actually really cheap... its funny how they work like that. I can however tell you what I got my host family. I got my oldest host sister carina a puzzle box. It is actually a box that you can put something in but its a puzzle... i was never able to figure it out until the girl showed me that you have to pull form the corners and than it was made so clear. To add more to teh puzzle box i put a puzzle inside the puzzle but I had so solve the other puzzle in order to put it into the box... so i spent alot of time solving puzzles. I got my host mom a scarf because I didnt know what else to get her, and than I have a polly pocket set for Jona who is my youngest sister. I also have soem lotion that my mom had sent me to give away as a present too. It took me a long time to get all the shopping done, and I actually still havent gotten everyone a present so I have a little more shopping to do..... I also wont be able to send the package until later, which means my presents will not get there until after christmas but its the thought that counts and teh effort to get it there on time. So after we were done shopping margy and I took some pictures with the statues... well they were actually people dressed like statues,, and that made it alto more fun :D. We also got to see inside the dom, but a church service was going on... and it was the first time I have seen men in dress robes. I wanted to get a picture of them but I think they would of thought I was rude if I was taking pictures of them. I am glad I got to go to koln again and see inside the dom, and be able to shop in the weinachtsmarkt there. :D