The Christmas Markets!

There is no better place than Europe to embrace the Christmas spirit. For Christmas junkies like myself, it is an absolute wonderland.

Every major city hosts a market in their downtown area that is a collaboration of huts and stands selling every kind of treat, hot drinks, gifts, native specialties and more. All the stands are lit with Christmas lights while surrounding the large city Christmas tree.

On weekend nights there is usually some sort of performance; Choir, band, etc. to provide Christmas carols that further adds to the ambiance.

We walked down almost everyday for some “gluhwein” (hot wine specialty) and trying out a new tasty treat. As cold as it is, I have to say that the festive atmosphere always made it worth the bone chilling temperatures.

In the first week of December, specialty market clusters were set up throughout the city.  Among them, I found the Finnish market to be my favorite. We made our way up there one afternoon during a heavy snowstorm. They had a variety of Finnish products and specialties, but we were drawn to the fresh whole salmons set upon wooden boards and being cooked right there on an open fire (I had pics, but lost my camera...again). Once it was fully cooked, they scraped off the flesh and stuffed it into fresh rye bread. So of course, we tried them and it may have been the best salmon I’ve ever eaten.  Then, we warmed up inside the large tipi set up in the center of the Finnish market with a bonfire burning inside.

We didn’t only experience the Linz Christmas Markets, but we made our way to Salzburg’s as well. Salzburg in December has to be closest thing to your childhood perception of the “North Pole.” It’s no wonder Salzburg is rated one of the top 5 best places to visit around Christmas time. We went down just for the day. In every open square of the city there are market stands set up. So we did the usual…grabbed a hot drink and walked along the stands to see all the different items sold, including thing’s like authentic sheep skin, Christmas ornaments, toys, jewelry and so on.

The thing I learned to love most about the Christmas markets is the way it so simply keeps the pure delight and spirit alive during the Christmas season.  A mere walk through any of these markets puts you in the spirit, with hardly any effort or cost. At home we often have Christmas get-togethers, which usually end up costing a lot of money on drinks, food, etc or a LOT of work on a person who hosts. Additionally, we get so wrapped up in gift giving (no pun intended), we don’t find time to enjoy uncomplicated and daily festivities for ourselves. If I could bring one tradition from Europe back to America, it would be a typical European Christmas market in each town (even over gelato..).

Our Tour Through Austria

After a couple days spent in Linz, it was on to our next adventure: our own 4 day tour through Austria..

We started in Salzburg. Tom and Lori spent the day on the Sound of Music Tour (as we did a month before with my parents). Afterwards we strolled through the small and charming streets of the Altstadt (“Old Town”). Of all that Salzburg has to offer, I think this might be my favorite…simply walking along while taking in the atmosphere. We went to dinner and enjoyed some authentic Austrian cuisine, which consists of seasonal pumpkin soup, Wiener schnitzel with sauerkraut, potatoes, bread, and not to be forgotten- beer.

The following morning we did a little souvenir shopping and we were off to our next destination- Hallstatt 

Hallstatt could be one of the most peaceful and scenic places on Earth. It’s no wonder the tiny village is growing popular among tourists. We didn’t do much besides walk through the still town and appreciate the views that day. At night we kicked back with pizza and cards at our bed and breakfast. The next day we had breakfast, walk/jogged through the mountains, and set out for our next stop, Zell Em See.

Zell Em See is a popular ski village among Austrians; and although we were there a little early for ski season, it was quite a place to see.  We spent day/night there exploring, until we embarked on the Krimmler Waterfalls.

Day 3- Krimmler Waterfalls

Lori suggested early on that the Krimmer Waterfalls were a must-see along our journey.  They are the highest waterfalls in Europe and among the top 5 in the world. Tom and Reid didn’t seem quite as excited about an estimated 4 hour hike up but I think it’s safe to say they’re happy they did.

The beginning seemed pretty easy…that’s how the mountain sucks you in. The higher you get, the better the views of the waterfalls and the town below, so we became more enthusiastic to continue on.  Also, the higher we got, the steeper the trail. There were times when the angle we were hiking made the trail appear almost level with my face…can you picture that!?

The views were spectacular and plenty worth the hike. I’ll let my pictures describe the rest..

Afterwards we took a beautiful, and somewhat life-threatening, drive through the windy narrow roads spiraling down mountains…which, (eventually) brought us to our final stop, Innsbruck.

Innsbruck is one of Austria’s largest cities and known for its winter sports. In fact, the city hosted the Winter Olympics twice (1964 and 1976). Innsbruck was a unique mix of both urban and rural setting. It was similar to Vienna in size and character. However it’s surround by stunning Austrian Alps that set it apart from any other major city I’ve seen here so far.

We had the opportunity to tour the Olympic ski jump. I was scared just looking down from that height, I don’t know how they manage to jump off it…and then proceed to land on 2 skis!

The journey came to end as we made our way to Munich, where Tom and Lori were flying out of to return back to Minnesooooota.  It was an invigorating week that gave us all the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful areas of Austria with our own eyes, and memories to keep for a lifetime. 

Slovenia

One of the best things about being here is providing the opportunity for our friends and family to see another part of the world…which, then includes, riding out the “vacation” wave with them! Just 4 weeks after my parents left, Reid’s parents arrived!

We drove down to Slovenia for the first weekend of their stay, primarily to cheer on the Black Wings…but, we saw some beautiful places along the way.

Bled, Slovenia is a hidden gem. I first learned about it after friends of ours got married there this summer. However, their pictures did little justice for what I saw with my own eyes (as do mine). This quaint village is situated on a small lake while surrounded by Slovenian Alps.

 

Besides it’s physical beauty, I was drawn to the way the town of Bled charismatically sticks to many of their oldest traditions. Our friends who were married there, hosted their ceremony at the castle that sits high upon a bluff overlooking the town. The castle is still run by a Lord and Lady, who performed Slovenian wedding customs. For example- The Lord uses his sword to slice off the champagne cork after they say their vows. 

A better example is then the bride and groom take a ferry across the lake to the church. The groom has to carry the bride up 99 stone steps before reaching the top and entering the church. Inside the church, the bride and groom ring the huge town bell 3 times and make a wish.  (So as you’d imagine….watching their wedding tape of all this was quite entertaining).

Well, we weren’t bride and groom, but Tom, Lori and I took the ferry to the church.

Interestingly, the ferries are another sacred tradition in Bled that has been passed down since the first families started the business. Now the men who row can only obtain the positions if they are heirlooms. Talk about a family business..

We asked the man working our ferry about the tradition and he confirmed. Then Lori asked him honestly, “So, did you want to do this; do you actually like it?” The man tilted his head as he considered the thought and in between strokes he grunted in his heavy accent, “It’s a job.”

We got to the island and I carried Lori up the 99 steps…kidding. But we did go up to the church, rang the bell, and made our wish (for 3 Euro per person…).

We spent the rest of our time hiking through Bled and eating an authentic Slovenian dinner, which included fish served with it’s eyes still staring at me! 

The next day we explored Ljubljana, which is Slovenia’s capital and largest city. More castles, more tours, more mountains, you get the gist. Don’t get me wrong- it was beautiful and we had a great time, but Bled was the highlight, for sure.  

(And I’m tired and want to go to bed). So, Gute Nacht!