Dienstag, Christmas Day

Dateline: Leavenworth, WA

On Lauren's laptop from Sleeping Lady Resort. Snow is several feet deep outside our cabin. Weather has been great. Snowing all the way here on Sunday, but we made it over Stevens Pass without chains. Did have trouble with ice buildup on the windshield wipers and had to stop a couple of times to clean them. After checkin we drove to Leavenworth and walked around. The town is a Bavarian village and they decorate the trees and streets. In the main square there is a park which was full of kids sledding down short hills underneath brilliantly lit trees. Christmas music was playing over loudspeakers. The shops and sidewalks were packed. Kathy found an outdoor bar and we had gluhwein (sort of) while sitting under blue and white Hofbrau Haus umbrellas as the snow fell on us. There was a wood fire inside a steel firepit that we clustered around with other folks.

Meals are included as part of our stay at Sleeping Lady so we headed back to the dining hall. It is very good quality cafeteria style service. All of the tables and chairs are rustic wood construction. The dining room has high, pitched ceilings and exposed beam construction. After dinner, we went to our room to settle in.

All of the cars are parked in one lot and there is no driving to the various cabins and buildings. They are reached via paths that wander through the mature forest in which all the buildings sit. There are carts available, like the ones at marinas,which guests use to haul their luggage to their cabins. It took us a couple of trips since we brought a load of presents along with us.

our room is small. wooden floor, high pitched ceiling with a fan 12 feet above us, and a steep ladder leading to a small loft with a double bed. the main floor has a double bed and a single. we could have used a small table and chairs for jigsaw puzzle (Rockefeller Center Holiday) and cards, but we are making do. the entire main room has row of wooden pegs, for hanging clothes, mounted on a board running around the room about 5' above the floor.

On Christmas Eve we went cross country skiing right across the road from Sleeping Lady. So nice to not have to drive the car. A local group has an 8 kilometer groomed trail that winds back and forth over mainly flat terrain. There were a couple of hills to spice things up. We had a lovely sunny day. Blue skies, surrounding mountains covered with snow and trees, and almost no wind. It was fun, and a bit strenuous, but very aerobic and refreshing. Deep lungfuls of crisp, clean air! After a bit of resting at the room, we drove into Leavenworth.

We wanted to find a Christmas tree for our room and our efforts on first night had not been successful. Someone had told us to go find the Safeway so that was the first stop. Alas, the floral lady said they were all sold out. But wait...! Since it was 3 pm on Christmas Eve she deconstructed a holiday floral display and we had a 2' tall live baby pine tree! So, we bought the last tree in Leavenworth...whew!

Then we into the downtown center among all the shops to check out "Andreas' Kellar" a basement restaurant with a German menu. It was quite authentic with a wood panel interior, a woman playing holiday music on an accordian, and reasonably good German food. Kathy had Weisswurst and I had a Schnitzel sandwich. I drank a Spaten Pils beer from Munich. Sehr gut!

We took our little tree, Alfie, back to the room and trimmed it with decorations we have purchased the past two years in Germany. and then of course put presents around it. That left just enough time to go to the bar.

Just one cabin away from us is the Grotto. It's a cozy place with a fireplace and seating built in around the fire...almost like being in a cave. We sat a table by thfe window and played "Golf" a card game we learned from friends, Susie and Doug Bruce. No idea why it is called golf, but it is simple enough to play while having a glass of wine. So, we did that for a bit and then noticed everyone leaving the place. Time for the 7:30 seating at the dining hall for dinner. The food is quite good and we've all eaten way too much.

For instance, my Christmas Eve dinner was Lamb foreleg in a brown sauce, pear salad with red onions, risotto, and vanilla bread pudding with orange sauce. Kathy had filet of sole stuffed with crab.

After dinner we went next door to a theater and enjoyed a Christmas Eve celebration including a quite good brass ensemble playing religious and secular holiday music. There were a couple of scripture readings, a multi-media show about Christmas around the world, all of us sang Silent Night, and then we listed to Vince Gill and his daughter do a duet of "Let There Be Peace".