Europe Christmas Markets 2019

Nov 27 and 28th London and Munich

Well, we started. We headed out Wed evening on BA and after transferring in London we connected to Munich and landed just before lunch. We are spending the next 3 days in the Munich area exploring the city and visiting its 4 Christmas Markets. Didn’t take Michael long to refresh his Germany driving skills but I was a bit disappointed that everyone here was speaking fluent English so little chance to practice. I have to find a remote village.

Nov 29 Munich Christmas Market

What a fantastic day, despite the rain later in the day. We took the bus and bahnhof (subway) into Munich to go to the Christmas Market and surrounding city centre. What a civilized experience compared to home. You could smell cinnamon, gluhwein (hot spiced wine), pastries and sausages even down into the subway. One of the pictures below is an Imbiss stube (sandwich and pastry counter) in the subway station, below ground level. There are a lot of these such vendors. It was a great direction finder!! Above ground, the Christmas Market vendors huts were lined down Marienplatz (the main square) all along the front of the Rathaus (city hall). The building and surrounding church are absolutely beautiful. Each market stall sells the most darling trinkets. I’m always amazed at such sweet decorations made from such simple items such as dried fruit, pine cones and pine boughs. Had dinner at Marche restaurant on the 5th floor of the Kaufhof, (closest comparison -The Bay). Even on Black Friday, there were lots of clean seating areas. The ambiance, food and prices are quite different than that in Toronto, meaning appropriate, fresh and affordable to the masses. Oh, and if you want a beer, just choose it from the cooler like you would buy a bottle of water. Gosh, imagine!! Tomorrow, we head to a town in the rural area to have a local day.

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Nov 30 Garmish Partenkirchen and the Romantic Road

Today we went rural. Heading south to Garmish Partenkirchen, a ski resort in Bavaria where the German alps meet the Austria alps. The town lies near the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak, with a 2,962m summit accessed by cogwheel train and cable car. There was a dusting of snow overnight which left it looking right out of a fairytale. From there, we doubled back to Oberammergau, known for its once-a-decade performance of the Passion Play in the Passion Play Theater.  It was first performed in 1634 and resulted from a vow made by the inhabitants of the village that if God spared them from the effects of the  bubonic plague then sweeping the region they would perform a passion play every ten years. It involves over 2000 actors, singers, instrumentalists and technicians, all residents of the village. From there, on to Schongau, one of the last main “stops” before the southern and final section of the Romantic Road.

South of Schongau, the Romantic Road starts to head into the alpine foothills and through smaller towns and villages. The area is famous for its pretty rural scenery and the number of historic churches and monasteries.

We then circled back to Munich for another crack at the Christmas Market and dinner. Tomorrow heading to Salzburg Austria….

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Dec 1 Saltzburg

Have only 24 hours in Salzburg so hopped on the autobahn at Munich to take advantage of the “no speed limit” efficiency of the German autobahn. The dangers of the autobahn are greatly exaggerated and have become urban legend started and expanded on by tourists who may not have themselves disciplined driving skills. It’s like this, there are 3 lanes of traffic flow. The right lane is for trucks, which, by the way, are forbidden to be on the road on Sundays. The middle lane is for normal traffic and the far left is for passing and the Indy 500. When passing, it must only be on the left, NOT the right. You must maintain speed while passing and must pull back into the right lane immediately following the pass. Yet to see a car weaving in and out of lanes. It just is not done. The rules of the road are very clear and respected by all. No German citizen can even get a license to drive in Germany without taking training and passing a test. Be clear, it’s bad driving skills, usually by the storyteller that had morphed into these legends. Oh and as for the the Indy 500, sit back and enjoy the show. After all it’s exhilarating and entertaining. And yes, we made good time to Salzburg and what a lovely little city it is. As the birthplace of Mozart, the house that he was born in and where he lived later in his life is well identified.

Our hotel is wonderful and is at the base of the HohenSalzburg castle. We walked for miles making circles around the very large Christmas Market with the little huts set up around the Mozartplatz. Children were ice skating in the main square and horse drawn carriages provided romantic transportation for the masses. Walking on the cobblestones would make anyone want a horse and buggy!

We had a very elegant dinner in the restaurant of the castle overlooking the twinkling lights of the city. After dinner attended a beautiful 90 minute Advents concert in the castle. The music showcased Mozart and Vivaldi in particular with a few other orchestral selections from other classical artists.

A slow romantic walk back to the hotel with music still playing in our heads. A brandy and some wonderful reminiscing before turning out the lights.

Next 3 days are Vienna.

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Dec 2 Silent Night Chapel and Vienna

I am amazed every morning at the delicious breakfast choices on offer in the breakfast rooms. Fresh eggs, scrambled or hard boiled. The hard boiled eggs resting on a bed of hot sand in order to keep them warm. Fresh baked breads and buns, cheeses, cold cuts, yogurt and musli, fruits and vegetables. Hot cups of amazing German coffee and cold fresh juice. All served on china and glassware. Not a piece of styrofoam or plastic to be found. Tables and floors are polished and there are no watermarks on the cutlery. It is both inviting and celebratory of a new day ahead. As they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it shows. These hotels consistently provide this quality of service at less than a Holiday Inn or Best Western back home, and we all know what their breakfast looks like.

Now that our tummies are full and warm, off we go towards Vienna. Its about 320km but along the way we wanted to stop at the Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf which is located 18km north of Salzburg. Between 1817 and 1819, Joseph Mohr worked in the community of mariners as an assistant priest. Franz Xaver Gruber, a teacher from Arnsdorf, earned an additional income in Oberndorf as an organist. The encounter between the two men led to a friendship which ultimately resulted in “Silent Night”. During the afternoon of 24 December 1818, the assistant priest Mohr passed a poem that he had composed in 1816 to the teacher Gruber, asking him to add a melody to it. On the evening of the very same day, the two men sang the song following the Christmas mass, with Mohr accompanying the performance on the guitar. In the Silent Night Chapel, everything revolves around the world-renowned Christmas song which was sung here for the very first time at the St. Nikola Church. The church was inaugurated following a reconstruction in 1798, but had to be sealed off in 1852 due to flood damages. After two catastrophic floods in 1897 and 1899, it had become impossible to save the church and demolition began in 1906. Between 1930 and 1936, the new Silent Night Chapel was erected in its place. The church furnishings of the former St. Nikola Church can still be found here. Take a seat in one of the seven bench rows and contemplate the song and its creators. The song Silent Night is only sung on the eve of Dec 24 and not the frequency which we have become used to.

We lit a candle for a very dear friend and following a few minutes of quiet contemplation, departed for Vienna. The A1 autobahn was as expected, efficient. We made good time into Vienna and arrived at our hotel before rush hour. Hotel Caroline had a simple facade and Michael was skeptical at first glance. Once inside, it was better than he had hoped. It was rated 8.5 out of 10 on Expedia and is worth every point! Total class! The room is large, modern, well appointed and the entire suite has heated floors. Large safe in room, fridge and free wifi. Again breakfast is included and the tables in the breakfast room are set and ready. Im sure it wont be disappointing.

Vienna has 14 Christmas Markets so we hit the subway and headed for the biggest 2. Enjoyed a sausage on bun, hot gluhwein and shared a piece of fresh made cake. People were enjoying the skating rink and the music and lights were festive and awesome! After walking around the 158 huts, a couple of times we headed back to the hotel on the subway. We have 2 more days so will make our plans to see as much as possible before we leave. The weather here has been 5C in the daytime so a crisp day but quite comfortable with gloves and earmuffs.

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Dec 3 Vienna shopping, sightseeing and cake

After a lovely breakfast, we headed out on the subway to the city zentrum of Vienna. We came across Christmas Markets at Karlsplatz, Hofborg, Freyung and Stephansplatz. Each of the markets have their own identities in the artisan products they offer. The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty rulers and today serves as the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. It was built in the 13th century. The market stalls and surrounding street shops specialize in offerings befitting the palace they sit up against. Of all the markets so far, the Freyung market was our favorite. For most of the year, the Freyung hosts a much-loved organic farm market. At Christmas, it converts to the “Altwiener Christkindlmarkt”. It is a gentler alternative to the crowds on the Rathausplatz, that we visited yesterday. The Freyung is the name given to an open area in the heart of Vienna, ringed by city palaces and the Schottenkirche, a church whose origins date back to the middle of the 12th century. It’s a touch quieter than some of the bigger markets; the surrounding palaces give it all a tucked away feeling and the narrow aisles create a jolly atmosphere. A great place to get specialty cheeses, sausages, cured meats, organic wine and schnapps, or to simply enjoy a glass of organic beer. We enjoyed a cup of organic gluhwein and it was the most delicious we had tasted thus far. Speaking with the stall host, he proudly announced that his gluhwein is homemade using quality red wine and herbs and that it actually was awarded the best gluhwein at any of the city markets this year.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the symbol of Vienna. Construction commenced in the 12th century. Today, it is one of the most important Gothic structures in Austria. The tower room, from which there is a gigantic view across Vienna, is reached via 343 steps. (Lets be clear, I know my limits and did not climb those steps!) A total of 13 bells hang here. However, the best-known bell of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Pummerin, is located in the north tower. It is the second-biggest free-swinging chimed church bell in Europe. On the roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, colorful roof tiles were laid to create the Royal and Imperial double-headed eagle and the coat of arms of the city of Vienna.

There is no shortage of cafes and cakes. We stopped into the Chibo cafe for the most delicious coffee and again at Der Mann bakery for another. We talked about having cake but managed to avoid it and instead went for dinner. Tomorrow, I will make sure I seek out cake, because we have been really good so far and now abstinence is not an option! The air is saturated with coffee and fresh baked goods. We went into one lebkuchen bakery and the honey, lebkuchengewürz and Christmas spices are stored in 4ft tall containers mounted on the wall behind the clerks. The customers convey their needed quantities and the clerks dispense from the containers into jars and pouches.

We slowly and hesitantly made our way back to the hotel and will set up tomorrows trek starting with Schoenbrunn Palace, which apparently is second only to Versaille in France.

Dec 4 Ticket to ride – a Palace – and cake

Following yet another wonderful German breakfast, we headed to the subway to get a day pass. A 24 hr pass is 8 euros each and proved to be a great value. Over the course of the day we managed to hop on and off lines 1, 2, 3 and 4. We didn’t get to lines 5 and 6 but there will be other opportunities. The underground is about 3 stories high and the public areas of the subways are well lit and extremely clean. Not even a gum wrapper could be found on the floor. The many vendors and stores provide services and the like for the patrons. The promenades are wide and well marked and there are no pan handlers to be found. The sandwich shops and bakeries are amazing.

You buy your tickets and validate them on the way to the line you are traveling on. There are no turnstiles, no toll booths, no staff and no police walking around. It works on the honor system and if you happened to be checked for your ticket while riding the train and you dont have one or didnt pay the correct fare, I understand your in for a BIG fine? Better pay the right fare and be safe. We were only a couple of stops to Schönbrunn Palace so made that our first destination.

Schönbrunn Palace was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, Vienna. The 1,441-room Rococo palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. Since the mid-1950s it has been a major tourist attraction. Today, due to its historical significance, its unique layout and magnificent furnishings, the palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Schönbrunn Palace is the most visited tourist attraction in Austria.

Keeping with the majestic presence of the palace, The Schönbrunn Christmas Market is perhaps the most aristocratic of the Viennese Christmas markets. Around 80 stalls form a giant circle around the palace courtyard, offering booth after booth of high-quality arts and crafts from the workshops of candle makers, glass blowers, wood carvers, potters, and other artists and artisans. There’s gourmet food for sale, too: mustards and mountain cheeses, gingerbread and jams, honey and ham, schnapps and salamis. And not forgetting the food and drink you can consume on-site, such as steaming baked potatoes, strawberries dipped in hot chocolate, lentils and dumplings, and much more…it’s nigh on impossible to walk around without buying something to eat. This is a particularly good place to find unique Christmas gifts and traditional decorations harking back to a time when plastic was still a twinkle in some chemist’s inventive eye. We came across a paper vendor who was selling note books of various external prints and sizes. The lady who was managing the hut was very proud that they make their own paper and bind the books by hand with special threads and the covers are made from hand tanned leather. She says it is important to keep the skills current and alive. We commented on the similarity to a paper store we were at in Florence and also Rome. She said they were probably her shops as they have a few around Europe. A handmade notebook, a lovely fountain pen, your imagination and a cup of coffee are the only indulgences required on a lazy afternoon in order to make all your wishes, thoughts and desires come to life. As a society, we just don’t write enough anymore.

Our feet were so sore by now from all the walking over the past 3 days and nights that we rode line 3 to the end and back again just to give our feet a break. We alit at Schottentor stop, and started back at it. This time we made our way back into the city zentrum through the Freyung Christmas Market again. Around the corner we went to the Anker cafe and indulged with a lovely coffee and a piece of hazelnut torte. My gosh, the fresh ground hazelnuts could not be mistaken for anything processed. It was absolutely delicious!! We wrote some postcards and inhaled the surrounding ambiance with slow and deliberate deep breaths. In the words of Tante Irene – Herrlich!!

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Dec 5 A road trip – a castle and a well deserved dinner

Today was a road trip day. We had 550km from Vienna, north to Comberg Castle and our feet were all the happier for it. The weather was overcast although about 3C. The autobahn did not disappoint, in its efficiency and speed. All the big trucks stayed to the right and we zipped along a good clip. After about 2 hours we stopped for a coffee at one of the many imbis gas stations along the road. There was no Tim Hortons or Wendys style rest stop here. These stops are full on proper food restaurants. Even the cakes, tortes and cookies were all baked on site. The aroma of fresh homemade cooked food and baked goods was awesome!

The rest of the drive was uneventful as we passed many romantic little villages shrouded in mist like an image from a fairlytale book. It was foggy for much of the drive. We arrived a Burg Comberg about 4:30 and it was rather imposing, shrouded in fog and mist at sunset.

The castle itself dates back to the 12th century, and its historic roots extend from the Stauffer Emperors (749AD) via the robber barons up to Margrave Friederich I. True stories blend in an exciting and fascinating way with mysterious sagas of white ladies and ghosts, which are a must in a castle as old as Colmberg’s. The current owners are the grandchildren of the original owner in 1964 and as master stone masons and business managers, they have worked tirelessly to restore the castle into a Burg Hotel. The rooms are well appointed and a mix of historic characteristics with carved beds and beams, to modern rooms with just as many beams but less historic carvings. There are nooks and crannies at every turn on various floors and wonderful corners to explore. This is our 4th time visiting this castle and it has always been charming and elegant. The dinner of sauerbraten, potato dumplings and sauce washed down with a crisp pilsner beer was much enjoyed. Tonight will be an early one in order to get a good start tomorrow. Tomorrow we move into Rothenburg ob der Tauber for the next 4 days.

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Dec 6 Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Dinkelsbuhl

What a wonderful day it has been! At the moment, I am writing this blog in a bier stube in Rothenburg od Tauber and everyone is so celebratory I cant hear a thing I am thinking! The young man across the room is going to pay a heck of a price tomorrow! We left Burg Comberg this morning under sunny skies and a high of 5C. Its so beautiful to see the frozen fog on the trees and ground. We drove to Dinkelsbuhl, a historic town in the Central Franconia region of Germany that is now part of the state of  Bavaria, in southern Germany. Dinkelsbühl is a former Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire. Dinkelsbühl lies on the northern part of the  Roman Road, and is one of three particularly striking historic towns on the northern part of the route, the others being  Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Nordlingen.

The citys roots go back as far as the middle ages before the year 1000. The houses are beautifully maintained in the old artisan style and they are right out of a fairytale. The movie The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) was filmed on location in Dinkelsbuhl.

As for Rothenburg od Tauber, what can I say? Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a German city in northern Bavaria, which is known for its medieval architecture. Along the cobblestone streets of the old town are timbered houses. The city walls include many preserved gatehouses and towers as well as a covered walkway above the wall. The city itself was inhabited by Celts before the 1st century and can be dated as far back as 950.

I cannot come to Germany without spending time in Rothenburg. The boys have been with us every time we came to Rothenburg over the years. They walked the walls around the city and spent many a cool evenings playing knights and sword fighting along the cobblestone streets. As I write this, we duoed with Nick who reminisced with detail his many adventures in Rothenburg this time of year. Tomorrow is Nuremburg and Bamburg.

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Dec 7 A day for the senses..

Rothenburg od Tauber is a city with a history of over 1000 years had its ups and downs. Rothenburg was involved in wars and conflicts, suffered from siege and natural disasters.
Nevertheless, many of the medieval buildings survived, or were restored to their original beauty. Rothenburg grew to be the 2nd largest city in Germany by 1400 thanks to the markets that prospered behind the protection of the 2-mile long city wall. While the castle is long gone, the wall, its covered ramparts walkways, and many of its towers have been well preserved.

We planned our day for Nuremburg and although it was an overcast morning when we headed in that direction. Walking up to where we parked the car in Rothenburg, we passed the stairs and ramparts of the preserved wall that 30 years before, we remember 2 little boys fighting off dragons and knights and running round the walled ramparts with large sticks to escape the attacking marauders. Had to shake off the memory and smile at its insistence to invade our memories. We meandered through small towns and dorfs and were returned to our drives from decades ago. The rural life hasnt changed much and and we still managed to take pictures of the same sights we have seen over and over again. We parked outside the city and took the subway into the city zentrum. The Christmas Market was in full swing and there were thousands of people, (it was Saturday after all). Just when you couldn’t see beyond a sea of people, you came to a river with the most beautiful little building on it. It is the Heilig-Geist-Spital in Nuremberg and in its day was the largest hospital in the former Free Imperial City of Nuremberg. It was also a depository of Imperial Regalia, which was kept in Nuremberg from 1424 until 1796. The hospital was partly built over the Pegnitz river. It now serves as a restaurant and senior home. At one point I looked at Michael and commented that all I could smell was lebkucken, sausage on the grill, reibekuchen and gluhwein. It was intoxicating. The sun was shining and it was about 7C. We walked up to the castle and enjoyed the view down the hill towards the market. A trip to Nuremburg is not complete unless you stop by Schmidt Lebkuchen for a tin of your favorite cookies. The tins alone are worth the trip!

We had coffee in the Marche on main street and eventually worked our way back to the subway. It started raining pretty heavy on our way back to Rothenburg but by the time we arrived the showers were over. When we got back to our room at Gastof zum Ochsen Michael opened the window and exclaimed that all he could smell was cake! Well, that was easy to fix. 2 flights down the stairs and out the door and across the street was the most fantastic little cafe you could imagine. The cake was heavenly!!

We later went for a wonderful schnitzel dinner and visited the local outdoor wein stube before going back to the hotel.

It was a day of memories, smells and reminiscing!!

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Dec 08 Its Sunday in Wurzburg

Its Sunday. After breakfast we worked our way arount the 2.5km wall above Rothenburg. What an impressive view over the city.

The only shops open on Sundays are restaurants, cafes and konditoreis (cake shops and cafes). The Europeans really enjoy their lifestyle of socializing and getting out and walking the streets and countrysides. So today we headed for Wurzburg and the Christmas Market there. Wurzburg is an ancient midevil city dating back to 650AD. The Christmas Market, as are all markets are arranged at the base of the church. This is no exception. The Wurzburg Marienkapelle is a beautiful very imposing Church. Its a Gothic church from the 14th century on the north side of the Lower Market. Despite its large size, it is a chapel by status, as it does not have a parish. The chapel was heavily damaged by the bombing of Wurzburg in WWII and its interior was destroyed by flames. It was rebuilt in the 1950s and re-consecrated in 1962.

The library is the most beautiful rococo building I have ever seen! The detail is breath taking. We eventually worked our way back to Rothenburg and another walk around the city. It never disappoints.

Something that I noticed: Every German worth his salt has a a dog, yet I have never seen dogie pooh pooh on the street, or dogie pooh pooh bags for sale or dropped precariously on the side of the side walk. Do German dogies not do their business in public? They are allowed in restaurants under tables and they seem very well behaved. How do they do it?

Another observation: The local parking warden walks around with his scanner and takes pictures of cars that are illegally parked and sends them a ticket in the mail. There is no paper stuck to a windshields here. They have a picture of the culprit! Merry Christmas Scrooge!

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Dec 09 Rothenburg and surrounding area

It is great to be able to use Rothenburg as hub for the local area. Its is within an easy drive to many of the small dorfs and small towns. We did our morning walk around Rothenburg and visited the Hospital Administrator’s haus from 1591. He was in charge of the local farmers and they paid their local taxes to him. He also managed the forests, the fish ponds and the sheep farms. The area is now an old age home and a youth hostel.

We didn’t put any specific direction into the GPS and so just wandered down the Romantic Strasse until we arrived in Ansbach. It wasn’t hard to find the local Christmas Market. We just followed the drone of patrons and the smell of the food. Michael has no problem finding cake and coffee and Ansbach did not pose a problem for him. Around the corner and “boom”, there it was. A table by the window and coffee and cake to make you swoon! It was a lovely warm afternoon although a bit windy. We have yet to hear any North American Christmas songs playing in the markets or stores. There is less here, not more. It is quite pleasant being able to have a conversation and not being drowned out by blaring music!

Michael did some Christmas shopping and then we headed on our way. We saw a huge stork nest on top of a local house and worked our way onwards to Feuchtwengen which is another incredible midevil town. The buildings hark back to the middle 14th and 15th century.

We eventually arrived back to Rothenburg and went to the Gasthaus for a glass of wine to celebrate our treasures and experiences. We stopped by Netto and picked up a few little packages of baking spices. You can get some great selections here that are not available at home. Because they make so much bread and buns here, you can buy the sourdough starter in the grocery stores. We don’t have anything like that at home.

There are so many cute and simple ideas for decorating and packaging wee trinkets and gifts. The problem is, I am too old to remember so find myself taking pictures of everything and now I cant remember why I took the picture. But be sure, I have a thousand pictures. When I am old and have nothing better to do I will make a point of filing my “pictures of nothing”.

The Gasthaus is very busy tonight for dinner as they have many regulars that come in. They have managed to squeeze us in which is really great. In the time we have been sitting having wine, dozens of people have come in asking if the kitchen is open tonight and they were told there is no room, all is full. It seems each week or month there are regulars and the place bursts at the seams. It seems to be a hard life for the owners but man, they are bursting every night!! Often the businesses close for the month of February to have down time, whatever that means to these folks. Im sure they do not book a flight to Cancun!

Tomorrow we leave for Cologne. Michael’s home town. I am looking forward to potato pancakes, meeting up with Martina on the 11th and visiting some old familiar sites. Michael has done a wonderful job so far in getting us where we need to go. He hasn’t lost a stroke in his driving in Europe. Hes amazing!!

Oh my gosh, our sauerbraten dinner was so delicious! I have never had such an amazing sauerbraten. The cook is the son of the owner and is an amazing cook. It was yet another wonderful Rothenburg experience!

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Dec 10 A road trip and Cologne Christmas Market

Had a good sleep last night. Must have been all the fresh air over the last few days as we have been doing some pretty intense walking. Had a great breakfast of fresh crispy buns and delicious Swiss cheese, washed down with a wonderful hot coffee. Packed up, paid the bill and loaded the car. We were off again. Today, heading for Koln, 325 km on autobahn and side roads. Should be a great adventure. As we drive along we pick off some interesting castle or monastery high on a hill and instantly decide to make a sharp right in that direction. We did this in Neustadt am Main and came across an old Benedictine monastery that was founded in 772 by order of Charlemagne to the bishop of Wurzburg. It was a royal monastery since 772. The monastery with its extensive library eventually became the possession of prince Konstantin von Lowenstein and has since been acquired by the University of Wurzburg in 1985. We stretched our legs and didn’t spend too much time as it was interesting but no necessarily mind blowing. Further along we did the same when we found Burg Rothenfels. It was built 850 years ago with its huge keep and sits high above the Main River. It’s had a tumultuous history, being sold over and over between 1150 and 1919 but ended up being sold to the State and is now a very successfully functioning Christian Education Centre and Youth Hostel. Its amazing how many of these old buildings there are and how far back they date and they just sit there in their majesty – doing nothing. Its expensive to renovate them, so they sit.

As we drove along I couldn’t help but notice the amount of solar panels either on rooftops or in the fields. In this area, there is not many rivers so the electric power comes from solar or wind. It is impressive to see that there is a good balance of panels and turbines to farmland. One does not take over the other.

Again, I love the autobahn. ALL trucks MUST stay to the right. That leaves the other lanes free and open for cars. And man do they move. Porsche, Benz, BMW, Tesla all move at the speed of sound. There are sections of autobahn that don’t even have a speed limit. I have only seen 1 motorcyle – brave young man on the autobahn. It was a little crazy driving through Koln as there is Toronto volumes of traffic and we had to watch the signs and follow the GPS to get to the hotel. I have to say, I am a pretty good navigator! We made it to the hotel, dropped the bags in the room and hopped on the subway to go into the city. WOW! I haven’t been in Koln for a few years but the Cathedral is an awe inspiring sight. It didn’t take long to get into the spirit as we wound our way through over 100 wooden huts to find potato pancakes and later gluhwein. The weather was perfect and we slowing made our way back down Hohestrasse past the high priced trendy tourists shops. In between these shops are a selection of eateries and treat shops, like the one with sheets of chocolate mixed with nuts. The sheets were about as wide and as long as a pillow.

Its astonishing to see some of the imaginative ideas of vendors. For example, a beer glass that you can choose to have a glass decoration glued inside so that when you pour a drink in it you can see the Christmas tree or snow man or whatever inside the drink. As I watched the women seriously pondering over which decoration they want in their purchased glass, I wondered what would happen if it came unglued and you were in full glug. Would you swallow it and would it hurt going down? I wonder if the gifts were for the husbands?

Back at the hotel now and relaxing. Looking forward to meeting up with Martina and her family tomorrow.

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Dec 11 Cologne and a family visit

It was raining this morning but that didn’t stop us from hopping the subway and heading back into the city zentrum. Our plan was to visit the Cologne Cathedral. Construction of the cathedral began in 1248 but was halted in 1473. It was not finished until 1880, 632 years from start to completion and it is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe with the second-tallest spires and was the tallest building in the world between 1880 and 1884. Originally the cathedral was built to house the Three Wise Men’s shrine. The outside of the Cathedral is not made of black material, nor is it just dirty from exhaust pollution, instead, the sandstone which most of the building is made from reacts with the sulphuric acid in rain and turns dark grey, giving the Cathedral its distinctive dark colour over time. It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996.

After walking the market and having a small snack we headed back down Schildergasse and ducked into the kaufhof (similar to The Bay) and you would not believe the huge liquor store in the grocery store. They dont have the liquor tax structure here that we have back home and there are many drink shops independently owned and operated and you can buy alcoholic refreshments everywhere.

We later had the good fortune of meeting up with Michael’s cousin Martina and her lovely children Ben and Zoe. They took us to a neighborhood Christmas Market that the locals frequent and had a very different ambiance and charm than the more touristy markets. It was just around the corner where Michael’s dad had his furrier shop so we just had to stop by and have a look at whats now a flower shop. Not the same, but it was good to see non the less. Ben and Zoe had to get back home to do homework so we said goodbye and made our way back onto the subway to the hotel. It was a wet day but tomorrow we head to Aachen and visit a castle with a moat.

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Dec 12 Aachen Christmas Market and family

Had another wonderful breakfast this morning. I love the warm crispy buns and fresh local chesse, soft boiled eggs, fruit, yogurts and musli with hot coffee. It gets you set for the day and you can go right through without lunch. We headed out of Colonge this morning under overcast skies but at least it wasn’t raining. The rule is, if you dont like the weatheer where you are, then move along to where it is better.

That was reason enough to head to Aachen under full sunshine. Along the way, we stopped to visit Merode Castle which was suggested to us by Anneliese. Merode Castle dates back to the 12th century and is located in the Merode district of Langerwehe in North Rhine-Westphalia about 20 km outside of Aachen. It is considered one of the most beautiful moated castles of the Rhineland in the Renaissance style. Parts of the castle fell victim to the flames in 2000. The restoration work is ongoing. Today, Charles-Louis, Prince of Merode, lives in the castle with his family. It therefore can not be visited up close. The Christmas Market didn’t open until 14:00 so we walked around and enjoyed the quiet solitude of the workers setting up the huts and fire pits for later celebrations. It was my first moated castle. Arriving in Aachen, where Michael’s dad was born in 1908, I couldn’t help but be struck by the different architecture compared to the areas we came from. These building look very Belgium (parts Flemish and parts French) instead of German. It looks like a city right out of a Robert Ludlum spy novel and at any moment Jason Bourne was going to come tearing around the corner in a high speed chase! What an awesome old city!

The Christmas Market is set at the base of the Aachen Dom and is one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe.  It was constructed by order of the emperor Charlemagne, who was buried there in 814. From 936 to 1531, the Palatine Chapel saw the coronation  of thirty-one German kings and twelve queens. We went snooping around the market to get our bearings and smell all the goodies on offer. Had a coffee at a bakery that exuded the aroma of fresh ground coffee and fresh baked breads and printen.

For those of you who don’t know printen, Aachener Printen are a type of lebkuchen, somewhat similar to gingerbread and originate from the city of Aachen in Germany. Printen were originally sweetened with honey, but for two centuries the tradition is to use a syrup made from sugar beets. The term Aachener Printen is a protected designation of origin and so all manufacturers can be found in or near Aachen.

At 6:00 we met up with Anneliese, Daniel and Kristine and headed back to the market. After some gluhwein, potato pancakes, backfisch and getting caught up on the current news, we headed for dinner. Had a great evening and after saying our goodbyes we headed back to the hotel to relax and plan our day tomorrow.

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Dec 13 Aachen day 2

This morning we wanted to head out into the country and snoop. We had breakfast in Germany, lunch in the Netherlands (NL) and back to Germany for dinner. Because these countries belong to the European Union there are no physical borders. The NL border is only 24km north of Aachen and you don’t even know you crossed over, except for the language on the signs. We found a couple of Christmas Markets in a couple of the small towns we passed through but weren’t interested in stopping so kept going passing schloss’s and castles as we meandered. We eventually turned around and headed back to Germany because we were getting ahead of ourselves as we are heading for NL tomorrow.

We headed back into the city zentrum of Aachen and wanted to have a closer look at the Aachener Cathedral which was originally the palatine chapel of Charlemagne’s palace in Aachen . This partly explains why it is relatively small, although at the time of construction it was the largest church north of the Alps. The church was in use by 800. Charlemagne died in 814 and is actually interred in the gold crypt. The original octagonal ceiling was the location where Charlemagne’s throne sat and over the centuries the rooms were extended. The inlaid ceiling extension was his wedding chapel. Its very humbling to be standing in the building looking up and trying to come to grips with the history that has transpired!

Back to the room to get packed up for our move to NL tomorrow and a night at the Abbey.

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Dec 14 Kerkrade Netherlands

Had an awesome time today. Only Michael could find the Lambertz printen, lebkuchen, praline warehouse yesterday and decide today, he needed to go back and pick up a few more treats. He parked, waited in the car and sent me in with a specific shopping list. Wrong choice. I got a bit more than the list but we both agreed we’d fit it in the luggage, somehow. The cookie tins were calling!!!

We made the abbey by 3:00 and it did not disappoint. It is beautiful and is one of the most important religious monuments in the Netherlands. It’s also the largest abbey complex in the Benelux and one of the Dutch UNESCO top 100 monuments. It’s history dates back more than 900 years and has been added onto over the decades. Today it serves as a hotel, an education institution, a priests school, a restaurant and a conference centre.

We enjoyed a lovely lunch in the very tasteful lounge to the elegant music of Norah Jones. Quite unexpected but very much appreciated. After lunch, we checked in and once in the room we spent some time focused on arranging our luggage to fit our “treasures” and practicing our explanations to the check in staff if they say we have too much carry on. That by the way is after, we ship one fully loaded suitcase off ahead of us as cargo to be picked up when we arrive back home. We think we have our story worked out now, but with a strong commitment not to purchased any more. Yeah, right!

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Dec 15 Strasbourg

Wonderful sunny skies in Netherlands this morning. Packed the car and took out time with a lovely sunday breakfast. Fresh Dutch gouda, German edam and emanthal cheeses along with fresh baked seeded breads, yogurts fruit and muslis made a very satisfying meal. We followed the rain as it headed for Cologne and finally caught up with it in Frankfurt. Not too much rain but it was overcast for most of the day from then on. Because it was Sunday, guess where all the trucks were? PARKED! for the day because they cant be on the roads on Sunday so the autobahn was in full swing with no speed limits in the majority of areas. We pulled into the hotel about 3:00 and after checking in, dropped the bags and headed for the subway. They have Park and Ride lots where for Euro 4.20 a group of up to 7 could park for the day and travel the subway round trip wherever you wanted to go. Amazing value and there were tons of parking spots still available. It was only 7 stops to the Petite France area in the Old City. We did a good walk around to get our groundings so when we come back tomorrow we wont lose time.

The Strassbourgh Notre-Dame Cathedral (1015-1439) is an absolute masterpiece of Gothic art. The 142 m high spire looks incredibly lightweight and made the Cathedral the highest edifice in all Christianity until the 19th century. We are going to spend some time investigating it tomorrow in detail. It is worth the visit!

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Dec 16 Strasbourg a charming French town with a German accent

Stunning day! Brilliant sunshine and a high of 13C. Couldnt wait to get into the town and look around. Strasbourg is a blend of French and German cultures. In the late 17th century, Strasbourg seceded from the Roman Empire and declared itself part of France. The city was seized 100 years later and became part of the German Empire. In 1918, Strasbourg was reborn as French. Then the city was taken by Hitler in 1940 and again was declared part of Germany. Four years later, the city was liberated by the Allied Forces, making Strasbourg French. With each conquest, Strasbourg’s citizens were forced to speak only French or German (or Alsatian, a German dialect) by those in power, creating today’s bilingual and multicultural city. Thankfully, the two countries reside happily side-by-side today. There’s no need to even show passports when crossing the border. The Alsatian cuisine combines traditional German food with French flair. You can enjoy both German style beers as well as the region’s renowned Riesling wines. Storks are the symbol of Alsace and are said to bring good luck and fertility. (Hence, the fable of storks delivering babies). There are large stork nest on many of the high roof tops and towers.

We got into town early and joined the very small line up at Notre Dam Cathederal. By the way, entry is free. Imagine that, FREE. Strasbourg Cathedral is over one thousand years old. Construction of the original, on the exact site of a Roman temple, was initiated in 1015 but later destroyed by a fire. The second wave of construction started in the 12th century, when the Gothic style of architecture had started to develop. Just to give an idea of the scale of the undertaking, it took the entire 13th century to build the nave, and the delicate spire was completed in 1439. The magnificent monument bears the scars of each upheaval of history, and there have been many. During WWII, Hitler was considering turning it into a national monument, which involved dismantling the huge stained-glass windows for safekeeping. The priceless windows disappeared until 1945 when the Americans found them tucked away in a salt mine in Germany.

The stained-glass windows contain a rich collection of stained glass windows (more than 4,600 panels), most of which date from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries. The magnificence and scale of this incredible piece of history leaves you speechless in its existence.

We had a lovely lunch at one of the historic pubs and walked along the canal soaking in the sunshine with a glass of white gluhwein. We both agreed, we like it better than the red. It was an organic craft refreshment unlike the bottled ones you get at many other markets. We stopped at an outdoor cafe in Little Paris and enjoyed a coffee while people watching. There were blankets on the benches that you could cozy in if you felt a chill coming on and didnt want to leave yet. The entire culture is predicated on social interactions, sauntering arm in arm, relaxing and enjoying the day. What a smart idea!

We eventually gave way and about dusk headed back to the tram to get back to the car and head home for the night. We rejigged our suitcase so we could ship it back by cargo with our spare clothes in it which leaves room in our carry on for our treasures! On our way to Rudesheim tomorrow we will stop by Frankfurt Airport and ship it back Air Canada. Ah, the load will be lighter. Then we can enjoy our last Christmas Market tomorrow night and head home on Wednesday on British Airways out of Frankfurt and connecting in London for Toronto. Last post tomorrow. It has been a fabulous holiday thus far and Im sure we will do some part of it again in the near future.

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Dec 17 Rudesheim – our last night

Well that was a quick 3 weeks. Its over already and we head back tomorrow confirmed on BA all the way from FRA to LHR to YYZ. Should be on the ground by 21:00 and taxiing home shortly thereafter. We dropped the suitcase off at Frankfurt this morning and Michael came out of Air Canada in raucous laughter as the guys in Frankfurt only charged him Euro 20.46 for a 34kg suitcase. They said they don’t charge staff the extra fees and wished Michael a Merry Christmas! That’s less than one Euro per kg. and the final sum was CAD$31.00. He is still shocked at the good fortune and covers his mouth in surprise as we enjoy a brandy in the beautiful Central Hotel in Rudesheim. We are 40 min from FRA airport so tomorrow morning we will leave by 8:00, “as the staff say, a no stress drive is recommended as there could be construction”. We will heed their recommendation and depart at 8:00, as that is the German thing to do! We had a wonderful saunter around the market earlier and then a delicious dinner at the hotel and then another saunter to the Rudesheimer Coffee hut for a final cheer to the town. Asbach uralt does not disappoint. Just have a look at Michael’s picture below. We miss our girls and cant wait to hug and cuddle the 2 most beautiful dollies in the whole world! Lizzie and Mackenzie, Oma and Opa love you so very much and this was hard to be away from you. Wir lieben dich schatzies!

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