biding my time, patiently

My long wait will be over tomorrow, Thursday the 30th, when I finally get to move into my apartment.  All didn't exactly well with moving in.  They claimed they couldn't get the cleaning done any sooner (including carpet shampooing and wall painting).  Meanwhile, I've been in a small but pretty pension near my host family, as Grandpa came to spend the holidays, and wanted his bedroom back.

Some Dresden scenes:

It's still cold and snowy, still beautiful, and still hard to get around and see stuff.  Temps are cold -- down to the low single digits (F.) tonight.  And while most bigger streets are cleared, most public walkways are ignored and are thus snowy and icy.  So I'm not doing the long walks through town I would want to do to get to know the lay of the land.  At least I can get around by public transit and some walking, and am not stuck in an airport somewhere in western Europe (or eastern N. America).

In the middle of downtown Dresden every year since 1434 is a Christmas market called the Striezelmarkt, Striezel being local dialect for Stollen.  But by December 27, they dismantle the booths and it's over.

Here are the Ampelmännchen in action:

They are the pedestrian crossing lights left over from the old East Germany.  After reunification, there was apparently an outcry when the newly unified government tried to change them all to the western-style lights.  So the old ones are back, and everyone loves them.  They've even invented an Ampelmädchen to keep the old guy company.

If that wasn't enough German cuteness, try Sheepworld, and its signature motto that translates to "Without you, everything is dumb."

http://sheepworld.de/produktwelt/ohne-dich-ist-alles-doof/ 
All the rage here, with kids and adults.