In honor of Christmas in July this week, I speak with Nicole Hutchison about Holiday Markets in Germany on today’s episode. Nicole was born (Augsburg) and raised in and throughout (Berlin & Wiesbaden) Germany. She has family that remains in Germany to this day, and she and her husband make annual trips each year to visit family and different Christmas markets.

Transcript

Here is a transcript of the podcast. Please keep in mind this was done via AI, so there are typos and mistakes.

Beth 0:07
Welcome to the roaming Yeti podcast where we share stories and tips to inspire you to roam your neighborhood and the world. I’m your host and head Yeti Beth Schillaci. In today’s episode, I speak with Nicole Hutchinson about holiday markets in Germany. Nicole was born and raised in and throughout Germany, and she has family that remains in Germany to this day. So her and her husband make annual trips each year to visit family and check out the different Christmas markets. Are you ready? Let’s Roam. Welcome back, everyone to the roaming Yeti Podcast. Today I am joined by Nick Cole, who is going to talk Christmas holiday European markets. I’m just throwing all the words around. I’m not sure what the right ones are. So Nicole, thanks for joining me today.

Nicole 0:55
Thank you for having me. Very excited.

Beth 0:59
We’ve been trying to have this this conversation for a while. So I’m very happy. It’s it’s happening. Can you describe? Okay, first of all, is it a Christmas market? A Holiday Market? What what did they call it in Europe?

Nicole 1:12
It is a Christmas market for sure. They do pending on this place you have some of them start as early as the end of the end of thanksgiving for us and of November for them. Some of the bigger cities will go all the way through through New Years. So it is a Christmas and our Holiday Market, I suppose. But yes, they would normally go by Christmas markets.

Beth 1:37
And what how do you describe to someone who’s not familiar with it?

Nicole 1:41
So this is the best part. I’ve actually been very excited about this question. I hate to say magical, because I feel like that sounds so corny. But they really are Germans do Christmas, right? I mean, they just their lights are always amazing. Christmas markets are always amazing. If you ever feel the need to get in that Christmas spirit. I mean, getting over Germany and going to those Christmas markets will be the way to go. It’s always beautifully lit. There’s always a gorgeous Christmas tree. The smells are amazing. The food is phenomenal. And it’s just the way to go.

Beth 2:23
That’s I mean, I think magical is the correct word there. Yes, yes. Yes.

Nicole 2:27
Magical would be a good word to use.

Beth 2:32
So, enjoy it. Do you have a favorite city that in Germany that you you guys usually attend or?

Nicole 2:39
I was born in Augsburg my dad was in the military was born in Augsburg we spent a little bit of time over over in the States. And then we came back to Berlin I came to Berlin when I was eight. So Berlin will always have a special place in my heart because I ended up doing the majority of my elementary and high school years in Berlin. So Berlin for sure has my heart. It is a big city. So it’s not just the one Christmas markets, they have a lot of little ones as well as some very large ones as well. But I mean, Nuremberg has also got one of the biggest markets in Germany, and you gotta get to Munich, if you’re gonna go to Nuremberg, it’s right. It might as well right there. And then if you’re that close, you might as well hit Garmisch. I mean, it’s a whole process. But Berlin will always have been my special little place.

Beth 3:30
Sounds like sounds like you almost have to roadtrip through the country for yes. So if you’ve been Oh, sorry, go ahead. No. So you’ve been going since elementary school, like so you’ve?

Nicole 3:43
Yeah. All done the majority of all the big ones as well as all the little ones, like I said earlier, so you’re bigger cities. So we’ve got Berlin, it’s obviously a very large city, each of the little kind of sections. So I guess, for example, in Maryland, each little counties would have a Frederick, Christmas market, or you could have or even Middletown could be like, well, Middletown is going to have a little market as well, something like that, where you obviously the larger the area, the bigger the Christmas market will be. But just they’ll have these little doors that will have in their little city center, which usually is right by their local church. They’ll have a couple little stands that’ll be set up there. And the little local files or park Fire Department will be selling beers and the local ladies club or garden club will be selling the glue vine, and people will have a little verse station. During the holidays. It might be just a couple of weekends and everybody will get together and just have a couple beers have some blue vine and have a curry verse or two.

Beth 4:43
I mean, it sounds again, magical. Especially. Do you remember like, do you have memories of like some of your first trips as a kid?

Nicole 4:53
Yes. So Berlin. I mean, one of the first ones we ever went to was Berlin at the kusudama and downtown which is the big city center, downtown Berlin. And I remember going that at a very early age. A lot has changed since then the wall was up, which will give you a rough idea of how old I am. The wall was still up at that point. So, but yeah, I mean, the smells have not changed, it’s still the traditions that are there, you can still buy your nutcrackers and your Christmas ornaments. And, you know, historically, German Christmas food that will always be there. But they, you know, certain places will always put that new twist on it. Downtown Berlin and the kind of the shot MIT test center. So the city center, they’ve got the donut Mart, which is not far from what’s them area. They’ve got a beautiful Christmas market. It’s my favorite Christmas market in Berlin. They’ve integrated their little town center, they’ve got a disco ball that hangs out in the bottom of the thing. And I mean, they’ve got a big moose head when you first walk in, and it’s just they’ve got little pop up restaurants for like the newest, latest and greatest around. And, you know, they kind of try to tie in that modern to the very traditional, which is also very nice.

Beth 6:15
Yeah, that’s I figured it was just mainly traditional. So it’s neat to hear that they they’re adding,

Nicole 6:21
they do Bonet mo ancienne, Don had a booth at one of the ones we went to last year, which we spend a lot of time at. Because I mean, who doesn’t love drinking champagne at a Christmas market, honestly, so, but they also had a whole restaurant there where you could sit down and everything was kind of under this little tent. But yeah, I mean, it just depends on what size you’re going to, you can really go from these huge markets that open at five at night, and you pay a year or two, you know, one or two oils to get in. And then you can sit there until you know one or two o’clock in the morning, just walking around doing a little bit of shopping, meeting up with friends, sitting down eating dinner, walking around, eating dinner, drinking some good wine, drinking some beer, walking and grinding, getting some more food, so very easy to do. So walking where you try to burn it off as well.

Beth 7:16
There you go, then you have negative balance out those calories for negative calories. I like anything that’s negative calorie. So if you’re if you’re a first timer like what, what do you need to know when you’re your

Nicole 7:32
solo time or when you’re over there? What city you’re gonna be in. Obviously, that’s going to start, like I said, a lot of the bigger cities, Munich and Nuremberg and Frankfurt and Heidelberg, and Berlin, mostly start there’s, we have found over the past several years, that we try to travel on Thanksgiving Day, we find the best deals out of the US into Frankfurt. Our I mean, we’ve flown on Delta for $500, round trip, wow, for per person. So you know, I mean, it’s worth it getting out there are Thanksgiving Day and the Christmas markets are opening the next day or around that time. And, you know, we get to do that. But to start off, you start off with what city you’re gonna go to first. The traveling, obviously, the transportation in Europe is so easy to get to, if you’re going to be in Heidelberg, it’s going to be real easy to get to Munich, if you’re going to be in Munich, it’s going to be real easy to get to Nuremberg, if you’re back up in Heidelberg, be really easy to get to Frankfurt again. So you know, those are all train stops away. I know, there are several companies that I’ve seen online that will actually do the overseas tours for the Christmas markets. They’re not cheap, but if you got 10 days, some time, a lot of these will do some of the inner countries as well. So you’ll hit the Germany markets hit some of the ones down in Italy, which are also supposed to be amazing. I’ve not been to those yet. But they’re 100% on the list. Um, so So yeah, I mean any of the tours, but you can always just Google any of the Christmas markets from the local area you’re gonna be in and see they will give you the dates and times and the locations they’ll even give you the OOB on stops with the bus stops you need to be at so but nine times out of 10 If you’re in a major city and you’re at the city starts which is the city center, you’re going to see where the Christmas market is you really cannot miss it. Stands are around you can’t you all you can do is smell it. It’s just It’s magical.

Beth 9:39
I feel like it was at Sesame Street that had like the word of the day.

Nicole 9:42
There you go. That would be that would be Yeah.

Beth 9:46
We have the word of the episode. And is it you know, I’m gonna have come up with the dumb questions. Does it cost to get in is it free to get in? Don’t get it

Nicole 9:58
depends for the bigger ones. that are in like the larger city states, they will have one or two euro entry to get in, you know, one or $2 $3 tops. Nothing crazy. If your honor they, but Yeah, normally the smaller ones, it’s just a free entry, you walk right into the city center and you start walking at no at no charge.

Beth 10:19
And and how much time do you usually spend there? Is it a day? Are you committing a day to?

Nicole 10:29
Yes, yeah, it can be for sure. On some of the larger ones. We did, we’ve done Munich and Nuremberg. And Nurnberg is one of the most highly anticipated Christmas markets in Germany. And you can easily spend a full day just kind of walking around there. And seeing all the different booths with all the different crafts and the Christmas ornaments. And again, the back to the eating and drinking, I seem to have a repeating myself over and over again. But it is very easy to do when you’re there. And you know that that time in Germany is kind of so relaxed, and it’s not a lot of hustles. So people just kind of leisurely rolling around and strolling and doing their thing and you know, you’re dressed warm, and there’s, you know, you want to heating stuff. There’s heating stuff around and you just take your time and do your thing. There’s literally no rush.

Beth 11:22
So we’re talking that we’re eating and drinking, what are we eating and drinking,

Nicole 11:28
all of it, all of it, everything, all the things, all the things so obviously the beer in Germany is going to be amazing, you’re going to be able to get plenty of that. My favorite is called Glue vine which is a warm muled I think but I call it the state’s new mold,

Beth 11:45
mold mold. I think I know how to spell it. I don’t know how to say There you

Nicole 11:48
go. Whatever that mule mule wine is the warm wine. They serve it in two different ways. One is red one is white. But it is again your call. You know it’s got your clove and your knees and your oranges and all that kind of stuff in it. That is my most favorites. The cool thing about this and this is what I find one of my collectibles to be when we go over is each of the Christmas markets will have their own glue vineberg Those have become my collector’s items. I take them out every Christmas but the by the coffeemaker and it has usually the city it will normally have the year that’s on there. Some of them are clear. Some of them the shape, there’s little booths, some of them have the city scape on it, they’re just all very different. So normally when you go to get your bluevine It’ll be like a one euro deposit for the cup. And if you don’t want to keep it, you give it back. Or if you want to keep it or you want to refill your bluevine and you just bring it up again and play for the bluevine I like to keep them I also like to give them out as gifts when I get home especially my friends when I know that they grew up in Nuremberg or they really liked being in Garmisch, and I’ll save that for them. Probably at this point, I am probably up to 20 or 30 glue line cups easily because I just can’t play favorites. Just as cute as the other ones are. And it’s gotten to the point now or when we go over actually bring a little bit of bubble wrap with me so I can wrap the glue wine cups back in. Back in with me we go back over to the states. So okay, so we’re past the glue line thing. Um, they also have the rec let’s which are my favorite because you can of course get plenty of fresh bread there. And who doesn’t love fresh bread with a little bit of warm cheese on the top of it. And then if you want a little Shankle or a little ham or as Veblen onions, you get that on top. And again, none of the meals are ever super filling. It’s just enough to have a couple of bites here and there. And then you know you could have your record you could have your car reversed which is a verse with your ketchup and your curry sauce on top of it also excellent choice. Plenty of pomp Fritz. If I may suggest having it with mayo. I know it sounds gross. It’s not everybody’s gig but the German Mayo hits a little bit different than the state side Mayo does and just a German male with a french fry is the way to go. You can get fresh mushrooms over there that are sauteed get this actually the first time I ever saw actual chestnuts roasting on an open fire Germany they legit have a whole test that thing over there. But of course depending on what area and if you’re over down by the Rhine, they’ve got plenty of you know fresh wine for you to have down there. The the wine cellars will come out and have a little booth there as well. Um, but yeah, and then of course I mean the desserts that’s a whole nother thing. You can get all those cute little gingerbread hearts that you always see with a little frosting. And you can get it to say whatever and you can bring that back as gifts. My favorites is similar to candy apples, they have candy grapes over there. And listen, a candy grape is the way to go. It is the jam. Now be careful because you will stab yourself in the back of the phone if you’re not careful. You got to be very specific when you’re taking the grapes off but it’s like a row of five. And a candied grape is the way to go. And I don’t know if because the grapes are a little bit better over there with all the winemaking but it’s always just delicious.

Beth 15:35
Like a it’s like the sugar. It’s just like a candy apple

Nicole 15:39
but grapes on a skewer. And then you know, but yeah, I mean, you just look at all my favorite things right there. The current mail, buy candy cover grapes, and then of course, you know, whatever else your specialty is going to be in the area, you can get a lot of potato pancakes around, things like that a lot of just your regular old brought worsts but the bread is always fresh and it’s always delicious. So, go over with an appetite, do not eat before you go to Christmas bar. Like do not

Beth 16:18
go hungry, eat burgers, then hit the beer and wine.

Nicole 16:21
Correct? Correct. So get a little something in your belly. Yeah, have a little bra first or look Kurvers, then you gotta get your little blue line or your beer and then you can keep moseying around and just keep filling up your glue binders or walking around.

Beth 16:36
That is solid solid advice for anywhere. Actually,

Nicole 16:40
someone who knows very well.

Beth 16:43
We have never learned the lessons the hard way here. Um, so what other kind of cool shopping like what I love the glasses idea and stuff like but what other really great souvenirs to shop for and look for

Nicole 17:00
a great time to get your Christmas ornaments. If you’re into the beautiful blown glass Christmas ornaments. This is where you’re going to find them. Kathy, apples, somebody rather she’s a very famous German Christmas ornament person. She makes these beautiful glass ornaments and she’s got them again, for each city you go to you can always find those around. There’s a lot of wood carving ornaments, you can find your nut crackers, your nut crackers, yes can be a hit or miss. I do like to look up underneath to see where they’ve been made. Because you know, they’re trying to do a little sleight of hand there for some of them. So if they look cheap, I’m like I’ll find them somewhere else. But again, your nut crackers, what they call a smoker, which is a nice little wooden guide, you can put a little incense inside and you burn him and then he’s got little smoke that usually comes out of his little mouth that looks like he’s got a pipe smoking. I love to get the porcelain ornaments over there for the cities that we traveled to. Like I said, there’s a lot of wood carved ornaments over there that you can find. Um, they have these beautiful lightup in Germany, it’s very popular to have lights in your window that look like candles. They do these beautiful kind of cityscapes you put in your window and you can light up not cheap. I finally talked myself into buying one a few years ago because I could finally get it into 110 and they would ship it over to me. But it is by far it’s like almost like a Christmas pyramid type of thing that lights up and it’s beautiful. And well worth the costs to see how just how lovely it is in the winter. So but yeah, so your gifts Gifts Galore, you’re gonna have a lot of knitted stuff, you’ll be able to buy your hats and your gloves and your scarves and a lot of locals depending on where you are and more leather goods more than not a lot of chocolate. A lot of Goonies. I mean again, you’re really not going without the food or eating. But there always always plenty of gift ideas regardless of where you go to there will be some sort of gifts something or other there which is always like to take back and always and usually very affordable. Yeah, that’s

Beth 19:19
nice to know. So most of the things are are handmade by some of at least pretty much local artisans.

Nicole 19:27
And that those smaller ones you’ll find more local artisans and the bigger ones you’ll find a little bit more of the niches stuff that you might be able to find other places. But yeah, you’ll still be able to find those one of a kind items for sure. Warmest pair of slippers I ever got. That I’ve ever owned. I bought at a Christmas market overseas and they’re amazing.

Beth 19:50
Do you take an extra suitcase with you? Yeah.

Nicole 19:55
So not to plug any specific brand but there is a brand that folds very nicely into my suitcase. And I literally all we always take everything extra over with us because we’re always just there’s so much to get while you’re there. Not to mention the coffee we need to bring home so

Beth 20:12
yeah, so there’s specific coffee you bring home or is that just German coffee? Or it’s German

Nicole 20:16
coffee? civically? Yes.

Beth 20:19
Because because, you know, beer, wine and coffee, pretty much.

Nicole 20:23
And then there’s also Yeah, so then my dad also lives very close to a not a glue vine place, but a Oh God, a schnapps place. So we always bring back fresh snaps, which you can also get at these at these places. But that’s usually after the beer and wine. It’s for your digestion, that’s nightcap the schnapps is for your digestion and helps

Beth 20:52
Do you have a favorite purchase from from over the years that you’ve, you’ve brought home? Well,

Nicole 20:58
again, I’m plugging those slippers because also furs are still amazing. Um, but I do like just the glue wine glasses, they they’re just a nice reminder of where we’ve traveled to what years we were there. Which ones we’ve been to, and it’s just nice to have out for the holidays. But again, there’s so many things and it just depends we always buy ornaments when we go over there as well. We buy them for friends and family. In fact, I have one sitting right here which I know nobody will be able to see but one of my little favorite ones from Berlin is love him so it’s just it’s it’s very easy to get all your Christmas shopping done for friends and family and these things let’s put it that way

Beth 21:41
and your and your own shopping probably be like this is what I’m you’re kidding me for Christmas here you

Nicole 21:48
can also correct that’s happened many times.

Beth 21:53
Julia had to add a question because she we sort of got into this thing when we were in Paris looking. What is the weirdest thing you’ve have found? To purchase as a souvenir.

Nicole 22:08
I didn’t I haven’t purchased anything at this specific place. But to be fair, we were in Berlin so that says a lot because Berlin can get a little quirky on the same thing. It definitely wasn’t its own little s&m, um, Booth did not purchase anything there per se. But I could have could have, could have if we needed to right next to it. I do love they always which I thought was ironic. They had all these chocolate tools. So all these handmade chocolate tears and come in and made all these tools that were actually movable hammers and screwdrivers and everything made out of chocolate. But I always worry about those breaking on the way home. Right? But yeah, I was much more of a traditionalist when it comes to I don’t need the s&m and I don’t need any chocolate tools. Yeah

Beth 22:56
it’s probably good advice to

Nicole 22:59
love her and it was all beautifully crafted that I will

Beth 23:04
didn’t want to send TSA into a complete shock.

Nicole 23:08
I don’t even know what any of that my bank Thank you very much.

Beth 23:12
Get a little extra note and your suit. We know what you did Lady so I mean it’s it’s it’s winter. And it’s Germany. What What suggestions on what to what to wear one when it’s gonna

Nicole 23:30
be cold that that I can promise you you’re gonna need you’re gonna need a jacket, your mighty number luck and fun. Definitely going to need a hat. You’re going to need gloves. I’m I always travel with the fingerless gloves to kind of go over my hands because especially the Christmas markets because it’s a lot of you know, you’re grabbing food or you need to you know, pick something up to look at it. So I always like the gloves that kind of go over on and off my fingers at that time. I know just one of those random things but I always take those the Christmas markets. Obviously a comfortable pair of walking boots that are going to keep you really warm. I wouldn’t bother with tennis shoes at that time of the year. Definitely a scarf and definitely with the layers. For sure. So but yeah, I mean it doesn’t rain very often. Umbrella wouldn’t hurt either. You might get some snow it’s gonna be cold.

Beth 24:29
But it makes still makes it more magical.

Nicole 24:32
Listen, it really does and that’s when you get down south a little bit more. It’s really quite pretty down there. But yeah, it’s just layer and warm, comfy, walkable

Beth 24:44
groups to the market to get crowded. Yes,

Nicole 24:49
miss, I mean listen, it’s never there’s never been a market we’ve been to where we’ve been kind of back to back people. But they get crowded on the weekends they get crowded, more sold. on the weekdays, of course, if you’re going to travel, or if you’re going to go to any of these during the weekdays is really the way to go. Because you’re still going to have the families that traditional German families that want to come out and experience that kind of stuff on the weekends, but it’s never been so much to remember like, Oh, we’re never coming back. This is insane. And I hate a crowd. So. So there’s always just been enough space to where we’ve never felt too much. But you can definitely tell they’re busily they’re busy and they’re bustling for sure.

Beth 25:27
Is, is there a market that you haven’t been to that you really want to get to?

Nicole 25:33
There’s a couple of them. Um, obviously, like I mentioned before, it’s several down in Italy that I want to hit. I believe that there’s one on Dresden, that’s supposed to be amazing. The former East, again, how old do I sound I’m like former East Germany. Out in that area, I have not gone to, we would like to visit here shortly. And now they’re going to be our next trip to the dressed in area again, supposed to be beautiful. That’s the one on my list. We’ve not been to the Cologne one, which is supposed to be beautiful, also. And then with us moving to England this year, we’re obviously going to have to hit all the markets in England. So

Beth 26:12
probably all the ones in France will say you have to take the train over to

Nicole 26:16
all of them at this point. I mean, listen, if we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it. Right.

Beth 26:23
It’s, I mean, that’s, it’s good. It’s like the bucket list of of markets.

Nicole 26:28
I like Christmas markets. That is correct. Sound.

Beth 26:31
That’s a good, good plan. I mean, is there anything? You’ve covered so much and stuff? Is there anything else that I’m not asking that I should be asking

Nicole 26:44
blathering on? I’m like, oh, no, it just just go really take it in. I mean, just be ready to like, each of them are also different. And you know, if you had a bunch of them, or let’s say you hit five Christmas markets, yes, you’re gonna see a few of the same things. But nine times out of 10, it will all be very different. They’ll all they’re all normally. But the one in Nuremberg is right by the city centre. And I mean, the one in Munich is, I mean, you just can’t make these views up, right, these buildings that have been there for hundreds and hundreds of years that you’re just sitting next to, under these beautiful lights, they have kind of put up all over, not to mention, probably the biggest Christmas tree aside from Rockefeller that they just have randomly sitting in the middle of this Christmas market. You know, decorated beautifully. And, again, they’ll have, they’ll have the schools come out, and they’ll do Christmas shows and stuff like that. So there’s always kind of entertainment out there as well. Like the one we go to in Berlin has got a DJ on Friday nights. Why wouldn’t they because it’s Berlin, you know, but it’s just, they’re all going to be individual, and they’re all going to bring their own sort of special magic. But if you just get to one, you don’t have to go to a mall. It’s not for everybody. But if you can, for sure, try to hit Germany for the holidays at least once. But like I said, early, early December, Thanksgiving time works great. as well. The flights are normally pretty cheap, and you’re not kind of spending that money to get over around the holidays. And you can still get a hotel room at a decent rate. And again, if you check delta and you’re flying out of a major airline Delta American usually do pretty good deals right into Frankfurt. Yeah,

Beth 28:32
that’s great to know. Yeah. So you mentioned gummies Do you have a favorite gummy? This is a thing in our family. So

Nicole 28:39
so I am not at all particular on my gummies at all, like I will eat the bear I will eat the cokes I will eat the cherries. I will eat the frogs I’ll eat the eggs I’ll eat the strawberries. It doesn’t even matter if you put a gummy in front of me it’s going to get eaten one way or the other. So no I am not particular at all.

Beth 28:58
Good to know yes we we have those discussions here all the time because when we happen upon them were we all sort of my husband hates them and then Julia and I have our our favorites. I know I mean this house. It must be an Italian thing I don’t know.

Nicole 29:19
Well, that’s the other thing too. You get over Germany. There’s all these goons that you’ve never seen over here stateside a lot more the sour stuff over there. You know, and you just get at these Christmas markets. You see these big kind of candy bag wholesaler type of things and you can really go a little crazy over there. Like I said, if you just keep walking you burn all that stuff off as you’re going that’s what I tell myself every year.

Beth 29:42
So I told myself that and I spent a whole trip go into Paris going oh, we’re walking. It’s fine.

Nicole 29:53
It’s fine. It’s fine. I’m fine. My pants are tighter. I’m fine. One more

Beth 29:57
croissant is fine. Yes.

Nicole 30:00
But that’s what chocolate

Beth 30:02
oh they were all chocolate that’s how much we were walking Well this has been great information the markets are hella Christmas markers are something that you know I’ve I’ve wanted to do and now I’m even more excited about putting that on an itinerary at some point in time. But I have a few what I call sort of my pop quiz questions here they’re easy and fun I hope they’re fun All right, first one what is your favorite road trip snack?

Nicole 30:39
Know we normally eat I mean we’re normally pretty healthy at the house and I say this as I’ve just given you a full dissertation on my favorite bag of zoomies which is why we wait till we travel so well. Road trip snack. I am going to be probably a I’m gonna kingsize a starburst. Very similar to the Gumi. But I like my Starburst. And if we’re going salty. I’m going to go for some barbecue Pringles.

Beth 31:01
Gotcha. Is there a favorite color of Starburst?

Nicole 31:05
I don’t like to be super picky. But it obviously goes pink, red, orange, and then yellow.

Beth 31:14
Oh, I love it. I this one. So I know you’re moving. But it’s yellow. What is your next plan trip?

Nicole 31:25
Ironically, we do have two more planned trips in the 90 days before we move to. So on my next plan trip or our next planned trip is our daughter’s 21st birthday. She has decided that she would like to have that in New Orleans and heaven forbid I’m not the mother that brings that to fruition. So, in approximately I don’t know, however many weeks we will be heading to New Orleans for my daughter’s 21st birthday.

Beth 31:48
I mean, you can’t deny her that request. You can’t

Nicole 31:51
ask this mama. You want to spend your 21st in New Orleans. Okay, sure. One more last trip with all the red beans and rice. You got it?

Beth 32:03
Do you have a like a dream trip? A bucket list trip? Oh,

Nicole 32:06
okay. We’ve got quite a few on the bucket lists. We are dying to get to Croatia. We would also like to get to the Azores. And then I mean, what’s the dream so much? Yeah, Croatia is my jam right now. And then Azores or the other place. Again, I was very fortunate to grow up in Germany. I saw most of Europe before I graduated from high school. So So yeah, I mean, I would really, really like to do a cruise of the Tahitian islands. Baja, you know, Bali, bow. I’m really a big fan of hitting more as many places as I can. So dream would probably be a cruise, Australia, Tahiti, Bally? All those kinds of places. Nice. Right now we’re looking at the Azores, and we’re looking at Croatia. Okay.

Beth 33:07
Do you have a favorite trip that you’ve taken in your lifetime?

Nicole 33:11
Amy, I just like to travel like, it’s like, I can’t pick one. As long as I have a suitcase in my hand, then as I don’t really care where we’re going, as long as I get to see something new,

Beth 33:23
so much of a more memorable one.

Nicole 33:27
And I just love traveling with my husband. I know that sounds really corny, but we hope you just have a good time together. So I just look forward to traveling. I don’t care if it’s a road trip and we’re going to Biloxi for the weekend and go to the casino or if we’re jumping on a plane to go over to Germany for the holidays. Like I just like to have that suitcase in one hand about love but then the other

Beth 33:49
out of the house.

Nicole 33:50
also correct? Yes. My house unless I’m traveling, let’s be honest.

Beth 33:55
Exactly. Alright, this is an important question. At least I think I like to ask people this. Who is on your travel playlist? Who? Well, I know I’ve seen your Instagram stories. So I know. You are road trip I knew there. So yes, yeah.

Nicole 34:18
So I do I do actually use that utilize that time to read a lot. Because it is when I’m on a plane it is normal, my quiet time. And it’s all I can do to get to sleep because I’m so excited to get there. All I can do to get to sleep as read a little bit. I don’t know if you notice about me. I’m a little excitable. So

Beth 34:39
that’s why we love you, Nicole. Come on.

Nicole 34:42
We’re gonna go back to some 80s and some early 90s I mean, you just can’t go wrong with that. So anything I can dance to. I’m gonna need some Stevie Wonder I’m obviously gonna need some Billy Joel. I’m gonna need some hollow notes and oh percent and then we’re gonna have to throw a little bit of Janet Jackson. A little bit of salt and pepper. thought that early 90s genre right there. Shout out to my New Kids on the Block always on my left. A little Rick Astley. Yeah, I mean, just those are those are my

Beth 35:15
you know, it’s it’s it’s so interesting because pretty much everyone I’ve asked the question to like, we all revert back to music growing up like yeah, it’s it’s everyone that’s what they do is that’s their answer is they’re they’re like sort of high school college days music.

Nicole 35:34
And that was exactly like you know you can throw a little Pearl Jam and Nirvana in there when I’m really like ready to hit the high notes. But yeah, that Jana will get me dancing all day. So you can’t go wrong with Stevie Wonder or Billy Joel or all the notes. And if you say if you say that’s not true, then fight me because

Beth 35:57
I’m not gonna, I’m not gonna argue that point with you at all. I’m in total agreement. This has been so much fun and such good information. And I hope people hear this and you know, I’m gonna have this this is this coming out in July, so people will have time to book those trips. I didn’t want to want to do it in December when people were like, Oh, it’s too late. Nice to know, last year. Yeah. I don’t always plan ahead. But when I do what I do, it’s

Nicole 36:34
good people that have visited these places 1000 times. Now I’m gonna ask them and we’re having Christmas in July. That’s what it’s gonna be. It’s gonna be.

Beth 36:40
That’s, that’s the week. So,

Nicole 36:43
so much for having me. And I’m sorry that I blabbered on a little bit. I know sometimes they get a little excitable, but I do appreciate you asking.

Beth 36:48
It was great. Thanks for coming on. Thank you. Thanks again to Nicole for sharing her experience of going to European holiday markets. It sounds so much fun. And honestly, I really want Nicole to be my tour guide for one of them. Thank you for listening. I hope these episodes inspire you to get out and roam even in your own neighborhood. Please subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes. And if you like what we’re doing here, please leave a review and rating. Also to help support us please head to Yeti to shop.com to pick up some roaming Yeti merch. Talk to you soon and keep growing