| Ahhhh, Gluhwein ! Hot and spicy mulled wine, tastes | | | | shopping here is absolutely a must! We have wooden |
| so good with my bratwurst here in the marketplace | | | | plaques, with wood burned picture landscapes, |
| of Mainz, Germany. Oh, the shopping! Christmas | | | | purchased years ago adorning our walls. Cologne, the |
| pyramid carousels (Weihnachtspyramids), incense | | | | home of the famous Gothic cathedral, reminds us of |
| burners called 'smoking men' (Raeuchermaennchen), | | | | the religious significance of our holiday. Stand outside |
| nutcrackers and glass ornaments. Not my favorite, | | | | the cathedral in its beautiful square and look up to |
| but certainly a holiday treat, Gingerbread (lebkuchen). | | | | admire the spirals that reach toward the heavens. |
| I'll have more Gluhwein, bitte! | | | | Nuremberg offers one of the biggest |
| It's Christmas time on the Rhine River. The holiday | | | | Weihnachtsmarkts I can recall. A giant Pyramid in the |
| season is celebrated in marketplaces throughout | | | | center of its marketplace, this popular attraction, with |
| Europe (Weihnactsmarkt). None better than in | | | | life size figurines, represents the story of the season. |
| Germany. Having had the opportunity to live in | | | | If you go, remember that it is cold outside during this |
| Germany, I was introduced to this wonderful tradition | | | | time of year. The Gluhwien helps, but so do gloves, |
| of Christmas markets. We would bundle up our | | | | hats and scarves! While we drove from market to |
| children (the oldest who was only 6 at the time) and | | | | market, living there we could visit one market a |
| visit market after market, each one more wonderful | | | | week. If you go during a vacation, I recommend a |
| than the last. The scents of baked apples, pretzels | | | | Rhine River cruise or similar packaged tour. Parking in |
| and gingerbread, coupled with the sounds of seasonal | | | | the towns is not easy. They were not created with |
| music and the lights - added to the folklore of the | | | | cars and buses in mind. Rivers were the primary |
| marketplaces. For hundreds of years this tradition has | | | | mode of transportation. Even today boats dock right |
| been held in cities and towns throughout Europe. | | | | along the edge of the market. While the market |
| Beginning the third week in November and ending on | | | | places are open until Christmas Eve, it is important to |
| Christmas Eve, various town squares turn on the | | | | note that they (like all shops in Germany) close early |
| lights and the sounds of the holiday. | | | | on the twenty-fourth. |
| Heidleberg offers not only a wonderful town setting | | | | As many times as I've been able to return to |
| but the added ambiance of the castle perched high | | | | Germany - mostly in warmer weather - I would not |
| on the hill overlooking the festivities. If you stop to | | | | have given up the opportunity to experience the |
| visit, take the English guided tour of the castle - the | | | | Christmas markets. So bathed in tradition they are |
| guides are very knowledgeable on the history of | | | | part of the heritage of a wonderful Europe. The |
| past Kings. Rudesheim, on the Rhine River, wonderful | | | | markets are visited by tourists like myself but also |
| to visit all year long comes alive with the season - | | | | by the local citizens of these magnificent old towns. |