Winter Wonders

All over Germany through the month of December is a smattering of traditional winter markets or Christmas markets.  Our Waldorfschule had one in November.  The city of Wolfsburg also held its own in the town center during the shopping season.  Although we were quite surprised and delighted when we stumbled upon the small Wolfsburg market by accident, we were told by everyone that we had to experience a "real" winter market -- one more traditional and with higher quality gluhwine, a traditional spiced and mulled wine made specifically for the holidays.  So, Mike and I also visited three other Christmas markets:  Braunschweig, Hanover, and the Autostadt (which is in Wolfsburg).

We went to Braunschweig's winter market with Jo, Annette, and Benjamin.  The first and most noticeable difference between this market and the one in Wolfsburg was the atmosphere and surroundings of the city.  Braunschweig is a much, much older city than 70-year-old Wolfsburg and has a richer cultural background.  There are beautiful old cathedrals and baroque architecture all throughout the city center.  The market itself was still carnival-esque, but the vendors were set up in wooden stands instead of the plastic tents like in Wolfsburg.

 Entering the Christmas market.

The nutcracker standing guard at the entrance.  It's definitely Christmastime.

This life-size display was outside of one of the churches.

An example of Braunschweig's loveliness.

A part of Braunschweig that was not touched by the market, but just as beautiful.

The main idea of the Christmas markets, like most festivals, is to eat and drink.  We went on a quest for good quality Gluhwine and tried at least three or four different ones to no avail.  It was strange for Mike and me to be drinking hot wine.  Most frustrating for Jo, however, was that all of the Gluhwines available were overly sweetened.  There were other options, of course.  Pictured above is a pretty eggnog with a very rain-soaked girl (this was all before Europe got plummeted by snow).  The eggnog, like a lot of German foods and drinks, was not what we expected.  Instead of something thick and creamy, the eggnog had a more runny consistency and tasted strongly of rum.  On the non-alcoholic side was hot chocolate and kinderpunsch or the non-alcoholic version of gluhwine -- ever popular with kids.

Annette was most excited to have her first Kartoffelpuffer of the season, which is a kind of German potato pancake.  They are served with either applesauce or Preiselbeeren, which is like cranberry sauce made with lingonberries.  Other commonly found foods at the winter market:  bratwurst, fries, cooked mushrooms, pizza, crepes, candied nuts, roasted chestnuts, and chocolate covered fruits.

The winter market crowd and some of the food vendors.  You can even see the rain that soak everyone and everything.

A very cool giant-sized European candle mill (disappointingly not powered by candles... or torches.)

As we headed home for the night, Mike spotted this car in the parking garage.  We were quite amused.  Who knew that police departments had such hardcore choirs?

Apparently I had enough energy left at the end of the night to show off my newly acquired Norwegian-style hat and glove set (it also came with a headband) that I desperately needed in the cold and rain of the typical German December.