The Start of the Christmas Season

We have had a small taste of the traditional German Christmas Markets.  We were on a hike last weekend and happened across a market and certainly enjoyed our first experience of this festive atmosphere.

The Christmas Fairs and Christmas Markets of Germany are unique. If you're tired of commercialism taking over this holiday period and would like to experience a real traditional and romantic Christmas Market you might want to consider heading to Germany where gifts are not mass-produced but craftwork of real quality.

The markets offer Christmas merchandise and gifts, especially traditional things such as crib figurines, toys, wood carvings, marionettes, candles and lambskin shoes. There are traditional gingerbread biscuits known as Lebkuchen, marzipan figures and other sweets.

Apparently touring the markets requires a glass of delicious mulled wine.  I suspect this is an effort to help you open your wallet more freely as I have noticed that the mulled wine is offered starting early in the morning. The ambience of a typical German Christmas Market is further enhanced by the aromas of hot chestnuts, grilled sausages and other tasty snacks, along with live music.

I did mention the Grilled Sausage right!  Yum Yum!

Prince or Frog of the market? 

I was in Cologne doing business on Friday and the Christmas Market was so packed at one in the afternoon, I had to ask, does anyone work in this country?  

Jayne and I will certainly be attending the Nuremberg Christmas Market, which is considered “The Market” here in Germany and we will be sure to follow up with photos and a blog update.  If the mulled wine becomes our purchase of choice, be sure that along with tens of thousands of Germans, we will be riding the rails as the train does deposit us right at the doorstep of the market.

Enjoy your holiday season, and be sure to check in a couple of weeks or so for our Christmas Market Update!

Along the Romantic Road

The Romantic Road is about 500kms long and joins several very scenic German towns and villages.  We took the opportunity to go to Rothenburg on the weekend to walk the midevel village at the head of the Romantic Road. 

The weather was wonderful, and the fall colours are about peak for here.  There is a bit of fog every day, and that adds to the mystique of all of the stone walls.

Rothenberg is a bit of a tourist village and is famous for its "schneeballen"which are egg dough fried and then either sprinkled with powdered sugar or covered with chocolate.  We each ate one, and must admit that will be the one and only, but they sure look better than they taste!

We enjoyed our 4 day long weekend, as the next day we cycled to Nuremberg and back home (50kms) and then a day in Bamberg via the train, and one day of rest ( 2hr hike in the local forest).  There must be something to be said for not owning a TV.  The weather is supposed to hold out this weekend, so we will be sure to update you with any photo's but we have not planned a destination as of yet.

Is that Jayne looking in a shop? Can't be!

 

They look good!  But don't be fooled, they taste yucky!

Oh that sun feels nice!

Yup! They still look good!

Not sure where this is going?  Add your own caption!

I think the pumkin outside this hotel is hungover!



We were asked to join the kids for a school project.  They had to find people from outside the country and have thier photo taken with them.  Yes I am 6 foot 6 :)



Art for Ian

Min's German Cousing

It is nice to have time to smell the rose's

And time for one more bier before going home!
Alcohol Frei