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12/19/2006: "Weinachtsmarkts"

We were excited to go over to Europe the first couple weeks of December. Here was an opportunity to escape our flood of commercialism and a chance to enjoy the quaint Wienachtsmarkts (Christmas Markets) of Europe. These are a collection of booths set up in town squares selling everything from food and wine to gifts.

Opening in the late afternoon and going to about 9:00 PM, they seem to be the gathering places for locals and tourists. Usually the booth selling Gluhwein, which is a warm spicy wine, is the most popular. The booth we found most interesting was the one advertising “½ meter wursts” which are about 1.5 foot long hot dogs. But you can get dizzy looking at all of the goods that they sell in various booths.

In the first town or two it was cute. They are lit and decorated in really festive styles. But after seeing them in every town and small village we went to, it started to get crazy. We finished our trip in the quaint old town of Heidelberg and found no fewer than five of them.

Still, I don’t think we missed any and made sure they were a big part of our tour through the cities and towns.