It’s ChristkindlMarkt Time Again!

[NaBloPoMo update: Well, I didn’t post yesterday so the dream is dead. I’m not super surprised, I must say. I even had the post all written, but didn’t publish it right away as I wanted to check something with Markus. And then bed called hard and fast at about 8:30 last night and I forgot to finish the post off. Oh well. There is always next year.]

On a stroll Friday by the river we noticed the set up for one of the city’s Christmas Markets. So of course that is where we spent our afternoon yesterday.

Christmas markets are such a tradition here and locals and tourists alike look forward to them and plan their weekend around attending. This one is the first to open in the city (I think there will be four main markets), and is not large. It was a beautiful day today, crisp and clear, and the setting by the river was lovely.

As expected, there are booths with handcrafted toys and candles, homemade jams and knitted children’s clothes. And you get to experience all of this while sipping Glühwein, which is hot malted wine. Open alcohol is always a plus and certainly helps  with the patience for the children!

Rebecca didn’t join us this time, but Annie had fun. There was an old-style carousel that Annie and I went on. Definitely the highlight of the day. We also sat for a while at a puppet show and Annie got a few laughs in with the other children, although next year will be better when she is a bit older and her German skills have improved. The petting zoo was a bit of a bust, as the goats were almost full size and a rather intimidating, not like the little critters at Beacon Hill in Victoria.

We snacked on Kiazhl, which is basically deep fried dough. You can top it with icing sugar, cranberry compote or (since this is Austria) sauerkraut. I went with the sweet cranberry option, but will brave the kraut before the season ends. If I don’t like it, I’m sure Annie girl will as she loves cabbage.

This was a lovely way to spend the afternoon and I’m sure it will be a frequent excursion for the next few weeks. The Vienna markets are also suppose to be beautiful, so I’ll be sure to take some pictures from there.

In other winter news, the skating rink around the corner from us should be ready in a week. It is much larger than I thought it would be, as it is just in the center of an open plaza that is basically a walkway to the main strip. We are all going to purchase skates so that we can skip out in the afternoons to do a few laps. I guess I am assuming that Annie will like it. Here’s hoping.