His gloved hands gripped the steering wheel of the leased BMW as my brother Ryan drove along icy roads through a blizzard from Amsterdam to Maastricht in the Netherlands last Christmas.
He was determined to treat our family to an Andre Rieu Christmas concert just over the border in Belgium, and not even the wildest winter weather in recent memory could stop him.
As the afternoon darkened, we slid our way into old town Maastricht, plowing our way through snow drifts along winding streets to our room for the night. We got ready in a mad dash then headed back out into the storm. Miraculously we made it to the concert in time, and it was worth every white-knuckle moment.
Thoroughly inspired I slept like the dead that night, cozy and warm in my attic room as the storm continued to rage.
The next morning we were ravenous. Unwilling to drive unless we absolutely had to, we bundled up as warmly as we could and trudged through the snow to the town square in search of hot coffee.
Here are a few images from our Christmasy stroll.
It was a marvelous ramble, wicked cold but so beautiful and Christmasy. After warming up with coffee and breakfast we piled back in the car to brave the roads to Germany for our family Christmas at my brother Evan’s house.
Where is your favorite place to celebrate the holidays?
Beautiful! A charming town, especially when it is covered with snow. I particularly like the 2nd and last pictures.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love those too, Rosa! 🙂 Especially the birds flying through the snowstorm. 🙂
Such a charming way to spend Christmas Krista. There is something magical about having snow at this time of year.
It was so charming, Val! Like going through a fairytale. 🙂
So Evan is now in Germany, and no longer in Amsterdam? Only you can create such an intense mood with your photography, Krista. Did I tell you I changed my site because of yours and now my photos are much bigger… this is such a dramatic cold silent eerie, yet eerie somehow in a comforting way. Gorgeous photos.
Happy 2012!
XO
valerie
I have one brother in Amsterdam and Evan just moved from Germany to Colorado. 🙂 I’m so glad you got that feeling from these pictures, Valerie. 🙂 They gave me that vibe too. I’m SO excited to hear about your new bigger pics! Hooray!! 🙂
I would love to sleep in a snow storm. I have to settle for a good thunderstorm instead (living in Florida)….Not so sure about driving in snow but, it obviously was worth it.
Velva
It was so wonderful, Velva! I was up in the attic and my bed was right under a skylight. I could lay there and watch the storm rage. I loved it. 🙂
Wow, look at all that snow! I prefer a white Christmas too!!
Isn’t it incredible, Andrea?! It was the craziest, wildest most wonderful weather I’ve ever seen in Europe in the winter. 🙂
so beautiful….took me back in time
I’m so glad, Shruti! 🙂
I’m just amazed by these photos! I can’t stop looking at them. Breathtaking, really.
Thank you so much, Hila! They have the same effect on me. So settling and reflective somehow. 🙂
Gorgeous, Krista! Just stunning!
Thank you, Lauryl!! 🙂
This fits my mood today. Lovely. Thank you!
You are welcome, darling!! 🙂
Home sweet home… blanketed in metres of soft powdery snow… windless… peaceful… the snow like a covering over everything dirty, dead, messy in my life… welcoming the One who does this in my soul… this is my best way to see Christmas, to live it.
Family together sharing the gifts around us, sharing the joy, the newness, letting grace cover…
your photos, all of them… the birds in flight my favourite ( I always shout out a blessing to ours as they fly overhead to their winter rest)
all these photos magnificent!
I love picturing you shouting out to your birds, Susan! What a perfectly delightful and loving thing to do. 🙂
What gorgeous pics! My favourite place to celebrate the holidays is a snowy mountain village – anywhere (although currently I pine for Obertauern in Austria where we were THIS Christmas :))
Snowy mountain villages are PERFECT, Jeanne!! 🙂 I loved my brief foray into this one. 🙂