Family both new and old

In December Jim and I traveled to Germany to visit family that I didn't know know much about but apparently have always been there.  These are our closest living relatives on my Dad's side to be exact (outside of my immediate family).  A trip like this, while it didn't have a lot of pizazz or crazy adventure, was definitely one of our most memorable.  My family was so friendly and welcoming it was hard to believe I'd never met them before.  Uli and Rebecca showed us around beautiful historic downtown Bremen (should be a tourist destination) and a TRUE German Christmas market.  Great food and gluwein.  It was especially touching to meet Hans-Peter, my 85 year old great-uncle.  At 85 years old, he took us on the bus and train to downtown Hamburg so we go on a doubledecker bus tour and pointed out sites all along the way.  He was so happy to have us living with him for a couple of days and told us all about our family tree and my "Beckmann" nose after my grandma.  It is still hard to fathom that this sweet man with tears in his eyes when he dropped us off at the airport lost an arm in Normandy on the wrong side of the war.