Our winter meeting 2022 in Nuremberg!

So I was on the road again with a bunch of developers, consultants, IT infrastructure experts and the head of a company I don't even work for, drinking mulled wine standing on my freezing feet. And why? Well, let me explain.

My husband has been working as an application engineer for the company cip alpha since 2018. Thanks to him I could already get acquainted with the team of cip alpha at some dinners and other occasions. But it was only the "meetings" organised by Guido Lange, the head of the company, that gave me the opportunity to get to know the employees better.

The encounters are short trips undertaken by the cip alpha team together with their families. Pets are always welcome. I want to tell you a little bit about our last encounter.

This time I went to Nuremberg and I was very excited about this city from the first moment. I was very happy to be able to come again. I did not like the great ambience of the whole city or the exciting trips we took together. No, what I liked most was the sense of community that developed during our trip. 

To be honest, I was a bit afraid of the cold weather at first. My husband and I come from a coastal town in Mexico and are therefore not used to the cold winters in Germany, at least I am not. So I was a little shocked when I saw the schedule of the trip. Many outdoor activities were planned and the temperatures were partly below freezing. On the other hand, I was thrilled by how much time Guido Lange had taken to organize the trip and how detailed every activity, no matter whether a visit to the museum or lunch, was planned. So we were all able to prepare for what we had to bring, in my case several layers of clothes to avoid freezing.

Arriving in Nuremberg, we spent the night in a cozy hotel, which was not far from the city center. It was very nice to come back after a whole day of different activities.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

"Foxtrail" and "Xmas Adventure" were two different outdoor activities we did during our trip that allowed us to get to know the city in a playful way. We split up into groups of 3 to 4 people and followed the instructions we had received on our mobile phones. These games allowed us to work together as a team, spend time together and learn more about the history of the city. These activities were a great idea because they encouraged us to look outside the box when looking for clues. Despite the cold, we were all immersed in the game. I'd even forgotten my ice cold feet.

Two more outdoor activities were planned. One of them was a guided tour about the history of the city and about Albrecht Dürer, the most famous German painter and graphic artist who was born in Nuremberg. The guide showed us some of the most important parts of the city and gave us some of his extensive knowledge. This made the whole tour very exciting and varied. The tour ended in the Albrecht-Dürer-Haus, the only surviving artists' house from the 15th century in Northern Europe. As the name suggests, Albrecht Dürer lived and works there.

We also visited the Christmas market in Nuremberg, which is considered the most popular and best known Christmas market in Germany. And as soon as we got there, we also understood the enthusiasm of the people for this Christmas market. We all tried to make our way through the crowds to buy souvenirs. The lighting, the elaborate decorations and the music gave this market a very special atmosphere. And because we wanted to keep warm, of course, we had a cup of mulled wine, or two...

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

Our indoor activities included a performance at the Burgtheater, which made everyone laugh at least once. We also visited the Germanische Nationalmuseum, with a focus on the works of Albrecht Dürer. I was particularly impressed by his realistic paintings. With our tickets we could visit the museum again even after a lunch break.

In the free time between our planned activities, we went to many shops and tasted different snacks that the Christkindlesmarkt had to offer. We talked and warmed up with a mulled wine while strolling around the city, or hot chocolate with chili or coconut in a coffee shop.

The three days went by so fast that we were all a bit tired by the end, but I'm sure we enjoyed this short trip very much. I think that this kind of trips are a perfect combination of fun, new experiences and learning. Not only do you learn more about the city you visit, but also about the people you spend time with. I am very happy and thankful that the families of the employees, just like me, are invited to these trips and we have the opportunity to spend time together.

I am very grateful, not only because I was invited and my husband's boss paid for the trip. Most of all, I appreciate that he took so much time and effort to plan this trip!