10. March 28th 2015: The Matara Centre

9. February 28th 2015: Edinburgh

8. January 28th 2015: Manchester

7. December 28th 2014: Christmas Getaway in Derbyshire

6. November 28th 2014: Stuttgart, Cologne & Berlin

As the nights drew close and Christmas was on the horizon we booked  our flights to Germany to experience the real German Christmas markets. We first flew to Stuttgart for the opening night of their world famous market. As we arrived early afternoon we spent a few hours around the museum soaking up some of the heritage before checking into our hotel and getting on with the feasting. The atmosphere was electric, the markets were busy but not oppressively so, everywhere there were little nooks to make your own as you sampled a range of different foods, we had some amazing Mackerel grilled over an open fire, delicious pork steaks and smoked salmon in an Icelandic tent complete with fur covered benches and a fire. The perfect romantic setting. In the evening there was a free choir service in the museum grounds which we watch sipping gluwein not quite believing our luck.

The next day we boarded the train to Cologne and quickly noted the similarities and differences between this market and the quaint market we experienced the night before. Cologne is a much bigger city and has several markets spread across the city. The most unusual being the nautical themed Christmas market complete with pirate ship and Cornish sea shanties! While in Cologne we did go to the Kathe Kollwitz museum which was really interesting as it documented her life and artistic development. Due to the crowds we left the markets early and instead got merry watching German TV in the hotel.

We then boarded the long train to Berlin as the final leg of our tour,

5 October 28th 2014: 'Staycation'

Towards the end of August we bought our first home together. With the pressures of work and playing catch up with our social lives, we've actually not spent that much time at home, just the two of us. With that in mind, we decided the perfect mini-moon for October would be to stay right where we are...

4. September 28th 2014: Cornwall

We both had our childhood holidays in Cornwall so we indulged in a little nostalgia on this trip. We also founded our own memories finding new spots to put our flag in. We started our trip in Falmouth- sipping cider in the sunshine of the docks and marvelling at all the new boutiques and eateries that had opened since our last visit, We then travelled onwards to Mullion cove past Flambard's where we both spent chunks of our childhood. We stayed in a beautiful hotel overlooking the coast called Polurrian Bay- well worth a visit! We enjoyed a long coastal walk the following morning and then made our way to St Austell where we checked into The Cornwall. On the way we stopped by the Truro food festival which was thoroughly enjoyable. A day trip to Padstow the next day followed by a hotel picnic of epic scotch eggs and a wonderfully indulgent sandwiches made from sea salt and rosemary focaccia we bought from the Stein bakery and deli. We left Cornwall vowing to be back soon.