The Germany "armchair Vacation" plan

I have been seriously bitten by the traveling bug. I want to travel! I want to go away! I want to see other countries and experience other cultures! However, the pocket book says NO! Therefore, I have come up with the idea of PRETENDING to go on a trip to some foreign country. My plan is to visit a different country once a month, from the comfort of my living room.

Our first trip is coming up. I've set the departure date for October 18, 2010. Destination: Germany!! The following is a rough sketch of what I have planned.

First of all, I plan to turn my living room into an airport/airplane. Upon entering, each traveler will receive a passport. They will then be screened with the metal detecting wand by the "Security". Once seated, we will enjoy a leisurely flight over the German countryside via "Visions of Germany" DVD. Afterwards, we will retire to the "chateau" (a.k.a. my dining area).

The dining area will be decorated with a blue and white checkered table cloth and solid blue placemats and napkins. The centerpiece will be a small pot of chrysanthemums in gold and red colors with perhaps a miniture flag of Germany stuck into the arrangement. I also plan to drape the walls around the dining area with white and blue sheets of fabric. There will also be some posters up of the German countryside.

I have chosen to do dinner in the evening even though I have learned that Germans eat their main meal at Lunchtime. They save the evenings for other, more leisurely activities with no worries about "What's for dinner?".

For our dinner experience, I have planned an appetizer of thin German potato soup and Homemade Pretzels followed by the main course of Weinershnitzel, sweet red sauerkraut, and hot German potato salad. Dessert will be a choice of Apfelstrudel and Linzer cookies. According to my husband (who has spent time in Germany), the Germans like to drink their beverages at room temperature. Therefore, I plan to make tea (since Germans are big tea drinkers) but will serve it at room temp with no ice, the way we would have it if we were actually there.

So far, this is the plan. I will post more when I get closer to the departure date. I'm so looking forward to posting pics!!!