Last Stop on the Christmas Market Run- Vienna

After our time in Nürnberg, we took a 5-hour train ride to Vienna. Olaf had business to do on Monday and Tuesday, so we snuck in the Christmas Market on Sunday. 

We were pretty Christmas-marketed-out by that point, but we went anyways. We didn't stay for long, but we did enjoy it. On Tuesday we went to another, smaller market in a different area of town, at the suggestion of friends of ours. We thought the second one was much much better than the main market in front of the town hall. 

As we were approaching the market, I noticed that a handful of trees were decorated with very unique lights. When we finally got close, we realized there were hot air balloons, lit up and floating in the trees. So pretty! I know Grandma and Papa would really like these :)

The other trees were decorated with different things. Below is a picture of a tree decorated with massive red hearts, which looked more like blood platelets from below. 
 

My treat was a candy apple. These were one of my favorites growing up. I remember having one at the rodeo. I think that was our last year, because one of the riders got gored. 
 

The Vienna city streets were really beautifully decorated with different, massive formations of white lights. Sometimes they were draped in panels, and other times they were huge chandeliers.

 

 

We saw this unfortunate lady standing in a window of the Schwartzen Kameel:

Obviously the baguette is the superior specimen in this window.

Olaf and I will be in India until before Christmas, so there probably won't be any new posts until then. We're going on a tiger safari! 

 

Nürnberg Christkindlmarkt

A long time ago I read somewhere that the best Christmas Market in the world is in Nürnberg. I knew it would be commercial and cheesy, because every American on a "Christmas Markets in Germany" tour would be there. That was fine, I still wanted to go once in my life. 

Now that I have been, I never need/ want to go back. It was so commercial, crowded, and massive that we didn't enjoy it.  Especially after experiencing the Christmas Market in Olaf's hometown, which is sweet, special and unique. 

Nice, Italian choir

"The largest Feuerzangenbowle in the world!"

There it is- that big kettle is full of Feuerzangenbowle

I did find one new treat- homemade neopolitan coconut candies. I've always liked the Brach's kind, and these were good too. 

Coconut candies

See, they're good!

We left after an hour an had msg chicken and fries from Kochlöffel. That food should have a warning label on it. For your protection, I am not posting the photo of the food. 

Olaf is the picture of class here- standing outside the crack chicken fast food restaurant, carrying my Christmas decorations and other crap from Nanu-Nana, which Olaf insists is a cheap store (I disagree).

Well at least we can say that we have been to the Nürnberg Christmas market. Check.

Christmastime in Munich

Olaf and I jetted off to Germany and Austria the day after we got back from California. Olaf had business and we both wanted to visit at least one Christmas market this year, as we will be spending Christmas with my family in Folsom. 

First stop, Munich. The first day was a wash. Olaf was in meetings and I was nauseous from lack of sleep. These are the kind of days I say slow down and focus on the basics: finding food, drinking water, and making sleep a priority. 

Day 2 was a Friday, so we got to spend the evening together. First we went to Käfer, a gourmet grocery store outside the center of town. 

Me outside of Käfer

After wandering around the store, we headed back to the center of town. I went into a few stores, found a Christmas gift for my brother, and then we started searching for a good Christmas market.

The main market was on the main Marienplatz, and charming with the surrounding old buildings, but overly stuffed with people. 

Christmas Market on Marienplatz

Closer to the Viktualienmarkt we found a more charming, less busy market. The decorations were tops- detailed and very Christmassy :)

Ornament stand

Feuerzangenbowle (mulled wine with hot sugared spicy rum) stand- yum!

Happy it wasn't too cold

As you can see from the last blog post, Olaf has a new obsession with gold. My dad started it by taking him to the old gold mines when we were home for Thanksgiving. 


Imagine Olaf's excitement when he saw this sign:

"Attention, New! Currywurst with Gold flakes, 23 karat"

He started singing his song, all Rumpelstiltskin-like, "All that shines is not all GOLD!!!" 

People stared. I didn't care. He can do as he likes, it's his country.

Crack. Head.

Besides selling Currywurst for 7 euros, this stand was notable in other ways.

One, it was situated underneath a giant German Christmas pyramid, which might be called a "Drehturm" (Something which ALL Americans love and want in their homes, no exception.)

Also, they had the largest mayo and ketchup bottles/ udders I have ever seen.

Check those out

Olaf likes Currywurst, and I like Kartoffelpuffer. 

And Feuerzangenbowle.