'Tis the Season for Christmas Markets

It is officially Christmas Market time in Europe. This means that cities with large town squares have decorations and stalls filled with Christmas shops. Each shop varies in theme, selling delicious goodies, Christmas ornaments, and woolen clothing. Of course, the stalls with candied nuts, marzipan sweets, and chocolate covered fruit are my favorites! I can now say that I have been to three of the top ten Christmas Markets in Europe because I traveled to both Nuremberg and Prague (and two years ago in Vienna). Last weekend I spent a day in both cities to enjoy the merry festivities and get my fill of holiday cheer. While I do not personally celebrate Christmas, the bright lights and happy crowds are fun to experience.

I went to Prague on Saturday, which was an amazingly clear and beautiful day, and met my friends Megan and Asha. After exploring the market for about five minutes, Megan and I decided that we couldn't wait any longer to literally eat chestnuts roasting on an open fire! I first had fire-roasted chestnuts while living in Turkey, and they are very delicious! After our first snack, we checked out stalls selling handmade crafts and ornaments, and then grabbed our second snack of candied almonds and hazelnuts. Still wanting protein, we walked to a Thai restaurant to relax and take refuge from the cold. We finished the night with some unsuccessful ball gown shopping - we have all been invited to numerous balls by the graduating classes at our schools. The first weekend in January, I am going to two balls! Thus, I must learn to waltz and foxtrot!

Megan at an ornament shop:

Sunday morning, I took a train to Nuremberg to meet a friend from college. Unfortunately, his train was delayed so I spent most of the day exploring on my own. But it was still an enjoyable day! My preconceived image of Nuremberg and much of Europe was that it was a dark and dreary place. I most likely imagined this because of their cloudy history. However, while descending to Nuremberg’s downtown, I was greeted with songs that sounded as though they came from Fiddle on the Roof played by men selling CDs with Magen Davids on the cover. Maybe it was the combination of the music and the endless snow wiping clean my beliefs of this town with a muddy history, but as I walked I began to feel more and more jolly. This jolliness could also be attributed to the fact that most of the visitors to this market were happily drinking Glühwein (warm and alcoholic Christmas punch). At this market, I enjoyed eating warm corn on the cob, a pizza-like baguette, and a fluffy and chocolate marzipan dessert. I also explored the Nuremberg Castle, used the bathroom next to the infamous courthouse, and watched the squares clock animate at 12PM. Maybe the weather was causing the delays, but my train home took two extra hour (but it allowed me to finish reading The Godfather Collection).

View from the castle:

View of the market:

Marzipan vegetables and chocolate covered fruit:

I should mention that Plzen was decorated for Christmas before Prague, and has its very own Christmas Market. It is smaller, but definitely very enjoyable. Plzen is also famous for its Christmas tree that won an award last year. Seeing that it has snowed on and off for the past two weeks, I have no doubt that Plzen will have a very white Christmas!